Uncategorised Interesting award entry - Tankabzeichen

[Dave Danner]

Here is a page from a Wehrmacht officer personnel file. Notice anything uncommon in the list of awards?

[Naxos]

"Tankabzeichen" = unusual name of Kampfwagen-Erinnerungsabzeichen

[Deruelle]

and one of the few men who received the badge. Impressive, thanks Dave

Christophe

[Naxos]

With his tank engagements he meets the requirements for the award

Edited July 22, 2012 by Naxos

[Chris Boonzaier]

Nice, what a pity they dont have a photo of him in full uniform splendor!!

[Paul C]

They are typed and readable.

[Claudius]

Everything is "tank" something. "Tankeinsatz", "Tankrückzugskämpfe"

[Dave Danner]

By the way, although this is from a Wehrmacht officer personnel file, Curt Ziehm was an enlisted man in World War I. He was born on 20 September 1899 and joined the army at age 17. Here is his Dienstlaufbahn in World War I:

If you compare the assignments here with the combat participation record above next to the awards, it appears that his basic training was short and he was sent to the front rather quickly. I would guess that LFAR 250 was in a quieter sector, and new recruits were sent there to get their feet wet in the trenches (literally and figuratively). He went to 1.GFAR for tank service in January 1918. I know next to nothing about German tanks in World War I. Does anyone know if Sturmpanzerwagen-Abteilung Nr. 12 was an A7V unit or was it equipped with captured Allied tanks?

After the war, Ziehm worked on farms, studied agriculture, and was trained as an engineer. He returned to the Army as a Truppeningenieur in 1936 and Regierungsbaurat in 1937. He became a Lt.d.R. in 1938. In 1939, he became an engineer officer in the rank of Hptm.(Ing.) in Panzerjäger-Abteilung 20. He was promoted to Maj.(Ing.) in 1941 and transitioned to the active officer corps in 1943. Besides the awards on the list above, he also received the KVK2X in 1941.

[dond]

Captured British MK IVs.

[Dave Danner]

Another one, also as "Tankabzeichen", although there was another version of his Dienstlaufbahn which used "Kampfwagen-Erinnerungsabzeichen":

In this case, there is a photo with the badge:

[dond]

Dave, do you know which abteilung he was assigned to?

[Dave Danner]

Dave, do you know which abteilung he was assigned to?

His Dienstlaufbahn doesn't specify which unit, but simply states "6.11.17 - transferred to Kraftfahr-Ersatz-Abteilung I as leader of a Sturmpanzer-Kraftwagen-Abteilung". However, the announcement of his Württemberg Military Merit Order in August 1918 has Panzerwagen-Abteilung Nr. 2. The Dienstlaufbahn says that from 26 February 1918 he and I assume the unit were with Sturmbataillon Rohr - specifically "zum Sturmbtl. Rohr in Marsch gesetzt".

Do you know anything about tank attachments to Sturmbataillon Rohr in 1918?

Here are his 1918 "mitgemachte Gefechte" which cover his period as a tanker:

[dond]

The tank detachments were sent for assualt training with SB5 from Jan 1918 on. ATD 1 was the first. ATD 2 in late Feb. Rohr helped develop tactics, techniques and procedure for a combined arms assualt. This guy had 5 tank assualts. What is his name?

[Dave Danner]

The tank detachments were sent for assualt training with SB5 from Jan 1918 on. ATD 1 was the first. ATD 2 in late Feb. Rohr helped develop tactics, techniques and procedure for a combined arms assualt. This guy had 5 tank assualts. What is his name?

Hans Ludwig Steinhardt, born 4 March 1892 in Stuttgart. He was the son of Generalleutnant Gustav von Steinhardt (1859-1915), but apparently the father's patent as "von" was a non-hereditary one. He served in World War II with various Kraftfahrtruppen units and as a motor vehicle officer with several military district commands. He added a KVK2X and an Ostmedaille to the decorations on the list above.

[dond]

He also served in the Weimar Reichswehr Brigade 13 at Artillery Kaserne, Stuttgart-Canstadt. The last German tank, a British MK IV, was hidden there immediately after the war. I was stationed in Stuttgart in the late 70s. I believe Artillery Kaserne became Flak Kaserne in the 30's.

Edited August 7, 2012 by dond

[Dave Danner]

The dates of his wound or wounds aren't listed, but he may have been wounded during his tank service, as the action at Monchy-Bapaume on 31 August is his last combat action, and he was assigned to Gren.Rgt. 119, his original unit, on 20 October 1918. After that, his assignments were:

5.1.19 - commanded as adjutant to Bez.-Kdo Reutlingen

1.4.19 - commanded to Kraftf.-Ers.-Abt. 13

18.6.19 - commanded to Weka 11 (Wttbg. Ers.-Kraftw.-Abt. 11) des Kriegsministeriums

25.6.19 - assigned to Wttbg. Kraftf.-Abt. 13 Cannstatt

23.10.19 - assigned to Abwicklungsstelle GR 119

1.11.19 - adjutant of the Abwicklungsstelle

28.1.20 - placed on leave

28.2.20 - discharged

From 1920 to 1934, he was in the automobile industry. When he returned to the Army, it was practically to where he left, to the Kraftfahr-Abteilung Cannstatt.

[Dave Danner]

I changed the title to the thread, since I had broken my own rule that thread titles should say what the thread is about, instead of "hey! look at this"-type titles.

And to add something to the thread:

[elbavaro]

Is the guys name known?

[Dave Danner]

That's Theodor Larsen.

I also added him in this thread where you had mentioned him: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/57037-goede-kampfwagenabzeichen/page-2#entry576356

[elbavaro]

Hmm .... Could be him, but I am not 100% sure.

[turtle]

This is a really great thread with some rare pictures and information!

[Dave Danner]

Hmm .... Could be him, but I am not 100% sure.

It is from his personnel file.

An interesting career between the wars:

Not so much in the Wehrmacht:

[elbavaro]

Are there more of bis files?

[Ulsterman]

Pretty cool. I like how he got the LS medal for 2x2+1 time as a Lt.dR.

[elbavaro]

LS medal? What does that mean?