Wehrpass: Gustav Geer - Luftwaffe - Flak-Strum-Regiment 20

[avenger]

Received a new Wehrpass today.

This young gentleman was a member of Flak-Strum-Regiment 20, and was active in France during D-Day. The seller tells me he participated in the Normandy invasion, though I'm not sure in what capacity. The writing in this one is a little hard to read unfortunately, and I believe this must be a replacement Wehrpass of some sort as much of the activity is in the same ink and handwriting, and exhibits no unit stamps. He does appear to have spent a short time in the RAD. The photo is also glued in instead of riveted in, as I'm used to seeing.

There's some writing on the cover that I can't make out, and for the life of me I can't make out the script that tells me his name. I believe it says Gustav Fritz Heinrich Geer (or Jeer). Hopefully, someone can shed some light on the mans name so I can catalog him correctly and respectfully.

From what I can tell, I think he participated in some significant battles, including around D-day in the area of Caen, and later St.Vith at the Battle of the Bulge (research does show the 20th Flak regiment was there at that time, though perhaps part of another outfit). Within the following months, he was awarded all three of his combat service awards listed below, within a two day period, I'm guessing in "catch-up" for these previous battles. Remarkably, it looks like he survived the war, hopefully to live to a ripe old age, as a wise and thankful man given he managed to escape the reaper on no telling how many occasions.

His awards include:

Sudetenland Medal
Iron Cross II class
Iron Cross I class
KVK w/swords II class
Ground Asault Badge

Also, and somewhat odd, included was a birth certificate (shown below). Not sure if this is his, as the dates don't line up with whats in the Wehrpass, but the name does. So, not sure what's going on there. Shown are all pages that had content on them.

[hucks216]

On the front cover it just mentions that it is a Zweitschrift and issued in Kiel on 6th October 1944. The chances are that this is a replacement for his original Wehrpass that was lost when the unit was destroyed in the Falaise Pocket.

The name looks like Gustav Fritz Heinrich Geer - note how the 'G's in his signature are the same.

[avenger]

Thanks Hucks! I was closer than I thought I was on his name it seems.

Can you tell what page you are able to tell his unit was destroyed in the Falaise Pocket from? Also, could I trouble you to confirm I have read it right, that he was at St. Vich during the Battle of the Bulge? If you see any other interesting battles, I would love to know of those too! This has been a very interesting Wehrpass to look through.

I keep all this info with my Wehrpasses so anyone in the future will have it, but I'm still learning how to interpret these and would prefer to have a trained eye look at my progress to make sure I'm representing it correctly.

You are much appreciated sir!

[bigmacglenn]

His last rank is listed as Oberzahlmeister/Paymaster...I find it odd that during the last days of the war, he is awarded the EKII on April 28th, 1945...and one day later on the 29th, he receives both the EKI and the Erdkampfabzeichen/Luftwaffe Ground Combat Badge...As mentioned, this is a replacement booklet...I have a sneaking suspicion that some of the PENCILED entries may have been embellished to turn a lowly PayMaster into a highly decorated soldier...Just my opinion...
cheers, Glenn

[avenger]

It does seem odd that those awards were back to back on two days. Though, it seems like the faker would consider that too.... The awards are all written in ink. The activity has some penciled in entries. I hope it's not embellished, as that would be an insult to the history of this mans service.

[Jerry B]

My first thought would be a replacement or a fake as so much of it is written in the same pen, so good to hear it is a replacement, though still needs careful examination to be sure it has not been messed with.

[Jerry B]

Odd that he has 3 awards in two days but written in 3 different handwritings with 3 different units? I would not buy this after a 2nd look, too much that could be wrong with it even for a replacement, rather than a complete fake which it might be.

[avenger]

Odd that he has 3 awards in two days but written in 3 different handwritings with 3 different units? I would not buy this after a 2nd look, too much that could be wrong with it even for a replacement, rather than a complete fake which it might be.

Too late, it's in hand.

Perhaps we'll find out more...

I've heard of SS passes being faked and embellished, but not Luftwaffe....guess I was a bit to confident.

[bigmacglenn]

According to the penciled entries, he took part in the coastal defense of Normandy, the battle for Caen, the Orne River-Crossing, Bastogne, St.Vith, Battle for Aachen and the Westwall...But doesn't receive the EKII until the last week of the war? And one day later receives the other high combat awards...It just seems "over the top" to me, and I have my suspicions accordingly...
cheers, Glenn

[avenger]

I found information on the regiment, which if I understand this right, was at St Vith

Asisbiz history section Luftwaffe Unit Flak-Regiment 20

Perhaps a coincidence that a faker would guess a battle he might really have been at? Is that also correct that it was reformed from the 17th, which was what the EKII is attributed to?

Following links, I find this:

Reformed 1 Nov 1943 in Le Havre from III./Luftwaffen-Artillerie-Regiment 17, with 1. - 5. Batterien.
On 1 Nov 1943 taken over by the army and renamed Artillerie-Regiment 17 (L), except III. Abt. which became I./Flak-Regiment 20.

According to the below record, his unit was at Nomandy during the invasion as part of the III Flakkorps

Apr 1944 - Jun 1944 near the Somme estuary (III. Flakkorps)
Jun 1944 - Aug 1944 in Normandy (III. Flakkorps)


Here's the record of service I found, with further links on these divisions and units that lead to some of the battle entries:

---------------------------------------------------------------

Flak-Regiment 20

Stab/Flak-Regiment 20 (mot.):

Kommandeure:

Oberst Karl Veith, 26 Aug 1939 - Jun 1940
Oberst Botho Jacobson, 20 Jan 1944 - 15 Apr 1945
Maj Hans Hakenholt, 16 Apr 1945 - 8 May 1945
Formed 26 Aug 1939 in Bruchsal. In Jun 1940 redesignated Stab/Flak-Brigade Veith.

Reformed Jan 1944 in Germany.

Service:

Aug 1939 - Jun 1940 known as Erkundungsstab Schwarzwald
1 Mar 1944 not listed
1 Apr 1944 under 16. Flak-Division with gem.252 (v), gem.295 (v), le.415 (v), le.765 (v) and Scheinw.Ausbst. Antwerpen
1 May 1944 under 16. Flak-Division with gem.252 (v), gem.295 (v), le.415 (v), le.765 (v) and Scheinw.Ausbst. Antwerpen
1 Jun 1944 under 16. Flak-Division with gem.252 (o), gem.295 (v), le.415 (v), le.765 (v) and Scheinw.Ausbst. Antwerpen
1 Jul 1944 under 20. Flak-Brigade (16. Flak-Division), with gem.252 (o), gem.295 (v), le.415 (v), le.765 (v) and Scheinw.Ausbst. Antwerpen
1 Aug 1944 under 20. Flak-Brigade (16. Flak-Division), with gem.252 (o), le.415 (v), le.765 (v) and z.b.V. Bttr. 9998
1 Sep 1944 under 20. Flak-Brigade (16. Flak-Division, Luftgau XIV), with gem.252 (o), le.415 (v), le.765 (v) and s.Flak-Bttr.zbV 9998
1 Oct 1944 under 16. Flak-Division with no units attached(?)
1 Nov 1944 under 16. Flak-Division with Stab/s.173 (o) with 6 batteries (1./s.173 (o), 1., 4./s.112 (b.mot.), 6./s.401 (b.mot.), 1., 3./s.573 (b.mot.)); gem.591 (v); Stab, 1., 3.-4./le.668 (v); Stab, 2.-4./le.694 (v); le.764 (v)
1 Dec 1944 under 16. Flak-Division with gem. I./18 (mot.); le.369 (v); Stab/gem.602 (b.mot.) with 5 batteries (1.-2./gem.602 (b.mot.), 4./s.137 (b.mot.), 8./s.647 (b.mot.), 7./le.876 (b.mot.))
1945 in Luftgau XIV
I./Flak-Regiment 20 (gem. mot.):

Formed 1 Oct 1936 in Breslau. On 15 Nov 1938 redesignated I./Flak-Regiment 7.

Reformed 1 Nov 1943 in Le Havre from III./Luftwaffen-Artillerie-Regiment 17, with 1. - 5. Batterien.

Service:

Oct 1936 - Feb 1938 under Höh.Kdr.d.Flakart. in Luftkreis III
Feb 1938 - Nov 1938 under Luftgaukommando VIII
1 Nov 1943 under 16. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 656)
1 Jan 1944 under 16. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 431)
1 Feb 1944 under 16. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 431)
1 Mar 1944 under 16. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 431)
1 Apr 1944 under 16. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 11)
1 May 1944 under 16. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 11)
1 Jun 1944 under 16. Flak-Division (Stab/Flak-Regiment 11)
Jun 1944 at Amiens, attached to Stab/Flak-Sturm-Regiment 2 as I. Gruppe
1 Jul 1944 under III. Flakkorps (Stab/Flak-Sturm-Regiment 2)
1 Aug 1944 under III. Flakkorps (Stab/Flak-Sturm-Regiment 2)
1 Sep 1944 under III. Flakkorps (Stab/Flak-Sturm-Regiment 2)
1 Oct 1944 under Stab/Flak-Sturm-Regiment 2
1944 at Düren
1 Nov 1944 under Stab/Flak-Sturm-Regiment 2
1 Dec 1944 under Stab/Flak-Sturm-Regiment 2
Dec 1944 at St. Vith/Eifel
Apr 1945 at Forst/Niederlausitz