WWII Original German Luftwaffe Soldbuch – FJ Albert Berndt – Fallschrim Flakregiment 12 (mot) – 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division – Fallschrim Flak Abt 3 – Normandy & Battle of the Bulge – Rare – Reserved

SKU: C7177 Category:

Description

Berliner Albert Berndt was from Berlin Pankow, born in 1922.

Soldbuch was issued 16. Feb 1941. serving with various flak units until his transfer to :

Fallschrim Flakregiment 12 (mot) 

The regiment was formed in January 1944 with three departments (15th batteries) for the II Parachute Corps and deployed in the west. In June 1944 it was renamed Parachute Flak Regiment 12.

He was wounded by a bullet in 1942 on the Eastern Front.

Western Front Entry – Moved to FJ in 15th of July 1944 as well as a FJ security stamp in June 1944. 

Fallschrim Flak Abt 3 – 

11.44 Heeresgruppe B Kranenburg, Arnhem, Düren, Hürtgenwald
12.44 – 1.45 LVII.AK / AOK.15 Battle of the Bulge (Stadtkull, Manderfeld, Bütgenbach, St. Vith)
2.45 – 3.45 LXXIV.AK / Pz.AOK.5 Manderfeld, Euskirchen, Remagen, Mehlem, Eifel
4.45 XII.SS AK / Pz.AOK.5 Remagen, Ruhr-pocket

The 3rd Parachute Division was an airborne division which fought during World War II. It was formed during 1943–44 around a cadre consisting of the veteran 3rd Battalion, 1st Parachute Regiment. The Division was well equipped with 930 MG42s. Each company had 20 MG 42s and 43 sub machine guns while a squad had 2 MG42s and 5 sub machine guns.

It arrived in Normandy on 10 June, by truck after a night drive from Brittany. It was at full strength and consisted of young German volunteers, and numbered 15,976 soldiers and officers. Its level of training and excellent weapon systems prompted the commander of the US 29th Infantry Division to remark, “Those Germans are the best damned soldiers I ever saw. They’re smart and they don’t know what ‘fear’ means. They come in and they keep coming until they get their job done or you kill ’em.”[4]

The division went into combat in June 1944 in Normandy and inflicted heavy losses on the Allied forces opposing them. Nominally, the unit was to be motorised, but by June it still had no more than 40% of its authorised motor transport, even after seizing vehicles from French civilians. This was to have an impact when trying to move the division towards the invasion front.

In August it was near virtually destroyed by mass aerial bombing in the area of Falaise. Formed again in Belgium from replacements from 22nd, 51st, 53rd Luftwaffe Field Regiments. During September 1944 it fought as a part of Kampfgruppe “Becker” in Arnhem area before participating in the Battle of Hürtgen Forest. It surrendered in April 1945 to American troops in Ruhr.

Medals

Eastern Front Medal

Iron Cross Second Class

Wounds Badge ( Page likely gone)

Flak Specialist Badge

Comments

The Soldbuch is not in the best condition, but it was there. A highly desirable unit, and he was an experienced Flak Soldier. He was captured by US Troops, woulded by a grenade fragment in the right hand. His Photo was stapled again but its the original photo from the Soldbuch.

Additional information

Weight 1 oz
Dimensions 30 × 30 × 30 in