Three brothers, one war

[Angel Farré]

I was fortunate enough to obtain this little group that belongs to three brother from the Tomm family.

First we have Anton who started serving in Europe, then to Afrika and back to Europe.

First he was severy wounded ad received the Wound Badge in silver

Angel

[Angel Farré]

As he spent some time in the eastern front he recieved the Ostmedaille, what a change, from the heating desert to the frozen east.

Angel

[Angel Farré]

Also being cooked in the desert has its reward and he won proudly this cufftitle in adition to the Ostmedaille ribbon.

Angel

[Angel Farré]

Also being cooked in the desert has its reward and he won proudly this cufftitle in dition to the Ostmedaille ribbon.

Angel

[Angel Farré]

For his service in the Normandy front he received his last award, the KVK 2nd class with swords.

What a journey, west, Afrika, East and Normandy, who can ask for more.

Angel

[Angel Farré]

Now the one who didn't survive, Jakob, only two documents from him, the letter anouncing his death and a post war death certificate.

Angel

[Angel Farré]

The final one Peter, the only one we can put a face thanks to his ID

Angel

[Angel Farré]

He served in the Ostfront and received his IAB to prove his infantry service.

Angel

[Angel Farré]

He was brave enough to receive the EK II, unafortunately no other news of him after this.

Angel

[Angel Farré]

So here we have a little part of history that marked a whole generation, we have one brother who suffered the war in all theaters, west, ost, desert and normady, other who paid the higher price and the last wo fought bravely for his fatherland, a whole generation with scars and memories who directed his life.

Angel

[Ostmark]

Very nice group, the 8. /Panzer-Grenadier Regiment was the first german unit that fought at Pegasus bridge against the Brits. I know a vet who served in the same unit. My vet knocked out the first Sherman tank in that area, near the Park where a Hospital is located. Maybe he knows him? I have to ask ...

Btw my vet is writing a book about his service in normandie. It will be published
in December. Maybe its for your interest now

[pauke]

bravery

A note on bravery. Not everyone receiving an Iron Cross 2nd Class necessarily needed to demonstrate bravery. Just being at the right spot at the right time might be sufficient. A vet I know told me that on one particular day in Normandy 1944 he returned after a few days of being in action to the company headquarters and found out that EK 2s had been awarded the previous day during a visit by the battalion commander. Since every combat soldier had been out engaged on the front lines the only personnel present to receive the awards were cooks and staff. And that they did while the Frontkaempfer were away fighting. Probably a number of annoyed soldiers afterwards, but so go the fortunes of war. My friend got his EK 2 later on.

[Jean-Loup]

When they write 'J.R. 107', does that mean Infanterie Rgt or Jäger Regt?
The death notice is strange, as it is prewritten, yet it also has a prewritten cause of death. I wonder if they had several types depending on the cause of death, or if all the killed were hit by tank fire?

JL