High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

[alcius]

Hi Oliver

I have a newspaper clipping for you
Leutnant Pf. - 9 kills
If you can find out who it is.
https://digital.blb-karlsruhe.de/blbz/p ... dpanzer%22
Der Führer 234 (25.8.1941)

Thans Antonio

[Gastolli]

I understand, and I think you are right, this search programm doesn't find some simple words I'm afraid ...

Thank you.

Oliver

[Gastolli]

Leutnant Pf. - 9 kills

Hah, that's funny

Leutnant Rolf Fromme (not PFromme), Führer 7./Pz.Rgt. 1, got the Ehrenblattspange on 22.7.1941 for action on 5.7.1941 at Ostrow.

The chonicle of 1. Pz.Div. mentions, that:

"Die Vorausabteilung Kopp hatte an diesem Abend 23 Feindpanzer vernichtet. 18 gingen auf das Konto der 7./Pz.Rgt. 1 unter Hptm. von Falckenberg. Im Kampf auf kürzeste Entfernung hatte die Besatzung des Pz "711" (Lt. Fromme) allein die Hälfte davon erledigt."

The book also mentions, that the Chef of 7./Pz.Rgt. 1, Hptm. von Falckenberg, destroyed 6 soviet tanks with his Panzer "700".
Hans-Joachim von Falckenberg died on 13.9.1941.

Rolf Fromme continued to get Kommandeur of s.Pz.Abt. 503 (Tiger), than s.Pz.Jg.Abt. 653 (Elefant), finally Pz.Abt. Stahnsdorf 2 (Panther + Sturmgeschütz).

Actually, Lt. Fromme was Zugführer during that action, but maybe he was titled "Führer" of 7./Pz.Rgt. 1 as he was the Führer of that company in August 1941 when the PK reporter turned up.

That was not easy, but Ostrow/Pleskau was the crucial hint

Oliver

[alcius]

Thanks Oliver
I thought I had found a new ace, too bad, the usual newspaper misprints.
However I found another one.
Hauptmann Joachim Barth - 3 kills
I think he refers to Captain Joachim Barth - Chef, 1. Kompanie, Armee-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 731
He definitely got more victories, as he also got the German Cross in Gold.
https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkans ... b42ca4abbb
Eibenstocker Tageblatt : 11.10.1944

Antonio

[Gastolli]

I thought I had found a new ace, too bad, the usual newspaper misprints.

so, maybe Hauptmann von Falckenberg was a new one for you?

Oliver

[Gastolli]

Hauptmann Joachim Barth - 3 kills
I think he refers to Captain Joachim Barth - Chef, 1. Kompanie, Armee-Panzerjäger-Abteilung 731

Hello Antonio,

you are right, this is the correct Joachim Barth, unit was equipped with Hetzer during that time (Tat 08.08.44 bei Kalnujai). The Deutsches Kreuz in Gold was for action with the same unit, than equipped with Sfl. Marder.

Not to be mixed up with Joachim Bart from Pz.Jg.Abt. 13 and Pz.Jg.Lehr-Abt. 130 (Ritterkreuz, Ehrenblattspange)

Nice find, again

Oliver

[alcius]

Hi Oliver
Falckenberg is new to me, thank you.
I was referring to Leutnant PF.

I add another;
Oberfeldwebel Wilhelm Wegener - 4./Panzer-Regiment 29 - 3 kills
Since he received the GC in G, he definitely has a higher score.

Zeitung 11/11/1943

Antonio

[Gastolli]

Oberfeldwebel Wilhelm Wegener - 4./Panzer-Regiment 29 - 3 kills

Hello Antonio,

a nice find again! Do you have the name of the newspaper for me and the link?

For sure Ofw. Wegener had more than 3 tank kills. He already served in Spain (Pz.Rgt. 6), was wounded early in Poland (Pz.Rgt. 31), than from the start of "Barbarossa" he was with Pz.Rgt. 29 as a Feldwebel, later Oberfeldwebel. In early 1944 he became a Leutnant and at the end of 1944 an Oberleutnant, still with Pz.Rgt. 29 (heavily wounded on 13.10.1944).

Oliver

[alcius]

Hi Oliver

https://www.difmoe.eu/view/uuid:122c8ec ... 0panzer%22
Brünner Abendblatt - 266 – 11/11/1943

Antonio

[Gastolli]

Thank you Antonio,

I found one with a "targeted search" (he was born in Köln, so the NRW-Zeitungen was the (right) assumption to have a look at):

link: https://zeitpunkt.nrw/ulbms/periodical/zoom/12711062

As a Ritterkreuzträger his unit is clear, 2.(Sf)/Pz.Jg.Abt. 256. As he fell during that action also day and location are clear, 23.2.1944, see his Volksbund entry, he died 1 kilometre east of Wischny, see also below:
https://www.volksbund.de/erinnern-geden ... d13b00ae20

By coincidence I have checked the files of VI. AK during my BA/MA visit and here's some additional information what happened that day
(Source: BArch RH 24-6/174a (Anlagen KTB VI. AK Ia, 23.02. - 06.03.44):

23.02.1944 / report of 256. Inf.Div.
12.10 Uhr durch Angriff von 2 fdl. Btln. geht HKL bis Zusammenfluß Tscherniza verloren.
Aufbau einer Abriegelungsfront von Lutschessa-Brücke 2 km nordwestlich Babinowitschi bis Wosinzy Süd im Gange.
13.00 Uhr Angriff mit Panzern und Infanterie (Stärke unbekannt) gegen Kgr. Rauch erzielt Einbruch westlich Istrubischtsche. Maßnahmen zur Wiederherstellung der alten Abriegelungsfront im Gange. 4 Panzer abgeschossen.
An Nachmittag setzte der Feind seine Angriffe aus dem Einbruchsraum in westlicher und nordwestlicher Richtung fort und durchbrach mit starken Infanterie- und Panzerkräften (Stärke infolge Schneesturm nicht feststellbar) die Abriegelungsfront an der Poststraße 2 km nördlich Wospinzy. Angriff wurde am Ostrand Wischny aufgefangen. Gegen Abschnitt ostwärts Kostejewa und ostwärts Retschki 4 Angriffe in Stärke von 100 – 200 Mann, dabei einzelne Panzer, abgewiesen.

Erfolg: 17 Panzer vernichtet, 1 bewegungsunfähig geschossen (16 T34, 1 Sturmgeschütz, 1 T60)
Zugang: 1./s.Pz.Abt. 501, 1 Zug 1./s.Pz.Jg.Abt. 519, 1./Sturmgesch.Abt. 190, 2.(Sf)/Pz.Jg.Abt. 256
Einsatzbereit: 11 s.Pak, 4 Sfl. (2./256), 3 Stug (1./190), 4 Tiger (1./501), 2 Hornissen (519)

Hans-Wilhelm Jost got the EK2 as an Unteroffizier on 9.10.1943, the EK1 he got on 14.1.1944, still as an Unteroffizier, by 246. Inf.Div. (his Marder company a lot of times was allocated to neighboring Infanteriedivisionen). For sure he was a Geschützführer, not a Zugführer as stated at tracesofwar.

You can expect more tank kills for him of course. In January 1944 during the "1. Winterschlacht bei Witebsk" the German units claimed a lot of tank kills ..., should be the reason for his EK1 award.

Oliver

[alcius]

Thans Oliver

Feldwebel Haertel - 3 kills
I do not know anything else.
Zeitung 19/09/1944

haertel.png (197.64 KiB) Viewed 493 times

Antonio

[Gastolli]

Hello Antonio,

this is Fw. Bruno Härtel, born 1915 in Dresden, 7./Pz.Rgt. 31 (Panzer IV). He got the EK1 for that on 25.8.1944.

He's not listed in Volksbund database, but there is an "Bruno Härtel" without any additional information, died 13.2.1945 and his resting place is ... Dresden!

https://www.volksbund.de/erinnern-geden ... 25f086e4ec

With the forename Bruno, which is not that common as Wilhelm or Friedrich, and with his graveyard in Dresden, I would expect this is the Feldwebel from Panzer-Regiment 31. Maybe he died in an hometown hospital after getting heavily wounded?

Oliver

[alcius]

Thanks Oliver

Leutnant Geisler - 3 kills
Mainfrankischen Panzerdivion
I should be Leutnant Karl-Heinz Geissler - 2./Pz.Rgt. 35 – Panther

General-Anzeiger für das rheinisch-westfälische Industriegebiet und das westfälsiche Münsterland 63 (13/08/1944) 222
https://zeitpunkt.nrw/ulbbn/periodical/zoom/7754724

Antonio

[Gastolli]

I should be Leutnant Karl-Heinz Geissler - 2./Pz.Rgt. 35 – Panther

Hello Antonio,

yeah, the right guess, his correct name is Geisler (like in the newspaper), with one "s".

And, well, 2./Pz.Rgt. 35 was correct for him until I. Abteilung (Panther) arrived for 4. Pz.Div. 2./Pz.Rgt. 35 than was renumbered 6./Pz.Rgt. 35.

So: Lt.d.Res. Karl-Heinz Geisler, Zugf. 6./Pz.Rgt. 35 (Panzer IV)

He got the EK2 in April 1944 and the EK1 on 25.8.1944 (obviously after the feat described in the newspaper). On 2.2.45 he was orderd to Stab Panzer-Regiment 35. He's not listed in the Volksbund database.

Oliver

[alcius]

Thanks
Oberleutnant Herbert Horstmann - Ehrenblatt Pz.Rgt.29 - 3 kills?

horstmann.png (344.08 KiB) Viewed 384 times

Stupidly, I didn't mark the date or the newspaper where I found it

Anonio