This is one of the best Italian Campaign FJ Soldbuch lot i ve ever had.
Josef Krissel also partecipated in all of the battles in Italy from Sicily to the surrender in Veneto (Northern Italy) always with 1./Fallschirmjäger Regiment 3 of the 1.Fallschirmjäger Division.
I made a quick Chronology of his military career including his units. There s important signatures throughout the soldbuch of different important RK and DKiG recipients such as
Ludwig Heilmann (RK+EL+Schwerten),
Generalmajor Richard Heidrich (RK+EL+Schwerten),
Obstlt Eberhard Schneider(DKiG),
Erich Hellmann ( RK on 6 October 1944 as Leutnant and leader of the 1./Fallschirmjager-Regiment 3 )
The Driving License is Signed by Hauptmann u. II./FJR1 Führer FRITZ PRAGER (Prager was promoted to Major on 19 June 1940 and on 1 July took command of the 3rd Parachute Regiment's II Battalion. He died on 3 December 1940 in Braunschweig, of cancer)
EARLY WAR
5.10.1939: Krissel Starts his Service with Luftw.Bau.Komp.(mot.)2/VI
3.11.1939: Krissel is assigned to 7./FJR1
9.4.1940: Krissel receives his Military Driving License II and III Class from 5./FJR1 in Braunschweig
10.5.1940: FJR1 Captures Eben-Emael. Unclear whether Krissel supported his unit maybe Driving vehicles or not.
18.7.1940: Krissel is Transferred to 1./FJR3 "Lehr Bataillon" Commanded by Freiherr Von der Heydte
.8.1940: FJR3 is officially formed.
1.12.1940: Krissel is promoted to Gefreiter
20.5.1941-27.5.1941: FJR3 Jumps into Kreta Unclear whether Krissel supported his unit maybe Driving vehicles or not.
1.10.1941: FJR3 leaves for Russia
15.10.1941-15.11.1941: FJR3 Fights at the Newa Front untill its return to Germany. Unclear whether Krissel supported his unit maybe Driving vehicles or not.
1.11.1941: Krissel is promoted to Obergefreiter
.1.1942: FJR3 in Bergen for training and refit
20.2.1942: Krissel is Transferred to Stab./IV./FJR3 to start Jump training in Germany and then Normandy
25.3.1942: Krissel is Transferred to 15./IV./FJR3
5.6.1942: Krissel receives a K98 with ZF41 Sniper scope.
1.7.1942: I./FJR3 leaves for North Afrika
4.8.1942: Krissel Receives his Paratrooper Badge and is fully Qualified.
24.11.1942: Krissel and his 15./FJR3 reaches the Smolensk front between Petrokowo and Gorochowa
30.3.1943: FJR3 relieved and back to Germany via Smolensk then Argentan, then Avignon in southern France.
.6.1943: Krissel IV.Btl becomes I.Btl./FJR3
SICILY
11.7.1943: FJR3 Alerted to Jump into Sicily.At 16:00 they flew into Pratica di Mare,Rome.
12.7.1943: FJR3 flew to Neaples then into Catania Aerodrome
13.7.1943: I./FJR3 was East of Lentini where FJR3 bult up a defensive line before being encircled by the British airborne Brigade.
14.7.1943-13.8.1943: FJR3 Slowly retreats holding positions between Centuripe-Regalbuto then Bronte, Maletto, Randazzo.
14.8.1943-17.8.1943: FJR3 moves all the way Back to Messina via Taormina on the East Coast and is the last Unit to Leave Sicily.
SOUTHERN ITALY
27.8.1943-6.9.1943: FJR3 regroups in Dora(Calabria)
7.9.1943-10.9.1943: FJR3 regroups in Altamura/Foggia
10-15.9. 1943: I.Btl sent south of Salerno with the 16.Pz.Div. to fight Allies Landing.
12.09.1943. I.Btl captures Battipaglia
17.12.1943-1.2.1944: I.Btl joins II.Btl for the Battle for Ortona.
MONTECASSINO
10.2.1944: III.Btl captures Hill 593 then relieved by III./FJR1
15.2.1944: 2nd Battle for Montecassino starts. Monastery gets Bombed and FJR1 occupies the Ruins.
19.2.1944: I.Btl and II.Btl./FJR3 Arrive at Cassino
20.2.1944: I.Btl with Initially 4.Kp with their 4 heavy+2Light MGs occupies the Ruins of Montecassino.
1.Kp. is on Montecassino Hill, 3.Kp. is on Hill 236 and 2.Kp. on Rocca Janula (Hangman's Hill) relieving the 90.Pz.Gren.Div.,
II.Btl occupies the town of Cassino, III.Btl. Reserve at Fontana Liri.
26.2.1944: I.Btl was 150 men strong.
15.3.1944: 3rd Battle of Montecassino starts with the allied bombing the town of Cassino.
I.Btl defended the Monastery ruins but 2./FJR3 could not defend Hangman's Hill from the Indian Gurkha Regiment untill the Gurkhas retreated on 24.3.1944
End of March 1944: I.Btl Occupies Hill 593 with Krissel 1.Kp positioned on the actual Hill
4.4.1944: Krissel receives EKII
11.5.1944: 4th Battle of Montecassino starts
12.5.1944: II.Polish corps Captures Hill 593 then recaptured by 14./FJR3
17.5.1944: Kesselring Orders thretreat after French corps was breaching the line on south of Cassino
18.5.1944: FJR3 Retreats and Polish soldiers capture Hill 593 and then Montecassino.
1./FJR3 has only 3 men left, 1 Officer, 1 NCO, 1 EM. Krissel is one of those 3 survivors.
GOTHIC LINE/END OF WAR
18.5.1944-18.6.1944: 1.FJD retreated to Tivoli-Rieti-Terni
18.6.1944-15.7.1944 : 1.FJD defended area of Chiusi Piegaro(Perugia)
16.7.1944: 1.FJD Rest in Pesaro
12.7.1944: 1./FJR3 is in Montevarchi
20.7.1944: Krissel is awarded with the Kraftfahrbewährungsabzeichen in Bronze for exceptional driving ability and vehicle maintenance in under the most harsh condition during combat in Russia,Sicily and Italy
25.8.1944: Battle for the Gothic Line Starts, 1.FJD is Defends around the Cattolica/Rimini area.
1.10.1944: Krissel is Promoted to OberJäger (Sergeant)
October 1944- 16.4.1945: Defensive Battles around Imola/South East of Bologna then FJR3 starts Retreating
20.11.1944: Krissel is awarded with the Kraftfahrbewährungsabzeichen in Silber
25.4.1945: FJR3 Cross the Po River near Ferrara
1.5.1945: Krissel is promoted to Fallschirm-Feldwebel
2.5.1945: FJR3 Reached the area between Schio/Lake Garda where it surrendered to the 88th US Infantry Division. Some Paratroopers attempted to reach the Brenner Pass in small groups to avoid capture.
29.10.1945: Krissel is Release from being a POW
Josef Krissel also partecipated in all of the battles in Italy from Sicily to the surrender in Veneto (Northern Italy) always with 1./Fallschirmjäger Regiment 3 of the 1.Fallschirmjäger Division.
I made a quick Chronology of his military career including his units. There s important signatures throughout the soldbuch of different important RK and DKiG recipients such as
Ludwig Heilmann (RK+EL+Schwerten),
Generalmajor Richard Heidrich (RK+EL+Schwerten),
Obstlt Eberhard Schneider(DKiG),
Erich Hellmann ( RK on 6 October 1944 as Leutnant and leader of the 1./Fallschirmjager-Regiment 3 )
The Driving License is Signed by Hauptmann u. II./FJR1 Führer FRITZ PRAGER (Prager was promoted to Major on 19 June 1940 and on 1 July took command of the 3rd Parachute Regiment's II Battalion. He died on 3 December 1940 in Braunschweig, of cancer)
EARLY WAR
5.10.1939: Krissel Starts his Service with Luftw.Bau.Komp.(mot.)2/VI
3.11.1939: Krissel is assigned to 7./FJR1
9.4.1940: Krissel receives his Military Driving License II and III Class from 5./FJR1 in Braunschweig
10.5.1940: FJR1 Captures Eben-Emael. Unclear whether Krissel supported his unit maybe Driving vehicles or not.
18.7.1940: Krissel is Transferred to 1./FJR3 "Lehr Bataillon" Commanded by Freiherr Von der Heydte
.8.1940: FJR3 is officially formed.
1.12.1940: Krissel is promoted to Gefreiter
20.5.1941-27.5.1941: FJR3 Jumps into Kreta Unclear whether Krissel supported his unit maybe Driving vehicles or not.
1.10.1941: FJR3 leaves for Russia
15.10.1941-15.11.1941: FJR3 Fights at the Newa Front untill its return to Germany. Unclear whether Krissel supported his unit maybe Driving vehicles or not.
1.11.1941: Krissel is promoted to Obergefreiter
.1.1942: FJR3 in Bergen for training and refit
20.2.1942: Krissel is Transferred to Stab./IV./FJR3 to start Jump training in Germany and then Normandy
25.3.1942: Krissel is Transferred to 15./IV./FJR3
5.6.1942: Krissel receives a K98 with ZF41 Sniper scope.
1.7.1942: I./FJR3 leaves for North Afrika
4.8.1942: Krissel Receives his Paratrooper Badge and is fully Qualified.
24.11.1942: Krissel and his 15./FJR3 reaches the Smolensk front between Petrokowo and Gorochowa
30.3.1943: FJR3 relieved and back to Germany via Smolensk then Argentan, then Avignon in southern France.
.6.1943: Krissel IV.Btl becomes I.Btl./FJR3
SICILY
11.7.1943: FJR3 Alerted to Jump into Sicily.At 16:00 they flew into Pratica di Mare,Rome.
12.7.1943: FJR3 flew to Neaples then into Catania Aerodrome
13.7.1943: I./FJR3 was East of Lentini where FJR3 bult up a defensive line before being encircled by the British airborne Brigade.
14.7.1943-13.8.1943: FJR3 Slowly retreats holding positions between Centuripe-Regalbuto then Bronte, Maletto, Randazzo.
14.8.1943-17.8.1943: FJR3 moves all the way Back to Messina via Taormina on the East Coast and is the last Unit to Leave Sicily.
SOUTHERN ITALY
27.8.1943-6.9.1943: FJR3 regroups in Dora(Calabria)
7.9.1943-10.9.1943: FJR3 regroups in Altamura/Foggia
10-15.9. 1943: I.Btl sent south of Salerno with the 16.Pz.Div. to fight Allies Landing.
12.09.1943. I.Btl captures Battipaglia
17.12.1943-1.2.1944: I.Btl joins II.Btl for the Battle for Ortona.
MONTECASSINO
10.2.1944: III.Btl captures Hill 593 then relieved by III./FJR1
15.2.1944: 2nd Battle for Montecassino starts. Monastery gets Bombed and FJR1 occupies the Ruins.
19.2.1944: I.Btl and II.Btl./FJR3 Arrive at Cassino
20.2.1944: I.Btl with Initially 4.Kp with their 4 heavy+2Light MGs occupies the Ruins of Montecassino.
1.Kp. is on Montecassino Hill, 3.Kp. is on Hill 236 and 2.Kp. on Rocca Janula (Hangman's Hill) relieving the 90.Pz.Gren.Div.,
II.Btl occupies the town of Cassino, III.Btl. Reserve at Fontana Liri.
26.2.1944: I.Btl was 150 men strong.
15.3.1944: 3rd Battle of Montecassino starts with the allied bombing the town of Cassino.
I.Btl defended the Monastery ruins but 2./FJR3 could not defend Hangman's Hill from the Indian Gurkha Regiment untill the Gurkhas retreated on 24.3.1944
End of March 1944: I.Btl Occupies Hill 593 with Krissel 1.Kp positioned on the actual Hill
4.4.1944: Krissel receives EKII
11.5.1944: 4th Battle of Montecassino starts
12.5.1944: II.Polish corps Captures Hill 593 then recaptured by 14./FJR3
17.5.1944: Kesselring Orders thretreat after French corps was breaching the line on south of Cassino
18.5.1944: FJR3 Retreats and Polish soldiers capture Hill 593 and then Montecassino.
1./FJR3 has only 3 men left, 1 Officer, 1 NCO, 1 EM. Krissel is one of those 3 survivors.
GOTHIC LINE/END OF WAR
18.5.1944-18.6.1944: 1.FJD retreated to Tivoli-Rieti-Terni
18.6.1944-15.7.1944 : 1.FJD defended area of Chiusi Piegaro(Perugia)
16.7.1944: 1.FJD Rest in Pesaro
12.7.1944: 1./FJR3 is in Montevarchi
20.7.1944: Krissel is awarded with the Kraftfahrbewährungsabzeichen in Bronze for exceptional driving ability and vehicle maintenance in under the most harsh condition during combat in Russia,Sicily and Italy
25.8.1944: Battle for the Gothic Line Starts, 1.FJD is Defends around the Cattolica/Rimini area.
1.10.1944: Krissel is Promoted to OberJäger (Sergeant)
October 1944- 16.4.1945: Defensive Battles around Imola/South East of Bologna then FJR3 starts Retreating
20.11.1944: Krissel is awarded with the Kraftfahrbewährungsabzeichen in Silber
25.4.1945: FJR3 Cross the Po River near Ferrara
1.5.1945: Krissel is promoted to Fallschirm-Feldwebel
2.5.1945: FJR3 Reached the area between Schio/Lake Garda where it surrendered to the 88th US Infantry Division. Some Paratroopers attempted to reach the Brenner Pass in small groups to avoid capture.
29.10.1945: Krissel is Release from being a POW
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