Germany – Third Reich: A Small and Scarce Afrika Korps grouping consisting of 3 award certificates and 2 documents to Medic-Feldwebel Alfons Schmidt, 36 Field Hospital, 36th Infantry Division later 2/33rd Medical Company, 15th Panzer Division, Afrika Korps who had seen service during the French campaign of 1940 being awarded the War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords before later receiving an Iron Cross 2nd Class and War Merit Cross 1st Class with Swords whilst serving as a Medic in North Africa. Taking Prisoner of War at the end of the campaign he would spend the remainder of the war in North Africa.
Award Certificates:
1) The War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords issued on 27th September 1940 by Divisional HQ as a Medic-Unteroffizier, 36th Field Hospital. Signed by Lindemann as Generalleutnant and General Officer Commanding 36th Infantry Division. Lindemann was awarded the Knights Cross on 5th August 1940 as Generalleutnant and General Officer Commanding 36th Infantry Division and 275th Oakleaves on 21st August 1943 as Generaloberst and Commander in Chief 18th Army (Army Group North). This certificate is an unusual large size variant.
2) The Iron Cross 2nd Class issued on 8th January 1942 by Divisional HQ as a Medic-Unteroffizier, 33rd Field Hospital. Signed by von Vaerst as Generalmajor and General Officer Commanding 15th Panzer Division.
Von Waerst was awarded the Knights Cross on 30th July 1940 as Oberst and Commander 2nd Rifle Brigade, (2nd Panzer Division)
3) The War Merit Cross 1st Class with Swords issued on 20th April 1943 by Divisional HQ as a Medic-Feldwebel, 2 /33rd Medical Company. Signed by Borowietz.
Borowietz was awarded the Knights Cross as Oberstleutnant and Commanding Officer 10th Rifle Brigade (9th Panzer Division), the 235th Oakleaves on 10th May 1943 as Generalleutnant and General Officer Commanding 15th Panzer Division and the German Cross in Gold on 14th June 1942 as Oberst and Commanding Officer 10th Rifle Regiment. Died as an American Prisoner of War on 1st July 1945.
Documents:
1) A typed promotion certificate issued in the field and dated 14th January 1942. Details are:
Medic Unteroffizier d. Res Alfons Schmidt (36 Field Hospital) is promoted to San-Feldwebel d. Res with effect from 1st January 1942.
This certificate is signed by a Dr. Pelizaeus as an Oberfeldarzt and the Divisional Doctor of 15 Panzer Division.
2) San-Feldwebel Alfons Schmidt’s physical examination certificate as a Prisoner of War dated 16th August 1945 in the HQ Hospital Centre, Camp Forrest in Tullahoma, Tennessee, Alfons Schimdt’s Prisoner of War number was 13N 8WG 46 727.
Alfons Schmidt would take part in the fighting in France during the early summer of 1940 and be awarded the War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords on 27th September 1940, most likely as a result of his actions there with the 36th Field Hospital.
He would later take part in the fighting in North Africa where he served in the 2nd/33rd Medical Company, 15th Panzer Division which was part of the famed Afrika Korps. Along with this unit he would have taken part in all of the major battles in North Africa and would be decorated with the Iron Cross 2nd Class for an act of gallantry in the fighting between Tobruk and El Agheila where the frontline stabilised in January 1942. He would go on to take part in the fighting near El Alamein in the summer and autumn of 1942 and was still with the unit in April 1943 during the fighting in Tunisia.
It appears that Schmidt was then taken prisoner by the Americans and spent the rest of the war in America as a Prisoner of War
