Infantry Assault Badge : Lothar Scholz, Wehrmacht

Places
Accession Number REL27181.003
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Award
Physical description Alloy
Maker Unknown
Place made Germany
Date made c 1943
Conflict Second World War, 1939-1945
Description

Infantry Assault Badge. White metal alloy badge bears a rifle superimposed on an oval wreath of oak leaves. The wreath is surmounted by the Nazi eagle and swastika. This badge was instituted on 20 December 1939 and was awarded to infantry troops who took part in three Assaults on separate days.

History / Summary

Associated with Lothar Scholz who served in the 125 Infantry Division, Wehrmacht (German Army), when he enlisted in April 1942, and after 1942 was a member of various Kampfgruppen. He was sent to fight in Russia and was wounded three times. The third time, he was flown from Russia to a hospital in Germany, where he was awarded the Iron Cross (2nd Class). After attending officer's training, he was sent back to Russia, but his platoon was outnumbered by Russian soldiers and dispersed. He destroyed all his identification and most of his uniform. Taken prisoner of war (POW) by Russian soldiers, he was was transported to a POW Camp near Konigsberg in Germany, and later taken to a camp in Siberia. In September 1945 he was sent home due to ill health. He was discharged from the Wehrmacht in December 1945 by British troops who occupied the zone in which he and his family lived.