Erich Kessler
Erich was born and raised in Thale, Germany. Here he lived just a stone’s throw from the Eisenhüttenwerke in Thale, the largest of all helmet production facilities during the war in the fatherland. Some of his relatives were employed for the factory producing helmets for the military. He volunteered for service in the German Army in early 1944, and reported to his local Stammkompanie. This unit functioned as the reception company and its basic purpose was to induct recruits, issue uniforms and equipment, and generally begin to acclimate the recruit to military life. It was here that Erich would have turned in his Wehrpaß and received his Soldbuch and identity disc. Immediately after induction, he and his fellow recruits were sent to basic training. He would later be sent as an Infantryman in the 984. Grenadier Regiment in Southern France near Redon. Here he spent time with his Kameraden, and preparing for the inevitable Allied invasion of France. Most of the men in his unit knew it would eventually happen. Only a matter of days later of talking about it around their camp, it did. On the quiet morning of June 6, 1944, his unit had received orders to begin immediate priority movement to the battle area. The division headquarters then at Redon, Brittany, was less than 200km by rail from St. Lô. A day or two should have been ample for the movement. But Allied aircraft, sovereign in the skies, ruled otherwise for the troops. Erich finally arrived in the Saint-Lo sector of Normandy and this is where he would fire his first shots in combat. Erich fought hard and ruthlessly against the Allies in the thick French hedgerows of the Normandy countryside. Even destroying an M4 Sherman during Operation Cobra with a Panzerfaust. Erich was one of the only 800 surviving soldiers of the original 4,000 troops of Kampfgruppe Heintz. He would later be sent back into action during the Battle of Aachen & Hurtgenwald. Once pulled from the line, he was assigned to the 344th Infanterie until the 275th was dissolved and rebuilt as a Volksgrenadier Division. Meanwhile he is in the rear awaiting orders, he receives a promotion to Obergrenadier for his proficiency demonstrated in combat. Shortly after, he is sent to the collapsing Eastern Front. This would be where Erich would fire his last shots in combat.
He was sent to area of Halbe, southeast of Berlin. Here the Red Army inflicts a devastating blow to the German 9th Army. Low on ammunition and morale, knowing the end is inevitable, and knowing what will happen if captured by the Soviets, Erich decides it's best to ditch his weapon and equipment in a barn and head West in hopes of surrendering to the Americans or British on the West Bank of the Elbe River. Erich along with 25,000 survivors of the slaughter at Halbe manage to cross any way possible. Erich was able to make his way to the West Bank of the the Elbe over a blown out bridge and surrenders to American troops in May, 1945.
He was sent to area of Halbe, southeast of Berlin. Here the Red Army inflicts a devastating blow to the German 9th Army. Low on ammunition and morale, knowing the end is inevitable, and knowing what will happen if captured by the Soviets, Erich decides it's best to ditch his weapon and equipment in a barn and head West in hopes of surrendering to the Americans or British on the West Bank of the Elbe River. Erich along with 25,000 survivors of the slaughter at Halbe manage to cross any way possible. Erich was able to make his way to the West Bank of the the Elbe over a blown out bridge and surrenders to American troops in May, 1945.
