Waffen SS Wiking urkunde

[davycroquet1944]

Hello
What do you think about my waffen SS Wiking urkunde?
Thanks.
Have a nice day.
Olivier

[Michael73]

very nice

[AA16]

Very nice ...

Very nice EK II - Urkunde.
Is it a singel paper or is it part of an grouping ?

AA16

[davycroquet1944]

Hi
not in a grouping......
This man was in a panzer unit?
Did it in a tank?
Thanks....
Olivier

[MarcRikmenspoel]

No, he was in the 4th Company of SS-Armored Reconaissance Battalion 5, in the Wiking Division. The document is signed by division commander Herbert Otto Gille.

Under normal circumstances, the 4th Company of an SS-Armored Reconaissance Battalion would be a Panzergrenadier Company, mounted on SdKfZ 251 armored halftracks. A document from the date shown, late June, 1944, would have been during Wiking's rebuild after losing all of its heavy equipment in the Cherkassy breakout around February 17-19, 1944. During April and May of that year, most of the division, regardless of their usual role and assignment, fought as infantry in the Kovel area (including the artillerymen). Only in June was the unit truly rebuilt.

This document probably reflects on the soldier who received it having fought as a dismounted infantryman agisnt the Red Army near Kovel during April of 1944, or having fought partisans in the same area the next month.