An Afrika Korps Award Document Grouping To The Motorized Artillery

The collection consists of award documents for the honourary cuff title “Afrika”, measuring 147x209mm, very fine condition with age discolouration, folding creases, and two noticeable rips; an award certificate for the Iron Cross 2nd Class, measuring 140x199mm, extremely fine condition with folding creases; an award certificate for the War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords, measuring 139x198mm, extremely fine condition with folding creases; and a photo postcard showing three soldiers, one of them Meier, measuring 135x85mm, near mint condition with slight discolouration. All three documents are made out to Obergefreiter (Senior Lance Corporal) Wilhelm Meier, 3rd Battery of the (motorized) Artillery Regiment 33. The cuff title certificate is dated to regiment command post on July 4, 1944. The Iron Cross certificate is dated to division command post on November 1, 1944. The War Merit Cross certificate is dated to division command post on July 15, 1944. All three signatures are indecipherable and not assignable.

Footnote: Artillery Regiment 33 was part of the Army Group Africa, more precisely: the 15th Panzer Division, which was completely destroyed in May 1943 and not re-established. Meier must have got the certificates in remembrance of his former unit. What’s more, the Artillery Regiment 33 was renamed in May 1942 to Panzer Artillery Regiment, not mirrored in the documents.