Obergefreiter Panzerkommandant: Eyes to the Sky

 

(Author's Collection)

     As World War Two moved into 1944 and later 1945, the ability of the Luftwaffe to deploy aircraft into the skies diminished to the point that ground forces could expect little support nor protection against Allied attack aircraft on either the West or the East Front. In part, this was because the focus of the Luftwaffe by this time was the defense of the Reich against U.S. daylight bomber raids in which the majority of what aircraft the Luftwaffe had were thrown at the U.S. Army Air Force's Boeing B-17 and Consolidated B-24 bombers. At best, the Luftwaffe only supplied German ground forces with sorties against Allied troops during large scale operations, such as the Ardennes Counteroffensive. Following the Normandy landings (D-Day) in June 1944, Allied ground attack and fighter aircraft prowled the skies, attacking any German target they came across. German forces caught out during the daylight hours could expect to be savagely worked over. One particular aircraft, the Hawker Typhoon, gained a fearsome reputation. The British aircraft was armed with four 20mm Hispano Mk.II cannons, eight 3” RP-3 air-to-ground rockets, or two 500lb. or 1,000lb. bombs. Flying under the 2nd. Tactical Air Force during the Normandy campaign, pilots flying the Typhoon were well able to bring German advances to a halt with the RP-3 rockets able to destroy or disable even the heavier of German tanks such as the Tiger I. Another effect was the negative morale impact the Typhoons had on German troops to the point vehicles and tanks would be abandoned even if the damage done was negligible. The losses and the inability of the Luftwaffe to provide air cover meant that in short order, German forces only moved by night when they could help it.

     When troops had to move during daylight, eyes were to the skies and this is evidenced in this photograph. A tank commander, holding the rank of Obergefreiter (equivalent to a U.S. Army Corporal), sits in the commander's cupola of a Panzerkampfwagen IV medium tank, gazing upwards. Around his neck is a kehlkopfmikrofon (throat microphone) and in his hands is the accompanying kopfhörer (headphones) and these were used for communication within the tank by the crew members. He is wearing heavy fur lined mittens (the white fur can just be seen on the right mitten) and over his regular uniform trousers, he has on the winter overtrousers, likely lined as well. Given the bulky appearance of the black panzer wrap, he probably has a thick sweater or other warm piece of clothing on underneath. We can tell his rank by the insignia on his left sleeve which has two silver tress chevrons. For decorations, he appears to have the Panzerkampfabzeichen (Panzer Assault Badge) and what could be one other award but all we see is the edge of it. The ribbon through the button hole on his panzer wrap is for the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class). The collar insignia is that of the German Heer (Army) panzer troops and consisted of a black tab piped in pink with a silver totenkopf (“death's head”) in the center. The shoulderboards (schulterstücke) were also piped in pink, pink being the waffenfarbe (branch color) of panzer troops.

     Visible behind him are two or three more Panzer IV tanks and further down the road are two Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251 (SdKfz 251) half-tracks and a truck. Notice that the commanders of the other tanks are also sitting in their turrets, scanning the skies and passengers on the other vehicles are doing the same.

SS-Oberscharführer Oscar Bang: Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen

     A rather interesting photograph depicting a kriegsberichter (war correspondent) belonging to the Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen. This Waffen-SS unit was raised in occupied Norway and was made up of Norwegian volunteers under the promise that the personnel would be led by Norwegian officers, the unit would continue to wear Norwegian military uniforms, and that the language within the unit would remain Norwegian. In addition, it was promised that the unit would only see action in Finland. All told, some 1,900 men volunteered and by June 29, 1941, Den Norske Legion (as the unit was called in Norwegian) was formed.

     In short order, two of the promises were completely ignored. The men wore standard German Waffen-SS uniforms and insignia, including unit specific insignia, rather than Norwegian military uniforms. This included the unit cuff title (called Ärmelstreifen) which read "Frw. Leg. Norwegen", special collar tabs featuring a heraldic lion, and those who belonged to the Norwegian NSDAP (Nasjonal Samling) wore a special sleeve patch. For the majority, the regular German Waffen-SS sigrunen (SS runes) tabs were used on the collars rather than the lion tabs. The second broken promise occurred when the Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen was sent to the Rückwärtiges Heeresgebiet Nord (Army Group North Rear Area) in February 1942. This area of operations was to the rear of Heeresgruppe Nord (Army Group North). The main task of units in Rückwärtiges Heeresgebiet Nord was security and often, anti-partisan operations. The reason for not sending the unit to Finland was due to the Germans not wanting to give the Norwegians any validation of their territorial claims to the Kola and Petsano peninsulas (in Russia and Finland respectively). Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen was posted to Krasnoye Selo, a town outside of St. Petersburg, Russia. The unit was subordinate to the 2nd. SS Infantry Division (mot.), the division having Dutch, Flemish, and Latvian units underneath it in addition to the Norwegians. The 2nd. SS Infantry Division took part in mass executions as well as the rounding up and deportation of any Russian Jews they found from 1941 through 1942 though it is unknown if Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen was involved in any of these operations or took part in the atrocities. Later, the unit would be strengthened with the addition of a police company (Den Norske Legions Politikompani). By March 1943, the Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen ceased to be, the unit being disbanded. This was because the 2nd. SS Infantry Division (mot.), which was very heavy with Latvian units, became the 2nd. SS Latvian Brigade and thus the Norwegians, along with the Dutch and Flemish, all had their respective units withdrawn and disbanded. All told, Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen lost 180 to 190 men killed in action though there were some desertions and a handful of men were taken prisoner by Soviet forces. Following the disbandment of Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen, those men who desired to continue their service in the Waffen-SS were transferred to SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 23 which was part of 11. SS-Freiwilligen Panzergrenadier-Division "Nordland".

     Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen had its own Propagandakompanie (PK; Propaganda Company) that was led by one SS-Unterscharführer Breien. Under him were 15 men, including photographer SS-Rottenführer Ulf Tur, artist/illustrator SS-Sturmmann Finn Wigforss, and one SS-Sturmmann Holmung who served as the driver for the PK's vehicle(s). The man in the photograph is SS-Oberscharführer Oscar Bang. What we can tell about him is that he was attending the SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz at the time this picture was taken. This can be told by the upper most cuff title on his left sleeve which reads “SS-Schule Tölz“. The school, one of several, was located in the town of Bad Tölz which was some 30 miles outside of Munich. Given this, Bang's rank at the time of the photograph is that of SS-Standartenjunker, or officer candidate. The various SS-Junkerschule taught military planning, logistics, small unit tactics, combat engineering, weapons training, and more but also the curriculum included political ideology and indoctrination. The SS-Standartenjunker could expect to be at the school for up to 19 months and if he successfully graduated, he was commissioned as a SS-Untersturmführer (equivalent to a U.S. Army 2nd. Lieutenant). Given he has the school's cuff title on his sleeve, it meant that Bang was not at the front with his unit but instead, was billeted at the school. Once he graduated, the school's cuff title would be removed from his uniform. The cuff title below it reads “SS-Kriegsberichter” and this identifies his position within the Freiwilligen-Legion Norwegen and that he is part of the unit's Propagandakompanie. Finally, the third cuff title is that of the unit, "Frw. Leg. Norwegen". However, Bang is wearing the last two in the incorrect order of precedence. The unit cuff title is superior to his position and so the “SS-Kriegsberichter” cuff title should be below the "Frw. Leg. Norwegen" cuff title. That the “SS-Schule Tölz“ cuff title is above the other two is because the school takes precedence over his position as well as his unit for the time he remains at SS-Junkerschule Bad Tölz.

     As a side note, the camera Bang is using appears to be a Leica III manual rangerfinder camera which was introduced in 1933 and built in various models all the way through 1960. The viewfinder was designed for a 50mm lens (which appears to be fitted) and shot 35mm film.

British Mk. IV Tank No.2648 "Lyric": War Memorial Donation

     The British deployed tanks into battle for the first time during the Battle of Flers–Courcelette which was fought from September 15, 1916 through September 22, 1916. The fledgling Tank Corps was equipped with 50 Mark I tanks. Unfortunately, the Mark I was mechanically unreliable and their crews inadequately trained in handling this new weapon. In preparation for the coming battle, the Mark I tanks were moved into assembly positions on September 13 but many of the crews, anxious about the coming battle and moving their tanks over terrain totally different from that of the training grounds, would see only 36 tanks left functional for the start of the battle. During the combat, 27 tanks reached the German front trench line and by the time tanks reached the third objective, only 6 did so. It is believed that only 18 tanks actually contributed to the combat, the remainder breaking down or having been ditched (a term for having become stuck or bogged down due to the terrain). In addition, it was found that the Mark I tank's maximum frontal armor of 10mm was capable of being penetrated by the 7.92X57mm Spitzgeschoß mit Kern (armor-piercing; known as the K Bullet) ammunition used by German infantry weapons. All in all, it had not been a stellar debut of the British tank.

     Still, the British did not give up on the Tank Corps. By 1917, crew training continued to be an issue with many crews only receiving a hasty training regimine. But, the tank itself was improved and by April 1917, the new Mark IV tank was entering service. Mechanical reliability was enhanced to a degree but the main change was the increase in the front armor thickness from 10mm to 12mm. Even though a mere 2mm more of armor seems paltry, it was enough to render the K Bullet far less effective and instead of always being able to pierce the armor of the earlier Mark I tank, now it could only do so 33% of the time against the Mark IV and only from the extremely close range of 100 meters. This had the effect of making German infantry much more reliant on artillery assets to deal with British tanks than they had been in 1916. Moreover, the deployment methodology of tanks had been overhauled so that cooperation between tanks, infantry, artillery, and aircraft was streamlined with easy to learn drills that had the effect of creating a combined arms strategy. Another critical aspect of the revised tank tactics was the use of reconnaissance and intelligence to pinpoint where tanks could be best deployed and effective against enemy positions. A part of the attack strategy was resupply. To that end, when Mark IV tanks went into action en mass again during the Battle of Cambrai which raged from November 20, 1917 to December 7, 1917, behind them were supply tanks.

     Between 1917 and 1918, over 200 Mark IV tanks were produced specifically as supply tanks. In addition, some obsolete Mark I and Mark II tanks were converted into supply tanks. The modification typically involved removing all armament and for the purpose-built supply tanks, the sponsons were larger and squared off in order to more easily accommodate stores of supplies. By the Battle of Cambrai, Mark IV supply tanks were used exclusively, having replaced the earlier models. Each tank company was to be equipped with two supply tanks. The Mark IV supply tanks were known as “Top Towers” due to a box-like towing apparatus that was fitted to the top of the tank. Two tow cables ran from the driver's turret through the box affixed towards the rear of the tank roof, the apparatus preventing the cables from getting tangled in the tracks of the tank. The cables pulled sledges which contained ammunition and other supplies and thus increased the amount of cargo a single supply tank could carry.

     The tank in the photograph is “Lyric” and carried the serial number 2648. It had been commanded by 2nd. Lieutenant Lowe and belonged to B Company, 5th. Section, 12th. Battalion. The crew number of the tank was L36 (other sources say L52). The tank survived World War One and would end up as a replacement war memorial and tourist attraction near Fort de la Pompelle outside the city of Reims. The original tank which served as the memorial had been the German Beutepanzer (“captured tank”), Wagon 113, of Abteilung 14, that had been abandoned after ditching on June 1, 1918. The Germans had captured the Mark IV tank “Liesal” (Serial No.4571) that had belonged to the 5th. Battalion on March 22, 1918 after it had broken down and had to be abandoned while supporting the 66th. Infantry Division near Roisel. It was repaired and refurbished then issued to Abteilung 14. In the mid-1920s, concerns by city administrators in Reims about the safety of visitors to the tank saw them consider replacing it. The damage to “Liesel” was extensive and thus posed the risk of injuries to visitors who decided to climb around the tank. In addition, the area surrounding the tank had yet to be fully purged of any ordnance which also posed a hazard to visitors. Finally, the location of the tank had become overgrown and it was no longer readily visible to passers-by. Thus, the wreck of “Liesal” was removed and later scrapped and the British donated “Lyric” to Reims who emplaced it along Rue de Châlons which was a much more accessible and visible location. In addition to advertising the tank attraction, the city added markers on the tank with one being on the roof which allowed for aerial identification, another on the front of the hull which was about the tank and the local history, and one on the hull side hatches warning against opening or entering the tank. “Lyric” remained in place all the way into World War Two as photographs exist showing German soldiers in 1940 posing with the tank but it would not survive any further as it was presumably scrapped by the Germans in order to reclaim the metal for other uses.

Natalia Fedorovna Bode: Haunted by the War

     Soviet photojournalist Natalia Fedorovna Bode poses beside a T-28 medium tank. Born December 30, 1914 in Kiev, Bode began her journalistic career in 1934 with the коммунист (Communist) and by 1938, she was working as a columnist for the Ukrainian bureau of the Russian News Agency TASS. 

     When war broke out, Bode would lose her husband Boris Kozyuk (also a photographer) and so she volunteered to cover the combat with the newspaper Krasnaya Armia (Red Army) and she would spend the remainder of the war covering actions on the Central and Southwest Front as well as the First Belarussian Front. A skilled photographer, Bode was not above taking risks to obtain compelling imagery. Her photographs were published in numerous other Russian newspapers and press outlets and they would also see worldwide publication as well. For her dedication, acclaimed work, and service, Bode was given the rank of First Lieutenant and she earned the Order of the Red Star, Order of the Patriotic War, Medal of Courage, and the Medal for the Defense of Stalingrad. 

     Bode would remarry to Yevgeny Dolmatovsky, a poet who worked for Pravda to whom she’d met during the war. Bode would continue her photojournalistic career with the Ukrainian newspaper Radyansʹka Kulʹtura (Soviet Culture). She died on July 2, 1996 and upon her death, it was discovered she’d hidden away much of her wartime photographs, most unpublished, as Bode wished not to remind herself of the war and all that came with it.

Jagdtiger Chassis No. 305054: Final Fate Unknown

(Source: Panzertruppen via Flickr)

     Sitting on the assembly line at the Nibelungenwerk located near St. Valentin, Austria, is the fifty-fourth Jagdtiger, chassis 305054. Chalked on the side of the Jagdtiger is the date January 16, 1945. This could be the expected completion date and so this photograph could be dated to early January 1945 or November or December 1944 given the extent of the assembly.

     No. 54 is mostly finished except that the torsion bar suspension has yet to be fully installed. The holes for the suspension were drilled into the lower hull on the completed chassis, prior to the fitting of other components such as the gun, engine, and drive train. The torsion bars (drehstäbe) have been fitted and attached to them are the suspension arms (schwingarme). Each torsion bar had a plastic seal where it entered the hull (schwingarmsiegel). The suspension consisted of two shock absorbers (schwingungsdaempher), one per side, connected to the forward and rearward suspension arms, the apparatus for the shock absorbers on the interior of the hull. The first and last torsion bars were built stronger than the others but all had the same ends to which the sheet steel roadwheels were affixed. Each roadwheel consisted of two discs with two rubber rings between them and each was placed on a hub on the suspension arm. It was doctrine that if a roadwheel was damaged and had to be replaced, the hub had to remain on the suspension arm. Work on No. 54 was finished sometime in January 1945, being completed along with nine other Jagdtigers; chassis 305052, 305053, 305055, 305056, 305057, 305058, 305059, 305060, and 305061. All ten of these Jagdtigers were earmarked for assignment to a new unit, schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 512 (s.Pz.Jag.Abt.512; 512th. Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion). Documents show that all of the Jagdtigers were released for shipment on January 30, 1945.

     s.Pz.Jag.Abt.512 began to build up starting late in January 1945 with the intent to field three companies of ten Jagdtigers with the headquarters having three Jagdtigers for a total strength of 33 machines. The bulk of the personnel for the unit came from the remains of schwere Panzer-Abteilung 424 while the staff was filled out with men from schwere Panzer-Abteilung 511. Replacement personnel were to come from Panzer-Ersatz-Abteilung 500 as needed. In command of s.Pz.Jag.Abt.512 was Hauptmann Walter Scherf with 1. Kompanie being commanded by Oberleutnant Albert Ernst and 2. Kompanie was commanded by one of the most successful German tank commanders of World War Two, Oberleutnant Otto Carius. Ernst cut his teeth as a panzerjäger officer while serving with s.Pz.Jag.Abt.519 which operated Nashorn and later Jagdpanther tank destroyers. Carius had been the commander of 2. Kompanie, schwere Panzer-Abteilung 502 that operated Tiger I tanks. Carius had been severely wounded on July 24, 1944 while serving with s.Pz.Abt.502 and after a very long convalescence, was transferred to s.Pz.Jag.Abt.512. As a side note, while he recovered from his injuries, what remained of his old unit was redesignated s.Pz.Abt.511 on January 5, 1945. The final company, 3. Kompanie, was commanded by Oberleutnant Schrader.

     No. 54 was included in a shipment of five Jagdtigers (chassis 305050 through 305054) from Nibelungenwerk to Döllersheim on February 2, 1945. This was the location of Carius' unit where they would commence training with the Jagdtiger in addition to using the gunnery ranges located at the facility. Upon the arrival of the Jagdtigers, training began at once, to include range firing. However, this quickly came to a halt when, on February 16, 1945, s.Pz.Jag.Abt.512 was notified by the Oberkommando des Heeres (OKH; High Command of the German Army) of severe manufacturing defects in the Henschel L801 steering unit housing. All Jagdtigers that had yet to be shipped out were to have the steering units replaced before being dispatched to units and all Jagdtigers that were already in the hands of troops had to be returned to Nibelungenwerk for the repairs to be done. It is here that Jagdtiger No. 54 appears to disappear from the combat record of s.Pz.Jag.Abt.512.

     Mainly, this is because it is not known what tactical number was assigned to Jagdtiger No. 54. Upon the order to return the Jagdtigers to Nibelungenwerk, the chassis numbers for the vehicles were lined through on issue reports. It can be surmised that they did arrive back at Nibelungenwerk and reports from February discuss the timeframe to effect repairs. It would take approximately five days for factory workers to replace the steering units on all eleven vehicles originally earmarked for s.Pz.Jag.Abt.512, including No. 54. However, priority was given to those Jagdtigers already on the assembly line. Also, the factory had to set up another line to receive the returned Jagdtigers parallel to the main assembly line in order to effectively make the steering unit changes. From March 3, 1945 to March 26, 1945, s.Pz.Jag.Abt.512 received a total of 27 Jagdtigers, and we can hazard a guess that No. 54 was included in that number. Due to the mixture of chassis numbers because of the recall, it is not known on what date No. 54 shipped from Nibelungenwerk and to what company it was assigned. Initial shipments were given priority to 2. Kompanie followed by 1. Kompanie and then 3. Kompanie. It should be noted that in a listing of chassis numbers and assigned units given in Janusz Ledwoch's “Jagdpanther Jagdtiger” (Wydawnictwo Militaria No.207), he does not give a unit assignment to No. 54.

     On April 15, 1945, 2. Kompanie destroyed its last six remaining Jagdtigers near Ergste, 1. Kompanie surrendered in Iserlohn on April 16, 1945 with three operational Jagdtigers, while 3. Kompanie ended the war with no Jagdtigers operational (two had been in transit to them but never arrived). The few documented Jagdtigers of s.Pz.Jag.Abt.512 include 305058 (tactical number X7) which was part of 1. Kompanie and commanded by Leutnant Sepp Tarlach. It was abandoned on April 1, 1945 in Obernephen. Another was 305068 and belonged to 3. Kompanie and was scuttled on April 2, 1945 in Paderborn. A third was 305004 and was captured at Sennelager, likely used as a training vehicle. 305057 (tactical number X5) belonged to Leutnant Kubelka of 1. Kompanie and was blown up on April 11, 1945 near Hagen. Finally, the last known chassis number was 305074 and the Jagdtiger suffered a broken track near Offensen. It belonged to 3. Kompanie and was blown up.

7” Tracked Gun Mk. 2: Impressive for the Time

     When the U.S. Army and later, the U.S. Marines, arrived in Europe to take part in World War One, they did so without their own artillery. This was due to the U.S. M1902 light field gun firing a 3-inch (76.2mm) shell and so the U.S. Army elected to leave their M1902 guns behind and adopt the French Canon de 75 Modèle 1897 as the M1897 75mm gun. Because of this, the Marines also left their artillery back in the United States and so while in Europe, they were mostly dependent on the U.S. Army for artillery support. So, while the U.S. Army also adopted the French heavy Canon de 155 C Modèle 1917 Schneider as the M1917 155mm gun, the Marines had nothing comparable. This prompted the Marines to consider a heavy gun of their own. Back in the United States, the Marines found that the U.S. Navy had a surplus of 7"/45 caliber guns Mark 2. These guns had been developed back in 1900 and were deployed onboard Connecticut-class and Mississippi-class pre-dreadnought battleships as secondary guns beginning in 1906. However, prior to World War One, most of these guns had been removed from Navy warships. So, early in 1918, the Marines designed a wheeled carriage to mount the guns on but the result was completely unsuited for the battlefield due to its immense 32 ton weight and 6.6 foot diameter wheels. Such a carriage would have sunk into the mire that was seemingly ever present in France. Returning to the drawing board, the Marines went to the U.S. Navy to seek their assistance and what the naval engineers at the Bureau of Ordnance came up with was to mount two slightly modified Holt tractor track assemblies to the gun carriage. The track assemblies were already, more or less, in production by the Holt Manufacturing Company which sped up development and eased construction. In addition, the tracks spread the weight of the gun across more area and thus lightened the ground pressure. By consequence, cross-country mobility was improved. Another benefit was the gun did not need any special preparation to fire. This same concept was seen again in World War Two with the Russian 203mm M1931 howitzer.

     On May 15, 1918, the 7” Tracked Gun Mk. 2 prototype was completed by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and soon after, the Marines ordered 20 of the guns and the U.S. Army ordered 36 examples. By the early winter of 1918, the majority of the order for the Marines had been completed and 18 guns, along with Holt tractors to pull the guns, were assigned to the 10th. Marine Artillery Regiment. The regiment took the guns to Lower Station, located in Dahlgen, Virginia and on October 16, 1918, the first shots were fired from the guns. World War One, however, ended on November 11, 1918 and so the Marines canceled the remaining two guns and the U.S. Army saw 20 guns delivered before the rest of the purchase was cancelled as the need for the guns had past. In time, the Marines began to fill out their artillery forces with the M1897 and M1917 guns and so the 7” Tracked Guns Mk. 2 of both the Marines and the Army were retired from service and put into reserve. The advent of World War Two saw the guns taken out of mothballs and returned to duty as coastal defense guns with the majority under the control of the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps. Most of the guns were deployed to Hawaii with 16 guns positioned around the islands with 2 guns located at Fort Rosecrans in San Diego, California. Another 8 guns were situated at Bora Bora, French Polynesia and 4 guns were part of the inventory of the U.S. Marine 6th. Defense Battalion on Midway Island. The end of World War Two also spelled the end of the road for the 7”/45 caliber gun.

     The performance of the 7”/45 (178mm) caliber gun was impressive. A good crew could fire four 152lb. armor-piercing shells every minute. The carriage permitted a maximum elevation of 40 degrees and at that elevation, the muzzle velocity of 2,700 feet per second gave the gun a range of 13.7 miles. In 1920, the U.S. Army stated it was the most powerful gun it had ever taken into service. By comparison, the M1917 was only capable of a range of 7 miles firing a 100lb. shell. Today, only a single example of the 7” Tracked Gun Mk. 2 exists today and it is located at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren in Dahlgren, Virginia.

Armored Autocar: 1st. Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade

     World War One was a conflict that saw rapid advances in terms of military technology. This surge is especially noticeable in aviation but the land war also saw many advances in small arms, dedicated anti-tank and anti-aircraft artillery, chemical weapons, and of course, the birth of tanks and wide spread usage of armored cars. Prior to the start of World War One, armored cars were more or less a curiosity. Perhaps one of the first armored cars which featured an armored body with a rotating armored turret was the 1904 Austro-Daimler Panzerwagen. It was the Italians that took the armored car to war during the Italo-Turkish War which lasted from September 29, 1911 to October 18, 1912 where they deployed the Fiat Arsenale which was built on a Fiat 15bis truck chassis. When World War One broke out, armored cars were used to good effect, in part due to their mobility. Unfortunately, as the war started to bog down into static warfare on the Western Front, the terrain became all but impassible for armored cars to get to where they were needed. Thus, their main advantage of speed was no longer an asset.

     However, one Major Raymond Brutinel of the Canadian Army felt that the armored car had much potential, especially if it was utilized within a fully mechanized unit. A former Captain of the French Army Reserve, Brutinel immigrated to Canada prior to the war and amassed a sizable fortune as an entrepreneur. He went to the Canadian Minister of Militia and Defense, Sam Hughes, and pitched his concept with a large carrot...that being Brutinel would finance the entire endeavor. While this was not an unusual practice, what Brutinel wanted to do certainly was. Checkbook in hand, Brutinel ordered twenty Colt Model 1914 machine-guns, bought truck chassis from the Autocar Company located in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, and obtained armor plate from Bethlehem Steel (also in Pennsylvania). Once all of the purchases arrived back in Canada, work commenced on what would simply be called the Armored Autocar. The vehicle was, in the basic sense, an armored box on top of the Autocar chassis. The front and rear of the box were angled and the flat sides and rear had drop-down panels. Armor thickness was 5mm on every facing except the rear which was only 3mm thick. There was no overhead protection, the box being open topped. Situated inside the box were two pedestals, each one mounting a single Colt machine-gun which could be rotated 360 degrees. The weapons were capable of firing over the sides but if need be, could be removed from the pedestals and deployed on the ground. Both guns were fed from a generous onboard ammunition supply of 20,000 rounds. Fully loaded, the Armored Autocar weighed 3 tons and the 22hp engine could move the vehicle on roads at a top speed of 25mph. A total of eight men crewed a single Armored Autocar. In combat order, the Armored Autocar, in addition to the ammunition, carried enough rations for fourteen men along with additional stores of gasoline.

     On August 24, 1914, the Automobile Machine Gun Brigade No. 1 was established though in short order, the name was changed to Canadian Automobile Machine Gun Brigade of the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) on September 15, 1914. The initial compliment of vehicles was composed of eight Armored Autocars, six to eight unarmored Autocar trucks as support vehicles, four automobiles for the unit staff, and an ambulance. This force was broken down into two batteries, the 1st. and 2nd. Sifton Batteries. Within a year, private funding authorized three more batteries, the Eaton, Borden, and Yukon Batteries. In October 1914, the unit was sent overseas to England where it was renamed the 1st. Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade CEF (1st. CMMG Brigade). The brigade had five batteries (A through E) with each battery having eight Armored Autocars and twelve trucks. Each battery was broken down into four Sections which contained two Armored Autocars each. In addition, the brigade had a motorcycle unit whose 51 men served as signalers, scouts, and dispatch riders. Unfortunately, the situation on the Western Front had stagnated to the point that the brigade was, more or less, sidelined and had no opportunity to prove it's worth. This situation stretched into 1916 and 1917 (by this time, the unit was now in France) but the brigade was able to retain unit integrity and not have their equipment and men bled off into other units. During this time, the Colt machine-guns were switched out with Vickers .303 caliber machine-guns and some of the Armored Autocars carried a loose Lewis light machine-gun. 1918, however, saw the start of Kaiserschlacht (Kaiser's Battle) which was better known as the 1918 Spring Offensive. Beginning on March 12, 1918, the Germans launched widescale offensive attacks on the Western Front, seeking to defeat the French, British, and other allied countries before the United States could fully deploy troops into the theater.

     At this time, the 1st. CMMG Brigade was able to highlight its capabilities. While not able to participate in offensive operations, the brigade excelled in the defense where its rapid deployment capability allowed it to act as a “fire brigade” and shift to wherever it was needed to stem German advances. The latter capability was due to the firepower the brigade could project as each battery contained sixteen machine-guns plus an additional 8 light machine-guns. The Armored Autocars, though, were not invulnerable. The 5mm of armor was only effective against some small arms and only at distances of 180 feet or more. In addition, with no top cover, the vehicle was vulnerable to grenades if the enemy was able to close with it. Against artillery or anti-tank guns, the Armored Autocar had no chance of survival if struck. With at least six men manning the weapons, hits by the enemy against the Armored Autocar was sure to cause casualties and so injuries and fatalities among the crews were high. Despite the losses, the 1st. CMMG Brigade proved its worth and in May 1918, the 2nd. CMMG Brigade was stood up. In addition, a Canadian Corps Cyclist Battalion was attached to the unit which brought 300 infantrymen (whose mobility came from bicycles) to be utilized defensively to protect the Armored Autocars or to conduct offensive operations. Finally, a trench mortar section was added that had their mortars mounted on trucks and thus had the same mobility advantage as the Armored Autocars and brought even more firepower to bear on the enemy. Following World War One, the two brigades were eventually stood down. However, the concept of the fully mechanized nature of the brigades was a first (and only) such force during the war and would prove an influence to later military planners and theorists.

     Only one Armored Autocar remains today and is on display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario.

SS-Obersturmführer Roberts Ancāns: 19. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (Lettische Nr. 2)

     Roberts Ancāns was born on November 11, 1919 in the Latvian town of Tiļžys (Tilza). He attended the Bruoļu Skryndu primary school in the town of Aglyunys. He continued his education, having moved to Kuorsova, finally completing his pre-university schooling in 1938. That same year, he entered the Latvejis Universitates Saimesteibys (Lativan University of Applied Sciences) where he sought to earn a degree in law. While at university, he joined the “Lacuania” student fraternity. War, however, was on the horizon and Ancāns voluntarily enlisted in the Sauszemes Spēki (Latvian Land Forces) in the fall of 1939. Unfortunately for Latvia, the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact contained a secret protocol which literally handed Latvia to the Soviet Union and on August 5, 1940, Latvia became the Latvijas Padomju Sociālistiskā Republika (Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic). There was little fighting as the Latvian military was outnumbered, outgunned, and could expect no support against the Soviet juggernaut. This, however, changed when Operation Barbarossa kicked off on June 22, 1941 and the Germans poured across the Soviet borders which included Latvia. The arrival of German forces saw Latvians rise up against the Soviets, creating numerous skirmishes which aided the Germans in pushing the Soviets out. Following this, the Germans disarmed these paramilitary forces.

     Ancāns, and many other Latvians, volunteered to enlist in the Schutzmannschaften (auxiliary police units) which the Germans organized commencing in July 1941. In all, the Germans raised 47 Latvian Schutzmannschaft-Bataillonen (auxiliary police battalions). Initially put in charge of these units was Voldemārs Veiss who held the rank of Standartenführer (equivalent to a full Colonel). By September 1941, the 16.Zemgales Policejas Bataljona (16th. Zemgales Police Battalion) was formed as a combat unit rather than a rear-area policing force and in October 1940, Ancāns transferred into this unit. At this time, what combat Ancāns saw isn't well known but it is said he was within the Kholm Pocket in which a hodge-podge of German units fended off Soviet attacks from January 23, 1942 to May 5, 1942. 62 miles to the southwest, the Demyansk Pocket existed at the same time as the Kholm Pocket, lasting from February 8, 1942 to May 20, 1942. Ancāns is reported to have been decorated with the Demjanskschild (Demyansk Shield) and if this is accurate, then his presence within the Kholm Pocket would not be correct. Regardless of where Ancāns was, by this time, he held the rank of lieutenant and had been wounded during the combat which took place. Successfully evacuated and given time to convalesce, Ancāns would, by February 1943, join the newly formed 15. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (Lettische Nr. 1) (15th. Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st. Latvian)) which was part of the Latviešu Leģions (Latvian Legion). By now, the Germans had begun conscription within Latvia though there were still some volunteers that came into the recruiting stations for the unit's three regiments: Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment der SS 32 (located in Paplaka, Latvia), Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment der SS 33 (in Vainode), and Waffen-Grenadier-Regiment der SS 34 (in Cēsis). The division went into action on November 1943 but after fighting in the Leningrad districts of Ostrov, Novosokolniki and Novgorod Oblast, the unit had been ground down. What was left of the division retreated all the way back to Berlin, surrendering to U.S. forces between April 27, 1945 and May 2, 1945.

     Ancāns, however, had transferred to the 19. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (Lettische Nr. 2) which was created in January 1944, mainly from the Latvian troops that had been under the 2nd. SS Infantry Brigade. The unit was initially commanded by SS-Oberführer Hinrich Schuldt. Specifically, Ancāns was a SS-Untersturmführer (equivalent to a 2nd. Lieutenant) in Waffen-Feldersatz-Bataillon 19. The unit became trapped within the Courland Pocket and on December 24, 1944, Ancāns led 180 men from his battalion along with the 8./SS-Artillerie Regiment 19 to hold a vital position against Soviet attacks. This position, known as Rumbas Farm, was the meeting point between the 19. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS and the 21.Luftwaffen-Feld-Divisionen. The kampfgruppe repulsed four Soviet attacks which was supported by tanks, artillery, and close air support. A total of six tanks were knocked out by soldiers of which Ancāns claimed one of the destroyed tanks while the German artillery claimed three more tanks. In all, the Germans held the farm and 200 Soviet soldiers lay dead in the fields. This action earned Ancāns the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse (Iron Cross 1st. Class) on December 27, 1944 and he was recommended by his superiors for the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross) which was approved and awarded to him on January 25, 1945. Ancāns was severely wounded and was one of the lucky soldiers that were evacuated out of the Courland Pocket before the German forces which remained surrendered to the Soviets on May 10, 1945. By now, Ancāns held the rank of SS-Obersturmführer (equivalent to a 1st. Lieutenant).

     The photograph of Ancāns is from his soldbuch (pay book) as evidenced by the ink stamp marks in the upper left and lower right corners. The Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes is around his throat, the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse is on the left pocket while the ribbon for the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse is seen through his feldbluse's button hole. Underneath it is the ribbon for the Ostmedaille (East Front Medal). Just visible on his right sleeve is his Panzervernichtungsabzeichen (Tank Destruction Badge). Situated above the left pocket is the Nahkampfspange in Silber (Close Combat Clasp in Silver) while the remaining medals under the Iron Cross is the Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen in Silber (Infantry Assault Badge) and the Verwundetenabzeichen 1. Klasse (Wound Badge in Gold) as Ancāns had been wounded on six different occasions. Of interest is the Latvian badge seen on the right pocket of his feldbluse. This badge denoted that he graduated from the Latvian Platoon Commander's Course. It consisted of a sword and wreath with a “K“ on either side of the sword. A hand with two fingers outstretched is below the sword, the fingers touching the sword hilt. Across the top is the motto, in Latvian, “Tēvzemei un Brīvībai“ which means “For Fatherland and Freedom“ in English.

     Ancāns survived the war and resided in Augsburg, West Germany. During this time, he served as an administrator for the International Refugee Organization. Ancāns immigrated to the United States in 1955, taking up residence in the state of New York where he worked as a contractor for the Otis Elevator Company. On January 1, 1982, Ancāns died in Tannersville, New York at the age of 62.

Matrose: Marine-Artillerie-Einheiten

     The Kriegsmarine maintained shore-based forces and coastal artillery (Marine-Artillerie-Einheiten) was one of those components. Typically, these artillery units were positioned at vital ports and harbors but could be redeployed to defend any coastal region from attack. 

     The soldier shown here holds the rank of Matrose (Seaman), the lowest rank in the Kriegsmarine. The shoulder boards have the coastal artillery cypher in gold colored threading which is that of an anchor over which is a stylized winged artillery shell. The collar litzen was identical to that used by the Heer (Army) except that the litzen was gold in color with a white center stripe. Likewise, the eagle insignia over the right breast pocket was similar to the Heer but was gold in color as well and used a dark green backing. The feldbluse was also similar to the Heer M1936 but the differences included the lack of the M1936's distinctive dark blue-green collar and the use of internal skirt pockets rather than patch pockets. Speaking of buttons, they were gold in hue and featured an anchor motif on them. The belt buckle was also much the same as the Heer, to include the motto "Gott mit Uns" ("God with Us"), but had a gold hue finish. His cap, called a schiffchen ("Little Boat"), was similar to the Heer feldmutze but used gold in the national roundel and the inverted chevron (called a soustache) was gold in color rather than the Heer's practice of using a soldier's corps color (waffenfarbe). 
 

Panzerjäger Tiger (P) Ferdinand: Shot Up at Ponyri

     The settlement of Ponyri would see occupation following the advance of the German XXXXVIII Motorized Corps through the area in October 1941. It would remain in German hands until elements of the Soviet 48th. and 13th. Armies pushed the Germans out of Ponyri on February 9, 1943. Ponyri would feature in the greatest armored engagement of World War Two, the Battle of Kursk, which commenced on July 5, 1943 when the Germans launched Unternehmen Zitadelle (Operation Citadel). 

     On July 9, 1943, elements of the XXXXI Panzer Corps moved on Ponyri. Included in those elements was Schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 654 (654th. Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion) which was equipped with the Sd.Kfz. 184 Panzerjäger Tiger (P) tank destroyer, better known as the Ferdinand (later Elefant). Boasting a maximum of 200mm of frontal armor and armed with the potent 8.8 cm Pak 43/2 L/71 anti-tank gun, the Ferdinand was well able to withstand Soviet anti-tank fire. Still, the Ferdinand was able to be beaten. In and around Ponyri, the Soviet 307th. and 1023rd. Rifle Regiment, bolstered by the 3rd. and 4th. Guards Airborne Division and elements of the 3rd. Tank Corps, bloodied the Germans severely and ground down their advance to the point it stalled with most of the German objectives unattained. 

     Littered around Ponryi were the wrecks of several Ferdinands of Schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 654 of which this vehicle was one. With the tactical number 712 and belonging to the 7th. Company, the vehicle had suffered numerous strikes to the superstructure front armor with no penetration and a glancing blow can be seen in the armor on the hull front as well as on the gun tube. The Ferdinand is also pock-marked from machine-gun fire. The disabling hits came from two rounds into the gun, one cracking the gun mantlet and the other the barrel itself. Due to the 65 ton weight of the Ferdinand, recovery of damaged vehicles was a very difficult task during combat operations and more often than not, they had to be abandoned even when the damage received was quite repairable.

Convair B-36D Peacemaker: No Match for Mother Nature

(Author's Collection)

     At 6:42pm on September 1, 1952, a tornado tore through Carswell Air Force Base (AFB) which was located northwest of Fort Worth, Texas. Among other units, stationed at Carswell was the 11th. Bombardment Wing, which had been activated back in February 1951 and under the 8th. Air Force. The wing flew the enormous Convair B-36 “Peacemaker” bomber which had the nickname of the “Aluminum Overcast” and to which Lt. General James Edmundson once described flying the massive aircraft as “sitting on your porch and flying your house around.” The tornado, boasting sustained wind speeds of over 90mph, struck the B-36 flight line directly and commenced to tossing the huge bombers about with ease. Two-thirds of the entire B-36 fleet was put out of service with some 72 bombers being damaged. 

     The only complete loss was B-36D “2051” (Serial No. 44-92051) shown in the photograph. The tornado easily lifted the bomber from its parking spot so that it came to grief off the tarmac. The encounter with the tornado snapped the tail off, broke a wing, and stripped off engine cowlings and other pieces of the airframe. Around the clock repairs would see the 11th. Bombardment Wing back to full strength by October 1952. The remains of “2051” were removed from Carswell AFB and utilized as a ground target for nuclear weapon testing. Of note, the 8th. Air Force badge can be seen on the tail. Also of note, Carswell AFB was closed in 1994 and is now the Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base.

Rheinmetall-Borsig 8.8cm Flugabwehrkanone 41: Improving the Best

(Author's Collection)

     Despite the tremendous success of the 8.8cm Flak 18/36/37 (best known simply as the “88”) gun in both the anti-aircraft and anti-tank roles, the Luftwaffe knew its success would wane and so it asked both Krupp and Rheinmetall-Borsig to come up with the successor. Krupp’s Gerät 42 design lost out to Rheinmetall-Borsig’s 8.8cm Flugabwehrkanone (Flak) 41 and the new gun entered service beginning in March 1943. The initial design of the Flak 41 was completed in 1941 and the first 152 guns taken into service featured a complicated sleeved, three bore sectioned barrel within a jacket with a locking collar to hold the sections together. When steel cased ammunition was used, it would often swell and the cartridge would not extract. This was solved by using brass and so those original weapons in service carried a yellow band around the barrel and a yellow “M” painted on the breech so that crews knew only to use brass (Messing) ammunition. The next 133 Flak 41 examples used a 2 bore sectioned barrel but the extraction problem persisted. The final 271 production guns used a heavier two section barrel and jacket. Despite the ammunition problems, the Flak 41’s capability exceeded that of its predecessor with a higher rate of fire, higher muzzle velocity, higher ceiling, and a longer range (when engaged in direct fire). In addition, the gun sat on a 360° rotating turntable rather than the “88’s” taller pedestal mount. This, coupled with a rear set gun trunnion, meant the Flak 41 had a low profile which made concealment easier when serving in the anti-tank role. The Czechs thought enough of the Flak 41 to keep captured examples in service into the 1960s.

     This particular Flak 41 appears to have been caught while limbered and the back portion appears to have burned or been scorched to some degree given the blackened appearance and missing tire. Although somewhat faint, a sharp edged camouflage pattern can be seen on the gun shield and on the visible folded stabilizer leg. Foliage had been draped on the gun as a means to add additional camouflage while stationary but that appears to have done little good. It is difficult to tell for certain but this Flak 41 is likely from the last production batch.

 

Belgian C.47 on Carden-Loyd Mk. VI: Too Much On Too Little

A captured Carden-Loyd Mk. VI tank destroyer being inspected by German troops. The emblem for the 2e Régiment de Cyclistes-Frontière along with the Belgian roundel can be seen on the side of the vehicle, the roundel just behind the pivot for the gun shield. (Author's Collection)

     The Carden-Loyd Tankette, designed by Sir John Carden and Vivian Loyd, enjoyed commercial success both domestically in Britain as well as in foreign markets. Production commenced in 1927 and ran through 1935 with the most widely built model being the Mark VI. The Carden-Loyd Mk. VI was a small, lightly armored, two man tankette and it set the standard for future tankette designs. The Mark VI had a combat weight of 1.5 tons, was 8.1 feet long, 6.6 feet wide, and a height of only 4 feet. The typical weapon fit was a single .303in. Vickers machine-gun provided with 1,000 rounds of ammunition. The crew, driver and commander, was provided with 6mm to 9mm of face-hardened armor for protection. Power came from a Ford 4-cylinder, inline engine that developed 20 horsepower and was paired with a Ford 2-speed epicyclic transmission that gave the Mark VI a maximum road speed of 30mph and ten gallons of fuel was carried to give the tankette a operational range of 100 miles.

     The British Army was the largest purchaser of the Carden-Loyd Mk. VI, with some 325 of them in service as machine-gun carriers, reconnaissance vehicles, and gun tractors for light artillery among other uses. On the foreign market, sales were brisk with such countries as Bolivia, Canada, China, India, Greece, and more placing orders for the tankette. Thailand was the largest customer, having purchased 60 of the vehicles. Even Japan was a buyer, obtaining six examples with the Imperial Japanese Navy using them in service as the Type 6 Machine-Gun Car (Rokushiki Kikan Jū-sha or Ka-shiki Kijū-sha meaning Carden-Loyd Tankette). Another foreign buyer, among others, was Belgium and what they decided to do with the Carden-Loyd Mk. VI is the subject of the photograph here.

     The Belgian Armed Forces were looking for a way to fully mechanize a gun by fitting it to a tracked vehicle. This had the advantage of providing the gun with a self-propelled mounting that didn't need to be towed into combat and could be more rapidly deployed. By being fitted on a tracked vehicle, this also provided for better cross-country mobility. Given the popularity of the Carden-Loyd Mk. VI, Belgium submitted an order for six examples and received them in 1931. Two guns were chosen as the test weapons with the first being the 76mm Canon de 76 Fonderie Royale des Canons (FRC; Royal Cannon Foundry) infantry support gun while the second was the Canon Anti-Char de 47mm Fonderie Royale de Canons Modèle 1931, mercifully shortened to C.47 FRC Mod.31. Each gun was fitted in a fixed mount centered on the front of the Mark VI which meant that while the gun had some elevation capability, to effect traverse, the entire vehicle had to turn in place. A gun shield was fitted to a metal frame that provided some frontal protection for the crew but when the vehicle was not in action, the gun shield could be tilted up and backwards that gave a meager measure of overhead protection from the elements. When testing commenced, the problems with the design were immediate. The biggest problem was the recoil of both guns with the Canon de 76 FRC having the largest amount of recoil despite its hydro-spring recoil mechanism. The recoil forces caused the front of the Mark VI to kick upwards and once the front end hit the ground again, the gun was no longer sighted and the target had to be re-sighted or reacquired. In addition, the violent motion caused undo strain on the chassis and running gear. Another problem was that the addition of the gun to the Mark VI along with the ammunition brought the combat weight of the tankette to 3 tons, a doubling of the weight without any compensation in regards to a larger, more powerful engine. As a consequence, the maximum speed was reduced and both the engine and the transmission suffered from more rapid wear which required additional maintenance hours as well as decreased the service life of the motor and drive components. Other problems included the very weak armor, the lack of crew protection overall, poor off-road handling, too little ammunition carrying capacity, and the fact that two men had to operate guns that normally were crewed by 3 to 5 men. The Canon de 76 FRC equipped Mark VI was refitted with the C.47 FRC Mod.31 and the remaining four were also converted to use the anti-tank gun, turning the vehicles into tank destroyers.

     Despite the problems with the tank destroyer Mk. VI, all six were issued to the elite Régiment des Chasseurs Ardennais (Ardennes Chasseur Regiment), a mountain division formed in 1933 and which continues to serve to this day in battalion strength. The C.47 FRC Mod.31 was formidable anti-tank gun, the armor-piercing round having a muzzle velocity of 2,400 feet per second and capable of going through 1.9 inches of armor plate at 300 meters. This put it on par with many of its contemporaries and at the beginning of World War Two, it was a threat to many light and even medium tanks. Unfortunately, the tank destroyers were a disaster in service with the regiment where both the elevation and mountainous terrain degraded not only the mobility but the performance of the already overburdened engine as well. The Régiment des Chasseurs Ardennais hastily dumped the six tank destroyers on the Régiment Territorial des Cyclistes Frontière (border guard regiments) and the vehicle shown in the photograph specifically belonged to the 8e Compagnie, 2e Régiment de Cyclistes-Frontière under the command of Capitaine-Commandant G. Verjans.

     At the start of the German invasion of Belgium that commenced on May 10, 1940, 8e Compagnie had only four of the Carden-Loyd tank destroyers left and all four were in poor condition. The remainder of the unit was comprised of six more modern T-13 tank destroyers, also equipped with the C.47 FRC Mod.31 gun. Verjans deployed the four Carden-Loyd tank destroyers into fixed camouflaged positions as part of the third Position Fortifiée de Liège (Fortified Positions of Liège or PFLIII) and in support of the 6e Compagnie under the command of Lt. A. Parent. Their defensive line was situated between the village of Lixhe and a connecting canal between the Maas (Meuse) River and the Albert Canal. The unit went into action on May 11, 1940, sometime in the late morning, early afternoon when German troops were spotted along the banks of the Maas River. Sporadic fire erupted between the Belgians and the Germans but the Germans made no attempt to cross. However, by 3pm that day, German forces had crossed the Albert Canal and at 10:30pm that night, the order to retreat was given. 8e Compagnie abandoned the four Carden-Loyd tank destroyers along with a number of T-13 tank destroyers due to mechanical problems. By May 20, 1940, the company was down to only four T-13s with the last battle being fought by 8e Compagnie on May 24, 1940 when the remaining T-13 tank destroyers covered the Belgian retreat to the Leie (Lys) River where the troops set up a defensive line between the villages of Izegem and Ingelmunster. Interestingly, the Germans did not attack the gathered Belgian forces there but accepted their surrender when Belgium capitulated on May 28, 1940.

 

British Stuart: Ad Hoc 18-pdr Field Gun Portée

From British and American Tanks of World War Two by Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis.

      Although the M3 light tank was U.S. designed and built, it was the British who first took it into action during Operation Crusader which commenced on November 18, 1941 in northern Africa. In British service, the M3 was known as the Stuart and for Operation Crusader, 170 Stuart I light tanks were included in the order of battle for the British 8th. Army. As the battle unfolded, units equipped with the Stuart suffered significant casualties. This, despite the fact the Stuart compared very favorably against two of the most common Axis tanks, the Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf G and the Italian Fiat M13/40. Against the former, the two tanks were evenly matched in terms of speed and armor protection and both the Stuart's 37mm M6 gun and the PzKpfw III's 3.7cm KwK 36 gun could knock the other tank out from over 1,000 meters. Against the Fiat, the M3 dominated the Italian medium tank and the Stuart was invulnerable to the 47mm Cannone da 47/32 AT gun from 1,000 meters and beyond whereas the Stuart could penetrate the M13/40 almost anywhere at that range. Analysis following the Allied victory against Axis forces on December 30, 1941 showed that the high casualty rate had more to do with the skill of German tank crews and superior tactics. The British also found that the two-man turret of the Stuart was problematic, to the point that some Stuart crews tried to squeeze a third man in to facilitate gun handling. The Stuart also did not have a high fuel capacity in comparison to some British tanks (such as the Crusader) which limited its range to only 75 miles. Still, the British appreciated the mechanical reliability of the Stuart and excellent speed. Nevertheless, by mid-1942, the British relegated the Stuart to reconnaissance tasks only, avoiding tank-vs-tank combat wherever possible. The British continued to use the Stuart throughout World War Two. Subsequent models were the Stuart II (Guiberson diesel engined M3), Stuart III (M3A1), Stuart IV (Guiberson engined M3A1), Stuart V (M3A3), and the Stuart VI (M5 and M5A1).

     The British also used a number of variants of the Stuart and two of the most common were the Stuart Recce and the Stuart Kangaroo. The Stuart Recce removed the turret which lowered the profile of the tank and lowered the weight of the vehicle which in turn, improved range. The Stuart Kangaroo also removed the turret and the vehicle was used as an armored personnel carrier (APC). There is debate on if the name “Kangaroo” was ever applied to the Stuart like it was to other similar vehicles derived from the M7 Priest, M4 Sherman, and Canadian Ram tank. These APCs were mostly used by British engineer units attached to armored brigades. A third, relatively common variant, was the Stuart Command which was also a turret-less Stuart but utilized by commanders and was equipped with additional radio equipment.

     This, then, brings us to the subject of the photograph. It depicts a one-off modification to a Stuart in which a British Ordnance QF 18-pounder field gun, sans wheels, was fitted to a simple bracket mount in place of the tank's turret. Although many of these guns were converted into the improved QF 25-pounder gun prior to World War Two, a number of the older guns (which entered service in 1904) remained in service and saw action during the opening stages of the North African campaign. Whether this ad hoc self-propelled gun (or portée) was ever used in action remains unknown but it was certainly constructed during the North African campaign in 1941-42. An examination of the mounting suggests that the gun was centered on the upper hull with the box trail extending over the opening left by the removal of the turret. This would allow the gun to be elevated to a maximum of 37 degrees and permit recoil. Of course, this assumes the gun is the Mk. III or Mk. IV model. If, on the other hand, the gun was an older Mk. I or Mk. II with a single, central trail, then the maximum elevation was only 16 degrees. The gun crew would have operated the gun without the benefit of all-around protection with the only measure of defense coming from the gun shield. It appears that two of the three hull machine-guns (one front hull mounted and one in each side of the upper hull) were removed, likely to make room for ammunition. This left only the front hull machine-gun. If the intent was to provide mobility for the gun and its 6.3 mile range was its defense from enemy attack, then having the additional machine-guns wasn't needed and if need be, crew small arms could also be utilized for close-in defense. How much ammunition the modified Stuart could carry isn't known though with the shell being a little over 1 foot long, an adequate supply could likely have been stowed if the machine-guns and the ammunition for them was removed. How the crew entered the SPG is also not known. It may have been possible for the crew to slip underneath the trailing arm or perhaps the trailing arm was not secured to the rear deck and the gun could be tilted upward to permit the crew to enter. Certainly in action, three men would likely have been crewing the gun from the deck while another remained in the tank, passing ammunition up through the opening where the turret had been. Some have said the modified Stuart was used as an assault gun, utilizing the gun for infantry support in the direct fire role. However, this is unlikely given the high profile of the SPG, the lack of armor protection for the gun crew, and the relatively light armor of the tank itself.

Private: Army Service Forces

     A studio portrait of an enlisted man with the rank of private following his graduation from basic training at Fort Monmouth in 1943. Fort Monmouth, once located in Monmouth County, New Jersey, was home to the U.S. Army's Eastern Signal Corps Training Center. The center contained the Eastern Signal Corps Schools for enlisted, officer candidate, and officer personnel as well as the Replacement Training Center. The latter was housed in Camp Charles Wood which, along with Camp Coles and Camp Evans, were encompassed within Fort Monmouth's boundaries. The officer candidate Signal Corps school was the “bread and butter” of the facility, graduating a little over 21,000 men as newly commissioned second lieutenants between 1941 and 1946. Also housed at Fort Monmouth during World War Two was the U.S. Army's Film Training Lab.

     The private excelled at marksmanship during his training as evidenced by the Marksmanship Qualification Badge worn on the left coat pocket. He achieved the lowest grade, that of Marksman, as evidenced by the plain award. Beneath it are three clasps, denoting what he earned the badge in. The top clasp is Rifle, the clasp below it is Machine Gun, and the third clasp is Carbine. To receive the clasps in each weapon class, he had to meet a specific number of target hits at various ranges and in different positions. Other common wartime clasps included Pistol, Bayonet, Grenade, BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle), and Submachine Gun among others. As a note, the next highest grade of the badge was Sharpshooter which included a round target on the badge while the highest grade was Expert and that badge consisted of a Sharpshooter Badge encompassed by laurels. The patch on his shoulder is that of the Army Service Forces and a part of that organization included the six technical services of the Army: Corps of Engineers, Ordnance Department, Quartermaster Corps, Chemical Corps, Medical Corps, and the Signal Corps. The private is a part of the Signal Corps as evidenced by the branch insignia of the Signal Corps on the coat's lapels. The insignia is that of two key components of a wigwag kit that consisted of two wigwag flags and a torch (the rest of the kit contained kerosene for the torch and a signal flare). Wigwag, more properly known as aerial telegraphy, was a method of flag signaling developed by U.S. Army surgeon Albert J. Myer who would become the very first commanding officer of the Signal Corps which was established on June 21, 1860. Thus, the significance of using the flags and torch as the branch insignia.

     As for Fort Monmouth, following World War Two, the Pigeon Breeding and Training Center was added to the campus though it was closed in 1957. The Signal Corps itself left Fort Monmouth in the 1970s, making its new home at Fort Gordon, Georgia. What remained was the Communications-Electronics Command Life Cycle Management Command (CECOM LCMC), the 754th. Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, Joint Interoperability Test Command, United States Military Academy Preparatory School (USMAPS), and the Patterson Army Health Clinic. Unfortunately, Fort Monmouth fell to the ax of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process and after all of the entities on the fort were relocated, Fort Monmouth was officially closed on September 15, 2011. Given the length of time the BRAC process took, then New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine signed the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Act on April 28, 2006 that established the Fort Monmouth Revitalization Planning Authority in order to guide the redevelopment of Fort Monmouth and the land it sits on following its closure.

Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf L: SS-Panzer Regiment 5

     The Panzerkampfwagen III (PzKpfw III) was one of the most numerous, indigenous tank designs within the German panzerwaffe. The design of the tank was a result of efforts by then Lieutenant-Colonel Heinz Guderian to mechanize German tank forces and develop mobile armored warfare, to include how to support such forces while on campaign. This would become the foundation of blitzkrieg or “lightning war.” A part of that was having more modern tanks and so Guderian envisioned two types of medium tanks. One would combat enemy tanks while the other would support the infantry. In 1935, a specification was issued to manufacturers Daimler-Benz, Krupp, MAN, and Rheinmetall-Borsig to tender designs to meet the specification for a medium tank to combat enemy armor. The Daimler-Benz contender was selected and in 1936, the PzKpfw Ausf A appeared. Subsequent models, the Ausf B and Ausf C, would be produced with new modifications to the design in 1937. But these models were only built in small numbers, with a total just under 40 tanks between all the makes. The Ausf D, introduced in 1938, would be the start of the model that would reach quantity production. On September 27, 1939, the PzKpfw III was officially accepted into service following a long period of troop trials. The tank would be baptized in battle with the commencement of the Polenfeldzug (Polish Campaign) which began on September 1, 1939. Only with the start of Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of Russia, on June 22, 1941 was the PzKpfw III the most numerous tank within German front-line tank forces. At the time, model depending, the PzKpfw III was armed either with a 3.7cm KwK 36 cannon or the short barrel 5cm KwK 38 gun. While these were effective against the majority of Soviet armor which consisted of T-26 tanks, as the combat wore on, the Germans encountered the T-34/76 medium tank and the KV-1 heavy tank more and more and both the armor and the armament of the PzKpfw III was coming up short. It was only through superior training, tactical deployment, and better crew ergonomics within the tank (that enhanced efficiency) which saw the PzKpfw III achieve a kill ratio of 6 enemy tanks destroyed of all types for every 1 German tank lost during the initial battles in 1941. Still, steps were taken to improve the protection and firepower of the PzKpfw III with the introduction of the Ausf J model which featured the long barreled 5cm KwK 39 gun. Earlier models were often retrofitted with the new gun as the tank designers had the forethought to build a turret from the outset that could accommodate larger armament. The next model, introduced towards the close of 1941, was the Ausf L and this had the same gun as the Ausf J but the front hull and turret armor was increased to 70mm. In addition, to further increase protection, the Ausf L featured 20mm of spaced armor on the mantlet and the superstructure front.

     The photograph depicts a PzKpfw III Ausf L belonging to one of the companies of SS-Panzer Regiment 5, 5. SS-Panzerdivision “Wiking“ (“Viking”). The photograph was likely taken sometime in late 1942 or early 1943. This unit identification is observed by the divisional Sonnenrad (“Sun Cross”) emblem, seen on the tank's fender. This emblem was a representation of the Nordic Sonnenrad but it was “broken” by having four gaps rather than being closed. This makes it more of a Hakenkreuz, or swastika. The tank is an early model of the Ausf L and this can be told by the fact the turret sides still have the pistol ports, one of which can be seen next to the open side hatch. Later models would remove them. It would appear that the tank is behind the lines as the machinegun has a cover on it to protect it from dust and grit and the crew appears to be in just their service shirts rather than their panzerjacke (panzer jacket).

Jagdtiger "234": Scuttled in Zeiskam

GIs pose with the remains of "234" (Author's Collection)

      Leutnant Kasper Geoggler commanded three Jagdtigers from 3rd. Kompanie, Schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung 653 (3/s.Pz.Jg.Abt.653). Geoggler’s mount was “331” while “323” and “234” made up the remainder of the unit. The kampfgruppe was situated outside Neustadt and on March 22, 1945, the unit engaged an armored column from the U.S. 3rd. Army. As was a common tactic, the Jagdtigers shot up the lead and rear tanks, sandwiching the remainder of the tanks between the wrecks. In the chaos, the Jagdtigers picked off the U.S. tanks with relative ease. In all, Geoggler’s three Jagdtigers claimed a total of 25 tanks destroyed, including M4 Shermans and M10 Wolverine tank destroyers. “331” and “323” suffered a total of 10 hits from U.S. tank rounds but not a one penetrated the thick armor of the Jagdtigers. 

     Geoggler withdrew the kampfgruppe into Neustadt proper. There, “323” broke down while attempting to get into a firing position within a garden. “331” was situated along Landauer Strasse, across from the immobilized “323,” which gave it a dominating field of fire along the road. In time, “331” was down to its last round and so Geoggler ordered the recoil cylinders drained and had the final round fired. This jammed the gun in full recoil, rendering it useless to the Americans. The crews boarded their SdKfz 251 half-tracks and along with Jagdtiger “234”, abandoned Neustadt and made for Zeiskam. 

     There, “234” went into action at a railway crossing until a shot penetrated the right front fender and broke the track. With no chance to repair the track or recover “234”, it was abandoned and blown up by its crew. The photograph shows “234” following the U.S. Army entry into Zeiskam. The internal fire caused the suspension to drop which is why the Jagdtiger appears to be “sitting” so low. Curious GIs, such as these men, spent many a moment clambering up onto “234” and taking photographs with it.

The Type 4 20cm Roketto: Japan's Rocket Mainstay

(U.S. Army Signal Corps)

     The Germans, U.S., British, and especially the Russians made use of unguided rockets to augment standard artillery and provide for rapidly delivered, devastating bombardments against opposing forces. The Japanese, on the other hand, did not and by the time they realized the value of rockets, the effort put forward to deploy rocket systems was too little, too late. One such rocket system which did make it into service was the Type 4 20cm rocket launcher. 

     First issued in 1943, the Type 4 was actually a 203mm rocket, weighed just over 185lbs. and had a maximum range of 1.4 miles. The Japanese elected to not use fins as a means to stabilize the rocket and instead, it achieved accuracy by means of spin-stabilization. The Type 4 was fired from a standardized launcher which resembled that of a mortar (hence, the Type 4 weapon system often being referred to as a rocket mortar) but it had the advantage of being able to launch from something as simple as a dirt mound. Thus, it was not uncommon for Japanese troops to fabricate launchers in the field. This particular Type 4 was captured by the 4th. U.S. Marine Division during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Unlike the more usual wooden launch rails (which were easier to construct), this Type 4 launcher was far more elaborate. The wheeled carriage made transportation easier as well as allowed for more rapid deployment and had a locking lever to adjust the elevation of the launch tube. The rocket would be loaded into the tube and launched by pulling the long lanyard. The length of the lanyard allowed the firer to be far enough away from the rocket to avoid being struck by debris kicked up by the rocket exhaust. 

     Of all the rocket systems developed, the Type 4 was produced in significant numbers though most of them were kept within Japan to be used to repel the expected Allied invasion of the Japanese home islands…something which never happened.
 

The Lloyd 40.05: Strange Solution for a Common Problem

     Until the introduction of Anthony Fokker's Stangensteuerung (literally Rod Control) interrupter gear in 1915 which allowed for a forward firing machine-gun to fire through the propeller arc with some measure of safety, the various combatants of World War One had to use other solutions to permit a machine-gun to fire forwards. At first, pilots and observers used pistols and rifles against enemy aircraft but soon after, machine-guns became the standard aircraft armament. A simple solution, used by the Nieuport 10 as an example, mounted a Lewis or Hotchkiss machine-gun on top of the upper wing, firing forwards. While clearing the propeller arc, the position of the machine-gun made reloading a difficult prospect for the pilot. Another solution was to put the engine in the rear of the fuselage. Pusher designs, such as the de Havilland D.H.2 and Farman F.40, permitted a clear field of fire for the gunner who was positioned in the front of the aircraft, forward of the pilot. Yet another relatively common solution was the use of wedge shaped deflector plates fitted to the back of the propeller that would deflect bullets away from the blades. One type of aircraft that used these deflectors was the Morane-Saulnier L scout plane. While somewhat effective, there was no guaranty that the deflected bullets wouldn't strike the aircraft. Perhaps the most bizarre solution in order to permit a machine-gun to fire forward and not destroy the propeller in the process was put forward by the Hungarian Lloyd Repülőgép és Motorgyár Részvénytársaság (Lloyd Aircraft & Motor Works, Inc.) company.

     The Lloyd Works (Ungarische Lloyd Flugzeug und Motorenfabrik AG in Austrian) manufactured the Lloyd C.II, C.III, and C.IV two-seat, single-engine biplane reconnaissance aircraft for the Kaiserliche und Königliche Luftfahrtruppen (K.u.K. LFT;Austro-Hungarian Aviation Troops). The C-series of aircraft were quite conventional in design which made the appearance of the Lloyd 40.05 (it was also called the FJ for Flugzeug Jäger or Aircraft Hunter) all the more striking when it commenced development in 1915. A Lloyd engineer by the last name of Melczer decided that an optimum solution to permit a forward firing machine-gun a good range of fire and still retain a tractor propeller (meaning, a front mounted engine) was to position the observer/gunner above the upper wing. To accomplish this, the entire forward portion of the Lloyd 40.05 featured a fully enclosed position that consumed the space between the fuselage and the upper wing. On the left side of the enclosure were clear panels to give some measure of side vision for the observer when seated and performing reconnaissance tasks. At the top of the enclosure was the open gun station which had a short windscreen in the front and armament consisted of twin 8mm M.07/12 Schwarzlose machine-guns on a flexible mounting. Just beneath the windscreen, in the direct front of the aircraft, was a radiator for the motor. While the observer had a clear view when manning the gun station, the same could not be said for the pilot. Sitting directly behind the observer's enclosure, the pilot had no forward view unless he moved his head to look from side to side. To add to the pilot's situation, the exhaust stacks for the engine were positioned on the right side of the enclosure, directly in line with the pilot's head which meant the slipstream likely carried any fumes and smoke into his face.

     The Lloyd 40.05 was powered by a MAG-Daimler 6-cylinder, water-cooled, inline piston engine that developed 160 horsepower. It drove a two-bladed, fixed pitch wooden propeller. The aircraft stood at 10.2 feet high, was 22.8 feet long, had a maximum wingspan of 36.8 feet, and a total wing area (top and bottom wings) of 270 square feet. The fully loaded weight was 2,120 pounds. The maximum service ceiling was 16,404 feet and the maximum operational range was 310 miles.

     The first prototype of the Lloyd 40.05 took to the air in January 1916 and needless to say, the K.u.K. LFT was not impressed with the design and flat out rejected it. The reasons were many and included poor handling in the air, the difficulty for the pilot to land the aircraft, slow speed due to the friction drag produced by the large frontal surface area of the plane, and that by 1916, interrupter gears were being used more and more, removing the need for other solutions to provide safe forward weapon firing. Lloyd, in a desperate bid to try to interest the K.u.K. LFT in the aircraft, converted the 40.05 into a single-seat fighter, eliminating the observer and in place of the gun station, a Type-II VK (Versuchs Kompanie) gun container was fitted, firing forward, with a single 8mm M.07/12 Schwarzlose machine-gun. The shape of the container earned the Type-II VK the morbid nickname of “Kindersarg” or "Children's Coffin”. Since the 40.05 was relatively unchanged outside of the modification to fit the gun container, the K.u.K. LFT again quickly rejected the aircraft as all the flaws of the two-seat version remained. In all, only two Lloyd 40.05 aircraft were built.

Soviet T-35 Heavy Tank: Left Behind on the Stalin Prospekt

     Prior to the German invasion of Russia (Operation Barbarossa) which commenced on June 22, 1941, five T-35 heavy tanks from the 14th. Heavy Tank Brigade were in the city of Kharkov for refitting. One of these was this T-35 (chassis 220-28), the twentieth T-35 built, having rolled out of the factory sometime in 1936. Kharkov was a strategically important city because of its manufacturing and industrial complex. It was the birthplace of the T-34 medium tank but also was the site of numerous small arms and infantry weapon manufacturing plants as well as the location of the Sukhoi Su-2 reece/light bomber aircraft production plant. Thus, the city would be embroiled in four major battles between 1941 and 1943. 

     On October 20, 1941, LV. Armeekorps deployed the 101. Leichte-Division, the 57. Infanterie-Division, and Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 197 to commence the taking of Kharkov. Defending the city was the Soviet 216th. Rifle Division and the ad-hoc Separate Armored Unit which was made up of twenty-five T-27 tankettes, thirteen KhTZ-16 vehicles (improved tank built on a STZ-3 tractor), five T-26 light tanks, and four of the five T-35 heavy tanks. The Soviets were to defend the city and buy time for factory equipment to be evacuated. The actual assault on the city began on June 23, 1941 by which time the evacuation of the equipment was completed and the next day, the city was in German hands. The T-35 in the photograph was being driven along Stalin Prospekt, a main road leading out of Kharkov, when the tank either broke down or was abandoned. The crew had enough time to plant charges and scuttle the tank which blew the roof off the main turret, upended the rear facing 45-mm gun turret, and completely blew the two machine-gun turrets off the tank. 

     The tank would remain on the road, becoming a sign post and attraction for photographs. By May 1942, the tank had been pushed off the road and photographs taken by German troops show the tank as losing more and more pieces. Some of the last photographs were taken in 1943 and show that the T-35, despite being derelict, was mistaken for an active tank and sustained a penetrating hit to the rear. It is presumed that following the Fourth Battle of Kharkov (which ended August 23, 1943) in which the Russians reclaimed Kharkov for good, the T-35 was scrapped.

Unteroffizieranwärter: Heer Nachrichtenpersonal

     A studio portrait of an Unteroffizieranwärter. An Unteroffizieranwärter (Non-Commissioned Officer Candidate) was a soldier who was considered by his superiors to be a candidate for attending Unteroffizierschule (NCO School). His rank (for the moment) is Gefreiter which was equivalent to a Lance Corporal and this is shown by the “V” shaped silver tress on a triangular wool backing. His status as a NCO school candidate is denoted by the single loop of silver tress on his schulterklappen (shoulderboards). Of interest is his Nachrichtenpersonal (Signals Operator) proficiency badge. This proficiency badge was given to those soldiers who excelled in the tasks required to operate signals equipment but more importantly, how to service, maintain, and repair communication equipment. The color of the “blitz” (lightning bolt) followed the same regulation as the Waffenfarbe (corps colors) and so in this case, it would appear that the Unteroffizieranwärter is infantry and so the “blitz” would be white. Had he been, for example, artillery, then the “blitz” would have been red (the corps color of artillery). As a note, the soustache (the inverted chevron) on his feldmütze (field service cap) would also match the corps color. So, as another example, had this Unteroffizieranwärter been with a Kraftfahrparktruppen (vehicle troop), the piping on the shoulderboards, the soustache, and the “blitz” would all be blue.

     The Litzenspiegel (more often called Litzen; collar patches), prior to 1938, would have matched the Waffenfarbe. However, it was seen that logistically, creating collar patches in all of the Waffenfarbe colors was simply impractical and would have burdened unit tailors with having to sew on new litzen if a unit changed missions (for example, transitioning from a cavalry unit to an infantry unit) or soldiers from other units transferred in. So, after 1938, a universal litzen was introduced with silver-gray threading on a green backing. By 1940, this was changed to a feldgrau (field gray) to more match the uniform but it was never popular and troops, when they could, would wear the green backed litzen and those troops who had the pre-1938 litzen with the Waffenfarbe colors continued to wear them as a sign of pride.