This weekend, I bought this Soldbuch belonging to Kanonier (Artilleryman) Günter Peters at a militaria collectors' show in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Peters was born on 8 August 1925 in Magdeburg. His Soldbuch was issued to him on 4 November 1943 by the Stamm-Batterie (Cadre Battery) of Artillerie-Ersatz und Ausbildungs-Abteilung (mot) 13 (Artillery Replacement and Training Battalion [motorized] 13), which was based in Magdeburg. Peters was assigned to Leichtgeschütz-Abteilung 423 (Light Howitzer Battalion 423), most likely in June 1944. This unit was formed was formed on 17 October 1943 and was assigned to Army Group Center near Minsk:
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...leiGAbt423.htm
Having reviewed all of the entries in the Soldbuch, Peters was not deployed in Russia. Peters joined the unit sometime in May 1944 and on 16 June 1944, his unit was renamed Heeres-Artillerie-Abteilung 423 (Army Artillery Battalion 423) and was committed to the Western Front under the 1. Fallschirmarmee (1st Paratrooper Army):
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...eer/HAA423.htm
Because the unit was most likely hastily deployed, the name change of his unit was never entered in Peters' Soldbuch. The renamed unit was equipped with the Raupenschlepper Ost (abbreviated as R.S.O.), a tracked vehicle that could tow a light howitzer and carry lots of ammunition for it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raupenschlepper,_Ost
Evidence to show that Peters served with Heeres-Artillerie-Abteilung 423 is his Wehrmacht-Führerschein (Military Driver's License), which reveals that he was qualified to drive the Raupenschlepper Ost as of 28 April 1944. Peters was probably deployed in Normandy shortly after 16 June 1944 and captured in June or July 1944 (his name does not appear on the German War Graves website and this Soldbuch has all of the signs that it was taken as a souvenir by a GI).
Barry
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...leiGAbt423.htm
Having reviewed all of the entries in the Soldbuch, Peters was not deployed in Russia. Peters joined the unit sometime in May 1944 and on 16 June 1944, his unit was renamed Heeres-Artillerie-Abteilung 423 (Army Artillery Battalion 423) and was committed to the Western Front under the 1. Fallschirmarmee (1st Paratrooper Army):
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...eer/HAA423.htm
Because the unit was most likely hastily deployed, the name change of his unit was never entered in Peters' Soldbuch. The renamed unit was equipped with the Raupenschlepper Ost (abbreviated as R.S.O.), a tracked vehicle that could tow a light howitzer and carry lots of ammunition for it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raupenschlepper,_Ost
Evidence to show that Peters served with Heeres-Artillerie-Abteilung 423 is his Wehrmacht-Führerschein (Military Driver's License), which reveals that he was qualified to drive the Raupenschlepper Ost as of 28 April 1944. Peters was probably deployed in Normandy shortly after 16 June 1944 and captured in June or July 1944 (his name does not appear on the German War Graves website and this Soldbuch has all of the signs that it was taken as a souvenir by a GI).
Barry
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