Hello !
A few members have asked me, what my interests in collecting are, so I thought I will try to show some examples.
I am most interested in SBs or other docs, related to Walküre/Gneisenau units (Alarm units from the Ersatzheer/replacement army),
and to find infos on their role to stop the Allied advance in the West in autumn 1944.
These units existed in any size, from whole divisions (Div.Nr. 176, 180, 190, 462 etc.) to Btl. size.
These Btls./Rgts. often had cryptic designations, either refering to the WK, where they were raised (e.g., A/V, D/V, 1/XII etc.),
but also additions can be found, like Gren.EuA.-Btl. 167(W) [(W) for Walküre, WK VI] or Art.Ers.Rgt 22(K) [(K)=Kampf ?! for WK X] etc.
This SB is not exactly of a Walküre unit, but closely related, because the training compartments of the recon units in the West
(redesignated as Schnelle Abteilungen), were also transferred from the Ersatzheer to the Field Army in late July 1944.
(This SB is at least relatively well researched, the other examples still need a lot of work to do. I hope the Forum software will work long enough ...
)
This is probably one of the "easiest" Soldbuchs I have, but it still poses many questions :
1.) There is no entry for a weapon at all ?! (although there was plenty of time).
2.) He was posted to a "Genesenden-Marsch-Kp." XII/246/2, but no entry at all on the hospital pages ?
3.) How long did he stay with 246. VGD in 1945, when was he posted to his replacement unit and did he ever return to 246. VGD ?!
4.) Finally : He became POW to the US forces. The POW number seems very low. Is there any explanation ?
Here is a quick overview on the SB (for anybody interested, I'll post some more details after the SB pages) :
Bruno Werner was born on 13.10.25 and drafted (only 17 years old) to Aufklärungs-Ersatz-Abt. 10 in Königsbrück (WK IV) in July, 1943.
In August 43, he was transferred to the Ausbildungs compartment of this unit, which had been redesignated as:
Schnelle Abteilung 504, first under command of Schnelle Brigade 20 and later an element of Regiment von Fritschen.
Schnelle Abt. 504 was located in Heerenveen and Joure (Netherlands) in 1943 and moved to Castricum and Uitgeest in spring 1944.
In July/Aug. 44, it was given the task of coastal defense in an area west of Haarlem/Amsterdam, (Abt. 504 S of Ijmuiden).
- The unit was thrown into battle on 30.8.44, S of Mesmont, 15km N of Rethel. It then supported the retreat of LXXX. AK. at Sedan,
Margut, and in Luxemburg.
- From 15.9.-22.9. it took part in the Battle of Wallendorf and helped containing and reducing the American bridgehead there.
- From 8.10.-17.12.44, it took part in the Aachen battles, NE of Würselen (late Oct., it was redesignated I./Gren.Rgt. 404 [246. VGD])
- In late December 1944, 246. VGD took part in the Battle of the Bulge.
At some time in Jan./Feb. 1945, Bruno Werner was posted to a Genesenden-Marsch-Kp. of Gren.EuA-Btl. 72.
What happened after that, is still unclear to me (see questions above).
Awards : Inf.Sturmabz. (silber), EK 2
I hope you like the Soldbuch and any comments are very welcome !
Best regards,
Archi
I'll start with the SB pages, and first his photo and his awards :
A few members have asked me, what my interests in collecting are, so I thought I will try to show some examples.
I am most interested in SBs or other docs, related to Walküre/Gneisenau units (Alarm units from the Ersatzheer/replacement army),
and to find infos on their role to stop the Allied advance in the West in autumn 1944.
These units existed in any size, from whole divisions (Div.Nr. 176, 180, 190, 462 etc.) to Btl. size.
These Btls./Rgts. often had cryptic designations, either refering to the WK, where they were raised (e.g., A/V, D/V, 1/XII etc.),
but also additions can be found, like Gren.EuA.-Btl. 167(W) [(W) for Walküre, WK VI] or Art.Ers.Rgt 22(K) [(K)=Kampf ?! for WK X] etc.
This SB is not exactly of a Walküre unit, but closely related, because the training compartments of the recon units in the West
(redesignated as Schnelle Abteilungen), were also transferred from the Ersatzheer to the Field Army in late July 1944.
(This SB is at least relatively well researched, the other examples still need a lot of work to do. I hope the Forum software will work long enough ...
)This is probably one of the "easiest" Soldbuchs I have, but it still poses many questions :
1.) There is no entry for a weapon at all ?! (although there was plenty of time).
2.) He was posted to a "Genesenden-Marsch-Kp." XII/246/2, but no entry at all on the hospital pages ?
3.) How long did he stay with 246. VGD in 1945, when was he posted to his replacement unit and did he ever return to 246. VGD ?!
4.) Finally : He became POW to the US forces. The POW number seems very low. Is there any explanation ?
Here is a quick overview on the SB (for anybody interested, I'll post some more details after the SB pages) :
Bruno Werner was born on 13.10.25 and drafted (only 17 years old) to Aufklärungs-Ersatz-Abt. 10 in Königsbrück (WK IV) in July, 1943.
In August 43, he was transferred to the Ausbildungs compartment of this unit, which had been redesignated as:
Schnelle Abteilung 504, first under command of Schnelle Brigade 20 and later an element of Regiment von Fritschen.
Schnelle Abt. 504 was located in Heerenveen and Joure (Netherlands) in 1943 and moved to Castricum and Uitgeest in spring 1944.
In July/Aug. 44, it was given the task of coastal defense in an area west of Haarlem/Amsterdam, (Abt. 504 S of Ijmuiden).
- The unit was thrown into battle on 30.8.44, S of Mesmont, 15km N of Rethel. It then supported the retreat of LXXX. AK. at Sedan,
Margut, and in Luxemburg.
- From 15.9.-22.9. it took part in the Battle of Wallendorf and helped containing and reducing the American bridgehead there.
- From 8.10.-17.12.44, it took part in the Aachen battles, NE of Würselen (late Oct., it was redesignated I./Gren.Rgt. 404 [246. VGD])
- In late December 1944, 246. VGD took part in the Battle of the Bulge.
At some time in Jan./Feb. 1945, Bruno Werner was posted to a Genesenden-Marsch-Kp. of Gren.EuA-Btl. 72.
What happened after that, is still unclear to me (see questions above).
Awards : Inf.Sturmabz. (silber), EK 2
I hope you like the Soldbuch and any comments are very welcome !
Best regards,
Archi
I'll start with the SB pages, and first his photo and his awards :
!
!
!
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