Soldbuch Issued to Günther Vaupel in August of 1939. Vaupel was from Görlitz and was a painter in his civil profession, he was not married. Panzer Aufklärungs Abt 22 (22 Infanterie Division LL )  At the end of October 1939, the division was transferred to the Sennelager military training area to be trained for airborne operations. At the beginning of the western campaign, the division was used as part of the 7th Flieger-Division for airborne operations. The 16th Infantry Regiment landed in the Waalhaven area, the 47th Infantry Regiment in the Katwijk-Valkenburg area and the 65th Infantry Regiment in the Ypenburg area. During these operations, the division suffered heavy casualties. In June 1940 the division was transferred to St. Quentin and in July to the area northeast of Antwerp for refreshment. The division stayed here until December and then moved to the Stendal-Magdeburg area. In the winter of 1940/41. In April 1941 the division came to Ploesti to secure the Romanian oil fields. In June 1941, the division moved into its staging area northwest of Jassy in Romania. From here the division took part in the Russian campaign from July 2nd. The division crossed the Prut, in mid-July the Dniester south-east of Mogilev and in August the Dnieper at Berislav. The division then marched to the Sea of Azov, broke through the Perekop Isthmus to Crimea and took part in the first attacks on the Sevastopol fortress. The division was then transferred to security tasks in the eastern part of the Crimean Peninsula. From January to April 1942, the division was in trench warfare in front of Sevastopol and from May 8 took part in the battles to regain the Kerch Peninsula. In June she took part in the storming of Sevastopol. After the end of the fighting, the division was transferred to Greece and refreshed in the Athens and Salonica area. By order of the General Army Office of July 29, 1942, the division was to be reorganized for airborne use and received the additional designation (L.L. motorized trop.). There were also reclassifications in the units. On October 1, 1942, the airborne use was lifted again. The division has now been reorganized for use in Crete. Later Panzer Aufklärungs Abt 122 (122 Infanterie Division) It seems that towards the end of 1944, Vaupel is in Kurland, Latvia. His unit is developed in some of the heaviest fighting in Kurland, around the Saldus (Frauenburg) area. Parts of the unit were sent to the Cieceres Lake West side according to Lexicon der Wehrmacht. Interestingly, Vaupel was in the Panzerspäh Company, these would have had Sdkfz 221/222 Armoured Recon Vehicles. It is unknown what happened with Vaupel, he is not recorded as killed in action. Equipment/Issued: Issued K98 Rifle, Italian Pistol, Compass, Saw and Lamp. Other remarks: Found Fit for tropical service, Eye inspection in Kreta, Awards: Iron Cross Second Class General Assault Badge . 1941 Wounds Badge in Black – Jan 1942 War Merit Cross with Swords – July 1942 Eastern Front Medal – July 1942 Krim Campaign Sheild – March 1943 Close Combat Days in Southern Russia : 18.9.1941 – Rodionowka 28.10.1941 – Ongernay 1.11.1941 – Bachtshissaraj Signatures: There is a detailed list of the officers here. Could be matched to a nice signature in the Soldbuch : https://www.historic.de/Militar/22.%20ID/AufklAbt22/AA22Main.htm Final Comments: A super Soldbuch for Panzer Recon, these are really hard to find. He seen around, Holland in 1940, Greece and Crete, then to Russia, and finally to Latvian territories for the final battles of WW2 in the Kurland Pocket. A very nice Soldbuch, from a desirable unit, something for the real advanced Panzer Recon Collectors. Super photo in the Soldbuch in Tropical Gear. Vaupel is not listed as KIA or MIA. Although his Soldbuch drops off around March 1945.    

Soldbuch issued to Officer Cadet Dr Helmut Eigner in September 1939 with: Infanterie Panzer Abwehr Ersatz Kompanie 3 – Infantry replacement unit, Tank Destruction His first deployment was with: Panzer Abwehr Kompanie 188 – Panzerjäger Abt 188  (88 Infanterie Division)  He was awarded his EK2 for actions in France June 1940. In mid-May 1940, the division moved to the Trier area as an OKH reserve and marched from there from May 16, 1940 through Luxembourg and northern France to the Marne. On June 12, 1940, the division experienced its baptism of fire when crossing the river in the Dormans – Trekop area. The division then pursued the retreating French units to the Loire. After the end of the western campaign, the division remained on the Loire in the Bourges area until July 1 and then returned home. He then was redeployed with: Schnelle Abteilung 296 / Panzerjäger Abt 296 (296 Infanterie Division)  There is a large divisional history on this unit here: https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Infanteriedivisionen/296ID.htm They fought in Southern Russia, Ukraine, and were destroyed there in 1944 in the Bobruisk area. Panzerjäger Abteilung 543 (Zerstörer Kompanie) – 3rd Panzer Division really nice company entry here, Zerstörer Company means the Tank destroying Company. According to the book, Days of battle by Szamveber. This unit was equip with  17 Jagdpanzer IVs In December 1944, the division at Army Group Center was refreshed and given new field post numbers. On December 10, the 3rd Panzer Division was moved south again to western Hungary near Székesfehérvár. From January 18, 1945, she took part in the unsuccessful relief attack for the enclosed Budapest. After Operation Spring Awakening, which had started in February and was also unsuccessful, the division withdrew to Austria, where it surrendered on May 8, 1945 and was taken prisoner of war by the Americans. Awards: Iron Cross Second Class – June 1940 – France August 1942 – Wounds Badge July 1942 – Eastern Front Medal March 1943 – Iron Cross First Class April 1943 – General Assault Badge April 1945 – War Merit Cross with Swords – Second Class (3 Panzer Division) Close Combat Days September 1941 – Kyiv Ukraine March 1942 – Attack Troops on Hill 26012 Award Certificates: Iron Cross Second Class – France, Passy Crigny – Signed Knighs Cross Winner – Friedrich Gollwitzer (27 April 1889 – 25 March 1977) Iron Cross First Class – Divisional HQ – Knights Cross with Oak Leaf – Arthur Kullmer (17 August 1896 – 28 March 1953) Eastern Front Medal – 296 Pz Jäger – Signed by Major and Abt Commander. General Assault Badge – 296 Pz Jäger – signed by Captain i.v Wounds badge in Black – Signed again by Major and Abt Commander Other Documents: Happy Christmas – Hand Drawn from Company in 1943 Hand Drawn invite to a event organised by the unit Final Comments: Extraordinary! This is a top shelf for any real advanced Panzer Collector, the Jagdpnazer IV was an extremely rare Tank Hunter. It will be hard to beat this Soldbuch Grouping if your after any tank Hunters. Note the amazing photo of Eigner in his Panzer Wrap Uniform and his Iron Cross on display, a pretty amazing imagine.    

Soldbuch issued in August 1939 to Carl Clarnekamp von Stenkhoff from Hannover. He was born in August 1899. He was married to Hildgegard born Neuhaus. He served in the following units: Mostly providing protection to rail infrastructure and security tasks. Sicherungs Batl 265  – Page 19 – States he was in the last two units in 1944/45 Landeschuztzen Btl 925 – Popvaca 1945 – Croatia Sicherungs Batl 356 – 1945 – Deutscher Eisenbahn-Sicherungs-Stab Kroatien – More can be found here on the unit movements in the later part of the war. https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/SichBat/Gliederung.htm He only had one award, the War Merit Cross With Swords in January 1944. He was captured by allied soldiers and given a prisoner of war number. Final Comments: A little water damage through the book, although it is for a rather senior officer with a very fancy name.

The Soldbuch was opened in July 1942, issued to Bauer born in 1923 in Gera District, Germany. He fought in many different units in a short period on the Russian Front. Res Inf Btl 205 – Infanterie Regiment 214 – MG Reserve Grenadier Kompanie 471 MG Reserve Grenadier Btl 388 – (Change of rank title: 2.1943) – Issued a Gewehr 24 T – A CZ Made and designed Mauser action rifle. Grenadier Regiment 116 – MG Kompanie – Wounded in September of 1943, Bauer was in Hospital till December of 1943. Grenadier Regiment 116 – MG Kompanie – But in April 1944, he was wounded once again this time a 31a, Infantry Bullet. He spent till August 1944 in recovery. Bauer woud only received the black wounds badge, although entitled to the silver grade for his second wounding. Divisions Fusilier Kompanie 19 –  1.1.1945 (Rank title change)  – 19 Volks Grenadier Division 22.12.1944 – Iron Rations given out, 4.2.1945 – K98K Rifle Issued On February 6, 1945, US troops launched a local attack against the right wing of the already severely weakened 19th Volksgrenadier Division. During these attacks, the US troops were able to take possession of the Blieshöhen not far from the city of Saareguemines. The division was able to hold the other positions in front of the West Wall, but shrank to the strength of a weak divisional combat group. On March 15, the main attack by American forces took place on a broad front against the West Wall. The defenses of the 19th Volksgrenadier Division fell rapidly and the division was thrown back onto the West Wall. On March 19, the division received the order to disengage from the front with the remaining remnants and to go back to the Kaiserslautern area. In the days that followed, the remnants of the division were again crushed. On March 24 they still had a strength of 400 men. On March 26, 1945, the division was officially disbanded. The division staff remained. The remaining parts were combined into a combat group and sent to the 2nd Mountain Division. The remains of the combat group were in early April 1945 south of Dörzbach an der Jagst. On April 21, the remnants of the combat group left the Crailsheim area in the direction of Dinkelsbühl. From here we continued in the direction of Gingen an der Brenz. Here their trace is lost. Final comments: Interesting photo in this Soldbuch, not often do you see such backgrounds. Over all a less often met Western Front 1945 Soldbuch. I did not find him on the lists of KIA. Although it is highly likely he was a POW afterwards.