Orders, Decorations and Medals

A War Merit Cross pair to Corporal Alois Markt, Artillery and Military Police

Germany, Third Reich, War Merit Cross 1939, 2nd Class with swords; Eastern Campaign Medal 1941-42, nearly extremely fine (2) £100-140

Alois Markt was born in Vogtareuth on 27 November 1910. A Sattler by occupation, he entered into the German Army in 1939. He served with the 79th Artillery Regiment, July-August 1919 and thence in the 268th Artillery Regiment, August 1939-December 1942. The regiment, a componant of the 1st Army, was active in France in the Epinal area adjacent to the Maginot Line, June-August 1940. It was then based in Poland as part of the 4th Army, September 1940-May 1941. As part of the 4th Army the regiment took part in ‘Operation Barbarossa’ in June 1941. At times attached to the ‘Army Guderian’ and the 2nd Panzer Army, it took part in the advances into Russia, serving at Brest Litowsk, Bialystok, Smolensk, Jelja, Wjasma, Tula and Juchnow. Markt was awarded the Eastern Campaign Medal in July 1942 and the War Merit Cross 2nd Class with swords in September. In November 1942 he was hospitalized suffering from frostbite to the left leg and was repatriated to Germany. After recovery he was transferred to the Görnau Feldgend. Aus. Abt. - a Military Police Training unit based near Litzmannstadt in Poland as part of the 407th Reserve Division. He was officially discharged from the Army on 27 July 1945.

Sold with an extract from the Military Penal Records - Markt was convicted to three extra stable duties for travelling 2nd Class on a train without a ticket; the recipient’s personal data sheet, 1941, listing personal and military details, promotions, campaigns, medals etc.; a medical report, 10 February 1943, stating that he suffers from eczema due to earlier frostbite injuries and is released from military hospital to a replacement unit for further recovery; a note from his unit to the Rosenheim Military Recruiting Office, 12 September 1944, requesting the issue of a replacement Wehrpass to Markt as his original was lost due to enemy action; the recipient’s Wehrpass - a replacement issue without photograph, dated Rosenheim, 29 September 1944; Certificate of Discharge; together with 10 other papers.