A German, Third Reich, War Merit Cross group of three awarded to Corporal Fritz Mühlbeck, 132 Artillery Regiment, wounded in Latvia, 12 October 1944

War Merit Cross 1939, 2nd Class badge with swords; Medal for the Winter Campaign in Russia 1941-42; Crimea Shield 1941-42, with a four prong reverse, with cloth and metal back plates, all unnamed, nearly extremely fine (3) £150-200

Corporal Fritz Mühlbeck, born in Munich on 6 January 1909, served from October 1940 until October 1944 with Artillery Regiment 132 of the 132nd Division. This was based in Germany until April 1941 when it was transferred to Yugoslavia before receiving orders in July 1941 to proceed to Russia, where it was heavily involved for the next three years. The areas and campaigns in which it operated were Kiev, the Crimea, Kertsch, the siege and assault of Sebastopol, Leingrad, Newel, Opotschka and Polozk. The Division then served in Latvia in August and September 1944 and then the rest of the war in Courland.

Mühlbeck, after serving four years with the Division, was injured east of Riga, Latvia, on 12 October 1944 - suffering shrapnel injuries to his back for which he was invalided to Germany and saw no more active service. Awarded the War Merit Cross 2nd Class with swords on 7 September 1943; the Winter Campaign Medal on 10 August 1942 and the Crimea Shield on 16 December 1942.

There is a published account (2000) of the Division’s eastern campaigns by a German officer - G. Bidermann, who served for the duration in an anti-tank company - entitled, ‘In Deadly Combat’.

Sold with the recipient’s original Wehrstammbuch - containing service details with a civil passport photograph attached to the inside front cover; three other service papers - 1940, 1942 and 1944, issued when transferred to other units and containing details of his military career, medals awarded, campaigns served etc., together with a Statement of Descent, dated 25 April 1937; a Good Conduct Statement issued by the Bavarian municipal authorities, 25 April 1937.