Heer Wehrpass – Gefreiter Thoma – Infanterie Regiment 380 (215 Inf Div) – Killed by Partisan Patrol – Death letters (On Hold)
Wehrpass issued to Gefreiter Wilhelm Thoma
He served with:
Infanterie Regiment 380 (215 Inf Division)
On June 19, the attack of the 215th Infantry Division began on the Maginot Line near Lembach-Wörth. The regiment was deployed on the right side of the division section. The 1st / Infantry Regiment 435 and the 1st / Pioneer Battalion 204 were assigned to him. The aim of the regiment was the breakthrough at Nehweiler. By the evening of June 19, the breakthrough had been achieved and 18 plants had been taken from the regiment. The III. Battalion of fallen 3 NCOs and 3 men, 1st Battalion 1 dead officer. A total of 31 men were wounded. By evening the regiment reached Hagenau and captured two bridges prepared for demolition. On the night of June 20th the regiment began to advance through Alsace. Across the Rhine-Marne Canal to Fort Mutzig, which was evacuated by the French. The Romannsweiler – Westhofen – Molsheim line was reached on June 21. On June 22nd, the regiment encountered the enemy again during its advance, with some major fighting. On that day the advance of the regiment and the entire division ended, shortly afterwards France surrendered.
Subsequently, the 215th Infantry Division was used to secure prisoners of war in the Belfort – Geradmer – Strasbourg area. At the beginning of December 1940 it was relocated to the Moulins area on the Loire. Here the regiment operated intensive training and securing the demarcation line. In the summer of 1940 the regiment provided a guard company for the capital Paris. On February 28, 1941, the 13th Company was transferred to the IR 282 and replaced on November 13, 1941 by the 13th / IR 338. On October 1, 1941, the regiment was the only one in the division to be transferred to the le Valdahon military training area for intensive training. In November 1941 the regiment was relocated to the northern section of the Eastern Front. It was unloaded in Chadovo on the Volkhov on the road to Tikhvin. Immediately after unloading, the regiment was deployed. The III. The battalion took up positions on the east bank of the Wochow near Grusino. The 2nd Battalion arrived here on November 27th and released the III. Battalion, which was then able to relieve the trapped Meschnik. In the following three days there were heavy defensive battles around the place, whereby after the arrival of the 1st battalion of the regiment, it was used as a closed unit at Meschnik. It was supported by the 1st / Artillery Regiment 215. The regiment suffered first frostbite. Around 60 men per battalion suffered from frostbite. There was increased patrol activity on both sides.
It was here that Thoma was according to his NCO at the time in a letter to Thomas father. The 2 and half page report, goes into depth about the unit situation at the time, the NCO was also wounded the day before and states that Thoma was killed like this:
” The road was meant to be free from enemy. We did not have to pay special attention to that. Around 2 KM outside Glady on the main road, our commander spotted a small forest, we went there for something to eat. And as the luck would have it a strong enemy patrol attacked us. Because of the thick forest, they were only 50 meters away. Wilhelm was with four other soldiers, as there was a massive machine gun blast towards them and the vehicle, a burst hit him and he fell before there was time to think about cover. We took up arms, and pushed the Patrol back towards Glady. Some lost their lives on this action. Also we left many vehicles, and many horses were shot up. There was no time left, we had to leave the dead… I lost 5 of my best friends in one action. ”
