RARE KIA Wehrpass – Panzer-Kompanie 319 (Funklenk) (KIA Liege, Belgium 1944!)

Original Wehrpass of a Schütze Paul Treuse (born 1926), who during the war served with the Panzer-Kompanie 319 (Funklenk) and was only there 2 weeks before he was Killed in Action on September 8, 1944 in Lüttich (Liege/Luik), Belgium. He’s buried inAachen, Waldfriedhof: Block 21d Grab 60.

The Panzer-Kompanie 319 (Funklenk) is rare and scarce unit to find!

• The unit named Panzer-Kompanie (Funklenk) 319 was a Funklenk (radio-control / remote-control) tank company — i.e., a specialist unit whose role was to operate radio-steered control tanks and remote demolition vehicles. Funklenk companies typically controlled vehicles such as the heavy Borgward IV demolition carrier and the smaller tracked “Goliath” charge, using armored control tanks alongside them.

What “Funklenk” companies were and what they were equipped with

• Role: Funklenk (Funklenkpanzer / Panzer-Kompanie (Fkl)) units were experimental/specialist formations created to operate radio-steered demolition vehicles and remote demolition charges at the front line. Control tanks (often armoured assault tanks or heavy tanks if available) carried the radio equipment and a crew that remotely drove demolition carriers into close targets, then withdrew them or detonated them.

• Typical remote demolition vehicles:

  • Borgward IV (B IV) — a large, tracked, remote-controlled demolition carrier capable of carrying a heavy explosive load; commonly paired with control tanks from Funklenk companies.

  • Goliath (Sd.Kfz. 302 / 303) — a much smaller tracked remote-control mine used earlier and in many demolition detachments (often used alongside Borgward vehicles or where smaller charges sufficed).

• Typical control vehicles: depending on availability Funklenk control vehicles could be:

  • StuG III / StuG variants (commonly used as control vehicles in several Funklenk companies),

  • Panzer IV or even Tiger tanks in some Funklenk companies where heavy radio equipment and range were required — historical examples exist of Funklenk companies equipped or at least provided with Tigers in 1944 (this varied by company and time).