A very incomplete biographical sketch of Walter Wessel.
And here's a thread with some additional info. + a photo:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=92365
Best,
~ Mike
Walter Wessel
Generalleutnant
Born: 21.04.1892 in Lautental / Clausthal-Zellerfeld.
Killed in Accident: 20.07.1943 during an inspection tour near Mormanno, Italy (per Veit Scherzer,
Ritterkreuzträger 1939 - 1945 and Wolf Keilig, who spells it as "Mormano" in
Die Generale des Heeres 1939 - 1945; Franz Thomas,
Die Eichenlaubträger 1940-1945, Band 2: L-Z, gives "bei Castro Villari südlich Neapel / Italian]). By Führer order, his remains were returned to the Reich, his funeral taking place at the Friedhof Karolinenstrasse, Kassel, at 0915 hours on 02.08.1943. His son, also named Walter Wessel, had been killed as a Leutnant in the Western Campaign on 14.05.1940.
Promotions:
Summer 1911 -- Fahnenjunker
19.11.1912 -- Leutnant
22.03.1918 -- Oberleutnant
_________ -- Hauptmann
_________ -- Major
01.01.1937 -- Oberstleutnant
01.10.1939 -- Oberst
01.02.1942 -- Generalmajor
01.01.1943 -- Generalleutnant
Career:
Summer 1911 -- Entered service as a Fahnenjunker.
19.11.1912 -- Commissioned as a Leutnant in Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 165.
01.10.1937 - 01.10.1939 -- Kommandeur of III.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 15 (mot.).
01.10.1939 -- 19.09.1941 -- Kommandeur of Infanterie-Regiment (mot.) 15.
15.01.1942 - 01.03.1943 -- mit der Führung 12.Panzer-Division beauftragt. Succeeded Josef Harpe... Succeeded by Erpo Freiherr von Bodenhausen (who assumed leadership of the Division on 20.04.1943).
01.03.1943 - 20.07.1943 -- Assigned to the Stab Inspekteur der Panzertruppen in OKH.
Decorations & Awards:
17.02.1942 -- Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as Obest and Kdr. Infanterie-Regiment 15 (mot.) / 29.Infanterie-Division (mot.) / Panzergruppe 2 / Heeresgruppe Mitte, Eastern Front (personally presented by the Führer at an awards ceremony at FHQ "Wolfsschanze", Rastenburg / Ostpreussen, 00.03.1942)
15.08.1940 -- Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes as Oberst and Kdr. Infanterie-Regiment 15 (mot.) / 29.Infanterie-Division (mot.) / XXXIX.Armee-Korps / Gruppe Guderian, Western Campaign
00.00.1939 -- 1939 Spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
00.00.1939 -- 1939 Spange zum 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
00.00.191_ -- 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
00.00.191_ -- 1914 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
ca. 1934 -- Ehrenkreuz für Frontkämpfer
00.00.193_ -- Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnungen