Soldbuch Obergefreiter – Nachschub-Bataillon 612 – Missing at Le Château-Charleville, August 1944 – Ostmedaille & KVK2

Interesting and historically attractive WW2 German Soldbuch belonging to Obergefreiter Paul Artelt, who served with Nachschub-Bataillon 612 and later went missing in August 1944 during the fighting around Le Château-Charleville.

A very nice mid- to late-war Soldbuch with numerous unit entries, leave stamps, weapon issue entries, accompanying Feldpost envelope and handwritten notification letter regarding his disappearance.

Soldier Details

• Name: Paul Artelt
• Born: 11 October 1905
• Birthplace: Altkessel-Graeberei
• Profession: Kutscher
• Religion: Catholic
• Rank progression:
  • Schütze
  • Gefreiter
  • Obergefreiter (from 1.2.1944)

Units

The Soldbuch shows service with:

• 1. Kompanie / Infanterie-Ersatz-Bataillon 375
• Nachschub-Bataillon 612

The Soldbuch contains:

• multiple leave entries
• weapon issue pages
• hospital/lazarett-related stamps
• Feldpost envelope
• handwritten wartime/postwar correspondence concerning his disappearance

Awards

• 10.8.42 Ostmedaille (Eastern Front Medal / Winterschlacht im Osten)
• 1.6.44 Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse (KVK2)

A very desirable combination for a logistics/supply soldier serving under difficult Eastern Front and later Western Front conditions.

Missing in Action – August 1944

The most historically significant aspect of the grouping is the included handwritten correspondence mentioning that Artelt went missing in:

• Le Château-Charleville
• in August 1944

This places him during the chaotic German retreat after the Allied breakout from Normandy and the collapse of the front in France.

Supply and transport battalions such as Nachschub-Bataillon 612 were heavily exposed during this period, often caught in encirclements, strafing attacks and rapidly collapsing retreat routes.

The included handwritten letter gives the grouping strong personal and research potential.

Included in the Grouping

• Original Soldbuch
• Feldpost envelope addressed to his wife
• Period “Kraft durch Freude” ship dining card