I recently bought the Soldbuch of Unteroffizier (Sergeant) Hans Weller from a collector in Canada who is disposing of his collection. While living in Germany many years ago, the collector acquired Weller's Soldbuch directly from his family.
Hans Weller was born on 12 February 1909 in Werl, Germany, and was a barber in civilian life. In 1940, Weller was either drafted or volunteered for military service. His Soldbuch was issued to him on 15 May 1940 in Elbing in Westphalia by the 3./Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 159 (3rd Company of Infantry Replacement Battalion 159). Weller's first field unit was the 2./Landeschutzen-Bataillon 490 (2nd Company of Local Defense Battalion 490), which was placed under the command of Heeresgruppe Mitte (Army Group Center) in 1942. Weller served with this unit until sometime before 1 October 1942 and was then assigned to the 8.(M.G.) Kompanie/Infanterie-Regiment 736 (8th Machine Gun Company of Infantry Regiment 736), which was part of the 716. Infanterie-Division (716th Infantry Division). Just before the Allied invasion at Normandy, most elements of this division protected the eastern coast of Normandy. Weller's unit, the 8.(M.G.) Kompanie/Infanterie-Regiment 736, was commanded by Hauptmann (Captain) Johann Grzeski, whose command post was at Chateau Tailleville, France, 3.6 kilometers south of Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer on the coast of Normandy. On 22 August 1943, Weller was awarded the Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse mit Schwerten (War Merit Cross IInd Class with Swords); Hauptmann Grzeski put his signature to this award on page 21 Grzeski's signature also appears on pages 3, 15, and 24.
The 716. Infanterie-Division was prepared for a potential landing by the Allies, which came on 6 June 1944, D-Day. After British paratroopers landed near Tailleville in the early morning of 6 June 1944, Grenadier-Regiment 736 was deployed and engaged the enemy. British paratroopers were able to hold their line and Grenadier-Regiment 736 was forced to withdrawal. Weller luckily survived the fighting in Normandy in June and July 1944. In August, his unit was transferred to southern France, where it engaged American forces, and from September, his unit was fighting in Elsass. On or shortly before 10 October 1944, Weller was wounded by shrapnel in the left shoulder (this wound is listed at the top of page 1) and was hosptalized in Feldlazarett (mot) 622 (Field Hospital [motorized] 622) until 14 October 1944. On 17 October 1944, Weller arrived at Reservelazarett III (Reserve Hospital III) in Bad Kissingen, Germany. From 27 February to 15 March 1945, Weller was given a recuperation leave by this hospital, and presumably on 16 March 1945, Weller returned to Grenadier-Regiment 736, but was assigned to a different compnay, that is, the 1. Kompanie (1st Company) of Grenadier-Regiment 736. Weller was presumably captured in Kempten, Germany, at the end of the war along with the remnants of the 716. Infanterie-Division.
Barry
P.S. For the German readers, I have attached three excerpts from a book that covers the radio reports from German units engaged on D-Day. You can see that the II./Grenadier-Regiment 736, including the 8.(M.G.)/Grenadier-Regiment 736, engaged British paratroopers on D-Day.
Hans Weller was born on 12 February 1909 in Werl, Germany, and was a barber in civilian life. In 1940, Weller was either drafted or volunteered for military service. His Soldbuch was issued to him on 15 May 1940 in Elbing in Westphalia by the 3./Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 159 (3rd Company of Infantry Replacement Battalion 159). Weller's first field unit was the 2./Landeschutzen-Bataillon 490 (2nd Company of Local Defense Battalion 490), which was placed under the command of Heeresgruppe Mitte (Army Group Center) in 1942. Weller served with this unit until sometime before 1 October 1942 and was then assigned to the 8.(M.G.) Kompanie/Infanterie-Regiment 736 (8th Machine Gun Company of Infantry Regiment 736), which was part of the 716. Infanterie-Division (716th Infantry Division). Just before the Allied invasion at Normandy, most elements of this division protected the eastern coast of Normandy. Weller's unit, the 8.(M.G.) Kompanie/Infanterie-Regiment 736, was commanded by Hauptmann (Captain) Johann Grzeski, whose command post was at Chateau Tailleville, France, 3.6 kilometers south of Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer on the coast of Normandy. On 22 August 1943, Weller was awarded the Kriegsverdienstkreuz II. Klasse mit Schwerten (War Merit Cross IInd Class with Swords); Hauptmann Grzeski put his signature to this award on page 21 Grzeski's signature also appears on pages 3, 15, and 24.
The 716. Infanterie-Division was prepared for a potential landing by the Allies, which came on 6 June 1944, D-Day. After British paratroopers landed near Tailleville in the early morning of 6 June 1944, Grenadier-Regiment 736 was deployed and engaged the enemy. British paratroopers were able to hold their line and Grenadier-Regiment 736 was forced to withdrawal. Weller luckily survived the fighting in Normandy in June and July 1944. In August, his unit was transferred to southern France, where it engaged American forces, and from September, his unit was fighting in Elsass. On or shortly before 10 October 1944, Weller was wounded by shrapnel in the left shoulder (this wound is listed at the top of page 1) and was hosptalized in Feldlazarett (mot) 622 (Field Hospital [motorized] 622) until 14 October 1944. On 17 October 1944, Weller arrived at Reservelazarett III (Reserve Hospital III) in Bad Kissingen, Germany. From 27 February to 15 March 1945, Weller was given a recuperation leave by this hospital, and presumably on 16 March 1945, Weller returned to Grenadier-Regiment 736, but was assigned to a different compnay, that is, the 1. Kompanie (1st Company) of Grenadier-Regiment 736. Weller was presumably captured in Kempten, Germany, at the end of the war along with the remnants of the 716. Infanterie-Division.
Barry
P.S. For the German readers, I have attached three excerpts from a book that covers the radio reports from German units engaged on D-Day. You can see that the II./Grenadier-Regiment 736, including the 8.(M.G.)/Grenadier-Regiment 736, engaged British paratroopers on D-Day.
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