Death letter from the front! With Pictures and deathcard

[chris235]

Hi Guys,

I got this recently- He was awarded EK1, EK2, IAB, OST Med, WB.

Held the rank of - Wachtmeister

He was in 9 Batt A.Regt. 188. F.P.No 21423 D.

The letter gives an explanation of how he was killed (By a splinter wound that killed him outright) and where, it states that the position was over run and that his personal effects were unobtainable.

It seems that the Batl. Kommandeur was also killed at the same time.

The letter goes on to state that he was an Offiziers-Anwaerter.

On one photo Alfons wrote 'Dein Alfons'

It looks like the death notice from the newspaper was stuck to the letter from the front by the relatives, it states where and when a service will be held for him.

Sad story, any details about the unit etc would be great!

[chris235]

Found some info online...

The Artillery Regiment 188 was on 1 December 1939 at the Grafenwoehr Training Area, in the military district XIII erected. The regiment was placed with Czech prey unit to four divisions. The Second Division was established by the Artillery Reserve District 7 in Munich, in the military district VII. The III.

Department was set up by the artillery replacement department 96 in Znojmo in Military District XVII. The regiment was under after the formation of the 88th Infantry Division. The regiment was on leave from August 1940 to February 1941.

After the French campaign, the regiment was used as coastal defense in space Bayonne in France. In March 1941, the 3rd, 6th and 9 Battery given to prepare the Ordnance Department 861 and then replaced. On 12 October 1941, the Fourth Division of the Artillery Regiment 223 was given, but it was only replaced in June 1942 by the Fourth Division of the Artillery Regiment 239th In December 1941, the regiment was loaded onto the train and transported to the East.

At Christmas 1941 the Rhine was crossed. In Kiev, the regiment was then unloaded and moved to New Darnzia. Then the regiment marched in the Kursk area. On 8 June 1942, the First Department of the regiment with the First Department of Artillery Regiment 162 was exchanged. In November 1943, the remains of 323 Artillery Regiment were placed under Division II of this regiment as the regiment. Was with the booster in Deba on 15 Incorporated in May 1944, the Second Division of Artillery Regiment 323 as Division II in the regiment.

The regiment was destroyed in January 1945 in the Vistula at Baranov.

1940, France,

August 1940 on leave, convened February 1941, occupation forces in France

1942 Central Russia (Kursk, Voronezh),
1943 North Ukraine (Sumy, Kiev),
1944 Cherkassy, after re-up: Chelm,

Vistula (Baranov) until January 1945

So around six months after Alfons was killed, the unit was destroyed, in this time the unit moved 822km West from Janow (near Frampol in Poland). As it states Alfons was for five years on the frontline, he would have served all over with this Battery ( Thats if he wasn't transferred over etc.) It seems Alfons may have seen some very heavy fighting...