Does anyone know what this is?

[Brendan Hunt]

Hi everyone.

I have this photograph once belonging to an Unteroffizier in Pionier-Bataillon 88 of 46. Infanterie-Division. The photo was taken somewhere in Crimea. In the background, is some sort of ruin. It looks like either that or the grave next to it is an attraction, since the Unteroffizier is carrying bicycle handlebars as if he traveled there. It looks like there are signs pinned up at the entrance of the ruin and something blocking the entrance itself. It seems as if it was once partially buried, as seen towards the left of it and the overgrowth. Looks like there may have been a brick foundation which only a very small portion remains. Also possibly a vent hole on top. I'm having the photo professionally enlarge like x20 so that I can see the name on the grave. From there, maybe I can decipher where this was and when. What do you think it is? The man was either captured nearby the Khersones Peninsula or at Kerch, either one because he wrote about a naval evacuation where men were literally holding onto the railings of the boats. If he was captured at or nearby the Khersones Peninsula, that isn't too far from Sevastapol, where most of the concentration of warfare was accuring during the Crimean War. Maybe these are remnants of the Crimean War? Maybe something Roman?




This photo also belonged to the same man, which is the same size with the same trim and has the same development roster number on the back (6000). It looks like it could have been nearby or at the same place.




Also, this MG34 photo is the same size with the same trim and has the same development roster number on the back like the other two. Maybe you can tell something by the serial number on the weapon?



Thanks!!!

[Mansal D]

If this is in the Crimea it would not be Roman. They never really conquered that far.

The shape looks like a beaten down bunker, though it would not be something from which small arms emplacements might be (MG or something). Perhaps it was an artillery emplacement from one of the many wars seen by the Crimea in the 19th and 20th centuries (from the British, Russians etc).

Perhaps it is just a storage area.

[Brendan Hunt]

It looks like there is another vent hole on the right side and maybe even another entrance that is blocked by the wooden pole. What are all of those white things scattered around the ground near the soldier's feet and the entrance to the structure? They're not scratches...

[phylo_roadking]

I'm guessing it's part of the sige lines at Sevastopol. See the second pic, the one of him standing beside the trench line? Look at the far side of the trnech, the heights and hollows; they're TOO regular for shell holes - are the "heights" made by those period earth-filled baskets rotting over the years and the contents spilling out and slumping in the rain???

[Brendan Hunt]

I have no idea. You'd probably know more than I. It looks like there are two signs out there in the second photo. Maybe mine signs? The barbed wire looks like the same style as in the first photo. I think he was in the 46. ID but I don't think that unit was located at Sevesapol at all. He did write a letter to his wife that they were getting evacuated by the Kriegsmarine, but he didn't go because he thought since he was a pionier, he was the first one in and the last one out. There was a naval evacuation at the Khersones Peninsula, which is RIGHT next to Sevestapol. Maybe he was there. Was there a naval evacuation at Perekop or Kretsch? He went to a Gulag after that where he died. I think those nearby Sevastopol went to Dzankoi, and those from Perekop went to Gulags around Melitipol.

[phylo_roadking]

Well...I have to say the sight-seers are VERY relaxed for someone awaiting a last-minute evacuation!!!

[Brendan Hunt]

The evacuation was sometime in 1944 I believe. The remnants were trasported via sea to Romania on the west side of the Black Sea. This man was a schutze in 1941, so this may have been taken in later 1941-mid 1942 IMO.

[Simon_G]

Some thoughts on the matter... The grave marker is Russian orthodox. The person buried is likely a Soviet POW who volunteered for service with the German military.

I do know that large numbers of Russian POWs worked in pioneer battalions in the Crimea. For example the Luftwaffe Lw.Bau-Btl.16/XI :

Formed c.28 February 1941 in the Luftgau XI area in northern Germany with a Stab, 1. - 3. Kp. and an attached Kolonne (equipment column) designated Lw.-Bau-Geräte-Zug 2 (See). Two more companies were added by 1943 giving it 1. - 5. Kp. These two additional companies comprised PoWs (most likely Russian). The battalion was one of a large number set up in early 1941 to construct airfields and other Luftwaffe installations and facilities in Russia as part of the planned invasion that began on 22 June 1941.

Jan 1942 - Stab and 3. Kp. at Saki/Crimea and still there 3.42.

22 Feb 1942 - Btl. engaged in airfield construction work at Saki and Sarabus airfields in Crimea.

27 Mar 1942 - 1 man WIA at Sarabus airfield.

13 May 1942 - elements still at Sarabus/Crimea.

26 Sep 1942 - 1 man WIA during a Russian air raid at Novo Ukrainka airfield/60 km west-south-west of Kirovograd in central Ukraine.

11 Feb 1943 - 1 man WIA during a Russian air attack on Bagerovo airfield/14 km west-north-west of Kerch in eastern Crimea.

18 Apr 1943 - 5 men KIA and 2 more WIA (including a Hptm. Gottfried Averdunk) during an enemy air raid on Saki airfield.

17 Dec 1943 - except for a small cadre, German personnel largely removed and the battalion filled up with PoWs (probably Russian) and re-designated Lw.-Bau-Btl. 116/XI (K).