Description
Unteroffizier Alois Grimbs
Alois Grimbs a mechanic born 1921 in Riedelsbach living in Peisselberg. He volunteered the military in 1939 and served:
Oct.39 with Flak-Ersatz-Abteilung 351 in Friedrichshafen(?);
Oct.-Dec.39 with Luftwaffe-Bau-Kompanie 21/VII; discharged
Dec.39; called-up again 1941;
Aug.-Oct.41 with Luftnachrichten-Kompanie Flieger-Bereitschaft Ansbach;
Oct.41-Apr.42 with Luftnachrichten-Stelle Regensburg;
Apr.-Jun.42 with Luftnachrichten-Stelle Ansbach;
Jun.-Jul.42 with Luftnachrichten-Stelle Crailsheim;
Jul.42-Apr.43 board radio operator schooling at Luftflotten-Nachrichten-Schule 2 in Königgrätz;
Apr.-Jul.43 with flight school Blindflug-Schule 5 home based at the airfield in Belgrade-Semlin Serbia.
Jul.43 till Apr.45 he served as a He 177 heavy bomber plane board radio operator with:
Kampfgeschwader 4 „General Wever“.
The wing was named after General Walther Wever, the prime pre-war proponent for a strategic bombing capability for the Luftwaffe, who was killed in an aircraft accident in 1936. In the period 1943-45 the Kampfgeschwader covered the continuous retreat of the Wehrmacht at the Eastern Front until the end of the war, in the tactical and supply role. Bases where he flew his missions from during this period: 1943 Avord (France); 1943-44 Sarabus (Crimea) , Nikolayev (Ukraine); 1944 Odessa (Ukraine), Sarabus (Crimea), Krosno (Poland), Milec (Albania), Focsani (Romania), Zilistea (Romania), Buzau (Romania), Grosswarden (Rumania), Debrecen (Hungary), Budapest (Hungary), Papa (Hungary), Novy Dvor; 1945 Novy Dvor (Belarus), Dresden.
He got severely wounded Apr.45 when his plane crashed on 11.4.45. He burned both his hands and his face (1st and 2nd degree burns) and was hospitalised in Heiligenstad-Königsgrätz and Miesbach.
Discharged Jun.45 with burning scars on hands and face, as mentioned on the POW release document.
Awards: Front Flying Clasp in Bronze (13.1.44), Iron Cross 2nd Class (26.2.44), Iron Cross 1st Class, Front Flying clasp in Silver, Front Flying Clasp in Gold (30.1.45).
1) Wehrpass, 2.5.39. One staple of the cover loose.
2) Krankenblatt, 1945. Medical document.
3) POW certificate of discharge, 27.6.45.
4) 10 very nice uniform photos. Three postcard sized. Wearing flying gear, with bomber clasps etc.
Comment
Nice grouping to a desirable unit and a combat experienced airman, who was lucky to survive his plane crashing.
