To be KIA or not to be..?!

[arnhem]

Dear all,


History is full of unexpected and therefore interesting facts which are worth sharing:

Just 18 years old "Schützen" ,Heinrich (Heinz) Wessendorf served within 11.Komp.Btl.Wesel.


Being trained within a "Panzerjäger" unit ,Wessendorf was familiar with the use of "Pak.3,7 and 7,5 cm" ,"PanzerSchreck" and "Panzerfaust".


When the 82.Airborne Div.landed near Nijmegen (Holland) ,Wessendorf and others were sent to the Nijmegen area to fight under command of the 10.SS.Pz.Div. "Frundsberg".


Wessendorf was sent on "Spähtrupp" (recon) with a fellow soldier and a NCO to look for enemy presence at the northern border of Lent (opposite Nijmegen,other side Waalriver).


On thier way back they ran into enemy soldiers (american paratroopers) and both Heinz and the other soldier were hit and KIA ,thier bodies were not possible to be buried (this might be stated by the NCO which looks like to have escaped and was not in position of proper valuation of het situation due to shooting etc.)


The company commander wrote a letter of condolence on 3-10-1944 and deathcards were sent.


Although Wessendorf was believed to be KIA ,he was only hit 2 and taken POW by the Americans.
He stayed in hospital for 2 weeks in Nijmegen (liberated by then) and had been transferred to the U.K.and held POW for almost 4 years in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Although Wessendorf was believed to be killed,he survived!

[arnhem]

Wessendorf

.

[TWS]

I will bet his family was extremely happy, if shocked, to eventually find out he survived.


Over the years, I've read about a few instances whereby a soldier was reported killed but later found out to have either been captured or evacuated to a casualty clearing station of a different unit, etc. and eventually "rediscovered".

[Lionel H.]

I have somewhere an example too, a german Cross in Gold Holder reported to have been killed in action, deathcard printed by the parents, and giving news some months later. He has been captured, heavily wounded, and survived the war... A crazy situation, for sure..

Yours is well documented, le letter is very detailed. For sure a nice addition for your collection. Tks for sharing, Mark

[Carter W]

A really nice story and your research was a great read.

[Simon O.]

Rather like the series Babylon Berlin (well worth watching by the way).

I've also seen an example of a soldier reported as killed in his WP only to turn up some time later in a hospital. completly understandable in the chaos and confusion of war, especially when on the retreat. It's also a good example of how eye witness accounts must be treated with caution.