Soldbuch opened in December 1943 Eicher was from Munich Germany. Served with: Stellungsbau-Rahmen-Bataillon 1008 Einweisungs-Abteilung 1008 The unit was deployed as an army troop in the Oppeln area, in military district VIII. Interestingly there is a Security Check on 1.09.1944 – it seems it was by Hoherer Pionier-Fuhrer z.b.V. 104 – 9th Army  Awards: 26.2.1945 – West Wall Medal – Hoherer Pionier-Fuhrer z.b.V XI Captured by the Red Army – Page 8c – August 1946 entry from Red Army Military Command.

  Frontline Units:  SS Korps Nachrichten Abteilung  1943 – Injections SS Panzer Artillerie Regiment ” Das Reich “ It seems he was with them in the Summer of 1943 At the end of June 1943, the division took up its starting position west of Belgorod for the impending German offensive at Kursk. From June 5, 1943, the division participated in Operation Citadel and advanced on the town of Berezov. On June 6, the division was in the Luchki area, and on July 11, it was 3.5 km from Prokhorovka. On July 18, 1943, the division’s offensive was called off. It was withdrawn from the front and prepared for transfer to Italy after the Allied landings in Sicily. SS Artillerie Regiment 54 – Nederland –  Stabsbattr – 4. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Brigade Nederland (Payment Group Change – Page 22 – 1.2.1944, Equipment Issued – 12.4.1944, Last Entry was a promotion in January 1945) On January 15, 1944, the brigade endured its first heavy defensive battles. Elements of the brigade succeeded in liberating the encircled 9th and 10th Luftwaffen Field Divisions . As early as January 26, 1944, the brigade received orders to move to the so-called “Panther” position along the Narva River . After heavy defensive fighting, a new position was established in early February 1944. After several smaller battles in February, a new Soviet offensive followed from March 11, 1944. By June 30, 1944, the brigade had 6,714 men. During the major Soviet summer offensive, the first elements of the brigade were ordered to withdraw from the front line on July 24, 1944. The SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Regiment 48 served as the rearguard, was encircled, and subsequently destroyed by Soviet troops. The remainder of the brigade was deployed in the “Tannenberg” position. On September 21, 1944, the III SS Panzer Corps ordered the re-establishment of the SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Regiment 48. For this purpose, the remnants of the regiment were shipped to Germany and re-established at the Hammerstein military training area, primarily with members of the Kriegsmarine . The brigade saw action in Courland south of Dobele until September 28 and was immediately involved in heavy defensive fighting. On October 12, 1944, the brigade was given command of the area south of Liepāja and a few days later south of Priekule . In the heavy fighting that followed, the brigade’s front was repeatedly breached. On January 16, 1945, the brigade still had a strength of 5,751 men. After relatively quiet days, the Red Army launched a major attack on the entire front in front of Liepāja on January 21, 1945. After heavy fighting, the brigade was withdrawn from the front line. On January 28, 1945, the brigade was loaded onto ships in Liepāja and transported to Stettin. SS Artillerie Regiment 23 – Stab – The 23. SS-Freiwilligen-Panzergrenadier-Division Nederland (niederlandische Nr. 1) It fought on the Eastern front seeing action on the Oder and south of Berlin where it was caught in the Halbe pocket, before surrendering to US forces at the end of the war. Issued Items Pair of Drivers Gloves, and Protection Glasses – June 1944 Feb 1945 – Rifle Awards Black Wounds Badge – 2.9.1943 Payments 4.1942 – FPNr 04962 – Putzgeld 8.1943 – FPNr 24262 – Wehrsold & Frontzulage 9.1944 – Fontzulage Post War payments – POW Camp Final Notes Comes with his POW Release Document Bad entries – he bumped himself up a rank and awarded himself an EK1 & EK2 – these are 100% post war entries in an otherwise really desirable and interesting Soldbuch. Especially because it seems he made it out of Kurland and was part of the unit in the Halbe that made it to the US lines!

Interesting Wehrpass to Heinzmann, he was killed on the Krim when his train was attacked near the Train Station on the Krim. Three photos can with the Wehrpass, where you can clearly see a train has been hit with a bombing raid. Not such a common unit: Feldeisenbahn-Betriebsabt 2 He was awarded the Krimschild (Crimea Shield) I have added in three bits of research to print if you wish to buy this confirming his death in the German Archive.

Really interesting unit not often met, according to records this unit was only built up of 250 men! What they did: The Signal Intelligence Regiment (German: Kommandeur der Nachrichtenaufklärung, lit. ’Commander of intelligence’) (KONA) was the basic element of the field organisation of the German Army (Heer) signals intelligence organization (first called Inspectorate 7/VI, then LNA, and finally OKH/GdNA) during World War II. The KONA regiments were mobile communication reconnaissance units which were assigned to an army group and operated close to the front lines within the theatre of operations to intercept and build intelligence, via evaluation services (cryptanalysis) and disseminate the intelligence to senior staff locally and in the OKH/GdNA headquarters in the rear. To quote World War II cryptographic historian, Christos T “The KONA units did not have the ability to solve complicated Allied cryptosystems. Instead they focused on exploiting low/mid level ciphers and even in this capacity they were assisted by material sent to them by the central cryptanalytic department. This was the German Army High Command’s Inspectorate 7/VI”. He has an impressive battle calendar, clearly he was with Heeresgruppe Nor, he was awarded the Eastern Front Medal, and managed to get out from the Kurland Pocket early enough to make it back to Germany. Comes with his Wehrmacht Drivers Licence.