Eric JB

Hi Paul, From what I do remember as having his little grouping in my hands fresh from Germany in the early 90ties. His French captivity ID with what seems to be the pass-photo of his Soldbuch, a very nice portrait photo. Telegram to Pohlmann, "house bombed down, cellar still standing" Paperwork about his wife and children, for food supplies. Best regards Eric-Jan

Hi, I would go by Pohlman, as I am sure that the man would know how to write his own name !, see his signature - Pohlman. Sorry to see that the group is no longer complete........ Till 12.11.1944 he was still Festung Kommandant and not only the death of an officer did get him removed from his position, but Pohlman refused to blow up the harbor installations because he was of the opinion that the port was still needed for bringing in and the evacuation of troops and for the supply of the Festung. Pohlman was removed from his position and flown out of the Festung. Best regards Eric-Jan

Hi Azy, What a fantastic Arnhem grouping that is, I really like it very much. What a piece of outstanding history. And what a fine description goes with it. Thanks for posting. Best regards Eric-Jan

Jock, Post # 4. Photo with "Block-Ringel(mann ?), La Spezia Italy. Post # 23 Photo below left, La Spezia Italy. Best regards Eric-Jan

Jock, Uboats active during the Spanish civil war. U-14, U-19, U-25, U-26, U-27, U-28, U-29, U-30, U-31, U-32, U-33, U-34, U-35, U-36. So no U-38. Best regards Eric-Jan

Jock, More assistance from Luc Braeuer. Post # 4. Photo top right (waving) and the two photos below (mail). 24 October 1940, 11:45 hrs. arrival of U-38 at Scorff Lorient. Thank you for your help again Luc ! Best regards Eric-Jan

Jock, The problem is that I did go for that photo with the date written on the back. That date on the back must be wrong. Although Lorient does have a friendly climate, It doesn't look February to me on that photo. The sun is shining, the trees do have all their leafs, crew is dressed up in light clothing. Why Lorient, well I did ask my friend, the French Uboat historian and author Luc Braeuer to have a look at the photo. He says that the officer is Heinrich Liebe of U-38 at the Ehrenplatz - Lorient, reporting to Dönitz. (thank you Luc) Best regards Eric-Jan

Thanks Jock, No problem. Best EJ

Thank you for the extra images Jock. At the moment I have no luck, I don't know who the CO could be. Maybe when you scan only that part of the photo like this. Best regards Eric-Jan

Hi Jock, I don't think that the photo "top left post 4 states return from patrol, greetings by Donitz 16/2/1942" is taken on the day that the uboat did return from her patrol, but taken a day or even a couple of days later. The crew is clean shaven, clean clothing, and the CO. who is reporting his crew to Dönitz is dressed up in his best blue uniform. Is it possible to show the writing on the back of that photo - the original German text ? I did enlarge the photo but without the proper results, can you make a good scan of the CO. - showing his head and chest part. Your portrait photo shows, "Als Atjudant von Dönitz" - the man's position / duty is wrongly written, as it should be Adjutant. For being Dönitz's Adjutant, his rank is much too low, it is possible that he was attached to the Staff of the Adjutant of Dönitz. Best regards Eric-Jan

Jock, Do you have any names of his fellow crewmembers, places, other dates written on the back of those photos ? Best regards Eric-Jan

Excuse me John, sorry my mistake. I have no idea how I did turn one group into two......... One great group, with a great research and it is always a real pleasure for me to read your description(s). In my humble opinion worth to be published in a book or a magazine such as "Britain at War". Best regards Eric-Jan

Hi Kevin, Yes you are correct that the photo was taken during the Spanish Civil War. Best regards Eric-Jan

Hi Bill, No idea if I was then just lucky with them, but I do have several albums and photo-groupings with sinking ship in them. Best regards Eric-Jan

John, Thank you for showing us your two 617 Squadron groups, what a fine research and description you did. Best regards Eric-Jan

Hi Brian, Happy to see the link to your grouping in this thread, as I never saw that Uboat document grouping thread before. You say that your man was wounded on August 1st, but he man was wounded on August the 2nd, as on that day U-106 was attacked, and also the award document for the wound badge in black shows the date August the 2nd. Very nice document, as the award badge document for a wound (or wounds) is not that often seen for Uboatcrewmembers. Rein received his Ubootskriegsabzeichen on 28.12.1942 - so two days after U-106 entered Lorient after her 8th war patrol. So I think that he became a crewmember on U-106 on her 5th or 6th war patrol, and by that making 5 or 6 patrols himself on U-106. Sorry to say that I only have a handful of names for the U-1227 crew list and he is not among them. Looking at your documents in the other thread. I do see two U-Boat numbers on the Ubootskriegsabzeichen award document. On top 1227 and in the middle 106, I have no idea when those numbers were written on that document but it shows us the direction to serving later on U-1227 too. On his EK.2 document I see 106 on top. Kapitän zur See und Führer der Unterseeboote Ost - was Otto Schellong. Sometimes it is a bit hard to pinpoint the Ubootsfrontspange to an exact Uboat concerning the date on the award document, as during October 4, 1944 U-1227 was with the 2.Ubootflottille in Norway under command of Kapitän zur See Ernst Kals and on her first war patrol. Didn't you receive any news for Rein from Herr Horst Bredow ? Best regards Eric-Jan

Hi Chris, Nice Uboat Soldbuch you show us here. Kevin is right, top of page 20 shows the signature of U-1227 CO.Friedrich Altmeier. The EK.2 entry is signed by Hasso Stegemann, who survived the sinking of U-106 and who went as most of the survivors to U-1227. He became the CO. of U-367 and was KIA with his entire crew when U-367 hit a mine. Is it possible to show the furlough pages and signatures too ? Best regards Eric-Jan

Kevin, Glad to see that the grouping went to a good home. Best regards Eric-Jan

John, What a nice little gem that program booklet is. Well known characters and great to see the ranks and names of all that are involved. Thanks for showing. Best regards Eric-Jan

Nice Soldbuch. And thanks for showing but is it please possible to show the other pages too ? Transferred to the Kriegsmarine. III.42 payment by 2.U-Boot Lehrdivision (Gotenhafen) 4.42 payment by Marinenachrichtenschule Mürwik (Flensburg) U-597 was on her second war-patrol and Landgraf was onboard as a Kommandanten Schüler, serving on an active Uboat to become a Uboat commander himself. I don't know if he was on U-597 during both missions, but being KIA on a Uboat he would possibly be entitled to the Uboat badge too. Best regards Eric-Jan

Great examples Kevin. The man was already a "collector" himself with those different versions ! Thanks for showing. Best regards Eric-Jan

As "Jokker" means fibber......it is hard to believe what is the truth.......... Still a nice grouping and sorry to hear that it was possibly a larger grouping being split-up.

Nice little grouping of one of my favorite battle of the bulge Divisions. Nice signature of Bazing. Last Friday I followed the same route they took during the Bulge which did start at Wallendorf at the German - Luxembourg border on 16.12.1944, up to Ettelbruck. Thanks for showing. Best regards Eric-Jan

Interesting piece of history. Over the past years I have seen them in village churches, most of them entirely printed but sometimes with the pass-photos glued on. Thanks for showing. Best regards Eric-Jan

Hi John, Thanks - again - for a very interesting reading combined with those two medals. Best regards Eric-Jan