Naxos Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 (edited) Grenadier Josef Buchmüller an 18 year old factory worker from Siegburg Prussia, was recruited into a Guard machine-gun company in August of 1916. After his basic training as a Grenadier and machine-gunner he volunteered for flamethrower training. On January 15, 1917 Grenadier Buchmüller was transferred to the 1st company of 2.Garde-Pionier-Ersatz-Bataillon for a one month training course as a flamethrower combat engineer. On February 15, 1917, after his successful training as a flamethrower operator he returned to the 1. Ersatz-Maschinen-Gewehr-Kompagnie des Garde-Korps. Now, two weeks later on March 1st he was transferred again for further training to the newly created Sturm-Panzer-Kraftwagen-Abteilung 1. On October 22, 1917 he went to the Kraftfahr-Ersatz-Abteilung in Schöneberg near Berlin. According to the entries in his Military Passport Kraftfahrer Buchmüller stayed with Kraftfahr-Esatz-Abteilung 1 until March 6, 1918 when he was transferred again back to his old unit the Ersatz M.G.K des Garde-Korps. From there he was sent to a frontline unit in France. In April 1918, Buchmüller, now a Jäger in the 2nd machine-gun company of the Garde-Reserve-Jäger-Bataillon, fought with the Garde Jäger at Montdidier and Noyon. On April 25 and 26 he fought as a machine gunner at the battle of Villers-Bretonneux next to his old tank unit the Sturm-Panzer-Kraftwagen-Abteilung 1. On June 9, 1918 his machine gun came under heavy artillery fire and he received a severe head wound. Josef Buchmüller was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class on June 14, 1918 He was released from hospital on July 23, 1918. On November 20, 1918 Josef was discharged from the Army. The war was over. Edited September 23, 2013 by Naxos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 You think I made this up ... don't you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prussian Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Do I? But I´m stil waiting for the rest of the MP, matey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 (edited) Josef Buchmüller 177 cm tall geboren am 23. September, 1897 in Siegburg-Mülldorf Beruf: Fabrikarbeiter Buchmüller wurde am 3. August 1916 als Landsturm Rekrut ins Heer eingezogen. Er kam zum Rekruten-Depot - Ersatz-Bataillon - 1. Garde-Reserve-Regiment. 9. August, 1916 3. Kompagnie, Ersatz- Bataillon - 1. Garde-Reserve-Regiment 13. September 1916 4. Ersatz-Maschinen-Gewehr-Kompagnie des Garde-Korps http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-1062-0-13040300-1379849932.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-1062-0-41758600-1379850001.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-1062-0-94275700-1379850065.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_09_2013/post-1062-0-78485900-1379850257.jpg Edited September 22, 2013 by Naxos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 (edited) Now it gets interesting: 1./Ersatz-Komp. 2.Garde-Pionier-Ersatz-Bataillon Vom 15. Januar bis zum 15. Februar 1917 als Flammenwerfer ausgebildet. (signed by Oberleutnant Lange from the Flammenwerfer) 15. Februar 1917 wieder zur 1. Ersatz-Maschinen-Gewehr-Kompagnie des Garde-Korps in Kallinchen bei Zossen in Marsch gesetzt. Edited September 22, 2013 by Naxos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 (edited) Sturm-Panzer-Kraftwagen-Abteilung 1. 1. März 1917 - 22. Oktober 1917 22. Oktober 1917, gemäss Verfügung des Kommandanten der Ersatz Maschinen Gewehr Truppen des Garde-Korps der Kraftfahr-Ersatz-Abteilung Schöneberg überwiesen. Edited September 22, 2013 by Naxos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Very, very nice indeed! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernhard H.Holst Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Hello Naxos. I wonder after seeing this man's assignments and reassignments whether "they" did not quite know what to do with him. So he was shuffled around... Bernhard H. Holst Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prussian Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 (edited) Nice? That´s amazing!!!!!! Thanks for showing!!! Here again the dates of the detachment: Order of the war-ministry to set-up two Sturm-Panzer-Kraftwagen-Abteilung at february, 15th, 1917: january, 23rd, 1917 They were set-up at september, 29th, 1917 (War ministry Nr. 815.9.17) Mobilization for both Abteilungen january, 8th, 1918 So it´s clear, that the unit was set-up before the tanks arrived. By the way. The first commanders of them were: 1.Abtl.: Hauptmann Greiff 2.Abtl.: Hauptmann Steinhardt So he left the unit, before the first A7V was built (november, 5th 1917) I agree with Bernhard, that he was "shuffled-around". Probably they planned a crew for the tanks through the Ersatz-Abteilung. But most of the crews were volunteers. So they took them, because they had a better moral... Edited September 22, 2013 by The Prussian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 (edited) 15. Januar 1918 1./Kraftf-Ers-Abtl. No. 1 Kraft I Rekr. Dep. 2 f. St. P. 2 6. Marz 1918 Kraftfahrer Buchmüller back to: 1./Ersatz M.G.K des Garde-Korps. Edited September 22, 2013 by Naxos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 (edited) 8. April 1918 2. M.GK. Garde-Reserve-Jaeger-Bataillon Mitgemachte Gefechte: 14. April 1918 - 24. April 1918 – Kämpfe and der Avre bei Montdidier und Noyon 25. April 1918 - 23. Mai 1918 – Kämpfe an der Ancre, Somme und Avre. 25. / 26. April 1918 – Schlacht bei Villers-Bretonneux 24. Mai 1918 - 9. Juni 1918 – Feldzug gegen Frankreich 9. Juni 1918 durch Artillerie Geschoss am Kopf schwer verwundet – zur San. Komp. 241 14. Juni, 1918 Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse verliehen Edited September 22, 2013 by Naxos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 (edited) I think the machine gun and flamethrower training was part of preparing him for tank crew. Edited September 22, 2013 by Naxos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 So he left the unit, before the first A7V was built (november, 5th 1917) I agree with Bernhard, that he was "shuffled-around". Probably they planned a crew for the tanks through the Ersatz-Abteilung. But most of the crews were volunteers. So they took them, because they had a better moral... Andy, The the commander of the Kraftfahr- units wanted 100 A7V tanks - I'm sure they trained enough crews and spares for those tanks - but by March it was clear they only get 30 A7V tanks. So, they sent the extra crews they trained back to their Garde units. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Boonzaier Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Andy, The the commander of the Kraftfahr- units wanted 100 A7V tanks - I'm sure they trained enough crews and spares for those tanks - but by March it was clear they only get 30 A7V tanks. So, they sent the extra crews they trained back to their Garde units. That is indeed very possible, a logical explanation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 (edited) I'm reading this again it looks more like: versetzt zum Kraft I Rekr. Dep. 2 f. St B 2 What does St B 2 stand for? ... or is it St P 2 Edited September 22, 2013 by Naxos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prussian Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 I aghree with the explanation, but I´m sorry about the abbreviation. Unfortunaltely no idea. What stands after "immobilen"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 (edited) . What stands after "immobilen"? Verhältnis Edited September 22, 2013 by Naxos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prussian Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Ah, thank you. But that doesn´t make any sense to the unit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 (edited) Ah, thank you. But that doesn´t make any sense to the unit... reading the entire column it does - like: Buchmuller war vom: 22.10 1917 bis 15.1.1918 bei nebenstehender Kraftf-Ers.-Abtl. Nr.1 im immobilen Verhältnis (then, neuer Satz) versetzt zum Kraft I Rekr. Dep. 2 f. St B 2 Edited September 22, 2013 by Naxos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prussian Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Yes, that´s clear. But I haven´t found anything about the abbreviation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 Yes, that´s clear. But I haven´t found anything about the abbreviation Andy, I made another scan, I was wrong, have a look it clearly reads: versetzt zum Kraft I Rekr. Dep.2 f. St.P. 2 what does "f. St.P. 2" mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernhard H.Holst Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Andy, I made another scan, I was wrong, have a look it clearly reads: versetzt zum Kraft I Rekr. Dep.2 f. St.P. 2 File0059.jpg what does "f. St.P. 2" mean? f.St.P 2: fuer Sturm Panzer 2 Bernhard H. Holst Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 f.St.P 2: fuer Sturm Panzer 2 Bernhard H. Holst Bernhard, that of course would be fantastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prussian Posted September 23, 2013 Share Posted September 23, 2013 Oh, yes! That was too easy to see... That makes sense! The Kraftfahr-Ers.Abtl.Nr.1 was responsible for each Sturmpanzer-Kraftwagen-Abteilung. But I haven´t read anything about a Rekruten-Depot of the Kraftfahrer. But in the book "Sturmpanzerwagen A7V - Vom Urpanzer zum Leopard 2", I read, that the introduction in tanks were in Charleroi and the last driving-lessons were told in the rear areas of the front. That might be the Rekruten-Depots. Later they had Ersatz-formations in Hannover and Munich too, as well as a new "Off-road driving school" in Braunschweig (middle of 1918) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naxos Posted September 23, 2013 Author Share Posted September 23, 2013 Thanks Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now