Artillery Officer Soldbuch and Iron Cross grouping

Soldbuch ID booklet and Iron Cross 2nd Class, along with accompanying documents, for Leutnant der Reserve Rudolf Kockisch, who saw extensive service in artillery units throughout WW2. Includes:

-Iron Cross 2nd Class (EK2): unmarked, original ribbon, shows some wear and age, particularly along the edges (has an appealing “lived in / been through the war” look to it). Undamaged, the iron core is in very good shape, with almost all of its black paint intact. He was awarded this medal in the autumn of 1941, for actions during the early weeks of Operation Barbarossa. 

-Soldbuch issued to Rudolf Kockisch. He was born on December 30th 1916 in Frankfurt am Main. He began his military service in August 1939, with the rank of Kannonier / Gefreiter. He became an Obergefreiter in late 1940 before becoming an Unteroffizier in October 1942. He joined the officer’s artillery academy (Schule für Fähnrich der Artillerie) in early 1944, holding the officer cadet ranks of Fahnrich and Oberfähnrich, before being commissioned as a Leutnant der Reserve in April 1944 (presumably finishing the war with this rank). The photo in the Soldbuch shows him as an officer cadet (the “slip-ons” on his shoulder straps reveal that he was a Fahnrich or Oberfähnrich, which dates the photo to Spring 1944), with a General Assault Badge and a 3-place ribbon bar attached to his uniform. Soldbuch entries confirm that he was awarded the Iron Cross 2nd Class, the General Assault Badge, the Westwall medal, the Eastern Front Campaign medal and the Wound Badge in Black. 

Kockisch served mainly with Artillerie Regiment 15 (attached to Infanterie Division 15). He served along the Westwall defenses in 1940, before seeing action in multiple battles in France during the summer of 1940. His division remained in France until July 1941, at which point they were transferred to the Eastern Front. They fought as part of Army Group Center, participating in the Battle of Smolensk (July), the Vyasma Encirclement (Oct) and the Battle for Moscow. The division was sent to be rebuilt in France in the Spring of 1942. Returning to the Eastern Front in 1943, participating in the 3rd Battle of Kharkov. He was ill / wounded for much of 1943, spending time in various military hospitals in Lemberg and Germany. After completing his officer’s training he served with a replacement / training artillery formation (Art. Ers. Abt. 9), which was stationed in occupied France, before retreating to Germany. He ended the war in a hospital, as a prisoner of the French. 

The Soldbuch is well filled in with immunization entries, time on leave entries and the clothing / accessories / weapons issued to him (he was assigned 4 helmets, a tornister, several rifles and bayonets, 3 pairs of boots, a helmet band, a wrist watch, etc). He bought a CZ 27 pistol, serial number written in, from the army in March 1944 for his private use (cool entry). 3 leaflets are glued on to the reverse cover, which address subjects such as maintaining weapons and ammo in winter, tending to wounds and guarding against malaria. 

***Note: The Solduch shows the expected age and wear. The pages have come loose from the cover. No missing pages and no staining or serious damage to the pages (nothing that impedes reading the entries and stamps).

-NCO Kockisch’s 1943 journal: Der soldatenfreund taschenbuch für die Wehrmacht 1943 Ausgabe B : Kriegsmarine, 278 pages of text and advertisements, most texts are Kriegsmarine related (naval history, technical details of warships, signals, etc), as well as a calendar / journal and 12 coloured illustration sheets showing Kriegsmarine insignia, medals, flags, etc. The calendar / journal section is quite interesting, since Kockisch writes about his daily activities as a soldier. There are numerous entries detailing his travels from eastwards, from France to Ukraine, in February 1943. He describes combat and participation in the 3rd Battle of Kharkov, including seeing action with an armoured assault gun (Angriff in Sturmgeschütz) and later setting up defensive positions (Stellung / Bunker). He was wounded in the spring and spent April 1943 in a Feldlazarett, describing his transfer to hospitals in Germany. Several letters and notes slipped into the journal.

***The spine of the journal is damaged and fragile. No missing pages. 

-Wehrmacht Führerschein: Class 3 Military Driver's License, issued in Aug 1940. Kockisch was serving with III Battalion, Artillerie regiment 15. 

-Kriegsurlaubschein: 2 week leave permission doc, for a trip to Frankfurt am Main in Oct 1943. 

-RAD Führungszeugnis: Award document certifying that Arbeitsmann Kockisch completed his RAD service from April to Oct 1938, in Baden, and finished with distinction (sehr gut).