Today I took the time to show my first Soldbuch purchase of 2019, it is a Soldbuch of a Gefreiter that was listed on the honour roll of the German army, it was a paper award that later became also a physical award: the honour roll clasp.
The honour roll clasp, instituted in 1941 was only awarded +/- 4.500 times, making it the rarest of all German bravery awards, it ranks between the EKI and German Cross in Gold; personally I have the feeling that it is a kind of consolation price for those that were nominated for a KC or GCiG but were refused but still preformed an act of bravery that went beyond an EKI.
Keep in mind that bravery awards such as the honour roll clasp, GCiG & KC are seldom awarded to enlisted men.
Heinrich Sleboda (°1911) was a miner from Bergheim, (he was small in size 5ft1), was called up in April 1940 and after four weeks of basic training as a MG gunner he was sent to his combat unit 4/IR453 (253ID) which was then fighting the battle for Dunkirk.
In June 1941 his MG company participated in the invasion of the Soviet Union, according to his award page we can presume that in the autumn of 1941 he is involved in some serious combat, in early October 1941 he was awarded the EKII and a month later he is promoted to sergeant and awarded the EKI, awards awarded on divisional level.
In December 1941 his name is put on the honour roll of the German army, an award given on army level.
His company commander Oberleütnant Crusius (you can see his signature several times in his Soldbuch) was also put on the honour roll in March 1942 but he eventually was awarded the KC although posthumously in May 1942.
Sometime in 1942 he is transferred to the 8th MG company of his regiment.
He is spared a second winter on the Eastern front because his skills as a miner are more important for the war effort then his skills as a MG gunner he is discharged from military service in December 1942; already in the autumn of 1940 he is temporally discharged, put on work leave.
When the German army collapses on the Western front in August 1944 and the allies threaten Germany itself, he is called up for military service again, after a short time in a replacement unit he is transferred to the 275ID, a division that is being rebuild after it practically was destroyed in the retreat to the German border.
In this division he ends up in the divisional combat school company, these training companies give all kinds of on the job training like specialist weapons training and leadership courses for example.
Just before he is sent to the frontline again he is given an "Einsatzürlaüb" until October 3 1944, shortly here after he is taken POW by the US Army in the Stolberg area, in May 1948 he is released and returns home.
The honour roll clasp, instituted in 1941 was only awarded +/- 4.500 times, making it the rarest of all German bravery awards, it ranks between the EKI and German Cross in Gold; personally I have the feeling that it is a kind of consolation price for those that were nominated for a KC or GCiG but were refused but still preformed an act of bravery that went beyond an EKI.
Keep in mind that bravery awards such as the honour roll clasp, GCiG & KC are seldom awarded to enlisted men.
Heinrich Sleboda (°1911) was a miner from Bergheim, (he was small in size 5ft1), was called up in April 1940 and after four weeks of basic training as a MG gunner he was sent to his combat unit 4/IR453 (253ID) which was then fighting the battle for Dunkirk.
In June 1941 his MG company participated in the invasion of the Soviet Union, according to his award page we can presume that in the autumn of 1941 he is involved in some serious combat, in early October 1941 he was awarded the EKII and a month later he is promoted to sergeant and awarded the EKI, awards awarded on divisional level.
In December 1941 his name is put on the honour roll of the German army, an award given on army level.
His company commander Oberleütnant Crusius (you can see his signature several times in his Soldbuch) was also put on the honour roll in March 1942 but he eventually was awarded the KC although posthumously in May 1942.
Sometime in 1942 he is transferred to the 8th MG company of his regiment.
He is spared a second winter on the Eastern front because his skills as a miner are more important for the war effort then his skills as a MG gunner he is discharged from military service in December 1942; already in the autumn of 1940 he is temporally discharged, put on work leave.
When the German army collapses on the Western front in August 1944 and the allies threaten Germany itself, he is called up for military service again, after a short time in a replacement unit he is transferred to the 275ID, a division that is being rebuild after it practically was destroyed in the retreat to the German border.
In this division he ends up in the divisional combat school company, these training companies give all kinds of on the job training like specialist weapons training and leadership courses for example.
Just before he is sent to the frontline again he is given an "Einsatzürlaüb" until October 3 1944, shortly here after he is taken POW by the US Army in the Stolberg area, in May 1948 he is released and returns home.
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