Lw Soldbuch to soldier tranferred to GR 744

[erichcraciun]

I know there is a thread somewhere here for soldiers that were transferred from the Luftwaffe to the army.

Since I cannot find it, I will add my input here:

The Soldbuch and Award Document to the Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz to Unteroffizier Erwin Zindel.

Zindel was born on 7.2.1918 in Fellhammer (Kuźnice Świdnickie) in Schlesien and was a backer.

Interestingly enough, the page with the foto is glued into the Soldbuch but not stamped where the page is inserted into the book....and name was changed from Robert to Erwin...although on page 3, this "Änderung des Vornamens" took place on 27.9.1943 and the Soldbuch was first issued on 27.8. 1939.

[erichcraciun]

I also think the way Zindel changes his signature between the signature in the Soldbuch in 1939 and the foto page added sometime in 1942 or 1943. But I will stop playing detective / Feldgendarm and continue with Zindel's story....

[erichcraciun]

Zindel spent most of the war in Luftwaffe Signal and Flugmelde units in France Greece and Serbia.

On 16.12.1941 he was deemed fit for tropical service.

Sometime in 1944 he was transferred from Luftnachtrichten-Regiment 40 to Grenadier Regiment 744 (711. Infanterie Division a understrength division stationed at the time in Normandy then moving into Holland).

[erichcraciun]

I am still trying to determine exactly when ZIndel made the transition from Flugmelder to Grenadier.

According to the security check on page page 15, Zindel was on 1. Sept 1944 still attached to the 11. Flugmelde-Zug / Ln. Regt 40. According to the slip of paper glued in the book at the time of the security check there was no unit stamp available.

At sometime Zindel was handed out various "Merkblätter" regarding chemical weapons (Kampfstoff), First aide by chemical attack and medical guidelines to follow when serving in warmer climates.

[erichcraciun]

Zindel was awarded the Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse mit Schwertern on 20.4.1942 and the passed the "Funkbetriebszeugnis" (Radio Operators) test on 30.3.1943 while serving with 2. Kompanie schwere Flugmelde-Abteilung Süd-Griechenland.

Then on 14. February 1945 he was awarded the Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz for being wounded twice (30.8 and 3.9. 1944) while serving with Stabskompanie / Grenadier Regiment 744 (711. Inf. Div.). At that time, the Division was serving in Holland.

Although the awarding units match the units entered in the book, the attached award page is not "stamped" into the book as seen with other attached pages in other books.

According to the equipment issued Zindel was issued the Helmtarnnetz when he and the division was refitted before being transferred to Hungary.

A very interesting penciled-in entry on the same page (circled in red):

24.3 Gefangennahme
27.3 Budapest
5.-11.4 ????

[Luft 76]

Interesting little group, very representative of the situation after summer 44. This "guy" was one of the hundreds of Lw soldiers who were transferred to Heer between september and october, in order to refill destroyed divisions after Normandy or France invasion : 89., 711., 245., 272.ID were in that case. Sometimes, Lw personnal were spontaneously integrated on field, like for 245.ID who integrated several little Lw Flieger and Nachrichten units during the fights in Belgium and Holland, in september 44.

[erichcraciun]

Thank you for this additional information. Typical of a later war unit. I am mostly interested in Zindel and division's history in Hungary.

Can anyone pin down where or in what actions Zindel was wounded?

Thanks

Erich

[Luft 76]

He seems to be in his Ln unit during his first wound of 30 august. I don't know where was his compagny at that time (still in Griechenland ?) but anyway, it was a light wound because he was in his unit during september, when the check of his paybook was realised. If not, the stamp should have been different (by a Lazaret or even the GR 744).
As you know better than me, the second wound was in Hungary, in Esztergom - Dorog sector.

[Lambert]

I really like these Soldbücher which were carried through the whole war, thanks for showing this nice example!

[erichcraciun]

Thank you!

i like it too. I know that Lionel had a thread about soldiers that transferred from different armed services, but I can't find the thread anymore!

Erich