Germany - Third Reich: The superb Battle of France Iron Cross 2nd Class, Invasion of Yugoslavia Wound Badge in Black, Battle of Moscow Iron Cross 1st Class, Battle of Rzhev Wound Badge in Silver, Yugoslavia Anti-Partisan operations Wound Badge in Gold, Order of the Crown of the King Zvonimir 3rd Class and Infantry Assault Badge in Silver and Panzer Assault Badge in bronze group of Decorations and Award Documents awarded to Unteroffizer, later Oberleutnant Guido Heyn, 14th Schutzen-Regiment, 5th Panzer Division and later Staff Officer, 2nd Panzer Army who saw service during the Battle of France taking part in the fighting around Lille and Dunkirk, the German invasion of southern Yugoslavia and Greece, Operation Barbarossa as part of Army Group Centre and the drive towards Moscow as well as the subsequent defensive fighting during the Red Army counterattack of December 1941. He would go on to participate in the defensive fighting around Rzhev before being wounded in October 1942. Upon recovering he was posted as a Staff Officer with the 2nd Panzer Army with whom he would take part in the Anti-Partisan operations in Yugoslavia being wounded for a fifth time receiving the Wound Badge in Gold and later decorated with the Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir 3rd Class for his service during this campaign.
Decorations:
Entry into Czechoslovakia Medal, 1st October 1938, along with short length of ribbon
Iron Cross 2nd Class 1939, maker marked ‘128’ for S. Jablonski on Poland. Paintwork worn in places on both sides.
Eastern Front Winter War Medal 1941-1942, ring stamped ‘61’ for Rudolf A. Karneth & Sohne.
Wound Badge in Silver, solid form, with the reverse maker marked ‘30’ for Hauptmunzamt, Am Heumarkt, Vienna.
War Merit Cross 1939 2nd Class with swords, early bronze striking, non maker marked.
Wound Badge Gold Grade, pin missing to reverse, maker mark 24 for Arbeitsgemeinschaft of Hannover.
Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir 3rd Class breast badge, without wreath decoration in gilt and enamel.
Panzer Assault Badge in bronze, of convex form, needle pin fitting to reverse. The majority of the gilding now missing.
Infantry Assault Badge in silver, non maker marked, evidence of rust around the swastika.
Award Certificates:
Iron Cross 2nd Class awarded at Oppeln on 7th September 1940 as an Unteroffizier, Schutzen-Regiment 14. Signed by Joachim Lemelsen, General of Artillery and Divisional Commander of the 5th Panzer Division who was awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross on 27th July 1941 as General of Panzer Troops and Commander of 47th Panzer Corps. Oak Leaves to the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross on 7th September 1943 and Commander of 47th Panzer Corps. German Cross in Gold on 15th July 1942 as General of Panzer Troops and Commander of 47th Panzer Corps.
Wound Badge in Black awarded in the field on 23rd June 1941 for a wound received on 13th April 1941 as an Oberfeldwebel, 11th Kompanie, Schutzen-Regiment 14.
Iron Cross 1st Class awarded by Divisional HQ on 27th January 1942 as an Oberfeldwebel, Schutzen-Regiment 14. Signed by Gustav Fehn, Generalmajor and Divisional Commander of the 5th Panzer Division. Awarded Knights Cross of the Iron Cross on 5th August 1940 as Oberst and Commander of Schutzen-Regiment 33. Executed without trial after surrendering in the Balkans on 5th June 1945.
Eastern Front Medal awarded on 27th July 1942 as a Leutnant, Staff, 2nd Panzer Army. Signed by a Colonel and Adjutant.
Wound Badge in Silver awarded at Neisse on 13th February 1943 as an Oberfeldwebel in the Panzer Grenadier Replacement Battalion 13 for three wounds on 19th May 1940, 13th April 1941, 4th October 1942. Signed by a Hauptmann, Panzer Grenadier Replacement Battalion 13.
Wound Badge in Gold awarded by Army Headquarters on 11th November 1943 as a Leutnant, Staff, Panzer Army High Command for a fifth wound received on 30th September 1943. Signed by a Colonel and Adjutant on behalf of the 2nd Panzer Army Command.
War Merit Cross 2nd Class with swords awarded on 1st September 1944 by Army Headquarters as a Leutnant, Panzerarmeeoberkommando 2. Signed by General of Artillery, charged with the leadership of the 2nd Panzer Army.
Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir 3rd Class awarded on 25th November 1944 as an Oberleutnant, Staff, 2nd Panzer Army. Signed by Vice Admiral Snaga, and a notary of the Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir.
Other Documents:
Promotion Certificate to Feldwebel in the 11th Company, Schutzen-Regiment 14 dated 18th April 1941 with effect from 1st April 1941. Signed by the Regimental Commander.
Forwarding envelope for the Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir 3rd Class
Forwarding letter for the Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir 3rd Class
Two photographs of the recipient in uniform.
Other Militaria:
Complete Metal Identification Tag stamped ‘8./S.14 18 B’
Ribbon bar for Iron Cross 1939 2nd Class and Eastern Front Medal
Ribbon bar for War Merit Cross 2nd Class with swords, Eastern Front Medal, Army 4 Year Long Service Medal with eagle device, Medal for 1st October 1938.
Oberleutnant Sleeve Insignia.
Guido Heyn appears to have seen service during the occupation of Czechoslovakia receiving the Medal for the 1st October 1938. He then served as an Unteroffizier in Schutzen-Regiment 14 as part of the 5th Panzer Division during the Battle of France where his unit was involved in the heavy fighting around Lille and Dunkirk before driving south towards the Spanish border during the second part of the invasion. He would perform an act of gallantry during this campaign that would lead to the award of the Iron Cross 2nd Class on 7th September 1941. He was also wounded during the campaign on 19th May 1940.
His unit would subsequently move east and would take part in the invasion of southern Yugoslavia and Greece being wounded on 13th April 1941 for which he would receive the Wound Badge in Black on 23rd June 1941.
The 5th Panzer Division would take part in Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union, forming part of Army Group Centre that would drive towards Moscow ending its advance within 30km of the city before being driven back in the Red Army counteroffensive that began on 5th December 1941 ending the immediate German threat on the Soviet capital. Heyn would be awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class on 27th January 1942 for an act of gallantry that most likely took place during the earlier phases of the Red Army offensive. Taking part in the defensive fighting would also entitle him to the Eastern Front Medal.
His Division would continue to fight in defensive battles during 1942 most likely in the area around the Rzhev salient where he would be wounded for a third time on 4th October 1942 being awarded the Wound Badge in Silver whilst recovering in Neisse in February 1943.
After his recovery he appears to have been assigned as a Staff Officer to the 2nd Panzer Army which from August 1943 onwards was transferred to Yugoslavia where it took part in anti-partisan operations until the end of the war. The fighting in the region intensifying as the war progressed and the Germans continually failed to put an end to the threat provided by insurgents in the area.
During his time in the Balkans, Heyn would receive a fifth wound on 30th September 1943 and would be awarded the Wound Badge in Gold on 11th November 1943, he would also received a War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords on 1st September 1944 and the Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir of Croatia 3rd Class on 25th November 1944 as well as at some stage receiving both the Infantry Assault Badge in Silver and the Panzer Assault Badge in Bronze.
He ended his military career as an Oberleutnant working with the Staff of the 2nd Panzer Army.
A fascinating group to an experienced war time officer who had seen service from the Battle of France, through the invasion of Yugoslavia and Operation Barbarossa as well as the defensive fighting across eastern Europe and the Balkans.