Help with unit and telegram

**lonewolf523** · 06-09-2021, 11:05 AM

Gentlemen,

Can anyone help identify the unit on the award document. I think it is a pioneer unit but not sure.
Also anyone know what the telegram is for? Don't understand it.

Thanks

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 06-09-2021 11:05 AM

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**hucks216** · 06-09-2021, 12:01 PM

It is a telegram from Eva telling Emil Christmann that Hans has been killed. The unit is a survey and map making unit - Vermessungs und Karten-Abteilung 613.
The citation is signed by Walter Kuntze who won the Knights Cross on 31st August 1941.

EDIT #1: Based on where the telegram was sent from (Lambrecht) and where this Hans Christmann was born (Lindenberg) this would appear to be Hans, killed with 1./Jagdgruppe Ost in France (Dordogne area) while training to go to the eastern front as a fighter pilot.
He is buried in the war cemetery at Berneuil - Block 3 Reihe 6 Grab 310

EDIT #2: He was flying Fw-190A-2, Werknummer 125273 and with the marking 21+. He was killed in what was termed 'an unvoluntary contact with the ground' so basically lost control of the aircraft or lost his bearings and crashed.

**BlackCat1982** · 06-09-2021, 12:50 PM

He flew into the sea at St laubes during a non-combat flight, cause unknown.

**lonewolf523** · 06-09-2021, 01:21 PM

Thanks so much!! All a wealth of knowledge here!!!

**hucks216** · 06-09-2021, 01:40 PM

There is a better casualty card for Hans Christmann that states his place of death as: Dordogne (Fluss) 15 Km Westl Libaurne, 1 Km Südl Einer Eisenbahnbrücke - Dordogne (River) 15km west of Libourne, 1 km south of the railway bridge. Libourne is approx 35km to the east of Bordeaux. And based on what is on the reverse, Emil Christmann was his father.

**hucks216** · 06-09-2021, 02:35 PM

And here you can see Libourne on the right-hand side and Saint-Laubes 15km to the west and two railway bridges crossing the river (the first and forth bridges seen.)

**lonewolf523** · 06-09-2021, 03:52 PM

Thanks so much! This much information is crazy but it makes it so much more real!!

**Willmore** · 06-09-2021, 04:02 PM

Really interesting and great research too.

Link to the photo of his grave stone.

Hans Christmann (1921-1943) - Find A Grave Memorial

**lonewolf523** · 06-09-2021, 04:10 PM

You never know what you are going to find! I have Hans' fathers paperwork from when he was in WW1, WW2, and released after the war! The award is to Emil Christmann!! Thanks again!