KIA Soldbuch Grenadier-Regiment 103 – Düren (Buried in Lommel!)

Original wartime Soldbuch issued to Friedrich Gewald, who later attained the rank of Obergefreiter.

• Initial Service: Standortbataillon Breslau.

• Later Service: Transferred to Grenadier-Regiment 103, part of the 47. Volksgrenadier-Division.

• Operational History: This division was heavily engaged in the desperate defensive fighting along the Western Front in late 1944, including the battle for the Düren bridgehead against advancing U.S. forces.

Fate of the Soldier

Friedrich Gewald is recorded as fallen in action on 14 December 1944 during these engagements. He now rests at the German military cemetery in Lommel, a lasting reminder of the heavy losses sustained in the final months of the war.

Historical Context

The 47. Volksgrenadier-Division, reconstituted in the autumn of 1944, was composed of battle-hardened veterans mixed with new conscripts and Luftwaffe personnel. Thrown into action against overwhelming Allied forces in the Rhineland, it bore the brunt of intense fighting as the Wehrmacht attempted to delay the U.S. advance across the Roer River.

Collector’s Note

This Soldbuch offers a poignant glimpse into the service of an ordinary German infantryman during the final phase of WWII. With a clear service record culminating in the bitter Düren battles, the document is not only a personal artifact but also a piece of frontline history tied to one of the last-ditch defensive struggles of the Reich.