WWII German Army Soldbuch Grouping – Uffz Wilhelm Schamp – 37 Close Combat Days – Close Combat Clasp Silver – 96 Infanterie Division – Rare

Description

Soldbuch issued to Wilhelm Schamp from Dannenberg/Elbe Germany.

He served with:

Infanterie Regiment 283 

Grenadier Regiment 283 

Panzerjäger Abteilung 196 

All part of the 96 Infantry Division of the Wehrmacht (History Below) 

The 96th Infantry Division was set up on September 25, 1939 at the Bergen military training area near Celle during World War XI as the 5th Wave Division. The division was equipped with Czech equipment; in addition to WWXI, the personnel came from WWVI and II as well as the HGr. South. From 1941 the division was equipped with German equipment. The division should be ready for field use by November 1, 1939. The 13th companies of the infantry regiments were heavy mortar companies.

After the formation, the division moved to the Upper Rhine in December to secure the German western border. From May 10th the division took part in the western campaign. She crossed the Ardennes and advanced via Sedan to Laon. Here the division turned south and marched via Chemin des Dames, the Marne and Loire to Bourges. Between August 1940 and February 1941 the division was on leave. On April 2, 1941, the 13th companies of the infantry regiments became IG companies, which were taken over by the 246th Infantry Division. After re-enlistment, the division was in France. From July 1941 she took part in the Russian campaign.

The division marched via Vilna, Disna and Opochka into the area west of Lake Ilmen. Fighting on the Luga followed in August. In September the division advanced across the Ischora to the Neva near Leningrad. In 1942 the division was reduced to six battalions (dissolution of I./283, I./284 and III./287).

From October 1941 to February 1942 there were fighting between Schliselburg and the mouth of the Tosna south of Lake Ladoga and at the Volkhov Pocket near Mostki. The division was then deployed in 1942 at Maluska, Pogostje, Winjagolowo and Konduja. From December 1942 to February 1943, the division was deployed in the winter battle in the “bottleneck” between Shlisselburg and Mga, on the southern bank of Lake Ladoga, on the Neva, on the Sinjavino Heights and on the Popostje pocket – defensive battles followed until the end of 1943 Volkhov and on the Tigoda. In January 1944 the division was transferred to Ukraine and deployed in the Shepetovka-Starkonstantinov area. From March to December there were retreating battles in the Hube Pocket to the south. After breaking through to the west at Kamenets-Podolsk, the division was refreshed in June 1944. This was followed by costly retreats across skala into the Tarnopol area and defensive battles on the Tarnopol-Lemberg runway.

By the end of the year the division withdrew via the area south of Lemberg and via Sanok to the Small Beskydy Mountains southeast of Tarnow. In January 1945 the division moved to Hungary and took part in the advance south west of the mouth of the Gran. Defensive battles followed south of the Danube, in the Tata-Tarjan-Bajna-Sarisap-Coslnok area, where the division was surrounded. After breaking out of the pocket in Noden in March 1945, the division marched across the Danube and then west into the Pressburg area. The retreat continued north past Vienna to Lower Austria in the Waldviertel and the Freistadt area, where the division was taken prisoner by the Americans at the end of the war. Some of the division’s members were then handed over to the Red Army.

Awards.

1. Wounds Badge in Black – December 1941
2. Iron Cross Second Class – March 1942
3. Infantry Assault Badge – February 1942
4. Wounds Badge in Gold – August 1944
5. Close Combat Badge in Bronze & Silver Grade – September 1944
6. Iron Cross First Class – January 1945 – Panzerjäger Abt 196

Close Combat Days 37 Total Days Entered in the Soldbuch 

1. 11.8.1941 – Meschink
2. 14.8.1941 – Teschelino
3. 29.81941 – Proletarskaja
4. 30.8.1941 – Gorkj
5. 1.9.1941 – Mercedesstern
6. 13.1.1944 – Chrolln
7. 14.1.1944 – “
8. 15.1.1944 – “
9. 19.1.1944 – Labun
10. 20.1.9144 – “
11. 21.1.1944 – “
12. 22.1.1944 – “
13. 23.1.1944 – “
14. 27.1.1944 – Chrolln
15. 28.1.1944 – Medwedewka
16. 29.1.1944 – “
17. 30.1.1944 “
18. 1.2.1944 Höhe 299.3
19. 9.2.1944 – Höhen vor Medwedewka
20. 10.2.1944 – “
21. 11.2.1944 – Medwedewka
22. 12.2.1944 – “
23. 23.2.1944 – “
24. 4.3.1944 – Labun
25. 6.3.1944 – G (?)
26. 7.3.1944 – Saluffe
27. 12.3.1944 – (?)
28. 21.3.1944 – Alopin (?)
29. 22.3.1944 – T (?)
30. 25.3.1944 – I (?) aska
31. 26.3.1944 – (?)
32. 27.3.1944 – (?)
33. 3.4.1944 T (?)
34. 10.4.1944 – M (?)
35. 14.4.1944 – Nagor (?)
36. 15.4.1944 “
37. 24.4.1944 “

Only 9,500 Close Combat Clasps in Silver were Awarded, Schamp is on the archive award list (See Below). 

The grouping comes with all the pictured items from Schamp, including his matching dog tag and Necklace. Also included are his other papers, which includes a certificate from the Division.

Very rare Soldbuch.