hi, can anyone help, with any info on these 2 please, while I was checking on some other deaths, I came across 2 sailors on the Graves Registrations report at Caister cemetery near Gt. Yarmouth, later they were removed to Cannock Chase, they are- N4084/39T Hans Wegeleben 26/4/42. N472/375S Otto Nachbauer 26/4/42. after his number a written OBERST. has been inserted. As only the Army and Airforce used this rank it got me wondering... thanks, regards, dave...
Hans Wegeleben in the England & Wales, Death Index, 1916-2007 Name: Hans Wegeleben Date of Registration: Jun 1942 Registration district: Acle Inferred County: Norfolk Volume: 4b Page: 35 Name: Hans Wegeleben Birth Date: 17 Jun 1920 Death Date: 25 Jan 1942 Cemetery: Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place: Cannock, Cannock Chase District, Staffordshire, England Has Bio?: N As for Otto I cannot trace the same details as I could for Hans - odd - but it could be that his death would have been registered at the same registrars in Norfolk, so perhaps a call to them may throw up something. TD
Hi Wegeleben and Nachbauer served aboard the destroyer Z 8 “Bruno Heinemann”. She was built at Deschimag, Bremen being launched on Tuesday 15 September 1936 and commissioned on Saturday 8 January 1938. A ‘Beitzen’ Class destroyer, she was of 1625 tons displacement and had a ship’s complement of 10 officers and 305 men. She was sunk during Operation Cerberus’ or the ‘Channel Dash’ as it became known. This concerned the planned escape of the German capital ships ‘Scharnhorst’, ‘Gneisenau’ and ‘Prinz Eugen’ through the channel. Destroyer escorts were required to assist in the venture and ‘Bruno Heinemann’, ‘Richard Beitzen’, ‘Paul Jacobi’ and ‘Hermann Schoemann’ left Kiel during Saturday 24 January 1942 bound for France. The following day ‘Bruno Heinemann’ struck 2 mines in the Dover Narrows near Cap Griz Nez and had to be abandoned. She sank with the loss of 93 men. Buried in Block 5, Graves 37 and 38. Hope this helps, Regards, Graeme
hi, Graeme and all, thanks for the information, I vaguely thought about the channel dash episode, any idea about Otto's written OBERST on the church register? regards, dave...
Oberst appears to be the German word equivalent for colonel when I Googled it. Found one entry for an Otto born 3 January 1887 in Bayern, Germany to Jakob Jr. Nachbauer and Barbara Werry at familysearch.org The Yorkshire Evening Post 24 April 1942 reported 2 Nazi bombers shot down off the coast. I'll post the article tomorrow.
Morning His rank was Obersteuermann From Uboat.net There isn't really a direct parallel. German naval rank hierarchy is organised a bit differently to ours, and consequently it's ship discipline and responsibilities differ too. His main responsibility is the navigation, so in some ways he's like a navigation officer, but is only Chief Petty Officer rank (he would normally be the most senior CPO). Regards, Graeme
I wonder if more detail might be revealed on Otto with him being listed on CWGC website when the records are released tomorrow?
When did the additional WW2 docs go live on line? Been so busy of late I got the date wrong in my head.
hi, I,m not savy with all this technology,so can't give a direct route, but to show the entry, go to the CWGC web-site, type in Doris.WIMBUSH , (I'm sure she would not mind) then click on her name in he list and it shows a Graves Registration Report, the 2nd name is Otto Nachbauer OBERST... which I,m querying because he is navy... regards, dave...
Hi Amberdog You have the date correct, it is not 'officially' online yet, but appears to be available. Been downloading for a couple of days now. Dave As above, his rank is Obersteuermann, someone may have shortened it on the paperwork. (Sorry, but I cannot see the problem) Graeme
hi, Graeme, sorry, I can see it now ( the agey thing was in play.) When I saw Oberst I thought navy can't be, that's army or airforce...I will go and have a lie down for awhile... thanks for your patience, regards, dave...
