Peter U
05-30-2015, 05:21 AM
Today I'll show a Soldbuch of a soldier who was WIA in de battle of Monte Cassino and the bulge, a rare combination.
Heinz Pfeiffer (°1921) a labourer from Frankfurt am Oder began his military service in February '41, after he finished his basic training as a gunner he was transferred to 2/AR208, then based in Calais.
At the end of the year he was transferred again, now to HKB 355, an army coastal artillery battery based on Jersey, one of the British channel islands, a good transfer for him because he avoided going to the eastern front in the winter of '41/'42.
He spends the following one and a half year on the British channel islands serving with various coastal artillery units; in the summer of 1943 his easy life comes to and end, he is now transferred to the third battery of AR96 of the 44ID.
In the spring of '43 the 44ID, now named Reichsgrenadier Division Hoch- und Deutschmeister, is rebuild in Belgium and then sent to Italy and in November '43 they are at front in the Monte Cassino section.
It is here that he gets wounded in the first phase of the battle of Monte Cassino, by a piece of shrapnel in February '44; his wound is rather serious because he needs chirurgery on it and it keeps him in hospital till the end of April '44.
While with his replacement unit he is involved in an accident and hospitalized again for a month.
When he is fully recovered he is transferred to an active unit again this time to the fourth battery AR277 of the 277VGD.
The 277VGD is one of the Volksgrenadier divisions of the 6th (SS) Panzer army, their task is to force a break in the American held frontline through which the tanks can advance.
The plan is rather simple but the American resistance in the twin villages Krinkelt-Rocherath is fierce and their advance is quickly halted and when it is clear that a breakthrough isn't going to happen in this sector the mobile troops are sent more south for a new attempt to break out of the bulge, the 277VGD stays behind to try to hold their part of the frontline.
It is here that Heinz Pfeiffer is wounded for the second time by a piece of shrapnel, on December 30 '44 he is admitted to a field hospital in Lemgo (Germany), where he will stay till mid February '45; he ends the war in a replacement units.
Heinz Pfeiffer (°1921) a labourer from Frankfurt am Oder began his military service in February '41, after he finished his basic training as a gunner he was transferred to 2/AR208, then based in Calais.
At the end of the year he was transferred again, now to HKB 355, an army coastal artillery battery based on Jersey, one of the British channel islands, a good transfer for him because he avoided going to the eastern front in the winter of '41/'42.
He spends the following one and a half year on the British channel islands serving with various coastal artillery units; in the summer of 1943 his easy life comes to and end, he is now transferred to the third battery of AR96 of the 44ID.
In the spring of '43 the 44ID, now named Reichsgrenadier Division Hoch- und Deutschmeister, is rebuild in Belgium and then sent to Italy and in November '43 they are at front in the Monte Cassino section.
It is here that he gets wounded in the first phase of the battle of Monte Cassino, by a piece of shrapnel in February '44; his wound is rather serious because he needs chirurgery on it and it keeps him in hospital till the end of April '44.
While with his replacement unit he is involved in an accident and hospitalized again for a month.
When he is fully recovered he is transferred to an active unit again this time to the fourth battery AR277 of the 277VGD.
The 277VGD is one of the Volksgrenadier divisions of the 6th (SS) Panzer army, their task is to force a break in the American held frontline through which the tanks can advance.
The plan is rather simple but the American resistance in the twin villages Krinkelt-Rocherath is fierce and their advance is quickly halted and when it is clear that a breakthrough isn't going to happen in this sector the mobile troops are sent more south for a new attempt to break out of the bulge, the 277VGD stays behind to try to hold their part of the frontline.
It is here that Heinz Pfeiffer is wounded for the second time by a piece of shrapnel, on December 30 '44 he is admitted to a field hospital in Lemgo (Germany), where he will stay till mid February '45; he ends the war in a replacement units.