Translation Help Please!

HerrScheisse

Hi there!

I have been meaning to ask this for a while but only got around to scanning it now. It is a post action report for the 1939 WW2 Iron cross in my collection. I have the original report, it is so fragile and weathered by the years that it feels like silk. I tried scanning it did not come out so well and the ink is bleached in any case. So I tried enhance the saturation. I tried a translation myself but i think I may not have done it justice and some essence is lost. Unfortunately translating 70 year old military reports were never part of my German class, more stuff like how to book a hotel room and so on

Here is what I have - thanks in advance for any help!



In May 1940 at the beginning of the fighting against Belgium, Holland and France I was used as Fernsprechbautruppfuhrer during the division communications department 211. With the advance in Belgium I had the order to build a telephone line from the division command post before Namur to the regiment command post.
My construction order was to be driven through the foremost combat lines. The area was under sight of the enemy.
The task was carried out under strong artillery fire and fire from the different Forts controlling the area.
Within a short time I succeeded to manufacture the requested telephone connection despite the defensive fire of the enemy. The following night the line was disrupted by hostile artillery fire thus I had to go look for the defect. Despite the concentration of enemy fire, I again managed within short time to restore the connection.

Dr Strange

No problem here, this gives an accurate translation of the account.


If you want to nit-pick there is just one sentence where a word is missing:

The area was under sight of the enemy


It reads: The area was free and fully observable by the enemy.

Meaning: The area was free terrain (no cover) and at all times in full view of the enemy.


This is a post-action report to be used as an application for an EK. He describes what he did and his commanding officer etc would have to sign off on it.

Morlar

I have a photo album from a Fernsprechtruppe in case you want to see what they were like in terms of uniform, equipment and how they appeared on a day to day basis.

Identifying them is difficult, but it appears that this one is from the Stab Aufklärungs-Abteilung 129 der 129. Infanterie-Division.

Do you know the unit/regiment/division of your man ? Chances of them being connected are negligible . . . but you never know

This small example does not any contain combat pictures but it might make it easier to picture how awkward it would be to use this kind of equipment while under artillery fire from multiple positions. I have another album that has a few pictures from the Namur region but it would take a while to track that one down.


http://www.militaria-archive.com/AlbumsII/fernsprech/index.html

HerrScheisse

Thanks Preusse for that extra addition, I was afraid I was losing some essence.

Morlar I attach some more details, I add some period newspaper clippings also. There is a photo but I cannot say if the man is in it - most likely not. Maybe you can judge by the uniforms? But I think they simply cut out this piece for the reverse side that states how the Iron Cross is worn.

I also include a signed confirmation document for the award. There is some unit information on it. The award certificate I already posted over in Dan's 1939 Iron Cross thread.

Morlar

That gothic German script is hard to follow, the photo seems to mention the RAD (reichsarbeitsdienst) leader Hierl, I can't make him out in the picture so I presume they are waiting for him.

The short newspaper clip
http://postimage.org/image/2aau3h2ro/

Mit dem EK ausgezeichnet

(with the Iron Cross distinguished)

Mit dem eisernen kreuz 1 klasse wurde Gefreiter
(With the Iron Cross 1st Class Private)

Peter Sachsausen Morsen (? - it's late!), mit dem EK2 Klasse Uffz jacob Rahmen, sich und feldwebel Gustav Stollenwerf, Elsdorf, ausgezeichnet
(with the Iron Cross 2nd Class NCO Jacob Rahmen and Sargeant (closest rank) Gustav Stollenwerf, Elsdorf, distinguished.)

I will let a native German have a go at the larger doc as it is late now:
http://postimage.org/image/2aaqseds4/


This doc seems to just say
http://postimage.org/image/2ab40p5qc/
Heeres Nachrichten Schule
'Army Messaging/signals school'
Halle Saale (the region in Germany), Laut Div Befehl (according Division instruction)
In the name of the Fuhrer etc

Dr Strange

The first image HerrS. posted seems to have people of the Arbeitsdienst in it. The problem with the photo caption is that it is cut, the sentences do not go together but would have continued across the newspaper papge which is missing.

The second document is a section dealing with the proper wear of the Frontkaempferehrenkreuz and the Ehrenkreuz (Front Fighters Honour Cross and Honour Cross) on the Uniform. Where to attach it and how it has to sit straight etc.

The third document is as Morlar said about the awards of 1 and 2 EK. The man named on your fourth document Uffz. Jakob Rahmen is mentioned in this paper clip.

The fourth document is a message document saying that the EK2 has been awarded to Uffz. Jakob Rahmen and with best congratulations by the Generalleutnant of the Kompanie.

HerrScheisse

Thanks all for the help!

The photo is coincidental actually, it is simply the reverse side of the piece about how to wear the EK - I posted anyway just in case. The important piece of the newspaper clipping is the name of the awardee.
I was not aware that such items were printed in the newspaper - I assume perhaps it was in a local paper and such news was good for morale during the war years?

This award is 1939-1940 and I was surprised to have the signed document of congratulations. I assume in the later stage of WW2 that such formalities became less and less applied?