Rudolf Kick (°1913) was an employee of the Nazi workers union, he joined the army on June 18 1940.
After six months of training with the third company of Infantry Ersatz Btl 194 he was transferred to the corps troops of the XXXXIV AK, which was based in Germany, in February 1941 he is designated to the German forces in Libya.
He will land in Africa on March 10 1941 and on April 27 1941 he is transferred to his combat unit, first company of MG Btl 8, first part of the 5th Light Division, then from August 1941 onwards of the 21 Panzer Division.
On July 1 1941 he is promoted to Gefreiter.
While engaged against the British forces in the North African dessert, he gets dysentery, for this he his hospitalized from October 10 1941 till November 8 1941, unfit for frontline duty he is sent back to Germany to recover, he enjoys some time at home and on May 21 1942 he is back with his old unit in Africa.
Now they are engaged in the fierce battle for control over Tobruk, he has preformed some act of bravery in this battle because on June 30 1942 he is awarded both the EK II & I on the same day (this doesn't happen often).
Then somewhere in August 1942 he is wia in the battle for El Alamein, there are no hospital details in his Soldbuch, so I presume he was only lightly wounded but nevertheless he is awarded a wounded badge in black.
- Also for his service in Africa he is allowed to wear the insignia of the DAK and the Italian Africa campaign medal (pretty standard entries for a member of the DAK).
On August 26 1942 he is awarded the Panzer Assault Badge in Bronze.
Most likely also because he has proven himself in combat he is promoted to Unteroffizier on July 1 1942 and he is also nominated to follow officers training.
To follow this training he is transferred to Germany again and thus he escapes the defeat of the DAK in Africa.
On December 1 1942 he gets his commission and he now is a Lieutenant in the German Army.
As a new Lt he is assigned to the second btl of Pz Gr Rgt 126, of the 23 Pz Div.
This unit is heavily engaged on the Don front in Southern Russia.
The fighting on the Mius front is very fierce and on August 8 1943, he gets hit by shrapnel in the breast and the left upper arm.
He gets evacuated and will remain in hospital until March 1944, for this wound he will receive the wounded badge in silver.
All his belongings are lost on the eastern front and he gets a 221 Marks as replacement value, also all his documents are lost and he gets a new Wehrpaß too.
Not longer fit to serve on the frontline, he follows a course to become an instructor for Panzer Grenadiers, until the end of the war he will serve as an instructor with Pz Gr Erz und Ausb Abt 215.
In the winter of '44/'45 he is hospitalized with eye problems.
I think this pretty much sums up the war story of Rudolf Kick.
I've had what was probably mild dysentery and I'd rather have been shot.
