DKiG WP group, 6 Gebirgs Division

[Simon O.]

Just arrived. WP DKiG grouping to Feldwebel Hugo Loi, section commander (gruppenführer) belonging to 2./GJR 141, 6 Geb.Div.

An Austrian, Loi was born 1919 in Graz. He joined the army in march 1940 and after a couple of months training joined his field unit 2./GJR 141 with which he remained throughout the war.

The large photo of him was taken during the summer of 45 in North Norway (note the breast eagle removed)

[Simon O.]

His journey included all the countries and battles his division was involved in

France 1940, with a stay on the channel coast preparing for operation Sealion.
Greece 1941
Crete 1941
Liza Front, Russia, Finland, Norway 1941-1944
Lyngen line 1944-1945

Photo of him taken during the summer of 41 just after his EKII and IAB award for his actions in Greece and Crete
The map shows exactly his travels during the war though it came from a different group

[naxos]

Excellent set!

[Admiraal]

Looking good!
As Feldwebel i would expect him to be a Zugführer. Or did he receive this rank at the end of the war?

[Simon O.]

His awards.
EKII
EKI
IAB
Ostmedaille
Kreta armband
Bulgarian cross of bravery 4th class
WB black
DKiG
Lappland shield

Loi was awarded his DKiG at the same time as a number of other men from 20 Gebirgs Armee, one of 3 NCOs from that company to get the award for actions during the october 44 offensive conducted by the Soviets on the Liza front

[Angel Farré]

Very nice piece you have there, some question, is the last document just for soldiers awarded the DKiG while serving with 20 Gebirgs Armee? Can you show it in full? Anything more in the group?

Every time someone shows a DKiG group make this old collector so happy, thanks for it.

Angel

[Simon O.]

Fortunately i found his DKiG recommendation in the Norwegian national archives, it includes the actions he'd performed since his awarding of the EKI. It gives a nice overview of the time and procedure such an award recommendation had to go through.

company commander, to battalion (Helmuth Breuker who got the RK), to regiment, to division (Max Pemsel, RK), to corps (Ferdinand Jodl, RK) and finally to the commander commander, Lothar Rendulic who would the swords for his command of the army during the pull out of Finland

[Simon O.]

The process shows it was two weeks after his last action before his company commander made the recommendation. It then took 4 weeks to move up the chain to Rendulic and a further 4 weeks before the award was made.

[AntiqueWW2]

Congrats to that Group. Very nice and rare to find. Took me almost a Year to get my GBJ/HBF KC Winner Group back together and so always nice to see Groups like this

[Simon O.]

Finally a couple of pages from his arbeitsbuch which i find quite poignant.

His working life started as a salesman or shop assitant with a clothes store in Graz, he then did his RAD service, returned to work in the same store, was called up for military service, returned home after the war to work for the allies for a while and then finally in 1948, 8 years after leaving the store he returned back to his same old job.

[mufasa]

Great group, great soldier and great photos.... thanks.

Oriano

[Archi]

Hello Simon O. !

Fantastic group ! Congratulations and many thanks for presenting it here with some intereesting additional information !

Many thanks also for taking the time to present your research on how such an DKIG award procedure was processed in detail,
how it had to go up the ranks. Very interesting for me .

And finally I agree, that it is somehow strange, that he returned to exactly the same job. Some long time customers
might be happy to meet him again and perhaps had no clue what he had gone through during the war.

Best regards,

Archi

[JUNGCO]

Thanks for showing. I do love those Gebirgsjägers.
Jeff

[Simon O.]

@Angel , unfortunately that's all there was but i have a feeling these were part of a larger or complete group that's been split. The list is from the AOK 20 IIa half yearly report on awards within the army.


The story isn't quite over because i happen to have a small photo album and some other papers to another DKiG holder from 2./GJR141, Feldwebel and platoon leader Leopold Pöchhacker who got his award on the same day. It also turns out his 5 actions that got him the DKiG were virtually exactly the same as Loi's

[peterm]

Very nice, Simon! I always like to see such groupings of "Austrian" soldiers.
I have a rather similar grouping, but with Soldbuch instead of the Wehrpaß and with award-docs and decorations.

Best, Peter