Wehrpass+ award documents to Unteroffizier Friedrich Wesche who served in the 8./ Infanterie-Regiment 517-295. Infanterie-Division, 6. Armee. He was born on the 17th of November 1919 in Destedt.
Friedrich Wesche started his active military career in November1938 with the 8. (M.G.) Kompanie 12. Infanterie Regiment stationed in Quedlinburg., Wehrkreis IV.
He was trained with the K98, S.M.G 34, Pistole 08 and schwere Granatwerfer 34. He followed additional trainings for Truppführer and Gruppenführer.
He was promoted to Gefreiter on the first of October 1939, to Obergefreiter on the first of December 1940. He saw his last promotion to Unteroffizier on the first of December 1941.
After his training with the 8. (M.G.) Kompanie 12. Infanterie Regiment from 15.11.1938 till 25.8.1939 he saw action in Poland (Liswartha, Warthelinie and Warschau) with the 8./ Infanterie Regiment 12. After the campaign in Poland the II. Bataillon of IR12 became part of Infanterie Regiment 517.
With this Regiment he saw action in Holland, Belgium and France. From 26.7.1940 till 27.11 1940 he was part of the occupation forces in France while serving in Infanterie-Regiment 62.
On the 28th of November he was transferred to the 8./ Infanterie Regiment 517, part of the 295. Infanterie-Division. After the protection of the French Channel and the Generalgouvernement his regiment saw action at the Eastern Front with the start of Operation Barbarossa (Lipowiec, Uman, Worsakla, Krasnograd. As part of the 17. Armee, the division suffered the highest casualty rate from autumn 1941 till the summer of 1942
The division became part of the 6. Armee during the Summer of 1942 and was one of the first divisions that reached the center of Stalingrad. Friedrich Wechse was KIA on the 10th of August 1942 at Höhe 102
He was awarded:
EK 2: on the first of November 1941
Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz on the 14th of February 1942
EK 1: on the 15th of March 1942
Infantry Assault Badge: 28th of May 1942
He received the Eastern Front Medal posthumously on the 23rd of September 1942
condition Wehrpass: good, nothing denazified and complete.
In addition to the Wehrpass:
- Urkunde EK2: issued in the field on the first of November 1941 with original rare signature of Generalleutnant u. Divisionskommandeur Herbert Geitner
German Cross in Gold on the 10th of December 1941 as Generalleutnant u. Kommandeur der 295. Infanterie-Division. Herbert Geitner was severily wounded on the 8th of December 1941 at Artemowsk and later died in a hospital in Freiburg on January 22nd, 1942.
- Urkunde EK1: issued on the 15th of March 1942 with original rare signature of Generalleutnant Carl Rodenburg and nicely stamped KDO. Inf. Div. 76
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on the 8th of October 1942 as Generalmajor und Kommandeur der 76.Infanterie-Division
Ritterkreuz mit Eichenlaub: on the 31st of January 1943 as Generalmajor und Kommandeur der 76.Infanterie-Division.
-Urkunde Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen Silber : issued on the 20th of May 1942 and signed by Oberstleutnant und Regiments-Kommandeur Alexander Möckel
Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on the 6th of February 1942 as Oberstleutnant und Regiments-Kommandeur Infanterie- Regiment 517
