NAME: Generalleutnant Otto Elfeldt

PW NO:          18860

RANK:            Generalleutnant

CAPTURED:   Vicinity of Saint Lambert, France

DATE:             20 August 1944

PERSONAL
DATE OF BIRTH:    10 October 1895

PLACE OF BIRTH:  Bad Sülze / Mecklenburg

DATE OF DEATH:   23 October 1982

PLACE OF DEATH: Bad Schwartau

NATIONALITY:      German

RELIGION:              Evangelical

OCCUPATION:       Regular Soldier

HEIGHT:                  Unknown

WEIGHT:                  Unknown

HAIR COLOUR:      Unknown
EYE COLOUR:        Unknown

NEXT OF KIN:        Gertrud Elfeldt, (British Zone)

 

Promotions:

• Fahnenjunker: 27 June 1914
• Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter: 5 August 1914
• Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier: 4 October 1914
• Fähnrich: 30 October 1914 (Patent 23 October 1914)
• Leutnant: 27 January 1915 (Patent 18 June 1915)
• Oberleutnant: 1 February 1925
• Hauptmann: 1 August 1929
• Major: 1 September 1935
• Oberstleutnant: 1 April 1938 (RDA 1 August 1937)
• Oberst: 1 June 1940
• Generalmajor: 1 January 1943
• Generalleutnant: 8 August 1943 (RDA 1 July 1943)

Commands & Assignments:

• 27 June 1914: Entered the Army as a Fahnenjunker in the Lauenburgisches Fußartillerie-Regiment Nr.20.
• 5 August 1914: Transferred to the field with Foot Artillery Regiment 20.
• 9 November 1915: Transferred to the Replacement Battalion of Foot Artillery Regiment 20.
• 6 January 1916: Transferred to the II. Battalion of Foot Artillery Regiment 20.
• 20 August 1917-10 September 1917: At the same time, detached as an Ordnance Officer to the staff of Foot Artillery Regiment 20.
• 25 October 1917: Transferred to the regimental staff of Foot Artillery Regiment 20.
• 20 November 1917: Detached as a Static Officer to the staff of Artillery Commander 4.
• 3 December 1917: Detached to the staff of Artillery Commander 116.
• 21 December 1917: Assigned as the Artillery Communications Officer of the General Command of the XIV Army Corps.
• 10 May 1918: At the same time, served as the Regimental Adjutant of Foot Artillery Regiment 20.
• 21 March 1919: Transferred to Volunteer Heavy Artillery Battalion 20.
• 9 April 1919: Transferred to the 2nd Battery of the Reichswehr Heavy Artillery Regiment 9.
• 27 August 1919: Transferred to the 3rd Battery of Reichswehr Light Artillery Regiment 9.
• 19 November 1919: Transferred to the staff of the I. Battalion of Light Artillery Regiment 9.
• 17 April 1920: Transferred to Heavy Artillery Battalion 1.
• 1 October 1920: Transferred to the staff of the 2nd (Prussian) Artillery Regiment.
• 1 November 1924: Transferred to the Leader Assistant Course with the staff of the 2nd Division.
• 1 October 1926: Transferred to the 4th Battery of the 2nd (Prussian) Artillery Regiment.
• 1 October 1927: Transferred to the 5th Battery of the 2nd (Prussian) Artillery Regiment.
• 22 October 1928-1 December 1928: Detached to the Firing Course for Artillery Officers at the Münster Troop Training Area.
• 1 February 1929: Transferred to the 4th Battery of the 2nd (Prussian) Artillery Regiment.
• 1 October 1929: Transferred to the staff of the II. Battalion of the 2nd (Prussian) Artillery Regiment.
• 1 February 1930: Chief of the 5th Battery of the 2nd (Prussian) Artillery Regiment.
• 9 December 1931-15 December 1931: Detached to Gas Protection Course C in Berlin.
• 1 October 1934: Commander of the II. Battalion of Artillery Regiment “Schwerin.”
• 15 October 1935: Commander of the II. Battalion of Artillery Regiment 56.
• 13 June 1938-30 July 1938: At the same time, delegated with the leadership of the Weapons School Course for Senior Officer Cadets.
• 1 June 1939: Detached to Inspectorate 4 of the Army High Command.
• 26 August 1939: Commander of Artillery Regimental Staff 619.
• 1 October 1939: Staff Officer for Artillery in the General Staff of Army Group A.
• 25 October 1939: Chief of Staff of the General of Artillery in the Army High Command.
• 20 October 1942: Army High Command Leader Reserve.
• 26 November 1942-12 November 1943: Commander of the 302nd Infantry Division. [After serving in northern France, the 302nd Infantry Division began moving to the Eastern Front in December 1942 and saw action in southern Russia at Voroshilovgrad, on the Mius River and at Zaporizhia.]
• 12 November 1943: Army High Command Leader Reserve.
• 27 December 1943-February 1944: Commander of the 156th Reserve Division in Belgium.
• February 1944-30 July 1944: Commander of the 47th Infantry Division in France.[1]
• 30 July 1944-20 August 1944: Delegated with the leadership of the LXXXIV Army Corps in France.[2] [Trapped in the Falaise Pocket, the German Army in Normandy faced total annihilation as the Allied armies rapidly advanced to seal the pocket. When all German battle-worthy units were ordered to break out of the pocket on the night of 19-20 August 1944, Generalleutnant Elfeldt and his corps staff served as a rearguard to cover the withdrawal of several individual battle groups. In the early morning hours of 20 August 1944, Elfeldt led a small group of stragglers in an attempt to bypass the enemy-held town of Saint Lambert. However, Generalleutnant Elfeldt and his group were surprised and captured by elements of the 1st Polish Armored Division.]
• 20 August 1944-20 January 1948: Prisoner of war in British captivity.
  • 23 August 1944 transferred to Trent Park Camp 11 sorting camp..
  • 11 January 1946 transferred to Island Farm Special Camp 11 from Camp 1
  • 14 January 1948 transferred to Camp 157 for repatriation.

Decorations & Awards:

• German Cross in Gold: 17 November 1943, Generalleutnant, Commander of the 302nd Infantry Division.
• Prussian Iron Cross, 1st Class (1914) with 1939 Bar
• Prussian Iron Cross, 2nd Class (1914) with 1939 Bar
• Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Merit Cross, 1st Class
• Mecklenburg-Schwerin Military Merit Cross, 2nd Class
• Hamburg Hanseatic Cross
• Cross of Honor for Combatants 1914-1918
• Armed Forces Long Service Award, 1st Class (25-year Service Cross)
• Armed Forces Long Service Award, 3rd Class (12-year Service Medal)
• Wound Badge in Black – World War I award