WW2 German Death Card of Hans Trinkl.

[Heartfeltzero]

Hans was born on January 28th 1911. During the war he served in an aviation unit. He was killed on January 8th 1943. I don’t have any details about his death.

[Willmore]

Hi there.

Thank you for sharing this with us.

Name: Johann Trinkl
Rank: Obergefreiter
Birth Date: 29 Jan 1911
Birth Place: Geibenstetten Kelheim/Bayern
Military Unit: Flieger-Betriebsstoff-Kolonne (motorisiert) 506/XII,
Death Date: 9 January 1943
Death Place: 5.30am Luftwaffe Lazarett Starobelsk
Spouse: Therese Trinkl

I am not 100% sure on his cause of death because a few letters/words are hard to decipher, but this is what I have come up with (hopefully someone can confirm of correct this) -

Verstorben: Vergiftungsverdacht (jedoch nicht erwiesen) = Deceased: suspected of being poisoned (however not proven)

Johann Trinkl was not recovered during our re-interment activities. The planned transfer to the collective cemetery in Charkiw was, therefore, unfortunately not possible. His name will be recorded in the cemetery's memorial book.

Interstingly the Volksbund and his casualty cards have his birth date as January 31st 1911 and his death date as the 9th of January.

The Flieger-Betriebsstoff-Kolonne (motorisiert) 506/XII is an Aviation Fuel Column (Motorised), so he was in a unit that delivered fuel.

Kind regards,

Will.

[Willmore]

Looking at the unit on the casualty card from post #2, I think it says Flughafen Betriebsstoff Kolonne (motorisiert) 506/XII, which would mean his unit was likely based at an airfield. But I think this is an error, because his other casualty cards say Flg or Fl which would indicate Flieger Betriebsstoff Kolonne (motorisiert) 506/XII.

[Heartfeltzero]

Wow very interesting, thank you! I wonder what made them think he was poisoned?

[Willmore]

No worries. It is very interesting indeed and I would love to know too. From the information on the casualty cards, it looks like they were not sure themselves.

[Willmore]

I just checked the Feldpost number for L00888 (on the green casualty card) and it corresponds to - (15.7.1942-24.1.1943) Flieger-Betriebsstoff-Kolonne 506/XII.

I checked to see if any other soldiers from his unit died in the same incident and interestingly one came up.

Name: Josef Rehbach
Rank: Obergefreiter
Birth Date: 25 September 1919
Birth Place: Meckenheim/Bonn-Land
Military Unit: Flieger-Betriebsstoff-Kolonne (motorisiert) 506/XII R. L. 00888
Death Date: 9 January 1943
Death Place: 4.20 am Luftwaffe Lazarett Starobelsk
Father: August Rehbach

His cause of death is exactly the same.

Josef Hermann Rehbach was not recovered during our re-interment activities. The planned transfer to the collective cemetery in Charkiw was, therefore, unfortunately not possible. His name will be recorded in the cemetery's memorial book.

Kind regards,

Will.

[Heartfeltzero]

Very interesting. I’m surprised they made that many casualty cards for him

[Willmore]

Sometimes they get into double figures for some reason and 14 is the highest number I have seen for one man.

[Heartfeltzero]

Wow that’s crazy

[BlackCat1982]

Interesting card Heartfeltzero, and the cause of death almost the subject of a crime novel. However I suspect that perhaps the poisoning could be explained as having become overcome from fumes caused by either the fuel or some other poisonous substance breathed in rather than drunk or eaten? A mystery for sure and not a standard "heroes death" by any means.