Bio of SS-Obersturmbannführer Wilhelm Kment

SS-Obersturmbannführer Wilhelm Kment was born on 8th March 1915. He joined the SS and graduated from SS Junkerschule "Bad Tölz" in 1935 to become Commander of the Kradschutzen Company (Later 1. Kom.p SS-Kradschützen-Bataillon) of SS-Division "Reich", serving with them through the battles of Holland and France in 1940, and Yugoslavia and the invasion of Russia into October 1941. He then became commander of SS-Aufklärungsabteilung (reconnaissance troop) of "Reich" until January 1942 during which time on 23rd January 1942 he was awarded the German Cross in Gold. Somewhere around that time Kment had been seriously wounded in action - Possibly in the counter attack against Russian forces which had broken through around Rzhev, close to Gshatsk on the Eastern Front, where Das Reich were at that time engaged. The fighting was bitter and on 21st January the motorcycle Battalion alone lost 4 officers and over 70 other ranks killed in action with many others wounded, possibly Kment had been one of those. This wound had been so serious it resulted in the loss of an arm. Therefore after convalescing Kment had been assigned to Himmler's Personal Staff (Personliche Stab Reichsführer-SS) as Decorations Officer responsible for processing awards of the German Cross and Knight's Cross for Waffen-SS members. This explains why he appears on Boska’s Knights Cross recommendation and other SS ones. Finally between 1944 and 1945 Kment was assigned to 17. SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Götz von Berlichingen" although at a disastrous period for GvB Kment had still survived the war, passing away on 15th November 1984.

Sources :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=109365
https://reibert.info/threads/fotografii-voennosluzhaschix-ss-s-germanskim-krestom-v-zolote-i-serebre.340172/page-2

SS-Standarte "Der Führer" Soldiers

A group of enlisted men from the SS-Standarte "Der Führer". All wear the SS-VT (SS-Verfügungstruppe) pattern field cap and collar patch with numeral "3" alongside the runes. The SS-Standarte Der Führer was formed in March 1938 in Vienna as SS-Standarte 3 following the German annexation of Austria and it was made up Austrian volunteers around a cadre from SS-Standarte Deutschland. It was renamed SS-Standarte Der Führer at the Parteitag in Nuremberg 1938 when it also received its Deutschland Erwache standard.

Source :
http://www.axishistory.com/books/123-germany-waffen-ss/germany-waffen-ss-ss-vt/1462-ss-standarte-der-fuehrer
https://www.thirdreichmedals.com/article/WSS.html

SS-Verfügungstruppe on Winter Exercise

A group of motorised troops from the SS-VT (SS-Verfügungstruppe) on winter exercises. Most wear the standard Greatcoat - or "Mantel" - though some, such as the two at extreme right, wear the motorcyclist rubberised waterproof coat. Note the use of the SS-VT pattern field cap with metal deathshead button at front and small machine embroidered eagle on the side.

Source :
https://www.thirdreichmedals.com/article/WSS.html

SS Car Passing Russian POWs

A Kfz. 15 medium cross-country personnel carrier from the Das Reich Division move past Red Army prisoners during Operation Barbarossa, area of Smolensk in the summer of 1941. The white letter ‘G’ indicates it belongs to Panzergruppe Guderian.

Source :
http://5sswiking.tumblr.com/post/149195267632/a-kfz-15-medium-cross-country-personnel-carrier

Puppies of SS Soldier

During Operation Barbarossa in the summer of 1941, a Das Reich Division member makes new friends: two puppies!

Source :
http://5sswiking.tumblr.com/post/150000281492/during-operation-barbarossa-in-the-summer-of-1941

Das Reich Division On The Way to Smolensk

An advance party from the Das Reich Division en route to Smolensk pass through a Soviet village during Operation Barbarossa in the summer of 1941. The vehicle with the Das Reich Wolfsangel symbol and tactical sign on the front left is a Sd.Kfz.10 towing a 3.7 cm Pak 36 anti-tank gun. The division was part of Generalfeldmarschall Fedor von Bock’s Heeresgruppe Mitte (Army Group Centre) and took part in the great encirclement battles during the first weeks of Soviet campaign.

Source :
http://5sswiking.tumblr.com/post/150141395887/an-advance-party-from-the-das-reich-division-en

Das Reich Soldiers Marching Through the Burning Soviet Village

Das Reich Division soldiers photographed marching through a Soviet village with their two 7.5 cm leIG 18 light howitzers during Operation Barbarossa in 1941. Stalin’s scorched earth policy can be seen in the background.

Source :
http://5sswiking.tumblr.com/post/150186588847/das-reich-division-soldiers-photographed-marching

SS Reich Soldiers Seeking Cover in Russia

On leaving the Soviet village near Yelnya, the SS-Division "Reich" troops were fired on. forcing the men to seek cover in a ditch near the road. This photograph was taken during Operation Barbarossa in 1941. The battle around Yelnya (30 August - 8 September 1941) was the first substantial reverse that the Wehrmacht had suffered during Barbarossa. Nazi propaganda presented the retreat as a planned operation. For its part, Soviet propaganda hailed the offensive as a major success and wanted to draw worldwide attention to it. Thus, the Yelnya battle was the first occasion on which foreign correspondents in the Soviet Union were allowed to visit the front. Seven of eight of them visited the area between 15 and 22 September 1941. In the words of British war correspondent Alexander Werth, the battle was built up in the Soviet Press "out of all proportion to its real or ultimate importance".

Source :
http://5sswiking.tumblr.com/post/150187757932/on-leaving-the-soviet-village-the-das-reich
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yelnya_Offensive
http://histomil.com/viewtopic.php?t=3918&start=4010

Das Reich Battles Their Way in Russia

An advance party from the Das Reich Division has encountered another Soviet defensive position during Operation Barbarossa in 1941. The men dismount from their vehicles to move forward in open formation.

Source :
http://5sswiking.tumblr.com/post/150224587347/an-advance-party-from-the-das-reich-division-has

Das Reich Soldiers During Barbarossa

A group of soldiers from the Das Reich Division stopped to consult a map and conduct a radio check during Operation Barbarossa in 1941.

Source :
http://5sswiking.tumblr.com/post/150836145637/a-group-of-soldiers-from-the-das-reich-division

SS Division Deutschland in Netherlands 1940

German SS soldiers of the SS-Division "Deutschland" (from 1943 onward, 2. SS-Panzer-Division "Das Reich"; previously, SS-Verfügungstruppe, or SS-VT) on motorcycles and in a Wanderer W-11 car drive down Amsterdam vaart street in Haarlem during the German invasion of the Netherlands and the beginning of the Battle of the Netherlands. The battle lasted from 10 May 1940 until the main Dutch forces surrendered on 15 May 1940, after the German Luftwaffe devastated the city of Rotterdam in a bombing campaign known as the Rotterdam Blitz and the subsequent threat by the Germans to begin bombing other large cities if the Dutch refused to surrender. Queen Wilhelmina and the Dutch government succeeded in escaping from the Netherlands before the surrender and formed a government-in-exile in London. Haarlem, North Holland, the Netherlands. May 1940.

Source :
http://bag-of-dirt.tumblr.com/post/142034757750/german-ss-soldiers-of-the-motorized-ss-panzer