— FRANCE —


~ VOLUNTEERS OF THE WEHRMACHT & WAFFEN-SS ~




PUAUD, Edgar
(1889 - 1945)
Waffen-Oberführer der SS / Général de Brigade:
Born 29. Oct. 1889 in France
Killed in Action: 5. Mar. 1945 by artillery barrage as he attempted to break out of Köslin / Pommern.
Promotions:
Waffen-Oberführer der SS: Aug. 1944
Général de Brigade: ca. 1943
Oberst: Jun. 1943
Lieutenant-Colonel: Jul. 1942
Chef de Bataillon (Major): 1939
Capitaine:
Lieutenant:
Sous-Lieutenant:
Career:
Attended and graduated from the French Military Academy St. Cyr:. Service with French Foreign Legion in Morocco and Syria. Commander of foreign volunteers, military camp Septford: 1939 - 1940. Commander of IIIrd Batallion, 23rd Infantry Regiment of the Vichy French Army: 1940 - Jul. 1942. Batallion commander in the Legion des Volontaires Français Contre le Bolchevisme (L.V.F.; redesignated as I. and III.Bataillon / Infanterie-Regiment 638, Oct. 1941: 1942. Chief of Staff, Legion Tricolore: Jun. 1942 - mid-1943. Kommandeur of the L.V.F.: mid-1943 - summer 1944. Kommandeur of Waffen-Grenadier-Brigade der SS "Charlemagne" (französische Nr. 1)(expanded to divisional size and retitled 33.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS "Charlemagne" on 10. Feb. 1945): 10. Aug. 1944 - 5. Mar. 1945.
Decorations & Awards:
Croix de Guerre avec Palm
Legion d'Honneur
etc.


APOLLOT, François (RK)
(-)
Waffen-Oberscharführer der SS:
Born:
Promotions:
Waffen-Unterscharführer der SS:
Waffen-Oberscharführer der SS:
Career:
Sergeant-Chef in 28th. Regiment de Forteresse: (June 1940).
Service with the Kriegsmarine, Schiffstammabteilung 28 (SStA 28): ____ - May 1944.
Assigned as NCO to 33.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS "Charlemagne" (französische Nr. 1): May 1944 - May 1945.
Decorations & Awards:
~ Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuzes: 29. Apr. 1945 as Waffen-Oberscharführer der SS, Zugführer in the Divisionskampfschule der 33.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS "Charlemagne" (französische Nr. 1)
1939 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
1939 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
Notes:
This biography corrected 17 August 2003 based on information from a helpful visitor. Information originally posted indicated he was killed in action by a Soviet sniper near the Reichsluftfahrtministerium building, Berlin on 2 May 1945. In fact, Mr. Apollot was still living in France as of March 1997.



FENET, Henri-Joseph (RK)
(1919 - 2002)
Waffen-Hauptsturmführer der SS:
Born: 11 July 1919 in Ceyzeriat, Department Ain, France.
Died: 14. September 2002 in his apartment, Paris.
Promotions:-
Waffen-Hauptsturmführer der SS: Mar. 1945
Waffen-Obersturmführer der SS: 20. Mar. 1944
Lieutenant (French Army): 1940
Career:
Studied literature at the Sorbonne, Paris: ____ - 1939. French Army service: Sep. 1939 - 1940 (involved in fighting against German Army, May/Jun. 1940 (twice wounded). In German captivity: ca. Jun. 1940 - 29. Nov. 1942. Joined “Milice Française” (the collaborationist French militia under Joseph Darnand): ca. Dec. 1942. Volunteered for service in the Waffen-SS: Oct. 1943. Attended SS-Junkerschule "Bad Tölz" (abbreviated training course): Jan. 1944 - Mar. 1944 (commissioned, granted rank of Waffen-Obersturmführer der SS to match his French Army rank of Lieutenant). Führer of 3.Kompanie / 8.SS-Sturmbrigade “Frankreich”: Mar. 1944 - (sent with his unit, along with the reinforced I. Btl./ "Frankreich", to Galicia in Jul. 1944 where it was heavily engaged in the Carpathians and in the basin of the Vistula River during Aug. 1944; wounded in action during these battles). Sent with his 3.Kompanie to SS-Truppenübungsplatz Konitz (Pommern) to be absorbed into the new Waffen-Grenadier-Brigade der SS "Charlemagne" (französische Nr. 1)(later the 33.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS “Charlemagne”), then to SS-Truppenübungsplatz Wildflecken (near Fulda) where he assumed command of I.Bataillon / SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Regiment 57 of “Charlemagne”: Sep. 1944 -. Engaged as Führer of I.Bataillon / SS-Freiw.Gren.Rgt. 57 on Pommern front against Soviet Army advance: Feb./Mar. 1945 (with disintegration of the surrounded French SS Division, Fenet was able to retreat intact to the German lines; received promotion to Waffen-Hauptsturmführer der SS for this accomplishment). Assigned as Führer of a volunteer Sturmbataillon (attached to the SS Regiment formed from remnants of “Charlemagne”, which was further subordinated to 11.SS-Freiwilligen-Panzer-Grenadier-Division “Nordland”) in Berlin (engaged in a terrific struggle against the Soviet forces; only about 36 of Fenet’s men survived of an original strength of 300): 24. Apr. 1945 - 2. May 1945.
Postwar Confinement:
Badly wounded during the battle for Berlin, Fenet was first hospitalized then held in Soviet and later French POW camps and prisons. Sentenced by a French court to 40 years' imprisonment but released in 1949.
Decorations & Awards:
Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuzes: 29 Apr. 1945 as SS-Hauptsturmführer, Kommandeur of SS-Sturmbataillon der 33. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS "Charlemagne" (französische Nr. 1).
1939 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse: Mar. 1945
1939 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse: 22. Aug. 1944
Verwundetenabzeichen, 1939 in Schwarz: 1944
Croix de Guerre (France): 1940


(Photo courtesy of Thomas Vanhassel)



KREIS, Henri
(1923 - 1990)
Waffen-Untersturmführer der SS:
Born: 2. February 1923 in France
Died: 9. December 1990.
Promotions:
Waffen-Untersturmführer der SS:
Career:
Enlisted in Waffen-SS: September 1943. Attended SS-Junkerschule “Bad Tölz": 1943 - 1944. Führer of Panzerjäger Zug/ SS-Sturmbrigade "Frankreich": 1944 (engaged with German Army units in defense of Radomsyl in Galica). Wounded in action, hospitalized, then attended special course for French Waffen-SS officers at Neweklau near Prague: ____ - 1945. Kompanieführer in Ersatz-Bataillon / 33.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS “Charlemagne” (französische Nr. 1): Mar. 1945 -
Decorations & Awards:
1939 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
1939 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
Verwundetenabzeichen, 1939 in Schwarz
Notes:
After the war, lived under the pseudonym “Henri Kreutzer”.


VAULOT, Eugène ("Gégène") (RK)
(1923 - 1945)
Waffen-Unterscharführer der SS:
Born: 1. Jun. 1923 in Paris.
Killed in Action: 2. May 1945 in Berlin.
Promotions:
Waffen-Unterscharführer der SS:
Obergefreiter:
Career:
Member of Inf.Rgt. 638 of 7.Inf.Div.: 1941 - 1943. Gruppenführer (squad leader) in 33.SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division "Charlemagne" (französische Nr. 1): (29. Apr. 1945) - 2. May 1945
Decorations & Awards:
Ritterkreuz des Eisernes Kreuzes: 29. Apr. 1945 as Gruppenführer (squad leader) in 33.Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS "Charlemagne" (französische Nr. 1), Kampfraum Groß Berlin (presented by SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS Wilhelm Mohnke in the Führerbunker of the Reichskanzlei)
1939 Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse
1939 Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse
Verwundetenabzeichen, 1939 in Schwarz
Medaille "Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42"




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