schwere 24cm Kanone(t): In Action at the Siege of Leningrad

     The back breaking job of loaders of heavy siege guns is amply illustrated in this photograph. The gun is the schwere 24cm Kanone(t) and the crew belonged to the 2. Bataillon, Artillerie Regiment 84, Heeresgruppe Nord. As for the date and location, the photograph was taken sometime in September 1941 in Russia during the opening weeks of the Siege of Leningrad which ran from September 8, 1941 to January 27, 1944. The battalion consisted of three batteries, each battery being equipped with two of these massive guns.

     The gun itself, however, was not of German manufacture. The gun was designed by Škoda, which was then located within the Austrian Empire, based on a request in 1916 by the Austro-Hungarian Army. The request was for a gun capable of demolishing targets far behind enemy lines as the current heavy siege guns in service lacked the desired range. Škoda, in order to save both development time and material resources, constructed the new 24cm Kanone M. 16 in parallel with the larger 38cm Belagerungshaubitze M 16 and so the new gun utilized the same horizontal sliding-block breech, gun carriage, and firing platform as the bigger weapon. Construction began in 1916 but only two examples were completed before the end of World War One. Another six were constructed between 1918 and 1921 and were used by the Czechoslovakian Army. When Germany, in 1938, annexed Czechoslovakia, the German Heer (Army) purchased the six guns from the Czechoslovak government and put them into service as the schwere 24cm Kanone(t).

     Deploying the schwere 24cm Kanone(t) was a long, laborious task. For transport, the gun was broken down into four loads (barrel, carriage, and two halves of the base box), each carried on an eight-wheeled, electrically powered trailer. Each trailer was pulled by a Austro-Daimler Artillerie-Generator Zugwagen M. 16. These specialized trucks were fitted with two electric generators which were powered by the truck's 6-cylinder gasoline engine. The generators provided power to the truck's rear wheels and drove the electric motors in each of the trailer's eight wheels. A fifth truck towed an ammunition trailer that carried 28 complete rounds plus a loading crane. Top speed of the gun train was just under 9mph. For longer distances, the entire gun train was moved by rail via locomotive. Once a firing site was chosen, ground depending, it took 8 to 20 hours to prepare the firing pit to accept the assembled base box. Using a series of jacks and guide rails, the two halves of the base box were connected then lowered into the pit. The entire base box measured 21ft. long, 17ft. wide, and 4.6ft. high. Once the box was in place, it took another 6 to 8 hours to assemble the gun. The carriage was moved into position, jacked up to allow the trailer to be removed, then it was lowered to the base box and bolted down. Block and tackle was used to lift the barrel from the trailer then fit the barrel onto the carriage with the final steps being the connection of the recoil brake pistons, filling the recoil system with hydraulic fluid, then testing the entire recuperator mechanism. The combat weight of the schwere 24cm Kanone(t) totaled 95 tons.

     The schwere 24cm Kanone(t) rested on a turntable fitted to the base box that allowed the gun to be traversed a full 360 degrees. Elevation was a maximum of 41 degrees and a minimum of 10 degrees. Each shell weighed 437lbs. and consisted of the shell itself and a separate, 43lb. cased powder charge. The photograph depicts the gun just after firing with one loader removing the spent cased charge, smoke still issuing from it. The size of the case is quite evident in comparison to the loader. The gun has already been lowered to 6 degrees to permit reloading and behind the loader, three men are prepared to move the projectile into the breech with the aid of a roller race. The shell was put onto the race via a crane, not seen in this photograph. Once the loader was clear, the race was pushed forward and the three men shoved the projectile into the gun. This was followed by the powder charge. Once the breech was closed, the gun was elevated back up to its original firing position and upon the order to fire, the gunner pulled the lanyard, sending the projectile down range. The schwere 24cm Kanone(t) was capable of a maximum range of 16 miles thanks to its 2,600 feet per second muzzle velocity. A skilled crew could fire one round every minute.

     Prior to deploying to the Eastern Front, the battalion had been positioned on Cap-Gris-Nez, Pas de Calais in France to interdict British shipping within the English Channel as well as provide protective fire for Kreigsmarine ships operating in the channel. By June 1942, the barrels of the battalion's guns had worn out and were shipped back to Škoda for refurbishment of the barrels and repairs of the gun components and equipment. Usage of substandard metals caused one of the barrels to rupture during testing which caused considerable delay in the refitting. It would not be until July 18, 1943 did the battalion receive two refurbished guns, enough to equip a single battery. The unit was deployed back to the Eastern Front, again under Heeresgruppe Nord. Another two guns arrived in January 11, 1945 to equip a second battery but four would be the total the battalion would get. The battalion continued to see action but would eventually be caught up in the Courland Pocket, surrendering on May 10, 1945 to the Soviet Army.

Soviet T-35 Heavy Tank: Abandoned in Sudova Vyshnia

     A group of Reichsarbeitsdienst (RAD; Reich Labor Service) soldiers take some time to explore an abandoned Soviet T-35 heavy tank in the village of Sudova Vyshnia sometime in 1942. The tank, hull number 715-61, was constructed in 1936 and was the first to be fitted with the P-40 anti-aircraft machine-gun mount on the main turret and was the thirty-first overall T-35 tank to be built. It was issued to the 68th. Tank Regiment whose repair center was located within the village and on June 24, 1941, the tank was listed as needing repair to its gearbox and fan drive. However, the rapid advance of German forces would see to it that the repairs were not completed (or perhaps not even started) and so on June 29, 1941, the breeches of the main turret's 76.2mm KT-28 gun and the two 45mm 20K guns in the secondary turrets were removed along with all the machine-guns, ammunition and optics. This was all buried in the ground away from the tank to keep it from falling into the hands of the Germans. When the Germans occupied Sudova Vyshnia, the T-35 was a favored curiosity to visit and be photographed with. Over time, bits and pieces of the tank were removed and photographs of the derelict T-35 by January 1942 showed the radio antenna around the main turret missing, leaving only the support struts which dates this photograph to the late spring or summer of 1942. The two white stripes on the main turret identify the tank as belonging to the 68th. Tank Regiment.

     Of interest is the fact that the RAD troops are equipped with old Gewehr 98 rifles which are of World War One vintage. This is evidenced by the straight bolt handle, the location of the front rifle strap fitting, and the overall length of the rifle. Some of them appear to have been modified in some degree to post-WW1 Karabiner 98b standards. These changes included using a tangent-leaf rear sight instead of the Lange tangent sight, turning down the bolt handle, and the removal of the front and rear rifle strap swivel mounts and replacing them with simple loop on the front barrel band and a lateral slot cut into the stock. The RAD soldier nearest the camera appears to only have the newer tangent-leaf sight as it retains the straight bolt handle and given the way the rifle is slung, appears to have the original swivel strap mounts. Notice also the variance in the wood coloration of the rifle stocks among the soldiers. RAD units were not considered, at this time, as front line combat troops and so had to make do with elderly weapons. Given the lack of equipment, these men may have been taking an excursion to visit the T-35 wreck. The distinctive RAD service cap can be seen tucked into the front of the belts of some of the soldiers. What informs the viewer they are RAD men is due to the arm shields (Dienststellenabzeichen) seen above the armband but the photograph is too blurry to make out the numbers on the shields which would identify their unit. As a note, by 1942, there were some 427 RAD units deployed on the Eastern Front and as the war ground on and the Soviet war machine ground up regular Wehrmacht forces, these units saw more and more combat rather than the rear echelon tasks they had originally been deployed to do.

Lieutenant Richard E. Smith: 39th. Fighter Squadron

     Lieutenant Richard E. Smith stands next to his Lockheed P-38H “Japanese Sandman II” (serial number 42-66905). Smith’s previous aircraft, a P-38F, had been written off and so he carried over the name to his new mount. Smith was with the 39th. Fighter Squadron, 35th. Fighter Group, 5th. Air Force and the unit flew missions in the Southwest Pacific Theater beginning in June 1942. By the close of 1943, the 39th. transitioned to the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. The P-38s were transferred to the 431st. Fighter Squadron, 475th. Fighter Group that operated from North Borio Airfield, Borio. 

     On December 4, 1943, Lieutenant Dolphus Ransome Dawson II took the former Smith’s P-38H up for a training exercise but during the flight, the aircraft developed mechanical problems and Dawson had no choice but to force land the plane. Unable to make any of the nearby airfields, Dawson brought the plane down into a swamp near Embi Airfield No. 2 located in Papua, New Guinea. The P-38H was a complete write-off but Dawson walked away without injury. Rescue personnel from the airfield retrieved Dawson but the aircraft was abandoned where it lay. 

     Smith would survive the war, achieving seven kills against Japanese aircraft (two A6M Zeros fighters, two Ki-43 “Oscar” fighters, two Ki-61 “Tony” fighters, and one G4M “Betty” bomber) which made him an ace. He retired from the Air Force with the rank of Captain and passed away in 2006. Dawson would also retire from the Air Force, earning the rank of Major, before passing on in 1995. 

     Sometime in the 1980s, the wreckage of the P-38H was discovered and in 1986, Smith would visit the crash site of his former aircraft. In 2003, both tail booms and other various parts and components from the P-38H were salvaged and as of 2006, remain with Precision Aerospace out of Wangaratta, Australia. As for the 39th. Fighter Squadron, it is still in active service as the 39th. Flying Training Squadron, operating out of Randolph Air Force Base in Texas. The 431st. Fighter Squadron, however, was inactivated on June 30, 1992, the General Dynamics F-111 “Aardvark” being the last aircraft the unit flew.

Obergefreiter: Panzer-Abteilung 300

     A studio photograph of an Obergefreiter (Senior Corporal) of a panzer unit. Comparing the uniform to the previous panzer crewman photograph before this image, one will note that the pink piping is no longer present on the collars as a means to simplify production of the uniform. His rank is denoted by the insignia on his sleeve consisting of two strips of tress forming a downward pointing “V” on a triangular wool backing. For decorations, he wears the ribbon for the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class) through the buttonhole of his tunic. Next is the Panzerkampfabzeichen (Panzer Assault Badge) which was awarded to recognize those who showed exceptional élan and achievement while involved in armored combat. The medal beside it is the Verwundetenabzeichen 3. Klasse (Wound Badge 3rd. Class). It was awarded to those wounded 1-2 times in combat. The semi-matte black paint of the medal has been worn off, no doubt from rubbing against equipment and metal within the confines of a tank.

     The main interest in this photograph is the Krimschild (Crimea Shield) which is sewn to the sleeve of his tunic above his rank. Instituted on July 25, 1942, the Krimschild was awarded to military personnel under the command of Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein who fought against Soviet forces in the successful taking of the Crimea region from September 21, 1941 to July 4, 1942. This meant that the Obergefreiter was with a unit under the 11th. Army which von Manstein commanded during the Crimea Campaign. Thus, it is possible that he belonged to the only panzer unit attached to the 11th. Army, Panzer-Abteilung 300. This unit specialized in using radio-controlled demolition tanks, being equipped with the Schwerer Ladungsträger Borgward B IV (Sd.Kfz. 301; Heavy Explosive Carrier Borgward B IV), the Leichter Ladungsträger Goliath (Sd.Kfz. 302; Light Explosive Carrier Goliath), and Panzerkampfwagen III (Sd.Kfz. 141) medium tanks.