(Defending Arnhem Collection)
Unteroffizier Hermann Wehner
This is the Arnhem part of a large grouping of one soldier I recently acquired. The soldier was Unteroffizier Hermann Wehner who was a member of Sturmgeschützbrigade 280. He was a veteran of both the Eastern and Western Fronts fighting in places such as Poland, Holland, Belgium, France, Rumania, Serbia, Kiew, Kursk, Orel and Arnhem. He was wounded a number of times throughout his career and during the war was decorated with the Iron Cross 1 & II Class, General Assault Badge and the Wound Badge in Silver. Hermann Wehner seems to have survived the war.
His Soldbuch - Inside cover with portrait outlining his personal information.
Page 20 & 21 - Page 20 lists all the admissions to hospitals during the war. Note the red circle - he was admitted to Kriegslazarett 2/686 which is one of the hospitals operating in and around Arnhem. On Page 21 lists some of his decorations. The bottom one is the award of the Iron Cross I Class awarded 29th September 1944 for his involvement in the Battle of Arnhem (his award document is below).
This is the award document for the Wound Badge in Silver. He was wounded (twice!) on the 19th September 1944 which is on the first day Wehner's unit arrived in Arnhem. One of his comrades was Oberwachmeister d. Res Josef Mathes who was killed on this day. It is very possible that Hermann Wehner was in the same vehicle as Mathes but he actually survived.
The Award Document for the Iron Cross I Class signed by General Bittrich of the II SS Panzer Korp. His actions on the 19th September 1944 would have been significant for him to receive the Iron Cross I class. Continuing with the theory that he was in the same vehicle as Mathes, it is very possible that Wehner was awarded the Iron Cross I Class due to Mathes receiving the Knights Cross (posthumously).
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