Grenadier Josef Buchmüller an 18 year old factory
worker from Siegburg Prussia,
was recruited into a Guard machine-gun company in August of 1916.
After his basic training as a Grenadier and
machine-gunner he volunteered for flamethrower training.
On January 15, 1917
Grenadier Buchmüller was transferred to the 1st company of
2.Garde-Pionier-Ersatz-Bataillon for a one month training course as a
flamethrower combat engineer.
On February 15, 1917, after his successful
training as a flamethrower operator he returned to the 1. Ersatz-Maschinen-Gewehr-Kompagnie
des Garde-Korps. Now, two weeks later on March 1st he was transferred again for
further training to the newly created Sturm-Panzer-Kraftwagen-Abteilung 1.
On
October 22, 1917 he went to the Kraftfahr-Ersatz-Abteilung in Schöneberg near Berlin. According to the
entries in his Military Passport Kraftfahrer Buchmüller stayed with
Kraftfahr-Esatz-Abteilung 1 until March 6, 1918 when he was transferred again
back to his old unit the Ersatz M.G.K des Garde-Korps. From there he was sent
to a frontline unit in France.
In April 1918, Buchmüller, now a Jäger in the 2nd
machine-gun company of the Garde-Reserve-Jäger-Bataillon, fought with the Garde
Jäger at Montdidier and Noyon. On April 25 and 26 he fought as a machine gunner
at the battle of Villers-Bretonneux next to his old tank unit the
Sturm-Panzer-Kraftwagen-Abteilung 1.
On June 9, 1918 his machine gun came under heavy
artillery fire and he received a severe head wound. Josef Buchmüller was
awarded the Iron Cross 2nd class on June 14, 1918
He was released from hospital on July 23, 1918.
On November 20, 1918 Josef was discharged from the
Army. The war was over.
Josef
Buchmüller
177 cm
tall geboren
am 23. September, 1897 in Siegburg-Mülldorf Beruf:
Fabrikarbeiter Buchmüller
wurde am 3. August 1916 als Landsturm Rekrut ins Heer eingezogen. Er kam
zum Rekruten-Depot - Ersatz-Bataillon - 1. Garde-Reserve-Regiment. 9.
August, 1916 3.
Kompagnie, Ersatz- Bataillon - 1. Garde-Reserve-Regiment
13.
September 1916 - 4.
Ersatz-Maschinen-Gewehr-Kompagnie des Garde-Korps
1./Ersatz-Komp.
2.Garde-Pionier-Ersatz-Bataillon - Vom 15.
Januar bis zum 15. Februar 1917 als Flammenwerfer ausgebildet. (signed by Oberleutnant Lange from the Flammenwerfer)
1. März
1917 - 22. Oktober 1917 - 22. Oktober
1917, gemäss Verfügung des Kommandanten der Ersatz
Maschinen Gewehr Truppen des Garde-Korps der
Kraftfahr-Ersatz-Abteilung Schöneberg überwiesen. The "Sturm-Panzer Kraftwagen Abteilung Nr. 1"
15.
Januar 1918 - 1./Kraftf-Ers-Abtl.
No. 1 - Kraft I Rekr. Dep. 2 f. St. P. 2
6. Marz
1918 - Kraftfahrer
Buchmüller back to: - 1./Ersatz
M.G.K des Garde-Korps.
8. April
1918
2. M.GK.
Garde-Reserve-Jäger-Bataillon
Mitgemachte
Gefechte: 14. April
1918 - 24. April 1918 – Kämpfe and der Avre bei Montdidier und Noyon 25. April
1918 - 23. Mai 1918 – Kämpfe an der Ancre, Somme und Avre. 25. / 26.
April 1918 – Schlacht bei Villers-Bretonneux 24. Mai
1918 - 9. Juni 1918 – Feldzug gegen Frankreich 9. Juni
1918 - durch
Artillerie Geschoss am Kopf schwer verwundet – zur San. Komp. 241 14. Juni,
1918 Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse verliehen
Page 12-13; the person signing as CO of Abt. 1 is
Leutnant Holtsträter; when the unit moved into the field in January 1918, CO
position had changed to Saxon Oberleutnant Seifert, but Holtsträter was still
around until January 29th, when he was transferred to Commander Motor Transport
Troops 5th German Army (KdK 5).
Page 14-15; "vers. z. Kraft I Rekr.Dep. 2 f.
St.P. 2" should read "versetzt zu Kraftfahr-Ersatzabteilung I
Rekruten-Depot 2 für Stamm-Personal 2" - he was thus transferred as a
trainer and not as a trainee.
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