Soldbuch and Wehrpass grouping to Unteroffizier Hans Mergner. This young farmer was called up by the Luftwaffe on the occasion of his 19th birthday in April 1942. He was trained as a Flak soldier and more specifically on the "Entfernungsmesser" range finder optics. The resulting "E-Messabzeichen" qualification patch worn on his lower left arm was entered as an award in the Soldbuch.  

September 1942, Mergner was sent to his active unit: the schwere Flak-Abteilung 347, stationed on the Atlantikwall in Bordeaux, southern France. He stayed with this unit, later reformed into a mixed and in 1944 to a light Abteilung, for most of the war. Mid 1944 due to the D-Day landings in Normandy, the situation for the Flak.Abt.347 became more critical, with intensified Allied bombing missions on the entire Atlantic coast. Mid July 1944, Mergner was awarded the EKII - undoubtly for his role in taking down some of these Allied bombers.  

Not much later, in August 1944, the Abteilung began its retreat through central France and was still in the Alsace area (Colmar, Altkirch) in northeast France by November 1944. February 1945, Mergner joined his final unit: leichte Flak-Abteilung 936, newly formed that month for service on the Oberrhein front. Mergner survived these last fights on the Western Front and was captured by the Allies.  

The grouping consists of:

• Soldbuch, first issue from April 1942. Very good and complete condition. Interesting entries include a captured French 07/15 rifle with 8 mm ammunition and several extra pages for his training courses. 
• Wehrpass, first issue from June 1941. Denazified but else very good and complete condition. 
• Postcard sized portrait photo taken in March 1944 during his very last leave home in Hof (Saale), just after his promotion to Unteroffizier and with a very clear view of his Entfernungsmesser-Abzeichen in wear.