WWII German Army Soldbuch – Oberfeldwebel Pangerl – Grenadier Regiment 978 (271 Inf Div) – Normandy Caen and Falaise 1944 – 1 Mark Occupation Money Souvenir 1944 (Sold)
Description
Issued to Karl Pangerl, born in 1915.
He raised the ranks to Oberfeldwebel
He served with the following units:
1939 till 1942: Infanterie Regiment 97 / Inf Reg 72 – 46 Inf Divison
From September 1, 1939, the division took part in the Polish campaign, crossed the border in the direction of Czestochowa and then marched south via Prtzysucha past Radom via Grabow and Warka to the Vistula. Eventually the division reached the area south of Warsaw, where it remained until the Polish surrender. The division was then used for a short time as an occupation force in Poland and moved to the Bad Driberg area as an OKH reserve in December 1939. There the division handed over Field Replacement Battalion 46 to the 183rd Infantry Division in January 1940. At the beginning of the western campaign, the division followed the fighting troops from the area west of Aachen via Maastricht, Namur, Cambrai to the west of Amiens. Here the division for the second phase of the campaign, the “Battle of France”, was prepared. At Flixécourt the division crossed the Somme and fought its way to the Seine at Donains. The division then advanced via Chateauneuf and Le Mans to the Loire in the Angers area. After the end of the western campaign, the division was used for coastal protection on the Atlantic coast. In March 1941, the division was then transferred to Romania as a training force in the Prilep area. In April 1941 the division took part in the Balkan campaign. However, she did not intervene in the fighting, but was towed to the Banat via Belgrade, where she remained for security purposes. At the start of the western campaign, the 46th Infantry Division was again assigned to the OKH reserve and moved to Romania. It was not until July 1941 that the division took part in the Russian campaign and was integrated into the Prut front with the 11th Army. In mid-July 1941, the Prut was crossed and the division marched to the Dniester, which was crossed in mid-July 1941. The division then advanced via Balza to the Dnieper near Bereslaw and turned here to the Crimean Peninsula. After the Perekop Isthmus was breached, the attack on the Parpach Isthmus began. After the Russian positions could be breached here, the city of Kerch itself was conquered. The 46th Infantry Division was then used for coastal protection on the Kerch Peninsula. After the surprising landing of large forces of the Red Army on the coast of the Kerch Peninsula in early 1942, the entire eastern part of the peninsula had to be abandoned. The division retreated to the Koy Assan – Vlandislavowka area. The Commander-in-Chief of Army Group South then sent her the following telex: “I deny the soldierly honor of the 46th Division for the flopping action during the landing of the Russians on the Kerch Peninsula and their hasty withdrawal from the peninsula. Awards and promotions are blocked until further notice. This telex is only up to the regiment commanders inclusive to announce.” signed by Reichenau Field Marshal Due to the protest of the division commander and the regiment commanders, the following telex was sent to the division by Field Marshal von Reichenau’s successor: “I express my special appreciation to the 46th Division for the outstanding performance in the defensive battles in the Isthmus since the beginning of January and look forward to corresponding proposals for promotions and awards.” Signed by Bock, Field Marshal In May 1942, the division then took part in the reconquest of the Kerch Peninsula and then took over the coast protection on the peninsula again. In September 1942, the division crossed over to the Halinsel Taman and then took part in the advance into the western Caucasus. Here the division was deployed in the Maikop area and fought at Kotlowina, Massnikova and Oplepen Berg, among others. When the retreat from the Caucasus began in January 1943, the division had to retreat to the Kuban bridgehead amid heavy fighting. The division was torn into individual combat groups and suffered heavy losses. At the beginning of April 1943, she was therefore transferred to the Zaporozhye area to be refreshed there.
1943 – 1944: Grenadier Ausbildungs Batl 72 – 46 Inf Div
Training soldiers in Czech for the 46 Inf Div.
1944 – till capture: Grenadier Regiment 976 ( 271 Inf Division)
On June 23, 1944, the division’s command post was moved to Chateaux de Cabrials (4 km east of Beziers). From June 30, 1944, the division was replaced by parts of the 198th and moved to Normandy. During the transfer, the rail transports were attacked by Allied fighter-bombers, resulting in casualties. The division was unloaded in Rouen and set out west across the Seine from there. On July 12, 1944, the foremost parts of the division reached Bernay (130 km east-southeast Lisieux). From July 17, 1944, the foremost units replaced the 10th SS Panzer Division on the Normandy front southwest of Caen. On July 21, most of the division was in the front line, with parts in the areas of Urville, Lisieux and Orbec. By July 25, 1944, the division had taken over the right section of the II SS Panzer Corps, replacing the 10th SS Panzer Division. Right border of the division section formed the division border, left border Fontaine – 1.8 km west of Vieux. The division was annihilated in August 1944 by the 5th Panzer Army in the Falaise pocket.
Medals:
1. War merit Cross with Swords – 11.1941
2. Eastern Front Medal – 8.1942
3. Krim Shield – 10.1942
4. Romanian Medal Against Communism . 11.1942
Final Comments:
He had a full line of equiptment issued, and the clues to him being in Normandy are clear, he has a promotion his last to Oberfeldwebel on the first of June 1944, and the next entry is for replacement uniform in July of 1944 with the 271 ID. The last entry in on August 1944. After which corresponds with the unit history, they were destroyed int he Falasie Pocket. I tried to locate anything on Prangerl although there is no sign of him after August of 1944. He did not have his ID if he was captured as no POW number is present or no removal of the Swastica at the front cover. I am assuming he lost this shortly before he surrendered. A very desirable area of operations. Interestingly at the back of the Soldbuch is Allied Occupation money for 1944, must have been a souvenir taken from Allied Service Personnel.
