Neef served with the Aufklärungs Abteilung 3 – 21st Panzer Division  In 1944, he was a Feldwebel and was killed in August 1944 in Beuvrigny.  The 21st Panzer Division of the German Army was heavily engaged in defensive battles around the British and Canadian sectors (specifically Sword and Juno beaches) during the Battle of Normandy in June and July 1944. The small village of Beuvrigny is located significantly west of this main engagement area, near the American sector, suggesting the division was likely not present there until the later stages of the campaign (late July/August) or was part of smaller, specific movements. 21st Panzer Division’s Role in Normandy Initial Engagement Area: On D-Day (June 6, 1944), the 21st Panzer Division was the only German armored division positioned close enough to the coast to launch an immediate counterattack. This attack occurred north of the city of Caen, between the British Sword and Canadian Juno beaches, in an attempt to drive a wedge to the sea and push the Allies back. The counterattack failed with heavy losses due to Allied naval gunfire, air superiority, and determined resistance. Defense of Caen: For the rest of June and into July, the division was a core component of the tenacious German defense around Caen, preventing a British and Canadian breakout for over a month. Movement to the West: As the battle progressed and American forces achieved a breakthrough in the west during Operation Cobra in late July, German forces, including remnants of the 21st Panzer Division, were shifted to defend against the Allied advances and were eventually encircled in the Falaise Pocket in August 1944. Beuvrigny is located in the general area the battle moved into as the front line shifted west and south. 

Soldbuch opened in August 1939 with Artillery Regiment 168. Issued to Paul Gersch from Berlin Rudow He served with Art Reg 168 till late 1943. The division was already operational at the beginning of the Polish campaign, so that on September 1, 1939 the division became an army reserve of the 4th Army. From the area north of Kraków, the division advanced through Sandomierz to Janow. After the end of the Polish campaign, the division was used as an occupation force in Poland until November 1939 and then transferred to the 16th Army on the Moselle north of Trier. At the beginning of the western campaign, the division was the army reserve of AOK 16 and only took part in the second phase of the campaign, the “Battle of France”. They marched from south of Sedan to Epinal. Already in July 1940 the division was transferred to eastern Poland for border security. On October 15, 1940, the division sold a third of its inventory (Stab IR 196, I./169, I./118 I./196) to the 340th Infantry Division. The levies have been replaced. From June 22, 1941, the division took part in the Russian campaign. The division advanced across the San from the Yaroslav area. The division advanced past Lemberg via Vinnitsa to the Cherkassy area. Here the division formed the flank protection of the 6th and 17th armies. In October 1941 the division continued its advance through Poltava to Kharkov. Heavy winter fighting then broke out in the Izyum am Donets area. These were to last until May 1942. After that, the division took part in offensive battles on Izyum and Znamenka. In the summer of 1942 the division marched to Voronezh-on-Don. Here the division remained in trench warfare until February 1943, when the division had to join the German retreat after the defeat of Stalingrad. Defensive battles and positional battles followed on the Oskol, near Gorshetsnoye and in the Ssumy area west of Kursk. In July 1943, defensive and retreat battles followed on the Dnieper. The division then stood until November 1943. On November 1, 1943, the division was converted into an infantry division of a new type 44 and the third battalions of the three regiments were dissolved. In November 1943 the division moved to the Radomyshl area and was in December 1943 near Zhitomir. It was in this room that it was smashed in January 1944. The remnants of the division were pulled from the front and collected and refreshed at the Demba military training area He then was a trainer at the: Schule für Fahnenjunker der Artillerie Lehrgang VIII  School for Officer Cadets of the Artillerie In March of 1945, Gersch was wounded with an infantry bullet (I.G) and in May of 1945 he is back again in hospital in Hamburg due to a code 34: accident of self mutilation.  So one thing is clear he certainly seen action after his training. Issued a FN Pistol and later a  Mod 27 Pistol. Medals Eastern Front Medal Iron Cross Second Class Iron Cross First Class Assault Days 28.01.1943 – Alarm Regiment 1 (Einheit Embacher) 29.01.1943  – Alarm Regiment 1 Included in the back of the Soldbuch are the 10 Rules for German Soldiers. Final Comments: A nice Soldbuch to a real combat Officer. Awarded both classes of the Iron Cross. Interestingly, after his deployment with his Officer rank it seems he once again seen combat, although I am unsure with who. Maybe the School or maybe back to his old unit? Missing one page 13/14

Hauptmann Götz Wehrpass Nice early Wehrpass with the Officer in uniform on the photo. He served in the First World War – fighting on both West and Eastern Front (1915 Argonnen, 1917 Russian Front, 1917 Aisne, Champagne, 1918 Verdun, France. He was wounded also twice – first time in September 1915 in the head area. Then again in 1918 – due to an aircraft dropping a bomb, he sustained multiple wounds on his arm. Awards: Hindenburg Cross, Silver Service Medal, Iron Cross 1914, War Merit Cross II Class with Swords 1942. Served with the below unit, guarding POWS. The 423rd Landesschützen Battalion was formed on June 6, 1940, in Military District V. At the time of its formation, the battalion was subordinate to the 405th Special Purpose Division. The battalion was organized into six companies for the guarding of prisoners of war. Initially, the battalion was deployed in Ulm, also in Military District V. In 1943, the battalion was stationed in Göppingen, also in Military District V. There, the battalion was under the command of the Commander of Prisoners of War V.

Schütte was from Göttingen, Germany. Worked his way up from the bottom to Oberleutnant. Served with various different Flak Units, August 1941 – April 1942 – Reserve Flakabteilung 512  April 1942 – June 1944 – Stab Flak Regiment 47 – Serving in Germany in Anti-Aircraft Roles Awards: West Wall Medal & Iron Cross Second Class