Heer Soldbuch – Uffz Fischer – Grenadier Regiment 388 (6.Geb Div) – Finland / Lappland / Norway – Lappland Schild – EK2 – ISA (Sold)

Heer Soldbuch issued to Johannes Fischer,

He worked his way from Schütze up to Unteroffizier.

First and foremost, this Soldbuch was issued to a fighter, 90% of the Lappland Medal Soldbücher offered for sale are for supply units, or units that seen little or no combat.

He was in a Machine Gun Company in:

Infanterie Regiment 388 (214 Infanterie Division) 

At the beginning of April 1940, the division was relocated to the coast, loaded onto ships and transported to Norway in the Stavanger area. From here the division marched into the Kristiansand area, where it encountered the tips of the oncoming 163rd Infantry Division. After the end of the Norwegian campaign, the division remained as an occupying force in Norway.

Grenadier Regiment 388 

The regiment was an army troop in northern Finland, where it was initially deployed on the Liza, later on the so-called “fisherman’s neck”. On September 24, 1943 there was a battle in the Pikschujev area. In particular parts of the officer corps of the regiment was accused of failure; two battalion commanders were personally replaced by the commanding General Schörner. The regiment was renamed on May 30, 1944 with the Artillery Division 930 as Grenadier Brigade 388.

Grenadier Brigade 388 (6 Gebirgsjäger Division) 

Formed on May 30, 1944 through the reclassification of the reinforced 388 Grenadier Regiment as army troops for Finland and Norway. After the retreat from the Murman Front and from Northern Norway, the brigade was deployed in the Sweden-Norway-Finland triangle. In October 1944 she was in the Petsamo area.

Petsamo and Kirkenes 1944, The Soviet offensive in the Northern Arctic – the following book has many mentions of the GR388. Including details on the battles for Petsamo, where GR388 was heavily involved. Interestingly, the leader of Fischers unit, Hauptmann Schneeberger won the German Cross in Gold for his actions on the Speer Bridge at Pestasmo.

Points to note:

Fischer was wounded by an airplane, in the Vardö area of Norway.

Awards:

1. Wounds Badge in Black – Airplane bullet – 30.6.1942 in Norway
2. Eastern Front Medal
3. Infantry Assault Badge in Silver
4. Iron Cross Second Class – 1.11.1944
5. War Merit Cross 2nd Class
6. Lappland Shield – 28.7.1945

In the back pocket of the Soldbuch lay the original Lappland Shield! 

He was trained on the following:

K98, MG34, Maschine Pistol, Pistol P38 & P08, 8cm Mortar. He was also trained on how to fight tanks in close combat!

Issued

Many items, but most interestingly he was issued a full set of Ski items and winter gear!