Hello guys,
It has been a while since I posted a Soldnuch here so here is a new one; not a very spectacular example but one you all, as a mainly American public sure would appreciate because he was WIA in the battle of the bulge.
August Karsten (°1911) was a bakers assistant from Holzmünden; the Soldbuch is a "Zweitschrift", a second issue example opened in April '42, so I only have very limited information about his previous service, according to his dogtag number he was trained by a "Schütze" unit (armored infantry).
The Soldbuch is issued by the fifth company of Panzer Regiment 203 (23 Pz Div), then active in Charkov; because of the lack of any combat related awards or badges I presume he was with the logistical platoon.
He is awarded the winter war medal, so he was on the eastern front in '41/'42.
In January '43 his unit is absorbed by Panzer Regiment 1 (1 Pz Div), which is in France to be refitted.
He then is transferred to Reserve Panzer Abteilung 1; this unit will be used to create Panzer Regiment 16 (116 Pz Div) in France.
August Karsten sure is enjoying himself in occupied France, he gets a driving license for a car and in August '43 he is treated for gonorrhea in hospital.
In April '44 he is a member of the logistical platoon of second battalion of Pz Rgt 16 and a few months later the fun in France is over, the allies land on the Normandy beaches and the 116 Pz Div is thrown in to combat in the bocage.
The support units of the armored units are also targeted by the allied fighter bombers.
After the Normandy campaign the 116 Pz Div retreats towards Germany through Belgium, what is left of the division will be defending the Westwall and Aachen; in this period he is with the 7th company.
- Notice that his CO makes the control entry in his Soldbuch without a stamp.
After the defense of Aachen, the 116 Pz Div is one of the armored units selected for operation Wacht am Rhein.
During the Ardennes offensive the 116 Pz Div will advance as far as Hotton; in early January '45 they are in full retreat and it is in this period that August Karsten luck runs out, he is wounded by a piece of shrapnel and admitted to a hospital in Lindau on January 12 1945.
For this wound he receives a wounded badge in black.
After his release from hospital he is transferred back to Pz Rgt 16, this time with the repair shop company and will participate in the final defense of Germany.
Cheers,
Peter
It has been a while since I posted a Soldnuch here so here is a new one; not a very spectacular example but one you all, as a mainly American public sure would appreciate because he was WIA in the battle of the bulge.
August Karsten (°1911) was a bakers assistant from Holzmünden; the Soldbuch is a "Zweitschrift", a second issue example opened in April '42, so I only have very limited information about his previous service, according to his dogtag number he was trained by a "Schütze" unit (armored infantry).
The Soldbuch is issued by the fifth company of Panzer Regiment 203 (23 Pz Div), then active in Charkov; because of the lack of any combat related awards or badges I presume he was with the logistical platoon.
He is awarded the winter war medal, so he was on the eastern front in '41/'42.
In January '43 his unit is absorbed by Panzer Regiment 1 (1 Pz Div), which is in France to be refitted.
He then is transferred to Reserve Panzer Abteilung 1; this unit will be used to create Panzer Regiment 16 (116 Pz Div) in France.
August Karsten sure is enjoying himself in occupied France, he gets a driving license for a car and in August '43 he is treated for gonorrhea in hospital.
In April '44 he is a member of the logistical platoon of second battalion of Pz Rgt 16 and a few months later the fun in France is over, the allies land on the Normandy beaches and the 116 Pz Div is thrown in to combat in the bocage.
The support units of the armored units are also targeted by the allied fighter bombers.
After the Normandy campaign the 116 Pz Div retreats towards Germany through Belgium, what is left of the division will be defending the Westwall and Aachen; in this period he is with the 7th company.
- Notice that his CO makes the control entry in his Soldbuch without a stamp.
After the defense of Aachen, the 116 Pz Div is one of the armored units selected for operation Wacht am Rhein.
During the Ardennes offensive the 116 Pz Div will advance as far as Hotton; in early January '45 they are in full retreat and it is in this period that August Karsten luck runs out, he is wounded by a piece of shrapnel and admitted to a hospital in Lindau on January 12 1945.
For this wound he receives a wounded badge in black.
After his release from hospital he is transferred back to Pz Rgt 16, this time with the repair shop company and will participate in the final defense of Germany.
Cheers,
Peter
