Germany, Heer. An Award Document Collection To Infantry Gefreiter Wilhelm Prerost (Ek2)

The collection consists of: an Iron Cross 2nd Class award document (140x199mm, very fine); a Close Combat Clasp in Bronze award document (139x200mm, very fine); an Infantry Assault Badge award document (147x210mm, very fine); a Wound Badge in Silver award document (148x209mm, near very fine); a Wound Badge in Black award document (140x197mm, fine).

All award documents are named to either Grenadier or Gefreiter (Lance Corporal) Wilhelm Prerost of the 3rd Company of Grenadier Regiment 266. The Iron Cross 2nd Class award document is dated to December 7, 1943 and signed in blue ink by the leader of the 72nd Infantry Division, Oberst (Colonel) Hermann Hohn (1897–1968), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords. The Close Combat Clasp in Bronze award document is dated to Russia on May 11, 1944 and signed in blue ink by the leader of Grenadier Regiment 266, Major Rudolf Siegel (1906–1995), a recipient of the Knight’s Cross. The Infantry Assault Badge award document is dated to Russia on December 28, 1943 and signed in blue ink by Major Siegel. The Wound Badge in Silver was awarded to Prerost for being wounded three times, on August 8, 1943, on October 5, 1943, and on April 25, 1944. The award document is dated to Boppard (western Germany) on June 9, 1944. It is signed in black ink by a Chief Medical Officer and Oberstabsarzt, the name is illegible. The Wound Badge in Black was awarded to Prerost for being wounded once on August 8, 1943. It is dated to “in the east” on November 17, 1943 and signed in blue ink by a Hauptmann (Captain) and battalion leader, the name is illegible.

Footnote: Infantry Regiment 266, later renamed to Grenadier Regiment 266, saw action in France, and in 1941 during the Balkan campaign. For most of the war, it was stationed on the Eastern Front as part of Infantry Division 72. Here, it took part in the conquering of Crimea, including the Siege of Sevastopol. Later, it was stationed in the central part of the front, fighting in the vicinity of Rzhev, as well as during the Battle of Kursk. Eventually, it was trapped in the Cherkassy pocket where about half the men of the regiment were lost. After breaking out, it was replenished and sent to fight in Poland, where it again suffered heavy losses. The regiment finally surrendered to the Red Army in Czechoslovakia.