Germany - Third Reich: The Rare Army Flak Badge Document Grouping to Unteroffizier Karl-Heinz Buchlein, 1st and 2nd Companies, 605th Air Defence (Flak Battalion), Army Troops, and then 3rd Battery, 290th Army Flak Artillery Battalion, 4th Panzer Division who was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class for his unit’s successful shoot down over numerous Russian Aircraft including Sturmoviks and a Hurricane, and who went on to receive the Iron Cross 1st Class for fighting in the Gomel Area in late 1943 before eventually being taken Prisoner by the Red Army before the end of the conflict.
A interesting and rare bravery document grouping to a member of an Air Defence Battalion, who received the scarce award of the Army Flak Badge.
Award Certificates:
The Black Wound Badge awarded on 11thAugust 1941 for a wound received on 3rdAugust 1941 as an Oberschutze, 1/605thAir Defence Battalion (motorised). Signed by a Hauptmann and Battalion Commander.
The General Assault Badge awarded by Divisional HQ in Klinez on 4thDecember 1941 as an Oberschutze, 1/605thAir Defence Battalion (motorised). Signed for correctness by a Hauptmann on behalf of Generalmajor Zorn as General Officer Commanding 20thInfantry Division (motorised).
The Iron Cross 2ndClass awarded by Corps HQ on 12thAugust 1942 as an Unteroffizier, 2/605thAir Defence Battalion (motorised). Signed by Hell as General of Artillery and General Officer Commanding VII Army Corps.
Hell was awarded the Knights Cross on 1.2.1943 as General of Artillery and General Officer Commanding VII Army Corps, the 487th Oakleaves on 4.6.1944 as General of Artillery and General Officer Commanding VII Army Corps and the German Corps and the German Cross in Gold on 14.6.1942 as General of Artillery and acting General Officer Commanding VII Army Corps
The Army Flak Badge awarded by HQ Army High Command on 30thSeptember 1943 as an Unteroffizier, 3/290thArmy Flak Artillery Battalion. Signed by Lindemann as Generalleutnant and General of Artillery with Commander in Chief of the Army.
Lindemann was awarded the Knights Cross on 4.9.1941 as Oberst and Artillery Commander and the German Cross in Gold on 23.8.1942 as General Major and General Officer Commanding 132nd Infantry Division. He died 22.9.1944 in Gestapo Custody in Berlin, he had been severely wounded after being arrested by the Gestapo for his role in the 20th July plot to assassinate Hitler, he had been General of Artillery in the Army High Command.
The Iron Cross 1stClass awarded by Divisional HQ on 6thDecember 1943 as an Unteroffizier, 3/290thArmy Flak Battalion. Signed by von Saucken as Generalleutnant and General Officer Commanding 4thPanzer Division.
von Saucken was awarded the Knights Cross on 6.1.1942 as Generalmajor and acting General Officer Commanding 4th Panzer Division, the 281st Oakleaves on 22.8.1943as Generalleutnant and General Officer Commanding 4th Panzer Division, the 26th Swords as Generalleutnant and General Officer Commanding 4th Panzer Division and the 27th Diamonds as General of Panzer Troops and acting Commander in Chief 18th Army.
Documents:
A copy of an application for the award of the General Assault Badge to Oberschutze Carl-Heinz Buchlein dated 9thAugust 1941. This combat badge was awarded to Buchlein on 4thDecember 1941 whilst his unit was under the command of 20thInfantry Division. The listed dates and campaigns were as follows:
The West: 6th (twice), 7, 8, 9 and 16th June 1940
The East: 3, 4, and 5th August 1941.
The Copy was signed for correctness by an Oberleutnant and Company Commander.
Letter from the US Air Force Historical Research Centre Cologne dated 27thMay 1953. This letter is asking for all those, who were held outside the Federal Republic of Germany during the war or afterwards to fill an enclosed questionnaire and return it. The Centre indicates that if the information is of interest then it would send Buchlein a rail ticket so that he could come to Cologne for an interview.
Letter from US Air Force Historical Research Centre Cologne dated 2ndJuly 1953. This letter is chasing Buchlein for a reply to the letter of 27thMay 1953 since the Centre has yet to receive the questionnaire which it has asked Buchlein to fill in and return. The Centre indicates that on receipt of the questionnaire a card which Buchlein filled in on his return from captivity would then be destroyed.
Karl Heinz Buchlein was most likely mobilised on the outbreak of World War Two, and saw active service with two separate Army Air Defence Battalions. His initial unit, 605th Air Defence (motorised) Battalion, saw service with the advance of 6th Army from the Amiens area to the South of Paris during the Battle of France, as can be seen from the application for his General Assault Badge, Buchlein had been involved in 6 separate assaults during the France Campaign. With his unit at the time fielding 20mm anti-aircraft guns, including quadruple mounted 20mm guns, it is likely that these were used in close support for Infantry assaults, as well as against aircraft.
Following the France Campaign the unit was then moved East. During the invasion of the Soviet Union, the 605th was initially attached to 20th Infantry Division (motorised) in Central and Northern Russia, it is likely that Buchlein was wounded whilst attached to this unit on 3rd August 1941, subsequently being awarded the Black Wound Badge. On 11th August 1941, transferring to the 36th Infantry Division he would have seen further service in Central and Southern Russia during the remainder of 1941 and 1942, including in the fighting around Voronezh, where Buchlein won the Iron Cross 2nd Class. The 605th Flak Battalion had been busy engaging aircraft throughout the war in Russia, shooting down a number of Soviet aircraft. The weeks proceeding the award of the Iron Cross 2nd Class saw his unit shot down half a dozen IL-2 Sturmoviks, a Hurricane (being used under lend-lease terms by the Soviets) and an LaGG-3, it was perhaps for his part in the destruction of one of these aircraft that he was awarded the Iron Cross?
In November 1942 the 290th Army Flak Artillery Battalion was formed from the 605th Air Defence Battalion and was assigned to 4th Panzer Division, with which it remained until the end of the war. The 4th Panzer Division spent most of 1942 and the early months of 1943 in the area around Orel and Kursk where it was part of the Reserve for the northern pincer, but saw limited action. The Division then went on to fight in the general retreat westward that took place after August 1943. It was on 30th September 1943 that Buchlein was awarded the Army Flak Badge, a scarce points related award for engaging and destroying enemy aircraft, 16 points were required for this award, constituting different numbers, such as 2 points for shooting down an aircraft with the assistance of other units up to a maximum of 4 points if a Flak unit shot down an aircraft without the assistance of other troops.
Later, on 6th December 1943 Buchlein was awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class for an act of gallantry in fighting around the Gomel area and along the Desna River. This was Buchlein’s last award but he would have continued to see service with the unit, being taken prisoner by the Russians on an unknown date. The most likely places for his capture would have been at the end of the war in the Kurland Pocket or in West Prussia, where 4th Panzer Division eventually surrendered to the Red Army. His captivity confirmed by the post war communication with the US Air Force Historical Research Centre.
An excellent group including the scarce award of the Army Flak Badge to a member of Flak Units who had seen service through the France Campaign and then throughout the conflict in the east.
