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German Cross in Gold Soldbuch

Peter U

Moderator
Staff member
Besides collection Soldbucher that have a local connection I also have a soft spot for examples of +40 year old men with combat related medals and badges and this is a nice example.

Gerhard Wentscher (°1897) was a career officer in the German army, he started his career in August 1914, most likely as a war volunteer.
He served from 1915 as a junior officer with Feld Artillerie Regiment 40, the artillery regiment of the 7ID, this division was the entire war on the western front in northern France and there he earned both EKII & I.
When the Nazi's came to power and they started to rebuild the army he joined Artillery Regiment 13 (13ID) as a captain in 1934, in 1938 he was promoted to major and became the division adjudant, the officer responsible for personnel.
The 13th Infantry Division was a motorized division and it participated in the invasion of Poland as a part of the tenth army; for his efforts in this campaign he was awarded a bar to his EKII.
In May 1940 they fought in France; on May 24 1940 men of the 13ID murdered 50 wounded black Senegalese soldiers of 24th RTS.
After the fall of France he is awarded the bar to his EKI.
Despite that his function is mostly administrative he is awarded both EKII & I early in the war.
In the fall of 1940 the 13ID is reformed in to a Panzer Division, in January 1941 he is given a field command again, he becomes the CO of III/AR13, in May 1941 he is given command of the entire regiment.
As a regimental commander he will participate in the campaign against Soviet Russia; during the campaign he will be promoted to Lt Colonel, it seems he commands from the front because when they in October 1941 cross the Mius river in Ukraine in an attempt to capture Rostov, he is shot in the upper leg.
The wound is rather serious and on October 17 1941 he is flown to the military hospital in Breslau, the bullet has cut a nerve in his right leg and he can't stretch his foot anymore, he remains in the hospital for two months and then he is sent home to recover further in a local hospital in Magdeburg.
He is awarded the wounded badge in silver, an assault badge and the German cross in gold, one of the first to receive this newly created bravery award.
He is also promoted to full Colonel but his physical condition keeps him away from a field command and he is given a function in the artillery department of the OKH, with this unit he stays until the end of the war.
 

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