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Showing results for tags 'Wehrpass'.
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Regiment 962 and 961 were formed at the end of 1942 in Belgium as Disciplinary 999 Brigade and were based in the Antwerp Region. A so called "Bewahrungseinheit" or "Strafbattalion" were German soldiers who had done some kind of failure ( Theft's, almost Deserter's, or so called "Cowards in the front of the Enemy", and so on. Being in this unit was the only chance of Rehabilitation, it's debated as to whether this unit was a penal unit, dispite this assumption the ordinary ranks were not permitted to wear the National Eagle, collar patches or cockade on their uniforms, nor were they allowed to wear the traditional army belt with the National Eagle displayed on them. In March 1943 the unit had reached up to Division size and became 999 Division, at the same time 961 and 962 rifle Regiments ( MOT ) were sent to North Afrika and were redesignated as the 999th Leichte Afrika Division. Actual units in N.Afrika were. 961 Afrika-Schutzen-Regiment ( MOT ). 962 Afrika-Schutzen-Regiment ( MOT ). 999 Artillerie Battalion ( MOT ). 999 Pioneer- Battalion ( MOT ). 999 Astronomischer-Messtrupp ( MOT ) ( Navigation ). 999 Krankenkraftwagen-Zug ( MOT ) ( Ambulance ). 999 Feldgendarmie-Trupp ( MOT ) ( Field-Police ). Initially fighting as individual Regiments, and then assigned to the D.A.K. and fought as such until the end of the campaign in Afrika. and during their short history and dispite the fact they were supposedly a penal unit they committed themselves fairly well, those units of the Division not sent to N.Afrika were posted to Greece. Here's a few pages from a Wehrpass to Hermann Knaack of 962 Regiment, Hermann served from Dec 1942 to Oct 1943 With 6th Kompany, the unit was assigned some of the worst duties such as mine clearance in the face of the Enemy and military actions which had little chance of success ("Forlorn Hope Engagements"). Hermann Knaack was wounded in action soon after his arrival and was repatriated for recovery before the Afrika Korps surrenderd. Due to the severity of his wounds he was finally discharged on 25.10.44 as medically unfit for active service. He was awarded the wound badge in black.