Bio of Major i.G. Gottfried Geißler (1914-2006)

Date of birth: 17 October 1914 (Homberg/Rhineprovince, German Empire)
Date of death: 21 July 2006 (Moers/Northrhine-Westphalia, Germany)

Promotions:
00.00.1935 Fähnrich der Kriegsmarine
00.00.1938 Leutnant
00.03.1940 Oberleutnant
00.11.1942 Hauptmann
00.11.1944 Major im Generalstab

Career:
00.00.1934 Joined the Reichsmarine (Crew 34)
01.01.1937 Joined the Heer and went to Koblenz to serve in the light artillery
00.03.1940 Stab/Artillerie-Regiment 34
00.05.1940 Artillerie-Regiment 70
00.07.1941 Chef 3./Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 185
00.11.1942 Transferred to Sturmartillerie-Abteilung 232 after hospital and recovery
11.11.1942 - 14.02.1944 Kommandeur Sturmartillerie-Abteilung 232
00.01.1944 Generalstabsausbildung
14.02.1944     00.05.1944 Kommandeur Sturmgeschütz-Brigade 232
00.00.1944 Ib 1. Infanterie-Division
00.00.1945 Ia 1. Infanterie-Division

Awards and Decorations:
00.00.19__ Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung, IV. Klasse
20.03.1940 Deutsches Schutzwall-Ehrenzeichen
20.05.1940 Eisernes Kreuz II.Klasse
23.06.1941 Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz
02.07.1941 Eisernes Kreuz I.Klasse
02.07.1941 Verwundetenabzeichen in Silber (awarded for wounds received on June 22nd, 1941 and June 29th, 1941)
12.07.1941 Allgemeines-Sturmabzeichen
21.08.1941 Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, as Oberleutnant and Chef 3.Batterie / Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 185
06.10.1941 Verwundetenabzeichen in Gold (awarded for receiving a fifth wound on August 7th, 1941)
00.00.1945 Ärmelband "Kurland"

Battles:
Westfeldzug, Stalingrad, Monte Cassino, Kurland Pocket. In the final battle, Major i. G. Geißler's unit was a bled dry infantry regiment, which in the last days of the war was still in the refreshment stage, but was threatened by encirclement by the Red Army. On the night of May 7th, 1945, the regiment was heroically rescued by the Navy without losing a man and taken to Kiel, where Geissler and his men were taken prisoner of war by the Western Allies.

Source :
Jim Haley photo collection
https://de.metapedia.org/wiki/Gei%C3%9Fler,_Gottfried
http://soldaten.balsi.de/index.php?action=show&id=17460
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/47917/Gei%C3%9Fler-Gottfried.htm