Germany, Heer. A Soldbuch To Infantry Obergefreiter Gregor Becker (Ccc)

The Soldbuch comes with a POW camp card in the back pocket, dated to September 4, 1945. In fact, the Soldbuch itself was repurposed as POW camp ID. On the inside cover below Becker’s photo is his POW camp number. Measuring 103x144mm, fine condition with scuffing, fraying, and creasing of the cover, some damage to the spine, with some soiling of the pages that usually doesn’t influence legibility, with several pages partially loose, and the last page completely loose. Page 1 and 2 are missing. The Soldbuch comes with extensive research on Becker’s unit from the previous owner.

Footnote: Gregor Becker joined Infantry Regiment 253, later renamed Grenadier Regiment 253, at an unknown date. He likely saw action during the French campaign and afterwards was stationed as part of the occupational force. With the attack on Russia, the unit was deployment to the Eastern Front. It took part in the failed attempt to conquer Moscow. Becker spent some time in hospital during August 3 and 13, 1942 due to an abscess and scab on his right forearm. On June 1, 1943, he was promoted to Gefreiter (Lance Corporal). Shortly after, his unit took part in the Battle of Kursk during the summer of 1943. Subsequently, Becker was wounded in late September, the cause is not mentioned. He recovered in a hospital in Vienna from September 26 to October 14, and was then relocated to a hospital in Semmering, south of Vienna. Here, he stayed until December 3, 1943.

During his recovering time, Becker was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class on November 6 and the Wound Badge in Black on November 29. In early 1944, his unit was temporarily trapped and nearly destroyed in the Cherkassy pocket. Presumably, Becker was back in time to share this fate. He was promoted to Obergefreiter (Corporal) on May 1, 1944. During the summer, his unit was deployed to northern Italy where Becker was awarded the Close Combat Clasp in Bronze on July 28, 1944. Presumably, he stayed in Italy until the end of the war and was then placed in POW camp 206 in Nocera. No further information is available.