EK citations

[Angel Farré]

Across the years I have found several citations for the EK dated from November 1.939 till April 1.940 to Heer and Waffen SS member, I suppose that those in November or December 1.939 were for actions in the Poland cmpaign, but what happen with those dated on February 1.940? anyone has any clue? Find here the EK II citation to, later, Hauptmann Ferdinand Wirges dated February 5th, 1.940, the unit listed was part of the 79 I.D. that takes no part in the Polish campaign, but spend this winter in the Sarre playing cards with the French till the attack on May 1.940 as part of the 1. Armee. The group comes from the family and I wonder if during the "Drôle de Guerre" any deco was given or if he won it with another unit during the Polish adventure.

Cheers

Angel

[Ian Jewison]

I would say it was for Poland but took longer to process! I have similar for the campaign in France where immediate awards were made June 1940 but some were still being issued September/October. I suppose it depends on the action he took part in?

/Ian

[Angel Farré]

Thanks Ian, but you know if during the period from the end of the Poland campaign to the start of the French one were awaded medals? I know that several times small fire changes happen and that the germans send several patrols across the French border and sometimes some of this patrols were caught and retained as prisioners of war, but this soldiers received any award, acording to Angolia the first IAB awarded was to Leutnant in April 1.940, it must have been won for actions post January 1st, 1.940 according to regulations. Any idea about this?

Cheers

Angel

[Stijn David]

interesting

Hello,


This is a rather interesting topic , Angel is it possible to check your source regarding the award of the Infntery assault badges ?

I have found somehow other dates in klietmann, he mentiones that the first Infantery assault badges ( silver !! ) where awarded towards a Leutnant F. and a Gefreiter K on 28.05.1940 .

You mention somwhere April 1940 ??? , can you please check this ?

Greetings,

[Angel Farré]

In "For Führer and Fatherland" 1st edition 1976, Ltc. John R. Angolia cited that the first award of the Infanterie Sturmabzeichen was to Leutnant Willi Körbel in April 1.940. That's all the info he gives under the chapter regarding the Heer badges.

Cheers

Angel

[Gary T]

Angel,

The 79. Infanteriedivision was indeed on the Sarre Front from September 1939 as the far right unit of XXX Korps, itself the right flank Korps of 1. Armee but didn't exactly spend it's time playing cards.
The French Sarre offensive was launched on September 6th along a 15 kilometre front. By mid- September the French had occupied '100,000 acres of German territory' which sounds alot but isn't . It's about 200 square kilometres...and was the strip of land that lay between the Maginot Line and the West Wall. By the time the French offensive ended the 79. ID was near Metzig opposite the French 3eme DINA. By 30th September the French had decided to withdraw as their occupation was serving no purpose and left the forces in a slient which was vunlerable to a German counter attack. The French 'offensive' had cost them 27 killed, 22 wounded and 28 killed. The French withdrawal went ahead and when the the Germans launched their counter attack on 16th October 1939 most French units made good their escape. By the end of October the French were back where they started and the Germans had reoccupied all the territory lost in September.
I would guess that your man won his EK2 around this time...all accounts of this minor campaign have stated that there was a large amount of minefields and obstacles in the area, as was to be expected. As your man was an engineer I wouldn't be surprised if he award was sometbhing to do with clearing paths through minefields or some such hazardous work.

Cheers,
Gary.