History within History

[Brendan Hunt]

British ruins from the Crimean War. These men are of 2/PiBtl.198/ID.98 outside of Sevastapol in 1944. Most of them didn't make it out...including the photographer...

By the bicycle handle-bars it looks like they were touring the area. Maybe a privilage given to all of the NCOs? Notice the barbed wire and the grave in the background...maybe this area was being defended once again?

Enjoy!
Brendan

[Brendan Hunt]

Another shot from around the same area. This is Hans Engelhardt of AR.9, which is strange because they technically weren't stationed in Crimea at that time.

[Brendan Hunt]

And last but not least, the photographer Wilhelm Dertinger poses for a shot.




Unfortunately though...

Nachname: Dertinger
Vorname: Wilhelm
Dienstgrad: Obergefreiter
Geburtsdatum: 27.09.1909
Geburtsort: Zürich
Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 05.12.1944
Todes-/Vermisstenort: In einem Kgf.Lg. in Sergo
Bei Woroschilowgrad

The really weird thing is that they list him as an Obergefreiter in the Volksbund, WASt, and DRK, but in this photo he is an Unteroffizier. A last minute promotion or possibly a demotion?