2018 started for me with a new piece from the LW Flak.
2019 started for me with a new piece from the LW Flak.
Welcome to the twilight zone, I think I have lived this
Not bad starting of the year.
Here I will present you my first piece from 2019 and, not because I say so, an interesting one.
As always I am open to questions, further info and any clarification that can be done.
Angel
Our lad was born in October 28th, 1,916 in Schopfloch (Freudenstadt) and named as his father Johannes Maier, being his mother Christine Welker.
He was evangelical and single and, after studying in the Volksschule and the Gewerberschule, he worked as a mechanic.
His time to register comes and he did it with the W.B.K. Rastatt on June 4th, 1.936 where he was classified as taugligh 1 for Ersatzreserve I.
He spent some time with the brown uniform of the R.A.D. between April 3rd, 1937 and October 23rd, 1.937 with the 4/265 in Kuchlein.
After this he went back to his civil profession till the moment he was called to service in the Wehrmacht, this happen on October 1st, 1.938 but he was only fit for service on November 29th and he was accepted on December 3rd by 4./Flak Regiment 25 in Ludwigsburg where he took oath on December 14th, 1.938.
He served with this unit till August 22nd, 1.939 when I./Flak Regiment 25 was used to form Reserve Flak Abteilung 252 where he ended in the 4 Batterie. (Changed its designation on July 1.942 to gemischte Flak Abteilung 252 (v))
Less than a week after this and with the war in full march he was used his Soldbuch, on September 3rd, 1.939 with number 145 and dogtag equal, just 145 (maybe a mistake as they left for done the 4./Res.Flak.Abt. 252)
With this unit he took part first in the defense of the homeland (Stuttgart area) from August 26th, 1.939 till May 31st, 1.940. During this time he was promoted to Gefrieter by this unit on December 1st, 1.939.
Then he fought against the French from June 5th till June 25th, 1.940.
After this he was back to protect field installations, navy bases and military facilities in occupied territories against the english attacks till December 12th, 1.942.
His unit was based in Ostende and during this time he was further promoted to Obergefreiter on August 1st, 1.941 and received the EK II on October 10th, 1.941.
Time to change a little and he was transferred again, this time to the recently created (December 1.944) 4/lei. Flak Abteilung 993 where he was incorporated on December 18th, 1.942 (He was registered the same day with lei.Flak Ersatz Abteilung 95 in Frankfurt)
His service with this unit is not well documented on the Wehrpass so I guess only based on where the unit was stationed while he served in it so my opinion is that he served in France in Boulogne, Watten, Beauvais and Lille with 16 and 18 Flak Divisions and subordinated to the Stabs of Flak Regiments 132, 431 and 656.
During his service he received the Flakkampfabzeichen, no doubt for success with his previous unit, on December 24th, 1.942.
His next assignment was to study, he spent some time learning more with 5./Waffentechn.Schule II where he pass the next course, 23k Flak Waffenwart Lehrgang (lei.Flak.Abt.) from February 1st till April 29th, 1.944. It is training to become Master of Arms in a light antiaircraft unit and he passed it.
With his new title under his arm he went to his new unit the 6./gem.Flak.Abt. 554 (o) where he arrived on April 30th and stayed till September 19th, 1.944 subordinated to the 18 Flak Brigade under Stab/Flak Regiment 95. This unit was deployed around Antwerp to defend the deployment areas of the V weapons and during September in Hertogenbosch, Dretinchen and Arnhem, if he fought against the British is unknown to me as nothing notated in his Wehrpass about this time, there is a gap from him entering the course till his next unit on September 20th. During his time here he received his last promotion of the war, Stbasgefreiter on July 1st, 1.944 (confirmed on July 30th by his unit)
Again he moves to another unit, this time 5./lei.Flak Abt. 839 (o) on September 20th, 1.944, serving here only till November 19th, first signed directly to III Flakkorps subordinated to Stab/s.FlakAbt. 514 and later with 19 Flak Brigade with Stab/Flak Sturm Rgt. 1 or Stab/gem. Flak Abt, 514. He was based on Cochem supporting Heeresgruppe B under Luftwaffenkommando West.
Our man was destined to move a lot so transferred again to 6./gem.Flak Abt. 514 (o) serving under the 19 Flak Brigade subordinated to Stab/Flak Sturm Regiment 1 and Stab/Flak Regiment 117. This units participated in the Battle of the Bulge and our man was with it from November 20th, 1.944 till January 3rd, 1.945 till his last transfer.
Yes, the last, on January 4th he served with 5./gem. Flak Abt. 419 (v) unit formed with the remnants of the gem.Flak Abt. 514 (o). Little info I found about this unit, just that it fought in the Ruhr where it was trapped and surrender to the allies.
The war was far from over to our solider, he was taken POW by the french troops and release on September 23rd, 1.948, almost 3 and a half years after he was taken prisoner.
The hospital page is missing in his Soldbuch, but no wound in the Wehrpass and no Wound Badge so I guess he escaped unscratched the whole war as only I can find three notes done by hospitals in his Soldbuch, all in the first quartet of 1.943, two by Kriegslazarett 1/614 and one by Kriegslazarett Reims (Fp 48645) in March 1.943
Not a DKiG or RK, but the story of a normal man serving the whole war in the West and enduring almost 3 and a half years as POW.
2019 started for me with a new piece from the LW Flak.
Welcome to the twilight zone, I think I have lived this
Not bad starting of the year.
Here I will present you my first piece from 2019 and, not because I say so, an interesting one.
As always I am open to questions, further info and any clarification that can be done.
Angel
Our lad was born in October 28th, 1,916 in Schopfloch (Freudenstadt) and named as his father Johannes Maier, being his mother Christine Welker.
He was evangelical and single and, after studying in the Volksschule and the Gewerberschule, he worked as a mechanic.
His time to register comes and he did it with the W.B.K. Rastatt on June 4th, 1.936 where he was classified as taugligh 1 for Ersatzreserve I.
He spent some time with the brown uniform of the R.A.D. between April 3rd, 1937 and October 23rd, 1.937 with the 4/265 in Kuchlein.
After this he went back to his civil profession till the moment he was called to service in the Wehrmacht, this happen on October 1st, 1.938 but he was only fit for service on November 29th and he was accepted on December 3rd by 4./Flak Regiment 25 in Ludwigsburg where he took oath on December 14th, 1.938.
He served with this unit till August 22nd, 1.939 when I./Flak Regiment 25 was used to form Reserve Flak Abteilung 252 where he ended in the 4 Batterie. (Changed its designation on July 1.942 to gemischte Flak Abteilung 252 (v))
Less than a week after this and with the war in full march he was used his Soldbuch, on September 3rd, 1.939 with number 145 and dogtag equal, just 145 (maybe a mistake as they left for done the 4./Res.Flak.Abt. 252)
With this unit he took part first in the defense of the homeland (Stuttgart area) from August 26th, 1.939 till May 31st, 1.940. During this time he was promoted to Gefrieter by this unit on December 1st, 1.939.
Then he fought against the French from June 5th till June 25th, 1.940.
After this he was back to protect field installations, navy bases and military facilities in occupied territories against the english attacks till December 12th, 1.942.
His unit was based in Ostende and during this time he was further promoted to Obergefreiter on August 1st, 1.941 and received the EK II on October 10th, 1.941.
Time to change a little and he was transferred again, this time to the recently created (December 1.944) 4/lei. Flak Abteilung 993 where he was incorporated on December 18th, 1.942 (He was registered the same day with lei.Flak Ersatz Abteilung 95 in Frankfurt)
His service with this unit is not well documented on the Wehrpass so I guess only based on where the unit was stationed while he served in it so my opinion is that he served in France in Boulogne, Watten, Beauvais and Lille with 16 and 18 Flak Divisions and subordinated to the Stabs of Flak Regiments 132, 431 and 656.
During his service he received the Flakkampfabzeichen, no doubt for success with his previous unit, on December 24th, 1.942.
His next assignment was to study, he spent some time learning more with 5./Waffentechn.Schule II where he pass the next course, 23k Flak Waffenwart Lehrgang (lei.Flak.Abt.) from February 1st till April 29th, 1.944. It is training to become Master of Arms in a light antiaircraft unit and he passed it.
With his new title under his arm he went to his new unit the 6./gem.Flak.Abt. 554 (o) where he arrived on April 30th and stayed till September 19th, 1.944 subordinated to the 18 Flak Brigade under Stab/Flak Regiment 95. This unit was deployed around Antwerp to defend the deployment areas of the V weapons and during September in Hertogenbosch, Dretinchen and Arnhem, if he fought against the British is unknown to me as nothing notated in his Wehrpass about this time, there is a gap from him entering the course till his next unit on September 20th. During his time here he received his last promotion of the war, Stbasgefreiter on July 1st, 1.944 (confirmed on July 30th by his unit)
Again he moves to another unit, this time 5./lei.Flak Abt. 839 (o) on September 20th, 1.944, serving here only till November 19th, first signed directly to III Flakkorps subordinated to Stab/s.FlakAbt. 514 and later with 19 Flak Brigade with Stab/Flak Sturm Rgt. 1 or Stab/gem. Flak Abt, 514. He was based on Cochem supporting Heeresgruppe B under Luftwaffenkommando West.
Our man was destined to move a lot so transferred again to 6./gem.Flak Abt. 514 (o) serving under the 19 Flak Brigade subordinated to Stab/Flak Sturm Regiment 1 and Stab/Flak Regiment 117. This units participated in the Battle of the Bulge and our man was with it from November 20th, 1.944 till January 3rd, 1.945 till his last transfer.
Yes, the last, on January 4th he served with 5./gem. Flak Abt. 419 (v) unit formed with the remnants of the gem.Flak Abt. 514 (o). Little info I found about this unit, just that it fought in the Ruhr where it was trapped and surrender to the allies.
The war was far from over to our solider, he was taken POW by the french troops and release on September 23rd, 1.948, almost 3 and a half years after he was taken prisoner.
The hospital page is missing in his Soldbuch, but no wound in the Wehrpass and no Wound Badge so I guess he escaped unscratched the whole war as only I can find three notes done by hospitals in his Soldbuch, all in the first quartet of 1.943, two by Kriegslazarett 1/614 and one by Kriegslazarett Reims (Fp 48645) in March 1.943
Not a DKiG or RK, but the story of a normal man serving the whole war in the West and enduring almost 3 and a half years as POW.
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