Panzer Soldbuch - 5th Panzer Regiment

[Hofstetter]

Nice book,
Tank commander, gotta be happy with that

[Ian Jewison]

I saw this on the dealers site and was interested in buying it but to be honest I presumed he was not in Africa until the date shown on page 19 when he arrived on African soil on 17.1.1943. Otherwise I would have expected to see at least the African campaign medal if not the Africa Cuff title!

Are the leave pages still there as you have not shown them?

Here are the Regiments actions taken from "Geschichte des Panzerregiments 5 1935-1943".

until 13.1.43: Defence in the Homs-Tarhuna position
13-17.1.43: Attack and capture of the mountain pass in the area of Faid
14.-22.2.43: Operation Frühlingswind (Spring wind). Advance on Sidi Bou Zid - Sbeitla - Sbiba
until 5.3.43: Laying in the Schott-Akarit position and then in the Mareth position
6-7.3.43: Operation Capri. Attack from the Mareth position on Medenine
27.3.43: Counterattack ne El Hamma
until 6.4.43: Defence of the Schott-Akarit position in the area of Guettar
6-10.4.43: Evasion in the Enfidaville position
until 7.5.43: Final battles of Pz.Rgt. 5 in the frame of Pzgrupe Oberst Irkens in Tunisia.

/Ian

[Ian Jewison]

The signature on page 3 is that of Hans-Joachim Schwaner DKiG as IIa 5 Pz.Bde.

5 Panzer-Brigade
Formed 10.11.1938 in Bamberg Wehrkreis XIII, as Stab for Panzer-Regiment of the 4 Panzer-Division (35 and 36); 27.1.1941 subordinated to 3 Panzer-Division and disbanded 21.2.1942.

Under: 4. Panzer-Division: 1939 Poland, 1940 Belgium, France
3. Panzer-Division: 1941 Central Russia

Replacements: 35 Bamberg, Wehrkreis XIII, 1941 5 Neuruppin, Wehrkreis III

[Tim O'Keefe]

Hi everyone,

[I]<> In the Fall of 1940, the 5th Pz Rgt was transferred from the 3rd Pz Div to the 5th Light Division (later 21st Pz Div) and sent to Afrika in Spring 1941

<> Rudolf fought with his unit in the siege of Tobruk with the following recognitions

- 1 August 1941 - Promoted to Feldwebel
- 9 September 1941 - Awarded EK2
- 24 October 1941 - Awarded EK1
- 1 November 1941 - Rudolf was wounded (I cannot read how/what happened)
- 30 December 1941 - Awarded VWA in Black[/I]<> At this time it appears Rudolf was evacuated back to Germany and sent to a hospital near Berlin in Neurippen

<> After his recovery, he spent the remainder of 1942 with Pnz Ersatz Abt 5 which was also stationed in Neurippen

- 2 April 1943 - He returned to Afrika just in time (unfortunately) for the Fall of Tunisia

- 7 May 1943 - He was wounded by shrapnel (31b) and is the last entry I can find



If you can help me if I missed anything? Also, is there a way to tell by the entries here what position he was in the tank?

Thanks for looking and as always, opinions are welcome!

From this information he should have been awarded the Afrikakorps ct ? Also there was no engagements with Panzer's fighting at Tobruk after operation "Battleaxe" June 15-17. 1941, until Sidi Rezeph Nov 17, '41, yet he received both the ekII & the ekI & shortly afterwords was wounded during this time period ?

He would have started as a driver maybe in Poland, Gunner in France, then tank commander in Afrika ? (Russia)....then sent to Afrika in '43.

[Ian Jewison]

He was clearly 5 Pz.Bde. August 1941.....they were in Russia. The Kriegsstammrollennummer on page 4 for Pz.Rgt. 5 is 662. This matches the security check in Africa dated 2.4.1943.....so it looks like he did not make Africa until January 1943.

Still a nice book and would have been a Pz. commander in both Russia (1941) and Africa (1943).

/Ian

[Blued]

Thanks guys, this is great to get all this info! Especially to hear that (regardless of where) he most probably was a tank commander!

Interesting points Tim and Ian. I have attached the leave pages as requested but I don't think it will offer much help as the gap is from 1940 to 1942.

This is probably where my unfamiliarity comes in, as I confused 5. Pz Brig with 5th Pz Rgt. What division was the 5. Pz Brig apart of? I'm thinking you may be right as the promotion is clearly 5. Pz Brig (very cool btw to have a DKiG signature for that).

In regards to the Afrika CT, my assumption was it was instituted in 43 which by that point he was already taken as a POW. However, it seems like good points were brought up. The tank units weren't engaged at the time the awards were issued which does point perhaps that he was fighting in Russia.


Regardless, so far I'm very happy to hear that it is still a legitimate soldbuch with legit entries! Time to roll up the sleeves learn a bit more.

[Ian Jewison]

Incidentally what unit is on his EK II citation and who awarded it?

5 Pz.Bde. was with 3. Panzer-Division 1941 in Central Russia....I made reference to it in the posts above.

/Ian

[Blued]

Incidentally what unit is on his EK II citation and who awarded it?

5 Pz.Bde. was with 3. Panzer-Division 1941 in Central Russia....I made reference to it in the posts above.

/Ian

Very good point, it was the 5th Pz. Brig and it is signed by Keitel's brother, General der Infanterie.

You're right Ian, thanks again! You did mention that already and I even acknowledged it in my follow-up post which for some reason I then didn't make the conclusion . I think with that we can say he definitely was fighting in Russia 3rd Pz Div after France and then went to Afrika in early '43.

With that established, do you know what type of tanks were used by the Brigade in central Russia?

[Simon O.]

By the way kriegslazarett 2/609 was in Minsk

[JUNGCO]

Page 14 shows his health standing and that he is tdf or fit for tropical service. Page 15 is not when he came to Afrika but a belated security check (supposed to have been done in Feb.43). Check page 19, there it shows he arrived in Afrika on Jan. 17, 1943. Wow, everybody was writting at the same time so mine is just repeating the above.
Jeff

[Blued]

Page 14 shows his health standing and that he is tdf or fit for tropical service. Page 15 is not when he came to Afrika but a belated security check (supposed to have been done in Feb.43). Check page 19, there it shows he arrived in Afrika on Jan. 17, 1943. Wow, everybody was writting at the same time so mine is just repeating the above.
Jeff

No, this is good info Jeff, as I couldn't read the hand writing on page 19. So he actually arrived there in January. Very neat, thanks for the help reading this handwriting!

[Ian Jewison]

I think you need to sit back, digest and read the entire thread again......then ask any more questions if you have them.

There's a lot to take in when you are not familiar with these documents or struggling with the hand writing......

/Ian

[bratwurstdimsum]

Can anybody help me with Rudolf's surname? Nice soldbuch by the way!


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[Ian Jewison]

Rudolf Tomschitz

/Ian

[bratwurstdimsum]

Cheers Ian.


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