Interesting KIA Set to:  Werner Knöpke – served with  Infanterie Regiment 24 (21st Inf Div)  On August 21, 1939, the division was mobilized. The 9th MG Battalion and the 2nd Company of the 31st MG Battalion were placed under the division. The 21st Reconnaissance Battalion was reorganized from the 4th Cavalry Regiment and the 21st Field Replacement Battalion. On September 1, 1939, the division crossed the Polish border and stormed the Graudenz Fortress. The division was then transferred to Johannesburg and advanced from there via Kolno and the Narew to Novgorod and via Bialystock to Volkowyssk. In November 1939, the division was transferred to the Bitburg area of the Eifel. In January 1940, Field Replacement Battalion 21 was transferred to the 291st Infantry Division. From May 10, 1940, the division took part in the French campaign, crossed Luxembourg and Belgium and advanced via Mezières and Charleville to the Aisne. Here the division had to endure heavy fighting. In the second phase of the campaign, the “Battle of France”, the division marched fighting to the southeast via Pethes, St. Menehould, Bar-le-Duc. Already in September 1940 the division moved home. In October 1940, the headquarters of the 3rd Infantry Regiment and the third battalions of the infantry regiments were transferred to the 121st Infantry Division. From June 22, 1941, the division took part in the Russian campaign. From the Tilsit area, the division advanced into Lithuania, crossed the Düna near Jakobstadt and advanced to Dno via Ostrow and Porchow. Here the division turned towards the Illmensee and fought its way north along the north bank of the Volkhov. Finally, the division advanced on Volkhovstroy. In December 1941 the division had to retreat behind the Volkhov to Kirishi. Here the division formed the only German bridgehead on the east bank of the river. The division remained in this sector of the front throughout 1942, suffering heavy casualties. Werner Knöpke – according to the letter dated 27.7.1941 – Died on the Ilmen Lake, near Staraja Russa, direct hit with a grenade. His friends gathered his body in a tent and buried him.  Letter dated Jan 1942 – insight into the battle in which Werner was killed, fascinating letter describing the battle.  Post War – Volksbund letter 1966 – interesting letter describing more details on the grave location.  Large Photo of Werner is adding to this lot, really nice to see such photos in groupings. These sorts of groupings are not as often found as 5 to 10 years ago. 

Nice not often seen issue of the SS Soldbuch for Police.  Reimer was a WW1 Veteran and he can be seen in his uniform wearing a medal bar.  He served in Ludwigshafen with the Schutzpolizei.  The Schutzpolizei des Reiches or the Schupo was the state protection police of Nazi Germany and a branch of the Ordnungspolizei. Schutzpolizei is the German name for a uniformed police force. The Schutzpolizei des Reiches was the uniformed police of most cities and large towns. State police departments were in charge of protection police, Kripo criminal investigation divisions (Kriminalpolizei), and administrative police. The state protection police comprised a patrol branch, barracked police, traffic police, water police, mounted police, police communications units, and police aviation. Policemen were required to have previous military service, good physical and mental health, Aryan descent and membership in the Nazi Party.

Wehrpass issued to W.Heuser, served with IR 278 (95 Inf Div)  According to the archives, Heuser was killed by a direct hit on his position with artillery.  Lot comes with his fathers train drivers ID for the German Railway : Reichsbahn    Medals:  Infantry Assault Badge – Jan 1942 Eastern Front Medal – Sept 1942    IR 278 Diary –  https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Infanterieregimenter/IR278-R.htm On July 4, the regiment began the advance east. July 6th Luck and July 8th Klewan. In the evening hours of July 10, the regiment reached the area west of Tuczyn on the Horyn. On July 14, the 95th Infantry Division replaced the SS Leibstandarte in the Sokolow section – where the Bialka flows into the Tenja. The detachment took place in the course of a counterattack by the division, since its own lines had been breached by a Russian counterattack. The regiment’s II Battalion reached the northern edge of the forest 2.5 km northeast of Sokolov at 17.30. In the evening hours, the 278th Infantry Regiment reported that its 5th Company was stuck in front of the forest north-east of Sokolow, facing west and was receiving fire from the forest. On July 16, the III. battalion of the regiment in the morning to Tynia / Cebrynka). On July 17, at 2:20 p.m., II Battalion pushed the crossroads north of Zubrynka. The place itself was taken around 3 p.m. The III. Battalion had advanced to the area around Alexandrowka. After taking Zubrynka, the 95th Infantry Division got possession of a bridge crossing over the Irszyca and advanced rapidly further north. The III. The battalion reached Alexandrovka and the regiment’s engineer platoon reconnoitred Pashinka at around 4 p.m. On the night of July 18, the 95th Infantry Division and the regiment were stopped at the positions they had reached. The regiment was withdrawn from the front and transferred to the Wilsk area. The regiment moved into quarters north of the Zhitomir – Wilsk line. On July 25, the regiment began moving to the Dedovshchina – Ozeriani area, which was reached on July 27. From here the deployment of the 95th Infantry Division against Greater Kiev began. Around noon on July 30, the regiment reached Grebjenki with forward parts. On July 31, the regiment continued its advance and at 10.30 reached the area 1 km from Deremisna. On July 31st the regiment crossed the Stugna. By nightfall, the 278th Infantry Regiment on the right, with one battalion, had crossed the Stugna north of Sloboda, the 279th and 280th Infantry Regiments with 3 and 2 battalions respectively, had crossed the river and positioned themselves just north of the crossing point for the night to defend themselves. During the night the bridgehead was extended to Velikiye Dmitrovichi, Velikaya Bugayevka Street. On August 1st the regiment attacked in the direction of the Weta. Heavy fighting broke out on the Weta on August 2nd. On August 4th the regiment was brought forward to the Weta to force the transition here. On August 5, the German attack across the Weta began. After heavy artillery preparation, the regiments of the 95th Infantry Division attempted to cross the Weta, which they managed to do by the evening. On August 6, the fighting in front of the regiment abated somewhat. The 1st Battalion of the 279th Infantry Regiment was in positions on the right wing of the Weta Front. II Battalion/IR 279 had pushed west past Lesniki and had gained some ground. The 1st / 280th Infantry Regiment followed, drawn far apart. At this time, the II. / 279th Infantry Regiment. The enemy used their air force all day long without being prevented from doing so by their own planes. The 278th Infantry Regiment was still stuck in front of a Russian bunker on the evening of August 6th. On August 5th and 6th the regiment lost 8 officers and 160 men. By the evening of August 8, it was possible to take the Russian bunker, thereby securing the regiment’s breakthrough. On August 10, the advance on Kiev was halted. The regiment received orders to clear the area east of Pirogovo and to secure the south-eastern part of Myschelovka. In the days that followed, combat activity abated noticeably. The regiment had suffered heavy casualties in previous offensive battles. On the night of August 20, the enemy succeeded in reconnaissance between the II and III. battalion of the regiment to break into the positions. The head of the 10th company, Oberleutnant Weinhold, fell in the subsequent counterattack. The following days were relatively quiet. On the night of September 16, the regiment moved into staging areas for the final attack on Kiev. The regiment advanced through Khodosovka into the forest on both sides of the road south of Pirogovo and kept the 1st Battalion close so that it could later be used to clean up Pirogovo. At first light on September 16, our own artillery opened fire and between 6:50 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. increased it to a barrage. The regiment stayed behind as the division’s reserve during the day. On September 17, the regiment was pushed into the front instead of the 280th Infantry Regiment.   In the night of September 18, the regiment, together with the 279th Infantry Regiment, advanced to the southern edge of Myschelowka. At 11:50 a.m. the German fire began and lasted until 12:00 p.m. With the last barrage of fire, the regiment began to attack. At 12:19 p.m. Ju 87s rushed to the field positions that were still occupied. At 12.44 the regiment reached the Myschelovka – Kiev reached road. The regiment then advanced on Lisa Gora, which was part of the Kiev fortress belt. From the afternoon of September 18, the attack on the fortress of Lisa Gora began. The 280th Infantry Regiment, reinforced by the 1st Engineer Battalion 195, was to attack from the east, the 279th Infantry Regiment from the south and the 278th Infantry Regiment from the west. In addition, support from Stukas was promised again. Despite the use of…