Hello,
It has always been a collectorsdream of me to find a Panzervernichtungsabzeichen citation with a local connection and this week I found one.
This is the awarddocument set of Obergefreiter Fritz Krämer:
- Verwundentenabzeichen Schwarz 12/05/1943
- EKII 19/1/1944
- Fallschirmschutzenabzeichen in Stoff 20/07/1944
- Verwundentenabzeichen in Silber 11/11/1944 (signed by KC owner Hauptmann Mager)
- Panzervernichtungsabzeichen 13/11/1944
- Infanterie Sturmabzeichen in Silber 25/11/1944
- Verwundentenabzeichen in Gold 11/01/1945
Fritz was a corporal in the 14th company of Luftwaffe Feld division, an airforce infantry division, in 1943/44 this unit was fighting on the Easternfront in the Nowgorod sector.
He is wounded for the firsttime on April 5 1943, for this wound he gets a wounded badge in black.
In january '44 he gets an EKII, a month later, February 2 '44 he is wounded for a thirdth time.
After he has recovered from his wounds he volunteers for the paratroopers, in May 1944 he attends a paratrooper course in the jumpschool of Wittstock.
He gets assigned to the famous 6th Fallschirmjäger Regiment that is commanded by von der Heydte, a unit that destinguished itself in Normandy.
In September his unit is on the frontline again, this time as the backbone unit of the newly created 1st Fallschirmarmee in Belgium & Holland.
This is some more detailed information from a FJR6 reenactors website, on the battles he fought in the fall of 1944: http://www.fjr6.co.uk/holland.html
In October 1944 he fights in the battle of Woensdrecht, his batallion defends the left flanc. On October 21 1944 his unit halts an allied armoured attack in Nieuwmoer (Belgium).
He is wounded for the fifth time on October 29 1944, the last day of the battle of Woensdrecht, in Wouw (Holland).
Another thread about it:
http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?523-The-battle-for-Woensdrecht-1944-Then-amp-now.
For this campagne he is awarded an infantry assult badge in silver; this is non standard, normally paratroopers get an groundcombat badge.
He is also awarded with a tank destruction badge, the document in the set is an extract out of the batallion daily order. Fritz Krämer is mentioned in this daily order as having been a Sicherer, the soldier that gave close fire support, in an action that destroyed an allied tank; although he didn't destroy the tank itself his batallion commander finds it enough to award him a Panzervernichtungsabzeichen.
Alas the date of the tank destruction action isn't given; nevertheless this is a rare document, examples for the Westernfront are very difficult to find.
cheers,
Peter
It has always been a collectorsdream of me to find a Panzervernichtungsabzeichen citation with a local connection and this week I found one.
This is the awarddocument set of Obergefreiter Fritz Krämer:
- Verwundentenabzeichen Schwarz 12/05/1943
- EKII 19/1/1944
- Fallschirmschutzenabzeichen in Stoff 20/07/1944
- Verwundentenabzeichen in Silber 11/11/1944 (signed by KC owner Hauptmann Mager)
- Panzervernichtungsabzeichen 13/11/1944
- Infanterie Sturmabzeichen in Silber 25/11/1944
- Verwundentenabzeichen in Gold 11/01/1945
Fritz was a corporal in the 14th company of Luftwaffe Feld division, an airforce infantry division, in 1943/44 this unit was fighting on the Easternfront in the Nowgorod sector.
He is wounded for the firsttime on April 5 1943, for this wound he gets a wounded badge in black.
In january '44 he gets an EKII, a month later, February 2 '44 he is wounded for a thirdth time.
After he has recovered from his wounds he volunteers for the paratroopers, in May 1944 he attends a paratrooper course in the jumpschool of Wittstock.
He gets assigned to the famous 6th Fallschirmjäger Regiment that is commanded by von der Heydte, a unit that destinguished itself in Normandy.
In September his unit is on the frontline again, this time as the backbone unit of the newly created 1st Fallschirmarmee in Belgium & Holland.
This is some more detailed information from a FJR6 reenactors website, on the battles he fought in the fall of 1944: http://www.fjr6.co.uk/holland.html
In October 1944 he fights in the battle of Woensdrecht, his batallion defends the left flanc. On October 21 1944 his unit halts an allied armoured attack in Nieuwmoer (Belgium).
He is wounded for the fifth time on October 29 1944, the last day of the battle of Woensdrecht, in Wouw (Holland).
Another thread about it:
http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?523-The-battle-for-Woensdrecht-1944-Then-amp-now.
For this campagne he is awarded an infantry assult badge in silver; this is non standard, normally paratroopers get an groundcombat badge.
He is also awarded with a tank destruction badge, the document in the set is an extract out of the batallion daily order. Fritz Krämer is mentioned in this daily order as having been a Sicherer, the soldier that gave close fire support, in an action that destroyed an allied tank; although he didn't destroy the tank itself his batallion commander finds it enough to award him a Panzervernichtungsabzeichen.
Alas the date of the tank destruction action isn't given; nevertheless this is a rare document, examples for the Westernfront are very difficult to find.
cheers,
Peter