Luftwaffe 'Stuka' Document Grouping of Obergefreiten 'Erich Wesche', who was a member within the '7./Sturzkampfgeschwader 1'. When individuals received their registration notice they were to report to the appropriate recruitment center where they would be issued a 'Wehrpaß', until they were inducted into active duty. From the autumn of 1939, when an individual was inducted into active military service the Wehrpaß was exchanged at the recruitment office for the 'Soldbuch' (Pay Book), which remained in the recipients possession as his official military identification document. The recruitment office would retain the Wehrpass and chronicle the individuals active service record in it. This grouping is complete with both Erich's 'Wehrpaß' and 'Soldbuch'. Erich was a member within several units during the war, towards the war's end he was member within '7./Schlachtgeschwader 1', he was promoted three times and ended up being a 'Stabsgefreiter'. From 10 May 1940 Erich took part in the operations on the Western Front "Feldzug im Westen", through Belgium and France. From 22 June 1941 he took part in the invasion of Russia and from 7 February 1942 he took part in the organisation of the operations of the flying personnel against the Sovjet Union:"Einsatz für den Kampf der fliegenden Verbände gegen die Sowjetunion". Both the Wehrpaß and Soldbuch are in good used condition and complete with portrait-photo, a lot of entries have been made, see photos.

Erich was awarded with the 'Ostmedaille' on 4 August 1942, being an Obergefreiter in the 'III./Stuka 1', this document is personally signed by Oberst 'Walter Hagen' who was the commander (Geschwaderkommodore) of Sturzkampfgeschwader 1, he was a recipient of the the Knight's Cross with Oakleaves. On 24 March 1943 Ericho was awarded the Gold Cord for the Luftwaffe driver's badge (Goldkordel zum Ärmeltätigkeitsabzeichen des Kraftfahrpersonals der Luftwaffe), at the time being an Obergefreiten within the '7./Sturzkampfgeschwader 1'. On 20 April 1944 Erich was awarded with the War Merit Cross 2nd Class with Swords (Kriegsverdienstkreuz 2. Klasse mit Schwertern) and on 2 May 1944 with the drivers proficiency badge in Bronze (Kraftfahrbewährungsabzeichen in Bronze), this document is regrettably missing from the grouping. Included in the grouping are his papers of his military discharge in May 1945 at the airbase in Flensburg. This grouping has recently been found in Germany. A nice and interesting late-war Luftwaffe Award-Document grouping that surely merits further investigation!