WP & SB + Many Docs ! Pz.Gren.Rgt.304(2 div Pz)

[H.W Plainview]

Nice thank you Junco.

Can you read page 32 33 of the wp please ?

[Archi]

Hello !

I think this is a very interesting group/combo of SB/WP and docs related to 2. Pz.Div.

I agree with the others, that there is no reason to doubt, that this soldier fought with 2. Pz.Div. in Normandy.

However, I think there are several other points worth mentioning :
His career can be divided into 4 major parts :
1.) prewar, 2.) Wartime 1939-43, 3.) short time hospital/replacement unit, 4.) back to his former co. in April 1944.

1.) I think, his first unit entry in the WP is : 01.04.35 2. Hundertschaft Landes-Polizei-Abteilung Stettin
(he had volunteered, and received an "Annahmeschein für Landespolizei Abtl. Stettin", see WP p. 5 top and middle).
In 1935, it was decided to incorporate the "kasernierte Landespolizei" into the Wehrmacht. Therefore, from
Oct. 1935 Hans Ulrich was transferred to Inf.Rgt 5 (2. Inf.Div.) and was dismissed in Sept. 1936, with the
rank of Gefreiter (but also "Uffz. Anwärter der Reserve") [capable of becoming an NCO (of the reserve), WP. p.22].

He joined a one month training exercise in June 1939, where he served as Truppführer in a so called "Übungs-Inf.Rgt. Lang".
(I would like to get more infos on this unit! [WP, p. 28]).

2.) His war time career starts end of October 1939, when he was drafted to 1. Kp./Inf.Rgt. 243 (60. Inf.Div.).
From then on, he stayed with the same company (!), which after the attack against France, in late 1940 was transferred
to 2. Pz.Div.
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/...ionen/60ID.htm
60. Inf.Div. was subordinated to XII. AK. in May/June 1940 and mostly held in reserve NE of Saarbrücken. It became active
from about 12.6.40 onward, achieving a breakthrough of the Maginot line. This is what is mentioned on p. 32-33 of the WP:
10.5.-11.6.40 : Break-in and capture of the forefield of the Maginot-Line between Rhine and Moselle.
12.6.-16.6.40 : Breakthrough of the Maginot line South of Saarbrücken
17.6.-20.6.40 : Attack across the Seille and the Rhein-Marne-Canal
21.6.-23.6.40 : Battle of annihilation at the Moselle and in the Vosgese
24.6.-15.7.40 : Participation in the occupation of France

At some time in 1940, he must have been promototed to Uffz., which is surprisingly not mentioned in the WP.
On 4.9.40, he signed in for 12 year service (WP p. 26, mentioning him already as Uffz./NCO), and from 18.11.40 - 13.1.41,
he participated in a course to become "weapon and ordnance NCO" (WP p.21).

In mid August 1940, Inf.Rgt. 243 was dissolved and the I./IR 243 became the II./Btl. Schützen-Rgt. 304.
As a Schützen-Btl. had 5 companies at that time, the former 1.Kp./IR 243 became the 6.Kp./S.R. 304.

From then on, he shared the way of 2. Pz.Div. : reorganization at home (Wien area), March 1941 sent to Romania,
April to Bulgaria and then participation in the attack against Jugoslavia and Greece (WP p. 33,47).
From July 41-End of 1943 : Battles in Russia with HGr. Mitte. At the time he received the EK 2 in August 1942,
2. Pz.Div. was involved in heavy battles near Karmanovo, ~40km SE of Rzhev.

3.) On 2.12.43 he was diagnosed with : "Verdacht auf Nierensteine" /suspect of kidney stones/Nephroliths (WP. p. 34).
This probably sent him to a hospital at home. He formally stayed on the roster of "his" company until 8.2.44, (the Wehrmacht
had a term for this : Kranke und Verwundete innerhalb von 8 Wochen, (ill and wounded within 8 weeks)).
As he didn't return within those 8 weeks, he was formally transferred to the Genesenden-Kp. of his replacement unit and then
after return from hospital to the Marsch-Kp., where soldiers were assembled, to be sent to the front again.

You can track this from the document shown top #6 : This is a Stammrollen-Auszug, a short summary of what had happened to the
soldier before, as described by Jungco. Here you can see, that he was transferred to the Marsch-Kp. (actual unit, listed on
top left) on the 9.3.44, and was sent there from Reserve-Lazarett Ueckermuende on the 6.3.44 (lines 3-4 on the right).

He was then granted a leave, from 12.3.44-25.3.44, because of : "Gefährdung der bürgerlichen Existenz". (SB, p. 23).
Immediately after his return, he participated in a 1 week course for "Feldfunksprecher" (small doc dated: Friedeck, 4. April 1944).
On 5.4.44, he was transferred to Gen.M.Kp. XVII/2.Pz./27 (Stammrollen-Auszug line 11, right) and with this unit he
was sent back to the front to 2. Pz.Div., where he arrived ~14.4.1944, according to the Wehrpass.
Around the same time, a "Beurteilung" was issued (last doc shown in #5), so that the new, receiving unit would be aware
what to expect of this soldier (strengths, weaknesses etc.: In this case : very promising).
In addition, his last position is listed under d) Hauptgeräteverwalter (could be : ordnance/quartermaster sergeant ?!) and it is also
listed for which position he was deemed capable under h) Zugführer (platoon leader).

4.) He returned to 6. Kp./Pz.GrenRgt. 304 on 14.4.44 (WP entry). Regarding his tasks/position : As he was likely one of the most
senior NCO and additionaly trained as radio operator, it is possible, that he was Kompanie-Trupp-Führer,e.g. :
https://www.wwiidaybyday.com/kstn/ks...gpfg1aug44.htm
However, there are so many variants of these KStN, that this is only a guess. (On the other hand, the makeshisft docment dated
29.11.44, which I think is a variant of the 3rd image shown in #6) seems to indicate, that he had such a kind of position.

He then served with this unit very likely in Normandy, Ardennes and spring 1945 at the Westfront.
What exactly happens at the end is unclear to me, especially the SB entry on p. 19 :
I thought this kind of entry was made when a unit was officially dissolved ! However, 2. Pz.Div. did retreat further to the West
and finally surrendered in early May to the US troops. So this entry seems strange to me ...

Are there any other dated entries in the SB (or hospital entries ?).

Best regards,

Archi

[Luft 76]

Great analysis Archi. I think your hypothesis about his employment in Kompanie trupp is very credible.
I would want just to add a point of detail : II./304 was only motorised, not armoured. Only I./304 was.

[Archi]

Hello Luft 76 !

You are a very thorough reader and absolutely correct !
There are many other possible "mismatches" with my "candidate KStN" and reality as well :
- Date is 1.8.44, so it theoretically should apply only to the refit in Nov. 44
- the Kompanietruppführer would be "Gefechtsschreiber" as well (which is not mentioned in his Wehrpass),
- it would apply only, if the company would have converted to the freie Gliederung (without Tross), etc. ...

Another "candidate KStN" would be :
https://www.wwiidaybyday.com/kstn/kstn11141nov43.htm
However, here Kompanietruppführer and Funker are different soldiers.
As I mentioned, there are many other variants of this KStN 1114. The link I posted, was the only one,
which mentioned a possible senior NCO as Sprechfunker explicitely, so he might have been used in that function,
or some very similar task.

However, several other functions could be thought of as well :
Hauptfeldwebel/Spiess : He knew the company from very early on and had some administrative experience (Hauptgeräteverwalter)
Geräteunteroffizier : Same job as he did before (with (not necessary) course as: Sprechfunker)
Zugführer (platoon leader) : very possible as well (that is what the Beurteilung recommended)

I think the Spiess/Hauptfeldwebel task (you already suggested) should have been mentioned in the Wehrpass in general.
However, if there are no entries made in the WP after April 1944, we might never know.

Best regards,

Archi

[H.W Plainview]

A massive thank you for these details guys.

[Luft 76]

You are a very thorough reader and absolutely correct
(...)
I think the Spiess/Hauptfeldwebel task (you already suggested) should have been mentioned in the Wehrpass in general.

Thoroughness is necessar for this passion of history !

Your are right about Spiess/Hptfw. status : it would be also marked in his Soldbuch, who is a Zweitschrift of november 44.
He had certainly Zugführer's status, but obviously not in a section of fight. It explains why he received only the KvK II. kl. in september.

[Archi]

Hello Luft 76 !

That are two very good points I didn't know (Spiess in SB)/ didn't think about (the KVK II only).
Thanks for pointing to those and the additional info !

Best regards,

Archi

[Daniele C]