Artilleryman's Soldbuch

Hello, Thanks to Bart I have found this very nice site, I have become interested in the 12th SS and hope I can learn a lot from this site. I Bought what I believe to be a 12th SS soldbuch Here is some info and scans. Hope you enjoy and can help me learn about this. Thanks much..Mike

Waffen SS Artilleryman's Soldbuch : 12th SS Panzer Div.

It's a well worn from a soldier serving in the SS Panzer division HJ. He was still in training when this unit was earning their reputation in Normandy, but was with them for the Battle of the Bulge. Book is quite worn with loose pages and some old clear adhesive tape repairs.Photo is nice, showing this soldier in his uniform.

Page Two. Its hard for me to make his name out..I can provide a close up if that helps.

Can you post more scans? Of his unit page, leave pages.. That way it is possibly to identify signatures and found out more. I'm not that good in old german writing but it looks like Eugen Etzel (?). Are you sure he was still in training during the Invasion, he was already promoted to SS-Sturmmann on 01.07.1943, was he still in a Ausbildungs- und Ersatz unit during the Normandy campaign 1944? As it could have several reasons.

I don't have much documents related to the SS-Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 12 but I will check if I can find his name thought don't put much hope in it.

Hi Bart,
Can you read his name? Do you need a better scan? Im not sure what pages are what. Here are what looks to be important. What page is the leave page? Thanks for taking the time and helping ID this.

I only repeat his service info from what was written on the site I bought it from.

Close up of name.

"soldbuch 2-12 011.JPG", do you have a full view of this page? I want to see the dates, I will reply afterwards I am looking to confirm something.
I think his name is Eugen Etzel. Born 26.1.1925.

BART wrote:"soldbuch 2-12 011.JPG", do you have a full view of this page? I want to see the dates, I will reply afterwards I am looking to confirm something.
I think his name is Eugen Etzel. Born 26.1.1925.

This may be getting interesting...I had to delete a couple already posted to get this one up.and here is another one of his name I think. That sure looks like it could be Eugen Etzel. On pg 2 the upper left date ( B day ) is 26-1-1925

I think he saw short action with SS-Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 12 from middle august 1944 at the Falaise pocket. The first date to find him in the SS-Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 12 is 14.08.1944, the SS-Artillerie-Abteilung 51 (from SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Brigade 51) received orders to move on 4th of August to France, near Troyes. I don't know for which reason but within those days he was transferred to the Hitlerjugenddivision (sources say the SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Brigade 51 saw first action on 22th of August, so they weren't in action at that time frame of 14th of August). With this given maybe more personal from the SS-Artillerie-Abteilung 51 were transferred to fill up the SS-Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 12.

Hi Bart,
Thanks for all the info. Do you know if his name shows up anywhere?

Dirt Detective wrote:Hi Bart,
Thanks for all the info. Do you know if his name shows up anywhere?

No, I didn't find him in my docs currently but still have many to do.

Anyway, you can check NARA maybe they have something. Contact www.westmorelandresearch.org