Heer Zugwache Soldbuch

[Gordon Williamson]

Another Zugwache Officer Soldbuch, to a veteran of WW1. You can just make out the mini Spange to the EK2 on his ribbon bar.

[Gordon Williamson]

This guy was in fron the first day of the war to the last. His Soldbuch is opened in August 1939.

[Gordon Williamson]

Service with Zugwachabteilung z.b.V. 513 based in Dresden. Interesting insert stating he is a specialist and not to be used for any other purpose. A very useful document in the last days of the war when all sorts were being rounded up and stuck into ad hoc units for the front.

[Gordon Williamson]

Awards, -

1914 EK2

1914 EK1

Imperial Wound Badge in Black

Frontkämpfer Ehrenkreuz

1939 Spange zum EK2

Wound Badge in Black

Treuedienstehrenzeichen in Silver

The last one a little strange - a civilian award, but looking at his pre-war occupation , he was a Teacher, so this award most likely relates to his position as a Civil Servant.

[hucks216]

Nice example. When you say 'based in Dresden' do you mean that as in the same way that Heer units had depots in certain Wehrkreis while the main units were actually located in Russia (in the Zugwach case protecting trains through partisan held areas while the admin 'tail' remained in Dresden) etc or would he of only manned trains running out of Dresden checking passes etc with other Zugwach units responsible for the train when it went past the German border?

[Chris Boonzaier]

I dont think he was involved in Patrols etc. etc... I bet he was one of those guys who really knew the inner workings of scheduling, timetables and organisation of the railways... a simple Streifendiesnst guy would have been replacable.

best

Chris

[Gordon Williamson]

Nice example. When you say 'based in Dresden' do you mean that as in the same way that Heer units had depots in certain Wehrkreis while the main units were actually located in Russia (in the Zugwach case protecting trains through partisan held areas while the admin 'tail' remained in Dresden) etc or would he of only manned trains running out of Dresden checking passes etc with other Zugwach units responsible for the train when it went past the German border?

Yep, thats my take on it. The "Staffel" was the standard sub-unit for the Zugwache, so he personally was based in Dresden, probably part, as you say, of the admin staff there and as Chris suggests, was probably a highly thought of administrator who they didn't want to see dragged off to some front line post in the closing days.

Based in Berlin at the end, not 100% sure but I think the last unit entry is "Zugfrontleitstelle Berlin"

[nesredep]

Hi!

Gordon, Interesting group you sharing.

Morten.