hucks216 Posted August 12, 2009 Posted August 12, 2009 This is one of my favourite soldbucher that resides in my collection. It probably isn't anything special but I have not seen another soldbuch to a member of the Feldpostamt, and I particularly like the photo in the SB that shows his FP cyphers on his epaulettes - little things please little minds Valentin Westenhauner was originally a member of Infantry Rgt 179 (57 Infantry Division) and fought in the 1940 French Campaign where the 57 ID distinguished itself. And then by March 1941 he had joined Feldpostamt 532 before moving to FPA 432 which during the Russian campaign were both units of AOK 9. Much research remains to be done but one Feldpost in the SB (FpNr 09238) is for 'Feldpostamt 432 & Alarm Btl C AOK 9' during 1943 & 44. During his service he was awarded the Ost Medal & the KvK 2nd Class With Swords. 1
ian jewison Posted August 13, 2009 Posted August 13, 2009 Very nice Kevin! Not very often seen Soldbuch to a Feldpostbote!!! I have a couple but to be honest that is all I have seen in 10 years or so. I did have mine shown on WAF but it is so long ago...or greater than 5 years!!! that the thread is now gone. Will try and post an image of mine on Friday when I got home.....like yours he wears "FP" cyphers on the epps. /Ian
leigh kitchen Posted August 14, 2009 Posted August 14, 2009 (edited) I only have this one, I think - WP & SB to a Feldwebel Schroeder. An infantryman in the 1920's, he was a Feldpost NCO early in the war, serving in Poland, Luxembourg, Russia & Italy, where he became a POW. Awarded the Eastern Front Front Medal 1942, War Service Cross 2nd Class with Swords in 1943. The SB is replacement issue of 1944,the WP was issued in 1936, when he was in Infantry Regiment 2, it has extensive campaign enties pasted in, including service at Armal Canal, in the Ardennes, at Flanders, Artois, Dunkirk, Bialystock, Smolensk, Mogilew, Moscow, Salerno & Nettuno etc etc. His units include: Armybrieftelle 529, Feldpostamt 165, Feldpostamt 941, Felpostamt 155 Edited August 14, 2009 by leigh kitchen
hucks216 Posted August 14, 2009 Author Posted August 14, 2009 That's a nice SB/WP set. Any chance of a close up of the photo in the SB, I like the look of it - does it show any cyphers on the epaulette? The Aermel Kanal is the English Channel.
leigh kitchen Posted August 14, 2009 Posted August 14, 2009 I'll have to go dig it out - I think the photo shows the shoulder board & cypher, & Schroeder used a personal inkstamp including FP number when signing his photo.
ian jewison Posted August 27, 2009 Posted August 27, 2009 At last I have found time to post!!! Here is mine to Feldpostbote, later Feldpostschaffner Paul Drehmel. 1
ian jewison Posted August 27, 2009 Posted August 27, 2009 Here is a larger scan clearly showing the FP cyphers and special shoulder board of his role. Herr Drehmel served with: Feldpostamt z.b.V 781 initially under Armee Postmeister Nord then APM AOK 2 in central Russia. (Kenn Nr. 594 - cover number for a Field post office) Feldpostamt 262 of 262 Infanterie Division. (Kenn Nr. 437) Feldpostamt 1544 of 544 Grenadier Division. (Kenn Nr. 213) /Ian
hucks216 Posted August 27, 2009 Author Posted August 27, 2009 That is a good image. I wonder what the criteria was for serving with Feldpost units? Did 'your' soldier serve with any frontline units prior to the Feldpost postings? Mine did and I originally thought he might of been reassigned to the Feldpost due to injuries but he doesn't have a lazarett entry until long after he had transferred into the Feldpost system.
ian jewison Posted August 27, 2009 Posted August 27, 2009 (edited) Kevin, Feldpostamt 532 Formed 26.8.1939 in Brekem, Wehrkreis X as FPA 532 z.b.V. for the Army Troops. In Poland (1939), France - Rouen (1940), General Government - Warsaw (May 1941), Central Russia under Armee Postmeister AOK 9 (June 1941-Sept. 1944), Carpathia, Weichsel and Silesia under APM AOK 17 (Sept. 1944-May 1945). FP Nr. 26706, Kenn Nr. 187, April 1941-Oct. 1944 K-976. Replacement unit: Krafthahr Ersatz Abteilung 10 in Hamburg, 1.5.1940 Kraft.Ers.Abtl. 20 in Bremen Feldpostamt 432 Formed 1.4.1940 in Wehrkeis II through renaming FPA 2 for Höhere Kdo. z.b.V. XXXII. In France - Rouen and Amiens (May 1940-April 1941), General Government - Warsaw (April-June 1941), Central Russia (June 1941-July 1944), Poland (Sept. 1944-Jan. 1945), on the Oder and greater Berlin (Jan. 1945-May 1945) FP Nr. 09238, Kenn Nr. 169 Replacement unit: Kraft.Ers.Abtl. 2 in Stettin Leigh, Armeebrieftelle 529 Formed 8.4.1941 in Frankfurt, Wehrkreis IX for APM 11, 17.4.1941 transferred to Bukarest. 17.9.1942 in Offenbach for conversion to tropical service. 2.5.1943 in Belgrad under Heeresgruppe E. July 1943 in Nisch and finally in Verona. FP Nr. 13769, Kenn Nr. 990 Replacement unit: Kraft.Es.Abtl. 9 in Hersefeld Feldpostamt 165 Formed 9.7.1942 at the Truppenübungsplatz Bitsch for 65 Infanterie Division. FP Nr. 47042, Kenn Nr. 659 Replacement unit: Kraft.Ers.Abtl. 15 in Rudolstadt Feldpostamt 941 Formed 25.1.1944 from the FP.Ers.u.Ausb.Abtl. in Wehrkreiss XIII for General Kommando I Fallschirm Korps. January-May 1945 in Italy. FP Nr. 56696, Kenn Nr. 582 Replacement unit: FP.Ers.u.Ausb.Abtl. in Karlsbad-Maierhöfen Felpostamt 155 Formed 2.11.1944 with Heeresgruppe C in Italy by renaming FPA 920 for the 155 Feldausbildungs Division, renamed 11.2.1945 as 155 Infanterie Division. FP Nr. 48464, Kenn Nr. 783 Replacement unit: FP.Ers.u.Ausb.Abtl. in Karlsbad-Maierhöfen /Ian Edited August 27, 2009 by ian jewison 1
ian jewison Posted August 27, 2009 Posted August 27, 2009 I wonder what the criteria was for serving with Feldpost units? Did 'your' soldier serve with any frontline units prior to the Feldpost postings? Mine did and I originally thought he might of been reassigned to the Feldpost due to injuries but he doesn't have a lazarett entry until long after he had transferred into the Feldpost system. I would imagine exactly that, convalescing soldier that was unfit for front line service. However in Herr Drehmel's case he was a career postal worker (Postfacharbeiter) /Ian
hucks216 Posted August 27, 2009 Author Posted August 27, 2009 Thanks for the additional information about Feldpostamt 432 & 532. I will have to give the SB another good look through to see if there are any clues as to why he was transferred.
Guest Rick Research Posted August 27, 2009 Posted August 27, 2009 :Cat-Scratch: Since the closeup photos show their shoulder boards are NOT held on with buttons at the collar ends... what on earth held them on? Did they sew them down? :speechless1:
ian jewison Posted August 27, 2009 Posted August 27, 2009 Never noticed that before......must be held down by postage stamps then!!!
leigh kitchen Posted September 1, 2009 Posted September 1, 2009 (edited) Thanks Ian, here's the photo from Schroders SB & some unit & campaign entries from SB & WP. Schroder was suffering from Rhematism & gastric problems by 1943, so perhaps this was a reason for him to be transferred to feldpost: (Pre Feldpost photo, perhaps the possbilty of the Feldpost cypher placed on hs shoulderstraps? Presumably just the insignia of a pre Feldpost unit). Edited September 24, 2009 by leigh kitchen
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