Heer Bahnhofskommandantur Officer Soldbuch

[Gordon Williamson]

Thanks to Kevin for allowing me to acquire this one.

This one has a number of qualities that attracted me. Firstly, its an officers Soldbuch and by definition much scarcer than NCOs or Enlisted Mens books. Secondly it has a particularly nice, crisp , clear photo but from my point of view,thirdly and mostly importantly due to his assignation to a Bahnhofskommandantur.

The Bahnhofskommandantur controlled all military aspects of the use of railway stations and it is to this office that members of the Bahnhofswache would be assigned. (In the same way that Feldgendarmerie troops were often allocated to Ortskommandantur, Feldkommandantur etc). So although this guy wasn't personally a member of the Ordnungstruppe, his office would have controlled the Bahnhofswache personnel.

[Gordon Williamson]

A teacher in civilian life before joining Artillerie Regiment 116

[Gordon Williamson]

His front line career appears to have ended due to injury/illness. We then see him acting as Bahnhofs-Offizier,Ausladekommisar and Transport Kommandeur Oslo

[Gordon Williamson]

And later with Bahnhofskommandantur 402

[Gordon Williamson]

Only three awards shown but clearly, from his photo, there are more.

So far identifiable,

EK2 1914

Ehrenkreuz f. Frontkämpfer

Spange zum EK2

Westwall

Teuedienst Ehrenzeichen

Austrian WW1 Commemorative Medal

Hungarian WW1 Commemorative Medal.

[hucks216]

Glad to see it arrived safely. I do love the crisp photo on this one, clearly someone who took pride in his appearance.