My Fallschirmjäger bring backs from the Illingen show today

[Jürg]

After a hot sumer day at the Illingen military show I found some nice Fallschirmjäger award docs.
The first shot is from a trooper of FJR 4 and later FJR 15. The Iron cross 2nc class doc has a fascimile signing of Heidrich and the Iron cross 1st class has been signed by Walter Gericke KC, german cross and okaleavs.

[Jürg]

Signals platoon FJR 1

The second one is a award doc for the Iron cross 2nd class for a trooper of signal platoon FJR 1 signed by Kutz Student.

[Jürg]

Info regarding FJR 15

Does anyone of you guys have info regarding the FJR 15? Where saw this regiment action and why is it signed by Gericke because I think he was in command of 4th FJR?
Was the FJR 15 attached to a Fliegerdivsion in 1944?
Any help is welcome.

Jürg

[Willi Z.]

Hi Jürg,

That is a very nice EKI documment variation. I don't think that is Gericke's signature. I have his on several documents. I think that signature is of Gröschke, who may have signed the document for Wilke, who was the commander of the 5th FJD. FJR15 was part of the 5th FJD. Gröschke was the commander of FJR15 from 7.44 till he took over command of the 5th FJD in the spring of '45. The 5th FJD first fought on the Normandy front in the summer of 1944, a few months after the landings had taken place. It appears that your document has it typed in that the 5th FJD Divisional CO signed it, but it looks like it may state Oberstleutnant and not Generalleutnant. Tough for me to see the exact details on that document. Ah, I just noticed that the document states "Div-Führer" and not "Div-Kommandeur".could be why Gröschke signed it as a leader in the unit, and not the CO.

A nice find!

Willi

[Jürg]

thanks Willi

Hello Willi

you are right this is Gröschke nor Gericke thanks a lot for your info.

Greetings

Jürg

[JYN]

Hello Jürg,


The EKI document for an Oberjäger of the Nachrichten-Zug of the FJR 1 is my favorite . A nice award for the Crete Campaign which is one of my favorite FJ operation.

Jean-Yves

[erichcraciun]

Here is a Transport list for the FJR 15.

[Colorado]

Hi Jurg:

I was at Illingen on Friday and was not as lucky as you. I bought some field gear was all. The US dollar does not buy much in Germany right now.

Congratulations! Was it from private or on a table?

[Jürg]

Illingen

Hello Colorado

I bought it from privat source because I think such findings are usually very rare on tables.

I also bought a nice German cross in Gold on Luftwaffe stuff for my Fallschirmjäger display.

Greetings

[John Hodgin]

Congratulations Jürg!

I too admire that EK1 variation, but like JYN, the Kreta EK1 award is my favorite. Well done, would like to see you Fj display sometime.
Best regards,
John

[Bill petz]

Juerg,

Nice finds! You must have been quick since the car trunks weren't open for very long. The German Polizei arrived on the scene and made everyone close their trunks. Not before I found a boxfull (400 plus 100 tourist type photos) of Hermann Goering Division photos. About 100 were taken in Italy around 1943/1944 with Herman Meyer caps galore and tropical jackets with cufftitle shots....also photos taken of the same man in Poland, Russia, southern France and Holland. I was happy to find them and paid much more than I normally would have paid but to quote a friend of mine "When do you ever find them". I also agree with another writer that items are getting very expensive at the shows over here since the changover to the EURO. This especially hurts us Americans who have to suffer the exchange rates and weak dollar!! Yet besides that you can still find items at the smaller shows and flea markets at reasonable rates. Next car trunk sales will be at Gunzenhausen!! Bill

[Jürg]

Illingen

Hello Bill

well I will be there in Gunzehausen but I must admit that I had booked this FJ docs two weeks before the show from a private collector. But as you said the prices are also for a swiss guy getting very expensive. I will getting a nice Sturm Regiment award doc group by end of June. I will post some scans here after I got them.

Jürg

[Bill petz]

Hi Juerg,

Still a nice find!! One day I will sign up to be an associate member so I can post some of my FJ Documents on this forum.
Awhile back I purchased a set of four documents from a friend at the now defunct Coleman Bks show. Unfortunately the Veteran glued the documents to a hardboard backing in a frame!! The FJ's name was Kretchmer and he was with a sturm Regt...documents were EK2, Kreta Cufftitle, LW Ground Combat, Black wound Badge. One day I will try to figure out how to get those documents off the backing without doing any further damage. Maybe we will meet at Gunzenhausen. Bill

[Jürg]

Paras

Hi Bill yes that would be great if we could met in Gunzenhausen. Teh show is October 11th to October 12th and I will be there Saturday 11th.

Regarding the hardboard backing. I also managed to pick up a award doc group fro detlev some weeks ago. The soldier was first in a Flak Rgt before becoming a paratrooper. Three of his docs are also on a hardboard backing (Detlev did not mention that on his site) but I don't care because it's still a nice complete group. I would leave the docs as they are I always keep them in this condition.

The Sturm Rgt group I will get June 22nd has the IC 1st and 2nd class as well as the crete cuffband and the ground assault badge in it. I will post some pics here.

By the way I posted some pics in the Fallschimrjägerforum of this Flak guy becoming a para check it out

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...threadid=24815

The flak award is on a hardboard backing.

Greetings

Jürg

[Bill petz]

Jueng,

I always go to these trunk sales on Friday's but I will try to make it on Saturday as well. so I guess it's camping out time!! I will check out your flak Artillery turned FJ. I will probably not mess with the documents since they alway seem to be a little fragile anyway. Maybe I can send a pic of the grouping to my friend for posting on this forum. My friend recently sent me an email on a LW Para wearing an Army Para Badge and his wehrpass and several other documents he was in a Sturm Regt (Italy)...take a look at this site! Regards - Bill


http://www.militariaweb.com/d/lot.cfm?lotID=1478862