Original WWII German Wehrmacht Soldbuch – Obergefr Riechmann – Festung Lorient – Festung Lorient – Bataillon Böck – RARE!
Description
Soldbuch opened in 1942 to Karl Reichmann.
Served in the following frontline units:
Reserve-Grenadier-Bataillon 467
Reserve-Grenadier-Bataillon 497
Reserve-Grenadier-Bataillon 487
Grenadier Regiment 535
On February 17, 1943, the reorganization of the regiment began within the 15th Army in France. The first units of the new regiment were assembled in the St. Omer area. After only eight weeks, the already formed elements of the regiment were relocated to the Atlantic coast of Brittany, to the area between Carnac and Saint-Nazaire, to complete their formation and be deployed for coastal defense.
Festungs Stamm Reserve Kompanie XXV
After the Allied landings in Normandy (June 6, 1944), the corps, under Commanding General Wilhelm Fahrmbacher, fought against the VIII US Corps (under General Troy H. Middleton with the 83rd Infantry Division, 4th and 6th Armored Divisions) in the fortresses of St. Malo, Brest, Lorient, and St. Nazaire.
During the Battle of Brittany, the main attack on the fortress of Brest was launched on August 25, 1944, by the 29th Infantry Division from the west, the 8th Infantry Division from the northeast, and the 2nd Infantry Division from the east. By mid-September 1944, the 265th and remnants of the 343rd, 2nd Parachute, and 266th Infantry Divisions were under its command.
Finally, only the 265th Infantry Division remained subordinate to the XXV Corps Command in the fortress of Lorient.
Festung Lorient – Bataillon Böck
Lorient, on the Bay of Biscay, had been an important French naval base until June 1940. With the capture of the base in the same month by German troops (see France campaign), the town in succession got more and more of strategic importance for the German Navy. This concerned above all the submarine construction with its bunker buildings on the peninsula Kéroman. U-Baot Bunker Kéroman III in Lorient
In August / September 1944, following the Allied invasion of Normandy, the port and town of Lorient were completely enclosed by US and British forces, with some 22,000 German soldiers. Adolf Hitler thereupon declared the city a fortress. During the eight-month siege, which ended with the surrender of the remaining German forces on May 10th, 1945, there were some fighting going on.
Battalion Böck (referred to as “Boeck” in the book) participated as a fortress assault reserve on April 30th to May 1st, 1945, in the occupation of the islands of Houat and Haedic as part of a combined sea and land operation.
Mentioned in the book: Black Flag: The Surrender of Germany’s U-Boat Forces on Land and at Sea
The book by Fahrmbacher: “Lorient”, 2nd edition, Prinz Eugen Verlag Weissenburg:
P. 107. “The Chief of Staff of the XXV General Command, Colonel i. Gen. St. Bader, was recalled by radio order to another position in the Reich( ……………….) The Chief’s duties were now assumed by the 1st General Staff Officer, Lieutenant Colonel i. G. von Raven, and he was replaced by a proven young Ostmark native, Captain Böck.”
P. 120: (Surrender) “The commanding general went there, accompanied by Lieutenant Colonel i. G. Raven, Captain Böck, and Lieutenant i. R. Buck…”
At the beginning of the encirclement of the fortress of Lorient (August 10, 1944), approximately 26,000-28,000 soldiers entered the fortress, but only a very small number of these were trained infantrymen (according to FMS B-731, only approximately 800 soldiers). In addition, there were soldiers or individuals who were only partially eligible for infantry use of auxiliary weapons (approximately 3,000 soldiers for grenade launchers, anti-tank guns, 2cm anti-aircraft guns, etc.).
Thus, initially, only approximately 3,800 soldiers were available for planned infantry training and further education who were even eligible for infantry use.
Over time, other encircled members of the Wehrmacht, the Todt Organization, etc., were found who were ultimately trained and deployed as infantry personnel:
1,100 soldiers of the Marine Flak Artillery,
2,050 soldiers of the Marine Aircraft Personnel (including Battalion Böck, Marine Artillery Detachments 681, 683, and 688), 1,200 soldiers of the Air Force,
600 soldiers of the Signal Corps, Supply and Order Services, and the Supply Corps, as well as
1,200 members of the shipyard.
Thus, a total of almost 7,000 soldiers were gathered (plus the 800 previous infantrymen), who were ultimately trained and deployed in a more or less infantry-like manner. The personnel target calculated for this, a minimal defense (need for infantry), was again, due to the circumstances (priorities, length of the front, etc.), at approximately 10,000 soldiers.
Weapons
K98K
