Soldbuch 61. ID Fortress Eben Emael 1940 – Bruneval Raid France 1942

Soldbuch first issue with photo to Unteroffizier Torn.

The Soldbuch opens at 18-8-1939 with Infanterie Regiment 151 wich was part of the 61. Infanterie Division.

With the 61. ID he took part in Operation Fall Gelb on 10 May 1940.

During the advance into Belgium the 61. Infanterie Divisions Infanterie Regiment 151 (his Regiment) linked up with German Fallschirmjager assaulting Fortress Eben-Emael on 11 May, the Belgian defenders surrendered the fortifications on the same day to Hauptmann Haubold of Infanterie Regiment 151. (and not to the Fallschirmjager!)

The division also participated in the Battle of Dunkirk during the Invasion of France.

Loses in the western campaign were 348 killed, 1052 wounded, 106 missing. The division served as occupation troops in France and Belgium afterwards. In early 1942 it was stationed in the area of Le Havre.

On 1-11-1940 he was transferred to;

2./Infanterie Regiment 685 of the 336. Infanterie Division.

In early 1942 the Division was stationed in the area of Le Havre, France.

Operation Biting

Bruneval 27/02/1942 - 28/02/1942

The site high on the cliffs at Bruneval was the scene of the daring raid codenamed Operation Biting, the mission by British paratroopers to capture parts from Hitler’s advanced radar systems on the night of February 28, 1942.
Led by Major John Frost - later to lead his men into Arnhem - the company dismantled the Wurzburg radar located just past the remains of the villa near the coast.
Once the radar components were secured the company had to fight their way through German reinforcements of Infanterie Regiment 685  to the beach area below the cliffs to the west of the position where they were extracted by landing craft back to Portsmouth, England.
Of the 120 men who parachuted in, three lost their lives in the raid, six were injured, and three were captured. Major Frost was awarded a Military Cross for his leadership of the raid.
The parts recovered helped the Allies to understand, confuse, and defeat the German radar systems, which proved vital for D-Day operations in 1944.
The site featured a range of radar systems including Coastwatcher, Freya, and Wurzburg types and were surrounded by anti-aircraft positions.

map taken from the web and is for reference only and does not come with the item.

Remembrance sign for  6 German soldiers who died during the Raid.

More Germans lost their lives during the Raid in the area.

2 of the listed men where part of IR 685

In May 1942 the Division was sent to the Eastfront as part of the 6. Armee wich was heading towards Stalingrad.

The Division fought at Tschir and didn’t got trapped in the Stalingrad pocket except for the Divisional Pioneer Battalion.

In June 1942 he was awarded the Infanterie Sturmabzeichen and later on also the EK 2 for bravery shown on the battlefield.

In 1945 he was awarded the Kriegsverdienstenkreuz 2 Klasse mit Schwerten.

He received an Belgium Pistol.

Heavy used condition, the cover has been taped and some pages are loose but it’s complete.

Needs further research!

code: D26336