I would like to share with you the Soldbuch of Hans Goeden, a Panzerjäger who saw action on the Eastern and Western fronts.
Called up in 1941, Goeden was trained a Panzerjäger and later joined the 14. (Panzerjäger) Kompanie of Infanterie-Regiment 212, part of the 79. Infanterie-Division. With this division, he advanced to Stalingrad until in May 1942 he was wounded a first time by shrapnell. Luckily for him, there were some complications and by the time he was released from a French hospital in October 1942, he was too late to rejoin his unit that had by then been encircled in Stalingrad. In March 1943, he was among the lucky ones who were able to reform the regiment, but shortly after his redeployment with Gren.Rgt.212 on the southern sector of the Eastern Front, he catched malaria. He was sent back to his unit soon, and was wounded a second time early April 1944 in the Ukraine. After his release from hospital he joined a most interesting unit, the Panzer-Zerstörer-Bataillon XII/1, soon renamed to Panzer-Zerstörer-Bataillon 486. This independent anti-tank battallion fought with the 1. Armee in the battle of Metz. During the subsequent fighting on the German-French border area, Goeden was wounded a third time by shrapnel in his arm on the 16th of January 1945. It was "only a flesh wound" and he did not leave his unit. Retreating through Germany, he was made a POW on 28th of April 1945 and spent a few years in French captivity.
Any additional information, especially about Pz.Zerst.Btl.486 and its deployment on the Western Front, is of course more than welcome!
Called up in 1941, Goeden was trained a Panzerjäger and later joined the 14. (Panzerjäger) Kompanie of Infanterie-Regiment 212, part of the 79. Infanterie-Division. With this division, he advanced to Stalingrad until in May 1942 he was wounded a first time by shrapnell. Luckily for him, there were some complications and by the time he was released from a French hospital in October 1942, he was too late to rejoin his unit that had by then been encircled in Stalingrad. In March 1943, he was among the lucky ones who were able to reform the regiment, but shortly after his redeployment with Gren.Rgt.212 on the southern sector of the Eastern Front, he catched malaria. He was sent back to his unit soon, and was wounded a second time early April 1944 in the Ukraine. After his release from hospital he joined a most interesting unit, the Panzer-Zerstörer-Bataillon XII/1, soon renamed to Panzer-Zerstörer-Bataillon 486. This independent anti-tank battallion fought with the 1. Armee in the battle of Metz. During the subsequent fighting on the German-French border area, Goeden was wounded a third time by shrapnel in his arm on the 16th of January 1945. It was "only a flesh wound" and he did not leave his unit. Retreating through Germany, he was made a POW on 28th of April 1945 and spent a few years in French captivity.
Any additional information, especially about Pz.Zerst.Btl.486 and its deployment on the Western Front, is of course more than welcome!
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