I was really happy to add this interesting Soldbuch to my ID collection. As many of you know, I specialize in IDs for soldiers who fought on D-Day, but I found this Soldbuch just as interesting. The Soldbuch was issued to Grenadier Theodor Kappenberg on 2 December 1943 by the Stamm-Kompanie (Cadre Company) of Grenadier-Ersatz-Bataillon 454 (Grenadier Replacement Battalion 454) in Düsseldorf. He initially served with Reserve-Grenadier-Regiment 254. He then was transferred to Divisions-Füsilier-Bataillon 147 (Divisional Reconnaissance Battalion 147), which was later renamed Divisions-Füsilier-Battaillon 47. Both of these units were attached to the 47. Infanterie-Division. During Kappenberg’s service with the 47. Infanterie-Division, the division was stationed between Boulogne-sur-Mer and Calais, France. Within this sector was the famous cross-channel gun named Batterie Lindemann (Lindemann Battery), which was named in honor of Kapitän zur See Ernst Lindemann, who commanded the battleship Bismarck and went down with his ship:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Lindemann
You can read more about cross-channel guns, including Batterie Lindemann, here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-...cond_World_War
Batterie Lindemann was located in Sangatte, France, just west of Calais. The battery fired many rounds into England during the war and was also repeatedly bombed by the Allies. Casualties at and near the battery must have been high since a cemetery was built near Batterie Lindemann. From D-Day, Kappenberg was stationed in or near Sangatte. Three and half months after D-Day, Canadian forces approached Sangatte and on 22 September 1944, they engaged German troops there, who successfully repelled the attack. One of the German casualties that day was Grenadier Theodor Kappenberg. As you can see, page 1 was crossed out and the following entry was made: Gefallen am 22.9.44 in Sangatte, französ. Kanal-Küste; beerdigt in Sangatte auf dem Friedhof der Batterie Lindemann (Killed in action on 22 September 1944 in Sangatte, French Canal Coast; buried in the Sangatte in the cemetery of the Lindemann Battery). The region in France that Kappenberg was stationed in was beautiful, but because Batterie Lindemann was nearby, it was far from peaceful - not only did the battery fire many rounds, but it was bombed repeatedly. Most likely, Kappenberg was killed the very first day he was in combat. Kappenberg was not a young man when he was killed. He was thirty-eight years old and from the time his Soldbuch was issued, he never received a leave. Before D-Day, Rommel visited the cemetery of Batterie Lindemann. After the war, the bodies of the soldiers buried there were dug up and reinterred (from what I have read, in Lindern, Germany). The stone border of the cemetery still exists and is a nice place to picnic on the coast.
Barry
P.S. I'm pretty good at reading German script, but because of the thickness of the pen used at the top of page 2, I can't make out Kappenberg's Beruf (Occupation). Can anyone figure it out?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Lindemann
You can read more about cross-channel guns, including Batterie Lindemann, here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-...cond_World_War
Batterie Lindemann was located in Sangatte, France, just west of Calais. The battery fired many rounds into England during the war and was also repeatedly bombed by the Allies. Casualties at and near the battery must have been high since a cemetery was built near Batterie Lindemann. From D-Day, Kappenberg was stationed in or near Sangatte. Three and half months after D-Day, Canadian forces approached Sangatte and on 22 September 1944, they engaged German troops there, who successfully repelled the attack. One of the German casualties that day was Grenadier Theodor Kappenberg. As you can see, page 1 was crossed out and the following entry was made: Gefallen am 22.9.44 in Sangatte, französ. Kanal-Küste; beerdigt in Sangatte auf dem Friedhof der Batterie Lindemann (Killed in action on 22 September 1944 in Sangatte, French Canal Coast; buried in the Sangatte in the cemetery of the Lindemann Battery). The region in France that Kappenberg was stationed in was beautiful, but because Batterie Lindemann was nearby, it was far from peaceful - not only did the battery fire many rounds, but it was bombed repeatedly. Most likely, Kappenberg was killed the very first day he was in combat. Kappenberg was not a young man when he was killed. He was thirty-eight years old and from the time his Soldbuch was issued, he never received a leave. Before D-Day, Rommel visited the cemetery of Batterie Lindemann. After the war, the bodies of the soldiers buried there were dug up and reinterred (from what I have read, in Lindern, Germany). The stone border of the cemetery still exists and is a nice place to picnic on the coast.
Barry
P.S. I'm pretty good at reading German script, but because of the thickness of the pen used at the top of page 2, I can't make out Kappenberg's Beruf (Occupation). Can anyone figure it out?
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