Hi forum members,
This is a new addition in my Soldbucher collection.
The Soldbuch belonged to Wilhelm Schümer (°1915) a druggist from Soest, at the endof August ’39 he is assigned as a Feldwebel to the 9[SUP]th[/SUP] company IR469 of the newly created 269 Infantry Division.
When on May10 1940 the invasion of the Low Countries begins, he has been transferred to the 7[SUP]th[/SUP] company, they march through Southern tip of Holland and cross the Albert canal just south of the famous fort Eben-Emael, then it goes in the direction of Liege and Namur, they will lay siege to the old fort Suarlee, after the fall of fortress Namur they march in the direction of Valenciennes, this is where they will fight there heaviest battle of this campaign.
In the 1930’s the French have fortified there northern border with forts, bunkers and antitank ditches, this part of the Maginot line isn’t as strong as that on the eastern border but isn’t completely worthless either.
On May 21 1940, the 269ID gets the task to breakthrough the Maginot line in the “SectorFortifié De l’Escaut”; it will not be an easy task, the French have build a strong multiple defensive line, the first obstacle is the river Escaut, behind it is a swamp area, there is also a dry anti tank ditch and there are multiple bunkers and blockhouses build.
After the first assaults failed, IR469 gets the order to cross the Escaut Riverin Hergnies on May 24.
The fighting is fierce, they manage to cross the Escaut river but not the anti tank ditch, they are pinned down in the swamp, the losses are high. Wilhelm Schümer is one of the many victims of that days fighting, he is wounded by a piece of shrapnel, his wound is rather serious and he will remain in hospital until August 1 ’40.
The French will hold the SF l’Escaut until May 27; it is the most southern tip of the Dunkirk pocket.
In the fall of 1940 he is transferred to the newly created third battalion of IR401 of the170ID.
In June ’41 this division will invade the Ukraine, in July they are fighting in Odessa.
On July 13 ’41 he is hit by a bullet and again he will spend months in hospital, when he is recovered he becomes an instructor in Grenadier Ausbildungs Battalion 6 and on the Uffz Schule (NCO school) in Potsdam.
At the beginning of 1944 he goes to active frontline service again with his old unit, now called Grenadier Regiment 401, his regiment is fighting as a part of the 18[SUP]th[/SUP]Army around Leningrad.
On March 16’44 he gets wounded for the third time, again he is hit by a bullet; his wound is so serious that he will remain in hospital for an entire year.
He is left with a handicap and can’t serve anymore, as a small comfort he gets the woundedbadge in silver and an EKII; on May 2 1945 he is discharged.
This is a new addition in my Soldbucher collection.
The Soldbuch belonged to Wilhelm Schümer (°1915) a druggist from Soest, at the endof August ’39 he is assigned as a Feldwebel to the 9[SUP]th[/SUP] company IR469 of the newly created 269 Infantry Division.
When on May10 1940 the invasion of the Low Countries begins, he has been transferred to the 7[SUP]th[/SUP] company, they march through Southern tip of Holland and cross the Albert canal just south of the famous fort Eben-Emael, then it goes in the direction of Liege and Namur, they will lay siege to the old fort Suarlee, after the fall of fortress Namur they march in the direction of Valenciennes, this is where they will fight there heaviest battle of this campaign.
In the 1930’s the French have fortified there northern border with forts, bunkers and antitank ditches, this part of the Maginot line isn’t as strong as that on the eastern border but isn’t completely worthless either.
On May 21 1940, the 269ID gets the task to breakthrough the Maginot line in the “SectorFortifié De l’Escaut”; it will not be an easy task, the French have build a strong multiple defensive line, the first obstacle is the river Escaut, behind it is a swamp area, there is also a dry anti tank ditch and there are multiple bunkers and blockhouses build.
After the first assaults failed, IR469 gets the order to cross the Escaut Riverin Hergnies on May 24.
The fighting is fierce, they manage to cross the Escaut river but not the anti tank ditch, they are pinned down in the swamp, the losses are high. Wilhelm Schümer is one of the many victims of that days fighting, he is wounded by a piece of shrapnel, his wound is rather serious and he will remain in hospital until August 1 ’40.
The French will hold the SF l’Escaut until May 27; it is the most southern tip of the Dunkirk pocket.
In the fall of 1940 he is transferred to the newly created third battalion of IR401 of the170ID.
In June ’41 this division will invade the Ukraine, in July they are fighting in Odessa.
On July 13 ’41 he is hit by a bullet and again he will spend months in hospital, when he is recovered he becomes an instructor in Grenadier Ausbildungs Battalion 6 and on the Uffz Schule (NCO school) in Potsdam.
At the beginning of 1944 he goes to active frontline service again with his old unit, now called Grenadier Regiment 401, his regiment is fighting as a part of the 18[SUP]th[/SUP]Army around Leningrad.
On March 16’44 he gets wounded for the third time, again he is hit by a bullet; his wound is so serious that he will remain in hospital for an entire year.
He is left with a handicap and can’t serve anymore, as a small comfort he gets the woundedbadge in silver and an EKII; on May 2 1945 he is discharged.