What happend to 'Bobby' Woll?

[panzerIV]

hello I wonder what happened på Balthasar 'Bobby' Woll? When wittmann was KIA in normanide '44, was Woll there? or did he survive the war or was KIA earlier than '44 or after '44?

[Kaan Caglar]

Hello panzerIV,
Got curious from the Wittman thread ,eh?

At the time, Bobby Woll (holder of Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class and Knight's Cross) received a command of a Tiger and took part in the Normandy battles, where he was wounded (during an air attack) and remained in a hospital until March of 1945. He returned to active service and took part in the final battles on the Western Front. Woll survived the war and became an electrician. He died in 1996

Balthasar Woll was a really good gunner. His accuracy was indeed great. He was able to make successful hits while moving.

Wittmann's Tiger S04 and his crew (left to right):
SS-Untersturmführer Michael Wittmann,
SS-Rottenführer Bobby Woll,
SS-Panzerchütze Werner Irrgang,
SS-Panzerschütze Sepp Rössner and
SS-Sturmmann Eugen Schmidt
Cheers
Kaan

[panzerIV]

yeah curious i was, hehe, but not now, thanks for the info!

[PanzerVI]

Woll was also Wittman`s best friend and reliable gunner during those bitter struggles in the USSR.Bobby Woll , if I do recall well , was the only Unteroffizier decorated with a RK.
Here`s an interesting pic of him in Normandy `44 as an Untersharführer with his Tiger before suffering massive damage to it and loosing it.This was kind of a blessing in disguise for Wittman who grabbed Woll again as his gunner.

[Kaan Caglar]

Hello panzerVI,
I cant imagine how he felt when he heard Wittman was KIA in Normandie.
He was his comrade in all terms.
Regards
Kaan

[PanzerVI]

Kamerad _Kaan_ we can barely imagine the pain in his heart when hearing the news of Wittman`s death.As you said they were not just comrades of war but a mechanism which functioned together united in movement and thinking.
Here is some more info for Woll as I am sure it is needed for further issues on this forum and will help others in their search for this famous gunner.
Balthasar «Bobby» WOLL
01/09/1922 - 1996
Born on the 01.09.1922 in Wemmetsweiler in the Sarre , the son of a simple workman , he chooses to become an elctrician.
He volunteers for the Waffen SS on the 15th of August 1941.He serves as an MG gunner in the 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf , in the Demjansk pocket.He is wounded and taken for hospitalization in Germany.He receives the Demjanskschild award.
While an SS Oberschutze he is awarded the EK-II on the 3rd of July 1942.After his convalescence , he becomes gunner of panzers and rejoins at the end of '42 , in the Tiger company of the LSSAH.Aswell as a gunner , SS STRMM Woll fulfils well his duty.
Later on after the Kursk combats of July '43 , he is considered of being one of the best Tiger gunners.On the 14th of October 1943 he receives the EK-I and on the 9th of November 1943 he is promoted to SS Rottenfuehrer.As Wittman`s gunner , he receives on the 16th of January 1944 the Ritterkreuz.At that time he had destroyed a number of 80 armoured vehicles,107 anti-tank guns,several artillery pieces and a position of heavy mortars.
Probably on the 30th of January 1944 he is promoted to SS Untersharfuehrer.
He receives a head wound in Normandy.He then is transferred to the castle of Holte for supervising the formation of new gunners , drivers , loaders and panzer commanders.
Promoted to SS Oscha on the 1st of October 1944.
Captured by the americans.

I have also found another fine pic of him alongside with Wittman`s driver.
Best regards , Bogdan

[Kaan Caglar]

Kamerad Bogdan ,
Thank you for the biography on him. Let me add when Wittman married with Hildegard Burmester On March the 1th, Bobby was his marriage witness.
Wittman and Burmester on March 1:

Regards
Kaan

[PanzerVI]

Is it just me or the image can`t be seen ?Anyway I guess this concludes Bobby Woll`s profile.If there are some issues more to be added up it will be great.
Another biography completed 8)

[RB]

Was his name WOLL or WÖLL???

RB

[Reader3000]

His name was Woll.

Nope, I also see a red x.

[Davy]

Hi,

Where and when was Bobby Woll captured by the Americans?
Whas it in the Ardennen or did'nt he fight in the Ardennen?

Greatings, Davy

[Mehmet Fatih]

Hi,

Where and when was Bobby Woll captured by the Americans?
Whas it in the Ardennen or did'nt he fight in the Ardennen?

Greatings, Davy

Acoording to the info in achtungpanzer.com, he was wounded in Normandy and he stayed in hospital till March 1945. So it is impossible for him to fight in Ardennes.

Regards
Fatih

[Tolga Alkan]

His fate is very popular question to ask. I know that fact after the war he had worked as electrican.There was excellent webpage concerning of Tigers which had an interview with Woll!

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=62032

[Deutsch Boy]

if I do recall well , was the only Unteroffizier decorated with a RK.

PanzerVI,
when you say that, do you mean no one under SS-Unterscharführer (Unteroffizer) was awarded the RK either?

[grouchomx]

There is a great photo courtesy of Alfred Lunser in the last edition of Panzerheld of B. Woll attending a HIAG gathering in Hamlin in the 50s - with wives in attendance all with Toni perms. Really weird to see when you think of all that went on 10 years earlier! Greg