Third Party Press

Soldbuch MIA officer

Peter U

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Staff member
The latest addition to my Soldbuch collection, a shot through Soldbuch with a sad story.

The Soldbuch is a replacement example that was issued in August 1944 by a the replacement unit of Artillery Regiment 24 to Hauptmann Bruno Sichting, a career officer in the Wehrmacht.
According to his dogtag number he most likely served with AR24 when the war started and stayed with this unit until 1944.
It is rather odd but his medals aren't listed in this Soldbuch but on the picture we can clearly see that he was awarded the EK II & I, winter war -, a long service -, Sudetenland -, the Romanian crusade against Communism medal and a wounded badge in silver or assault badge.
The last entry in the Soldbuch is dated September 6 1944, on that day he was issued a new backpack when he was transferred to a new active unit.
From the Red Cross MIA archives we know that he served as CO of I/AR256 of the 256VGD.
With this unit he saw action in Holland and in the Saar.
According to the German Wargraves website he became MIA on February 23 1945, most likely captured by American troops.
In January 1946 his wife received a letter from the mayor of Saarburg; her husbands Soldbuch was found on a field in Irsch, the Soldbuch is clearly battle damaged .....
Until now his remains haven't been found.
I presume that his Soldbuch was thrown away when someone went through his pockets and wallet, pocket litter; his WH service watch and M27 pistol most likely ended up as GI war souvenirs.
 

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The letter that was sent to his wife in 1946 together with the Soldbuch and the page of the Red Cross archive on which he is listed as MIA.
 

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Another interesting read, as always, Peter. It really makes you wonder what actually happened to him.
 
Another interesting read, as always, Peter. It really makes you wonder what actually happened to him.

Thanks!

It makes me wonder too.
That his pockets and wallets were searched for war souvenirs is normal but why were his remains not buried with the other German soldiers that were KIA in the same fight?
 
Excellent SB and info Peter! Poor man's remains were likely tossed in a shell hole with others and covered up. That SB was like so much pocket litter tossed after his body was searched.
 
That Soldbuch does not look like it was exposed to rain, sun ...... on a field for almost a year.

Some years ago a huge collection of Wehrmacht documents and Soldbücher was disposed in a garbage container. Exposed to the weather for only a few days they look worse.

Maybe he took the chance to get rid of his uniform, equipment .... and disappeared in civilian clothes.
 

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