Germany - Third Reich: The Scarce France Campaign Iron Cross 2nd Class, Eastern Front General Assault Badge and later Operation Bagration Iron Cross 1st Class Document Grouping to Wachtmeister Aloys Schulte, Reiter Squadron, 46th Reconnaissance Battalion, 46th Infantry Division later 1st Squadron, Cavalry Regiment South (Sud), and finally 41st Reiter Regiment.
A bravery group consisting of 5 award certificates and 16 photos relating to a mounted cavalryman is extremely difficult to find and as such is quite rare.
Award Certificates:
The Iron Cross 2nd Class awarded by Divisional HQ on 21st June 1940 as a Gefreiter, Reiter Squadron, 46th Reconnaissance Battalion. Signed by von Hase as Generalleutnant and General Officer Commanding 46th Infantry Division.
The Wound Badge in Black awarded at Paderborn on 3rd March 1942 as an Unteroffizier, 15th Cavalry Replacement Battalion. Signed by Gunthersberger as Rittmeister and acting Battalion Commander
The General Assault Badge awarded by Regimental HQ on 25th March 1944 as an Unteroffizier, 1st Cavalry Regiment South (Sud). Signed by Rojahn as Major and acting Commanding Officer
Note: This is an official A5 size printed version of this award certificate
The General Assault Badge awarded by Regimental HQ on 25th March 1944 as an Unteroffizier, 1st Cavalry Regiment South (Sud). Signed by Rojahn as Major and acting Commanding Officer
Note: This A5 version of the award certificate has been produced in the field
The Iron Cross 1st Class awarded by Corps Headquarters on 21st July 1944 as a Feldwebel, 41st Reiter Regiment. Signed by von Roman as General of Artillery and General Officer Commanding XX Army Corps.
von Roman was awarded the Knights Cross on 19.2.1942 as Generalmajor and General Officer Commanding 35th Infantry Division, the 313th Oakleaves on 28.10.43
Photographs:
A small interesting group of 16 photos portrays soldiers involved with mounted Cavalry units, in barracks, training and in the field. There is one very interesting photo of a Cossack mounted Squadron on the March in Summer 1943. Sadly it is not possible to identify Aloys Schulte.
Schulte would have been a pre-war soldier who would have seen service in the Polish Campaign of 1939 before seeing service in France as part of the 46th Reconnaissance Battalion, he was an awarded an Iron Cross 2nd Class on 21st June 1940 for an act of gallantry during the France Campaign.
Having seen service in the Balkans, Schulte served as part of Army Group South in Southern Russia during the invasion of June 1941, he was wounded on 24th July 1941, later being awarded a Wound Badge in Black on 3rd March 1942 whilst serving as part of the 15th Cavalry Replacement Battalion as an Unteroffizier.
It is likely that he would have returned to the East and to his old Reiter Squadron sometime during the summer or autumn of 1942 where he would have seen service in the Crimea, Caucasus, and/or the Kuban Bridgehead. The Squadron was then used to form the Cavalry Regiment South and was transferred on 23.3.1943. This Regiment saw action in South and Central Russia before being redesignated as 41 Reiter Regiment on 29.5.1944 and coming under command of 4 Cavalry Brigade/Division. The 41st saw action in Central Russia (where it probably played a role in the defense against the Operation Bagration, the Russian Offensive that destroyed Army Group Centre in the Summer of 1944), Hungary and finally Austria where it surrendered to the British Army
