Wachtmeister Lapstien
Full Name: Dieter Lapstien
Born: 5/10/09 - Osnabruck
Dieter left school when he was fourteen and worked at his Fathers garage for four years as an apprentice mechanic, but found being up to his elbows in axle grease was not for him.
At the age of 18 he joined the local police force, and after completing his training served in the Hanover police force for 11 years attaining the rank of sergeant. In 1937 he moved to the Hanover police school as an instructor.
In July 1939 Dieter left the police school to join the newly formed Infanterieregiment Grossdeutschland, after basic training, the regiment entrained for the troop training grounds at Grafenwohr to train as a fully motorized infantry regiment, where Dieter attained the rank of Obershutze.
At the end of January 1940 I.R GD was stationed in the central Mosel region of the Rhineland, to be equipped with the new infantry support weapons, the Sturmgeschutz 111s. Although Dieter and his comrades had not taken part in the Polish campaign, they were excited at the prospect of this new kind of warfare, it was after this stage of training that Dieter attained the rank of Gefreiter.
On May 10 the Regiment moved through Luxembourg into the Belgian Ardennes as part of General von Manstein’s offensive, they fought in many actions against the French and the BEF at Arras. Finally on the 19th of June 1940 they reached Lyons, second city of France and Dieter was promoted to the rank of Obergefrieter.
In August GD regiments elite status had been recognized by the issuing of cuff titles, and in the ensuing months I.R GD were brought back up to strength for the invasion of England, after this operation was cancelled GD were moved for reorganizing in the Belfort area, the regiment then entrained for Vienna on April 5th 1941, five days latter Obergefrieter Lapstien was hastily redeployed against the ill prepared Yugoslav army this culminated in the occupation of Belgrade in the aptly named Operation “punishment “
On the 25th of June GD made its advance into Russia, there were to be many actions that Dieter was involved in, and in December 1941 Dieter was promoted to the rank of Unteroffizer.
In January and February1942 GD were involved in a series of heavy engagements that saw the strength of the regiment decimated.
In May 1942 Unteroffizer Lapstien joined the newly formed Pz.Aufklarungsabteilung Reconnaissance battalion, always in the thick of the action, GD Aufklarungs soon became a force to be reckoned with, and in July of 1942 Dieter was again promoted, this time to Unterwachtmeister.
