New book: D-Day Panzerjager

Message from the author of Until the Eyes Shut.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09WHJGTBR?tag=arfcom00-20

Disclaimer: I am neither related nor do I have pecuniary interest in the book and finally, I'm not Jeff Bozos either.

 

A newly minted soldier, Hans Hoeller is sent to join the Afrika Korps and sees action there until his dysentary got so bad he is returned to Germany for treatment. He is trained as an officer and returns to Africa as a leutnant. He's wounded in his first action and evacuated again for medical care; thus spared the fate of being surrendered there.

After returning from Africa, Hoeller served in the same division but different regiment than Hans von Luck (Panzer Commander). As the 21st Panzer was whittled down, he finally came under von Luck's command. If you enjoyed von Luck's book, you should read this one to provide corroboration of the events in Normandy and Falaise.

Leutnant Hans Hoeller survived the Normandy battles and the Falaise Gap only to be captured by the American equipped French Army. Being a member of the 21st Panzer Div., he had skulls on his uniform and was almost shot by his captor who had shoved a 1911 into his face. He was saved when a French officer spotted the "Afrika" cuff on his sleeve and asked him about his Africa service. Unhesitantly Hoeller mentioned the areas he fought in as well as a few towns in Tunisia along with the barracks (Marshal Foch) that he stayed at when redeployed to Africa following a bout with dystentary. This convinced the officer that he was not SS and his life was spared. Several times though angry French soldiers wanted to kill him and other German prisoners but a French speaking German PoW pleaded with them and their French guard (a NCO) to spare them. They survived. Hoeller went to Oklahoma and sat out the war there.

Hoeller mentions an incident in Normandy where one distraut NCO who had orders to execute a French civilian who was possibly a member of the Resistance. Hoeller told the NCO to take him behind a building and send him on the way. The NCO was visibly relieved.

Along with other PoWs, Hoeller boarded a Liberty ship going to America. When their voyage was almost over, they saw the American sailors tossing boxes of supplies overboard. This puzzled the Germans and they asked why. The sailors told them that when they got to port, they would receive fresh supplies. The PoWs then realized that unlike Germany, America enjoyed abundance and knew that America could not be defeated.

Post-war Hoeller returns to his native Austria where he reunites with his entire family and joyously marries his sweatheart.