Family grouping WW1 – KIA Russia – 277. Infanterie Division Normandy POW

Grouping to the Przybyla family from a father and 2 sons.

The grouping consists of;

1. Soldbuch WW1 to the father.

2. Wehrpass to the son Wilhelm who was part of Grenadier Regiment 518 of the 295. Infanterie Division. He was KIA in 1941 in Russia during

3. Deathcard of Wilhelm.

3. Citation for the Ostmedaille

4. Soldbuch to Josef who was a member of 14./ Grenadier Regiment 988 of the 277. Infanterie Division.
The 14. Kp. was most probarly the Panzerjager Kompanie. He started his military career with Stamm Kompanie Grenadier ersatz Battalion 306 based in Venlo, Holland.  Photo is missing but it’s complete with all pages. He received an Polish pistol and a Tarnnetz.

5. Letter to the parents of Josef in wich it states that he went missing on 19-8-1944 during the retreat of the remnants of the Division near the Seine river.

6. Driverslicense to Josef with picture from 1955. Although the picture in the Soldbuch is missing this picture gives a face to the grouping.

277. Infanterie Division

The 277. Infanterie Division saw action in the Normandy campaign in mid-June, when they replaced the battered 9. SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen in the front line opposite the British. They stood up well against the British advance in and around Caen on 8 and 9 July, but were pushed back by the eventual advances of Operation Goodwood and subsequent operations.

They were caught in the Falaise pocket and suffered heavily, starting the battle with only 2,500 troops. By mid-August they were left with only 1,000 of those actual combat troops. During it’s retreat northwards the had to cross the Seine river. Here he was taken POW.

Good used condition.