Artillerie-Panzerbeobachtungswagen III, 75. Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment

Source: Author's collection

     As World War Two continued, the German military utilized more and more self-propelled artillery though such guns were never able to fully replace horse-drawn or those guns drawn by half-tracks or other soft-skinned vehicles. Of course, for artillery of any kind to be truly effective during the war, it required forward observers who would watch the fall of the rounds and radio back corrections to the firing batteries to ensure that as much of the incoming fire was as close to on-target as possible and thus maximize the destruction. These forward observers were often small teams on foot or moved about the battlefield in lightly armored vehicles such as armored cars or light tanks. By 1943, such vehicles had a very limited lifespan. Typically artillery was used defensively to break up an attack or was used on the offense to soften up the enemy prior to committing ground troops. Either way, it meant the forward observers had to be in the vicinity of the action in order to witness the incoming fire missions and correct as needed. Thus, it was seen that something better was needed to support the self-propelled artillery batteries and give forward observers the means to survive the front lines. The initial answer was the Artillerie-Panzerbeobachtungswagen III (PzBeobWg III).

     The Artillery Tank Observation Vehicle III was, in reality, a stop-gap measure which was undertaken to provide such a vehicle while development of a purpose-built armored observation vehicle was conducted (something that did not happen). Using war-weary and obsolete Ausf E through Ausf H models of the Panzerkampfwagen III medium tank, several modifications were done to convert them to their new role. The biggest change was the removal of the main gun armament. In place of the main gun, a Maschínengewehr 34 (MG 34) in a ball mounting was fitted and provided with 1,500 rounds of ammunition. The weight savings by not having a main gun nor the associated shells allowed for the fitting of an additional 30mm of armor plate on the hull front and on the entire rear of the tank. In addition, a new gun mantlet replaced the original, increasing the thickness from 30mm to 50mm. A feature of this mantlet was the addition of a dummy gun fitted to the right of the MG 34. The hull machine-gun was removed and the hole for the machine-gun was fitted with a metal plug. For radio equipment to allow communication back to the battery, the PzBeobWg III was fitted with a Funkgerät 4 (FuG 4) and the FuG 8. The FuG 4 utilized a 2 meter tall star antenna though specifics about it are not well known. The FuG 8 was heavily used for divisional communication with later models using a 30 watt transmitter, MW receiver C, and had a frequency band of 835 to 3,000 kilocycles per second. It used a 8 meter tall mast antenna. The FuG 4 had a much shorter range, with a Wireless Telegraph (WT) range of 2.3 miles and a Radiotelephone (RT) range of 1.2 miles. The FuG 8, on the other hand had a WT range of 31.1 miles and a RT range of 6.2 miles. In all, 262 PzBeobWg III vehicles were constructed between February 1943 to April 1944 and two such vehicles were deployed to each Hummel (“Bumblebee”) or Wespe (“Wasp”) self-propelled gun batteries as supply permitted.

     The photograph was reportedly taken following the German defeat at the hands of the Soviets following Unternehmen Frühlingserwachen (Operation Spring Awakening) in mid-March 1945 near Lake Balaton, Hungary. If this is accurate, then the PzBeobWg III belonged to 75. Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment underneath the III. Panzerkorps, 6. Armee, Heeresgruppe Süd. This unit was equipped with “Wespe“ 10.5cm self-propelled guns on the Panzerkampfwagen II chassis. It is difficult to assess what model the PzBeobWg III shown was built on but given the late date in the war, it is likely an Ausf H version. The crew had secured three links of track to the front of the tank in an effort to increase the protection. Since the hull machine-gun was not fitted, the track covered where it had been but one can see a portion of the track missing to allow the driver to see through his vision block. Just visible are the schürzen (armored skirts) fitted to the turret and hull. The front part of the skirt on the hull can be made out to the right (as one looks at the photograph) of the Soviet soldier. The turret skirt is visible just behind the dummy gun mantlet. These skirts were designed to reduce the velocity or divert the trajectory of incoming kinetic rounds. In the upper, right corner of the photograph is the star antenna for the FuG 4 radio. 

     Of interest, however, is the dummy gun itself. The crew of this PzBeobWg III fashioned an entirely new dummy gun and fit it over the existing one. The likely reason for this is because the standard dummy gun gave the appearance of the far weaker short 5cm KwK L/42 or the 3.7cm KwK L/46.5. By adding the additional wooden mantlet sleeve and the longer wooden barrel with a muzzle brake, it gave the PzBeobWg III the appearance of a Panzerkampfwagen IV fitted with the potent 7.5cm KwK40 L/48 gun. This was made more so by the use of the schürzen which many late-war PzKpfw IV tanks were equipped with. In so doing, the elaborate wooden dummy gun assembly helped the PzBeobWg III blend in more and not be singled out. Of course, the Soviet soldier hefting the broken gun tube for the camera means it didn't make much of a difference for this PzBeobWg III.

7.5cm PaK40/2 auf Fgst Pz.Kpfw II (Sf) "Marder II": Demolitioned Outside Rome

Source: U.S. Signal Corps

     Somewhere outside Rome on June 5, 1944, a U.S. soldier from the 5th. Army examines what is left of a German 7.5cm PaK40/2 auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II (Sd.Kfz 131) tank destroyer which was, mercifully, simply called the Marder II. The need to both bolster and improve tank destroying capability resulted in two tank destroyers utilizing the chassis of the Panzerkampfwagen II light tank. 

     The first version was designated the Panzer Selbstfahrlafette 1 für 7.62cm PaK36(r) auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf D¹ und D² (Sd.Kfz 132). Sometimes (again, mercifully) known as the LaS 762, this tank destroyer utilized Panzer II ausf. D and E as well as Flammpanzer II (a flamethrower variant of the Panzer II) chassis and mounted a captured Soviet 76.2mm F-22 Model 1930 field gun rechambered to fire the 75mm round used by the potent PaK 40 anti-tank gun. The LaS 762 was a stop-gap design while more purpose-built tank destroyers were designed and put into production. It was characterized by its tall profile and 201 vehicles were converted between April 1942 and June 1943.

     The second version was the Sd.Kfz 131, a more dedicated tank destroyer design, and it used war weary Panzer II ausf. A, B, and C chassis (but would later use factory "fresh" ausf. F chassis). The Marder II had the excellent 75mm PaK 40 gun as its main weapon. All told, 651 Marder II were produced between June 1942 and March 1944 and saw service on all fronts (though the majority were deployed to the Eastern Front). Both the German Army (Heer) and Waffen-SS were heavy users of the Marder II, equipping the panzerjäger abteilungen of panzer divisions. In addition, some Luftwaffe ground forces used the Marder II in their own tank destroyer units.

     The Marder II in the photograph has lost its entire superstructure save the forward portion and the front of the hull has been completely blown out as has the back of the vehicle. Given the extent of the damage and most notably by the burst barrel of the PaK 40, this particular Marder II was destroyed by the crew using demolition charges. This was not too uncommon when the vehicle could not be recovered from whatever circumstance disabled it (mired in the ground, mechanical breakdown, or battle damage) and so blowing the vehicle up denied its use by the enemy.

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf B (2. Zug, 2. Kompanie, Panzer-Regiment 4, 13. Panzer-Division)

Source: Author's collection.

     Somewhere on the Eastern Front, the abandoned remains of a Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf B medium tank slowly sinks into the Russian mud. The photograph was one of many contained in a soldier's personal photo album entitled “Meine Dienstzeit” (“My Service Period”) though who the soldier was and who he served with was not given in the album. The tank belonged to the 2. Zug, 2. Kompanie, Panzer-Regiment 4, 13. Panzer-Division. This is denoted by the tactical number 222 on the turret with the third number two denoting it was the second tank in the platoon (Zug). That the tank was with the 13. Panzer-Division is denoted by the circle with the cross on the hull side. It is likely the soldier passed the wreck and snapped a picture of it since there was no other tank pictures in the album.

     Production of the PzKpfw IV Ausf B started in April 1938 and by September 1938, a total of 42 had been produced before it was superseded by the Ausf C model. Built by Krupp-Gruson, the PzKpfw IV Ausf B was powered by a Maybach HL120TR engine connected to a 7-speed gearbox (6 forward, 1 reverse) and was enough to provide the tank with a top road speed of 25mph. Enough fuel was carried to give a maximum operational range of 124 miles. For armament, the tank was fitted with a 7.5cm KwK 37 L/24 gun with a co-axial 7.92mm MG 34 machine-gun. Curiously, the hull mounted MG 13 machine-gun that had been fitted to the previous Ausf A model was removed and replaced with only a visor and a pistol port. 80 total rounds of ammunition was carried for the KwK 37 and was often a mixture of armor piercing (Panzergranate), high-explosive (Sprenggranate), and smoke (Nebelgranate) shells. The machine-gun was provided with 2,400 rounds of belted ammunition. The turret had a 360 degree rotation which was electrically driven (with a manual backup) while the gun had a maximum elevation of 20 degrees and a maximum gun depression of 10 degrees. For protection, the PzKpfw IV Ausf B had 30mm of armor on the turret front at a 10 degree slope, 15mm on the turret sides at a 25 degree slope, and 15mm and no sloping. The gun mantlet added another 30mm of armor to the front of the turret. The superstructure front was 30mm thick at a 7 degree slope, 15mm of armor on the sides with no sloping, and 15mm at the rear with a 10 degree slope. The hull front had 30mm of armor at a 12 degree slope, 15mm on the sides with no sloping, and 15mm thick on the rear at a 10 degree slope. The turret top armor was 10mm thick, the top of the superstructure was 12mm thick, and the underside of the hull was 5mm thick.

     When the 13. Panzer-Division, under the command of Generalleutnant Walter Düvert, went into Russia on June 22, 1941, it had twenty PzKpfw IV tanks on hand in various makes out of an authorized strength of twenty-eight. A little over a month later, a report dated August 28, 1941 listed only nine tanks left operational with another ten being completely written off. The division was under the 1. Panzerarmee, Heeresgruppe Süd and saw considerable action during the Battle of Kiev which took place from August 23, 1941 to September 26, 1941. Although it was a significant defeat for the Russians, the Germans still suffered 61,239 casualties and would account for the August report on medium tank strength for the division. Of the PzKpfw III medium tanks the division had, prior to combat, the authorized strength was seventy-one tanks of which the division had its full allotment. But after the initial battles in and around Kiev, the report listed only thirty-seven tanks operational with another ten having been written off.

     The tank seen here doesn't appear to have suffered combat damage but without being able to see the front, it is difficult to say for sure. It may have experienced a mechanical breakdown or threw a track and with the rapid advance, it may have been left behind for a later recovery. In the meantime, it appears to have been scavenged to a small degree, mainly with the spare road-wheels having been taken from their location on the fender as where they were can just be made out to the right of the 13. Panzer-Division symbol.

Panzerkampfwagen I in Poland: The Cross Marks the Spot

      When Germany went to war with Poland on September 1, 1939, the armored vehicles of the Panzerwaffe wore a uniform dark gray (dunkelgrau) paint. In part, this was both an economic and a simplistic move as it cost less and was easier to apply than a more complex two- or three-color camouflage pattern. Interestingly, in bright sunlight, dunkelgrau turned a lighter shade of gray while in shadow, it was almost black. Another reason for the one-tone paint was the principle of Blitzkrieg (Lightening War). As tanks and armored cars would be on the move during the attack, there was no point to camouflage as motion nullifies the value of elaborate camouflage. When German tanks and other armor vehicles were at rest, they were often dispersed amongst natural cover (such as under trees) which had the same, if not superior, benefit of camouflage paint schemes.

     As for national markings, initially, German tanks had no such identification. But that changed when Germany prepared for the invasion of Poland. Starting in August 1939, simple white crosses were applied to tanks and armored cars. There was no standardized size for the crosses, or balkenkreuz, and so how large...or small...they were varied from vehicle to vehicle. There was, though, a standardization on where the crosses had to be applied. A cross was to be applied on the front, left side, right side, and rear of both the turret and the superstructure for a total of eight crosses on the vehicle. The use of the white crosses made what little value the dunkelgrau paint had as camouflage null and void but there was a far more serious problem the white crosses presented: they made excellent aiming points for Polish anti-tank gunners.

     This problem is graphically illustrated in this photograph of a knocked out Panzerkampfwagen I (PzKpfw I) light tank. Developed in 1932, the PzKpfw I entered service in 1934 and even by 1939, it remained in service in large numbers. Incapable of engaging other tanks due to its dual 7.92mm MG 13 machine-gun armament, it was still able to attack soft targets such as infantry and unarmored vehicles that lacked anti-tank support. If faced with anti-tank guns, the PzKpfw I crew knew the protection of their tank, between 7 to 13mm thick, was of little worth.

     The most common Polish towed anti-tank gun was the 37mm wz.36. Using a split-trail carriage and fitted with a vertical sliding-block breech, the wz.36 presented a low profile and a skilled crew was able to fire 12 rounds per minute. The gun had a 5mm thick shield to offer some protection to the gunners from small arms and shell splinters. When firing the standard armor-piercing round, the wz.36 could punch through 22mm of 45 degree sloped armor at 1,000 meters. This was more than ample to penetrate the PzKpfw I frontally. While Polish infantry platoons were equipped with the Model 35 7.92x107mm anti-tank rifle (Karabin Przeciwpancerny wzór 35), the rifle's ammunition wasn't meant to pierce armor plate but instead “pancake“ on the armor and cause spalling on the interior of the armor. Typically, the round could dislodge a 20mm sized shard of armor that, at high speed, would ricochet around the inside of the tank, causing injury/death to the crew and damaging equipment.

     Clearly, the PzKpfw I was struck by an anti-tank gun, most likely fired from a wz.36, that punched through the superstructure's frontal plate. Fortunately for the driver, the round went to the right of his position. The commander may or may not have been so lucky depending on the type of armor-piercing round utilized. The commander's seat was situated in the center of the turret and fitted to the turret ring so that the commander moved as the turret moved. This also allowed him to operate the twin MG 13 weapons which were fed from 25-round box magazines. The unit the tank belonged to isn't known but either 4. Panzer-Division or 5. Panzer-Division are likely candidates.

     Within a few days of the invasion of Poland, German tank and armored vehicle crews were already  obscuring the white crosses so as to both camouflage them as well as deny an easy aim point for enemy gunners. In some cases, yellow was used to overpaint the white but the more common means was to use mud, grease, or gray paint. Usually, the front crosses were totally covered while the crosses on the sides and rear had their interiors coated so only a white outline remained.

     Not surprisingly, following the Poland campaign, the Wehrmacht undertook a revision of the national identification for their tanks and armored vehicles so as not to make them so obvious.

Primary Sources:

Hogg, Ian V. and Weeks, John Military Small Arms of the 20th. Century (Northfield: DBI Books, 1985)

Zaloga, Steven J. Blitzkrieg: Armour Camouflage and Markings, 1939-1940 (London: Arms and Armour Press, 1991)

Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. B Tiger II: Scrapped in Znojmo

(Source: german_military_technology @ Instagram)

      The remains of a Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf B, better known as the Tiger II or Königstiger, pictured after the war, sitting in a collection yard of German armored vehicles in the Czechoslovakian town of Znojmo (Znaim in German). The town is a little over seven miles from the Austrian border town of Mitterretzbach. The scrappers have already begun their work, having removed the 8.8cm KwK 43 L/71 gun from the turret along with the hull mounted Maschinengewehr 34 machine-gun. The tank has been “short tracked”, a term for when the tracks are shortened and fitted around the road wheels, bypassing the drive sprocket(s). This allows the tank to be towed or moved more easily as the tracks can run freely along the road wheels. Since Znojmo was a collection point, this suggests that the drive sprockets were removed from the tank where it was originally to enable it to be towed or transported to Znojmo for scrapping.

     The tank belonged to Schwere Panzer-Abteilung 509 (s.Pz.Abt.509; 509th. Heavy Tank Battalion) and how it ended up in Czechoslovakia comes from the final days of the unit's existence. At this time, the unit was commanded by Hauptmann d.R. Dr. Johannes König and on April 22, 1945, s.Pz.Abt.509 was attached to the 101. Jäger-Division. From April 23 to May 5, 1945, the battalion was deployed in covering positions in the vicinity of Großharras, Austria, a town that was a mere 3 miles or so south of the Czech border. It is unknown what, if any, action the battalion saw while in their defensive positions. A strength report, dated May 1, 1945, listed thirteen Tiger II tanks as operational.

     On May 6, 1945, s.Pz.Abt.509 was ordered to cross the border and make for Znojmo, traveling the 20 or so miles to the town from Großharras. The unit arrived the same day, taking up positions in the southern portion of the town. However, their stay was very short as the next day, May 7, the unit was ordered to withdraw and move to the west of the Czech town of Kaplice (Kaplitz in German). This saw s.Pz.Abt.509 cross back into Austria then enter Czechoslovakia again (likely near the Austrian city of Gmünd) and make for positions near the Vltava River (Moldau River in German). This nearly 90 mile movement punished the Tiger II tanks and the battalion lost nine tanks to breakdowns along the route. With no ability to repair them, each was blown up as best possible by their crews. Thus, this is likely the reason the Tiger II in the photograph is missing the front drive components because if the engine or transmission was broken down, the sprockets likely would not turn, requiring their removal and the short tracking of the tank to move it.

     On May 8, the remaining tanks of s.Pz.Abt.509 launched their last counterattack against Allied forces that had been on the unit's heels. The attack commenced at 8:00pm that night and though no Tiger II tanks were lost in action, the end game was at hand. At 11:00pm, the last of the unit's tanks were scuttled. The remaining men of the battalion surrendered south of Kaplice to U.S. Army troops.

     All told, from the unit's formation in September 1943 to their surrender, s.Pz.Abt.509 destroyed over 500 armored vehicles, mostly tanks. The unit's tank ace was Oberfeldwebel Erich Litzke, Zugführer (platoon leader) in 2./s.Pz.Abt.509 (2nd. Company) who, along with his crew, knocked out some 76 tanks (though the exact number isn't known). For this achievement, he received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross) on October 20, 1944.

Sources:

Chamberlain, Peter and Doyle, Hilary Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two (New York: Arco Publishing Company, Inc., 1978)

Schneider, Wolfgang Tigers in Combat I (Mechanicsburg: Stackpole Books, 2000)

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.

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).

Panzerkampfwagen IV Ausf C: 1. Panzer-Division in France

     On October 14, 1935, the 1. Panzer-Division (1.Pz.Div.) came into being, the first of three debut tank divisions raised by the Germans in that year. The formation of the 1.Pz.Div. came from the Reichswehr era 3. Kavallerie-Division that had existed since June 1, 1920. The unit was first commanded by General der Kavallerie Maximilian von Weichs (who was the last commander of 3. Kavallerie-Division) until September 30, 1937 when Generalleutnant Rudolf Schmidt assumed command. Schmidt led the division through the Anschluß Österreichs (Annexation of Austria) and later the occupation of the Sudetenland in 1938 before, in 1939, commanding the unit in the taking of Czechoslovakia and the invasion of Poland (operation “Fall Weiss”; “Case White”). However, when operation Fall Gelb (“Case Yellow”), the planned invasion of France and the Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands), was fully underway, the 1.Pz.Div. had a new commander, Generalleutnant Friedrich Kirchner, who assumed his position beginning on November 2, 1939.

     When “Fall Gelb” commenced on May 10, 1940, 1.Pz.Div. was under XIX Korps which was commanded by General of Cavalry Heinz Guderian. XIX Korps itself was under Panzer Gruppe Kleist which in turn was underneath Heeresgruppe A (Army Group A) that was led by Generaloberst Gerd von Rundstedt. 1.Pz.Div. was mainly equipped with the Panzerkampfwagen I and II (PzKpfw I and II) which were light tanks with equally light armament and armor. However, by 1937, the unit began to receive the more powerful PzKpfw III medium tank as well as the PzKpfw IV medium tank. The former, with its 3.7cm and later 5cm gun, was designed to tackle enemy tanks while the latter, with a stubby 7.5cm gun, was tasked as a infantry support tank. These medium tanks, however, never completely replaced the PzKpfw II within the two tank regiments in the unit (Panzer-Abteilung I and Panzer-Abteilung II). 1.Pz.Div. took part in the Battle of Sedan (from May 12 to May 15, 1940), the Battle of Dunkirk (which raged from May 26, 1940 to June 4, 1940), before taking part in operation “Fall Rot” (“Case Red”) which was the second phase of the conquest of France. This phase would see the end of France, the country's leadership signing the armistice with Germany on June 22, 1940.

     Overall, the 1.Pz.Div. suffered only light casualties. All told, the unit lost 500 men killed in action from the start of “Fall Gelb” to the German victory at the close of operations of “Fall Rot.” This photograph, however, illustrates quite well the grim side of that victory. The tank is a PzKpfw IV Ausf C and its entire front has been completely demolished. The front glacis plate, which was 30mm thick, is completely missing and has exposed the ZF 6-speed SSG 76 gearbox and where the steering gear had been on the front of the gearbox. To the left and right of the gearbox are the round disc brakes which were connected to the drive sprockets for each track which, in this case, at least the left drive sprocket is completely gone. The driver would have been sitting to the left of the gearbox and on the right would have been the radio operator. Given the level of destruction, it is highly doubtful either man survived whatever hit the tank. The tank caught fire and this is evidenced by the scorching on the hull side and the lack of rubber on the road wheels. That the tank is an Ausf C model is evidenced by the armored sleeve for the co-axial MG 34 machine-gun (just visible to the right of the 7.5cm KwK37 L/24 gun) and the lack of a hull mounted machine-gun. The tank can be identified as belonging to the 1.Pz.Div. by the stylized oak symbol which can be seen in white on the turret front, underneath the gunner's vision flap (to the left of the gun). The tank had been stripped of useful parts as another, earlier, photograph of the same tank showed far more parts on the tank. Identifiable parts removed include the steering gear, the brake cover for the left brake assembly, return rollers, and the tracks. In fact, one of the tank's road wheels can be seen propping up the gearbox.

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.

Offiziersanwärter: Decorated with the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse

     A driver of a Panzerkampfwagen V Panther smiles for the camera after having just been decorated with the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class). This decoration for bravery in the face of the enemy was relatively common, being awarded nearly five million times to individuals during World War Two. The award was typically presented to the recipient in a blue paper packet with “Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse 1939” printed on it. Inside the packet was the medal and the ribbon. The recipient also received an award document and his soldbuch (the standard military identification document) was noted with the award and the date it was received. For the purposes of the photograph, the ribbon was fitted through the ring on the medal and looped around the lapel of his panzerjacke (more commonly referred to as a panzer wrap). The medal was not worn on the uniform and so soldiers usually either put it with their belongings or sent it back home. The ribbon would be fitted through the upper buttonhole on the left lapel of the jacket and sewn down.

     For rank, the driver is a Gefreiter and this is denoted by the single chevron on his sleeve. This rank was the equivalent to a Private First Class in the U.S. Army. However, around his schulterstücke (shoulder boards) can be seen two loops of silver tress. This denotes him as being a Offiziersanwärter, or Officer Aspirant. Thus, he would attend one of the Kriegsschulen (war schools) and while in the school, he would hold the rank of Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier. As he neared completion of his studies, his rank would become Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel. Finally, upon graduation, he would serve in the role of acting Leutnant with the rank of Oberfähnrich. Once he earned his commission, his rank would then become Leutnant. The course of study was an intense, eight week program which taught leadership and command skills and techniques. Once this program was completed, the Offiziersanwärter moved on to a Truppenschule, or branch of service school. In this soldier's case, it would be to a Panzertruppenschule. Other branches, such as combat engineers (pionier) and medical personnel had their own schools.

      The piping along the schulterstücke and the collar of the panzerjacke was pink as was the piping around the collar tabs. This was the waffenfarb, or branch color, of panzer troops. Earlier in the war, a pink inverted chevron called a soutache was sewn over the Reichskokade on the front of the M1938 feldmütze (field cap) being worn here but as the war went on, this was done away with for simplicity sake and in any case, the later M1942 feldmütze had a two-button front which when undone, allowed the sides of the cap to fold down over the wearer's ears. This new style left no room for the soutache. This photograph also gives a detailed view of the kehlkopfmikrofon (throat microphone) and the accompanying kopfhörer (headphones) which were used for communication within the tank by the crew members. The metal bar near his arm is the rung fitted to the outside of the driver's hatch. Because of this feature, the model of the PzKpfw V is either an Ausf A or Ausf D series Panther as the hatch swiveled to the side. The Ausf G model used a hinged hatch.

Panzergrenadier Division Großdeutschland: War Games in Mailly-le-Camp

     It was not an uncommon occurrence that Waffen-SS units operated alongside and with regular German Heer (Army) forces, especially on the Eastern Front. This was often by necessity given the fluidity of the battlefield and what units were available to fill gaps in orders of battle. The photograph shown here illustrates just such an occurrence of close cooperation.

     The photograph was taken by Kriegsberichter (war correspondent) Stöpfgeshoff sometime in 1944 during a war game held on the training grounds located in Mailly-le-Camp, France. Stöpfgeshoff was part of Luftwaffe Kriegsberichter Kompanie 3 (Lw KBK 3) which was assigned to Luftflotte 3 (Air Fleet 3) that supported Axis troops in occupied France (to include Vichy France), Belgium, and the Netherlands. While certainly war correspondents that served with the Luftwaffe had a priority to their own, they were by no means restricted to just documenting Luftwaffe forces. The training grounds had been used by the French military since 1902 and by the 1930s, it was exclusively used by French armored forces. Following the fall of France, the Germans occupied the grounds and used it to train their own armored troops.

     The central subject depicts a Waffen-SS soldier holding the rank of SS-Unterscharführer which is the equivalent to a U.S. Army sergeant. This determination is made solely by the silver tress on his uniform's schulterstücke (shoulder boards) and the absence of any rank pips on it. As for the uniform itself, he is wearing what is called a “panzerkombi” (literally, “tank suit”) and this is basically a pair of overalls. In this case, the uniform is cut from what collectors today call the “SS-Eich-Platanenmuster” camouflage pattern. It is a combination of two types of Waffen-SS camouflage, “Oak” (“Eich”) and “Plane Tree” (“Platanenmuster”). This camouflage pattern appeared early in 1943 and the “panzerkombi” he is wearing is one of the early makes as it does not have the thigh pocket. Of note is that the entire uniform is reversible from a “spring” side which uses green hues as the dominant colors and a “fall” side in which brown hues are the main colors. He is wearing the black M1938 feldmütze (field cap) on his head. Although difficult to see, he has a pair of binoculars in his hand and a pair of kopfhörer (headphones) over his ears. Although his unit's cuff title is not visible as it was not worn on the “panzerkombi”, he is from the 9. Panzer Regiment, 9. SS-Panzerdivision "Hohenstaufen".

     The other two men are part of the elite Panzergrenadier Division Großdeutschland (specifically, 1st. Kompanie, Großdeutschland Panzer Regiment) and this can be told by the “Großdeutschland” cuff title on their right sleeve (visible only on the crewman leaning out of the rear hatch) and the cipher on their schulterstücke. Both wear the typical black panzer uniform consisting of the black panzerjacke (tank jacket, more commonly referred to as the panzer wrap) and black trousers. They also wear the M1938 feldmütze. The pink piping, the waffenfarb (branch color) of panzer troops, does not appear present on the collar of the panzerjacke which suggests a mid- to late war manufacture when it was done away with to simplify construction. It is, however, present around the schulterstücke and the collar tabs. The soldier in the rear hatch looks to have been awarded the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class) as evidenced by the ribbon on his lapel.

     The tank is a Panzerkampfwagen V Panther and we are looking towards the back of the turret. The tank's commander is in the upper hatch while the other man, likely the tank's loader, is in the turret's circular rear hatch. This is because the gunner sat below and to the front of the commander while the loader was on the opposite side and was nearest the hatch. For the war game, men from 9. Panzer Regiment served as referees and to identify them as such, they wore a white band around their arm. He is listening in to conversations on a Großdeutschland radio communications network, discussing an outcome of an engagement, or receiving instructions from higher command.

Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf E: Shot to Pieces in France

A PzKpfw III Ausf E belonging to the 8th. Panzer Brigade, 5th. Panzer Division riddled with hits from French anti-tank fire during the Battle of France.

     The Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf E (Sd Kfz 141) was a significant enhancement of the medium tank. A redesign of the suspension allowed the tank to carry nearly double the armor protection of the earlier PzKpfw III makes. Another added feature, relevant to crew survival, was the inclusion of escape hatches on both sides of the hull. The Maybach HL120TR engine replaced the earlier HL108TR model and it was paired to a new gearbox which, unfortunately for the need for swift production of the tank, was a cause of delays on the assembly lines. For armament, the tank carried the 37mm KwK L/46.5 gun with two co-axial 7.92mm MG 34 machine-guns along with a hull mounted MG 34. In all, the tank held 131 rounds of ammunition for the gun and 4,500 rounds of ammunition to feed the machine-guns. For frontal protection, the turret had 30mm of armor at a 15 degree slope, the superstructure had 30mm at a 9 degree slope, and the hull 30mm at a 21 degree slope. The gun mantlet also had 30mm of armor. The sides of the tank had 30mm of armor though outside of the turret, it was at a 0 degree slope which meant it was less effective. The remainder of the tank had between 21mm of armor to as little as 12mm location depending.

     This level of protection for the five man crew, unfortunately, was not shell proof and in fact, it was vulnerable to a number of French anti-tank weapons when German panzer units took the PzKpfw III Ausf E into battle. The Canon de 25mm Semi-Automatique Modèle 1934 was both a towed anti-tank gun as well as one which equipped one of the more numerous French armored cars, the Panhard 178. The gun was able to penetrate 20mm at a 60 degree slope out to 1,000 meters and 29mm at the same degree of slope at 500 meters. Thus, even at the longest range, the Canon de 25 was a threat to the PzKpfw III. Another weapon the Germans had to contend with was the 47mm SA35 tank gun used in the SOMUA 35 cavalry tank and the Char B1 heavy tank and this gun was capable of piercing up to 60mm of armor at a range of 550 meters. Finally, yet another weapon commonly encountered was the Hotchkiss Mitrailleuse de 13.2mm CA Modèle 1930 mounted on some French light tanks and armored vehicles which, when using armor-piercing ammunition, could penetrate 18mm of armor at 500 meters and between 21mm to 26mm at shorter ranges. The vulnerability of the PzKpfw III Ausf E is vividly illustrated by this photograph which was taken sometime during the Battle of France which was fought from May 10, 1940 to June 25, 1940.

     The tank belonged to the 8. Panzer-Brigade which was part of the 5. Panzer-Division. This can be told by the division insignia that consisted of an upside down “Y” with single dot next to it that is on the side of the hull, next to the Balkenkreuz. There are over a dozen hits by at least two different calibers which have struck the front of the tank. The impacts on the turret cracked the cupola's optic ring, knocked the gun's armored sleeve off, and destroyed part of the gun mantlet. Perhaps the more damaging hits are near the driver's station where three penetrations hit with enough force to crack the superstructure. Not visible in the photograph are three hits to the front hull, one of which appeared to have penetrated. Sitting on the fender is 75 round saddle magazine for the MG 34 and the black object on the tank above the driver's position is the crash helmet portion of a schutzmütze, as worn by panzer crewman. The black wool beret that would have covered it is missing. Despite the damage, another photograph of this same tank was taken elsewhere that showed the tank had been recovered and taken to a field repair location. Whether or not it was being repaired or simply stripped of parts to keep other tanks going cannot be told for certain. Likewise, it is unknown if any of the crew had been killed following the tank being knocked out.

Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. B Tiger II "324": Knocked Out At Lake Balaton

     On March 1, 1945, Schwere Panzer-Abteilung 509 (s.Pz.Abt. 509; Heavy Tank Battalion 509) was attached to the III. Panzer-Korps with 25 Tiger II heavy tanks listed as operational. Situated in the Hungarian town of Falubattyán, the mechanics of s.Pz.Abt. 509 toiled for the next three days to bring as many tanks back to operational status as they could. Their efforts paid off and by March 4, the battalion had 32 tanks ready for combat. They did not have long to wait. That day, orders were received to move towards the Hungarian village of Seregélyes in order to deal with dug-in IS-2 heavy tanks from one of the units belonging to the Soviet 2nd. Ukrainian Front. These tanks had stalled a German attack as the Panther tanks supporting the effort could not neutralize the IS-2s from a range of 2,000 meters. There was a very good reason the Panther tanks were attempting to engage at long range. In order for the 7.5cm KwK 42 L/70 gun of the Panther to guarantee penetration of the thick (up to 160mm) frontal armor of the IS-2, the gunner had to engage at a range of 600 meters or less. However, the IS-2's 122mm D25-T gun could punch through the front armor of a Panther at 1,000 meters. Although the Panther could go through the side armor of a IS-2 at 2,000 meters, the Soviet tankers were not giving them the opportunity to get such shots. On March 5, the battalion moved out at dusk but many of the tanks become mired in the mud which delayed their arrival near Seregélyes until March 6. The battalion had to leave some of the tanks behind where they bogged down so as to avoid further delays. Two of the battalion's tanks took the IS-2s under fire from long range where the 8.8cm KwK 43 L/71 guns of the Tigers were able to knock out six of the Soviet tanks and the German attack was able to continue. Unfortunately, the battalion had to wait until a railway bridge crossing the Dinnyés–Kajtori Channel was repaired. The bridge was opened on March 7 and the battalion moved across and assumed supporting positions.

     After consolidation, the German forces pushed forward towards the town of Gárdony beginning on March 10. The battalion, at this time, was down to 26 operational Tiger II tanks. After hard fighting, Gárdony was bypassed and the town of Velenczefürdö was taken on March 12 with the battalion destroying twenty Soviet assault guns in the action. On March 13, the battalion linked up with Kampfgruppe Bradel between Velenczefürdö and Tükröspuszta and during the advance, ran into a Soviet minefield that was overwatched by no less than twenty-four ISU-152 assault guns. The ISU-152 was nicknamed by Soviet crews as the “Zveroboy” or “Beast Killer” and this was because of the massive 152mm ML-20S gun-howitzer's 100lb. armor-piercing and high-explosive shells that had the potential to devastate an enemy tank if the round hit. In addition, the frontal armor of the ISU-152 was between 90mm to 120mm thick. Fortunately for the Tiger II tank crews, the ISU-152's gun was situated in a superstructure rather than in a turret which meant the entire vehicle had to be moved to traverse the gun. Also, the ISU-152 wasn't meant for anti-tank combat because the fire controls and sighting for the ML-20S were not optimized for such engagements. By consequence, accuracy beyond 1,000 meters was poor and even when firing APBC (Armor-Piercing Ballistic Capped) rounds, at 1,000 meters, the round could only penetrate 95mm of armor at a 60 degree slope. This was not enough to penetrate the 100mm to 180mm of frontal armor the Tiger II carried. Still, the concussive force of impacts from the ML-20S was enough to damage the Tiger II as well as injure crewmen. The battalion deployed 16 tanks to deal with the ISU-152s while German combat engineers cleared the minefield. In the ensuing engagement, three of the Tigers were knocked out with the remaining thirteen tanks suffering heavy damage. Despite the punishment dealt out by the Soviets, two of the Tigers advanced through a corridor made in the minefield and they overran the Soviet position, knocking out the last of the ISU-152s.

     On March 14, s.Pz.Abt. 509 withdrew back to Seregélyes in order to lick their wounds. Recovery parties were dispatched to extract the mired down Tigers and return them to Seregélyes while repairs got underway around the clock. By the next day, the battalion had eight tanks listed as operational. Repairs would continue until March 18 when the roster was up to 20 tanks as operational. At this stage, the battalion was deployed southeast of the Hungarian city of Székesfehérvár (Stuhlweißenburg in German) in order to keep the roads from Geregelyes and Dinnyes open. However, on March 21, the battalion was sent back towards Falubattyán in order to stymie a Soviet push towards Polgari. There, the battalion covered German forces until March 23 when the tanks were sent to Sandorka under the cover of darkness and that same day, engaged the flanks of Soviet armor thrusts near Küngös and Papkeszi. The next day, the battalion assumed positions along a ridge on the northwest side of Lake Balaton. Here, they repulsed numerous Soviet tank attacks, destroying eight T-34 medium tanks and eight IS-2 heavy tanks but at a loss of three of their own. And one of the losses is the subject of the photograph.

     The photograph depicts Tiger II “324” of s.Pz.Abt. 509. The tactical number meant it belonged to the 3rd. Kompanie, 2nd. Zug (platoon), and was the fourth tank in the platoon. It is likely that this image was taken following the war as it appears to be in the process of being broken down. This is evidenced by the missing tracks, road wheels, front drive sprockets, and much of the exterior pieces such as the track links, tow cabling, etc. What took out “324” is difficult to say though judging by the scorching on the very back of the turret, it may have come from a hit or hits to the rear side or direct rear of the tank which set the engine compartment on fire. The “57” painted on the gun mantlet may be a cataloging number used by the scrappers to identify the wreck. There appears to be some writing on the turret side but it is difficult to make out.

     Returning to s.Pz.Abt. 509, on March 25, the remaining 27 tanks were refueled and ammunition was replenished. By now, the unit was in retreat in the face of continued Soviet advances. On the road march towards the Austrian border, fuel turned into a serious difficulty. The Tiger II only had a maximum range of 75 miles on the road (less off-road) and this was because the Maybach HL230P30 engine consumed two gallons of fuel per mile from the tank's maximum fuel capacity of 227 gallons. Thus, the battalion was faced with a hard decision given fuel was running low. The choice was made to drain what fuel remained from fourteen of the tanks and top off the rest of the Tigers so they could continue on. The now drained tanks had demolition charges set and were blown up, leaving s.Pz.Abt. 509 with only thirteen tanks left by the time the unit crossed into Austria near the town of Heiligenkreuz im Lafnitztal on March 31. As the weeks went on, the battalion was whittled down until by May 8, 1945, it had no tanks left. The next day, what remained of the unit surrendered to elements of the U.S. 3rd. Army near the city of Kaplice, Czechoslovakia (Kaplitz in German).

Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. B Tiger II "03": Broke Down Outside Villers-la-Bonne-Eau

(U.S. Army Signal Corps)

      Villers-la-Bonne-Eau was a section of the city of Bastogne and the site of a vicious battle between elements of the U.S. 137th. Infantry Regiment, 35th. Infantry Division and numerous German forces including elements of the 7. Armee Oberkommando and 6. Panzerarmee. From December 28, 1944 to January 10, 1945, the two sides fought back and forth to the point that little was left of Villers-la-Bonne-Eau when the 137th. Infantry Regiment finally evicted the Germans from the village on January 11, 1945. 

     Involved in the combat was Schwere Panzer-Abteilung 506 (s PzAbt 506; Heavy Tank Battalion 506) that fell under the order of battle for the 6. Panzerarmee. The unit transitioned to the Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B (better known as the “Königstiger” [“King Tiger”] or simply Tiger II) tank between August 20, 1944 and September 12, 1944 when it received 45 of them and soon after, s PzAbt 506 was involved in numerous skirmishes with 36 tanks operational just before the battle for Villers-la-Bonne-Eau. 

     Following the withdrawal from Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, s PzAbt 506 was down to 33 tanks (despite a report by an inspector stating the unit was at full strength!). Tiger II “03” in the photograph belonged to the Stab eines Panzerbataillons (Battalion Staff) of s PzAbt 506 which consisted of three Tiger II tanks in all (“01” and “02” being the others). It was abandoned outside Villers-la-Bonne-Eau sometime around January 13, 1945 when it broke down due to damage to its final drive. An attempt was made to recover it but was unsuccessful and so the tank fell into U.S. hands more or less intact.

Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf.B Tiger II "11": Abandoned in Châteaudun

     In April 1943, Panzer-Versuchs-Ersatz-Abteilung (Funklenk) 300 (300th. Armored Experimental & Replacement Battalion [Radio Steering]) created 1.schwere Panzer-Kompanie (Funklenk). Units designated as Funklenk, in addition to regular tanks, were equipped with Schwerer Ladungsträger (Heavy Explosive Carrier) Borgward B IV remote-controlled demolition vehicles. In August 1943, the unit would be redesignated as Panzer-Kompanie (Funklenk) 316. By September 1943, the unit was attached to Panzer-Lehr-Regiment 190 for training. On February 19, 1944, the unit was to be equipped with Tiger II tanks. In the meantime, unit crews trained in Tiger I tanks. By April 1944, the unit had five Tiger II tanks and three refurbished Tiger I tanks on strength. Given that the Panzer-Lehr Division elected to not equip one of its Funklenk companies with tanks, it instead equipped it with assault guns and transferred the tanks off their books and onto the books of Panzer-Kompanie (Funklenk) 316. 

     On August 13, 1944, the unit was deployed to Châteaudun, equipped with only the five Tiger II tanks of which Tank “11” was one. The tanks were situated around the city, overlooking strategic points in which it was felt the U.S. 3rd. Armored Division would approach. Tank “11” was positioned along the Place de Mail (now Promenade du Mail), observing north out over the Loire River. On August 15, advance elements of the 3rd. Armored Cavalry Division were engaged by Tank “12” near the junction of Routes N10 and N824. One Jeep and one M8 armored car were destroyed and their crews captured by supporting German infantry. Tank “12” withdrew into the city along Rue de Varize. The following day, U.S. artillery fired on Tank “13” which had been spotted but to no effect. Tank “12” again battled U.S. forces and halted their advance. However, it was clear that the U.S. forces would not be halted for long and so the unit began to withdraw on August 17 under the cover of darkness. Tank “12” and Tank “13” were left behind with Tank “12” being set on fire. Tank “02”, Tank “10”, and Tank “11” moved back to Boulevard Kellerman where Tank “11” broke down and was abandoned. 

     The remaining tanks moved east along Route N155 into Varize when Tank “10” broke down. It was towed for a short distance by Tank “02” before being scuttled by its crew. The last tank made for Janville but mechanical failure caused the tank to veer sharply and run over a tree before stopping. It was abandoned on August 18, 1944 and so ended the brief history of the Tiger II tanks of Panzer-Kompanie (Funklenk) 316.

The Schutzmütze: Headgear of the Panzerwaffe

(Author's Collection)

     The official birthday of the German Panzerwaffe was October 15, 1935 when the first three panzer divisions were established. To set themselves apart, the uniform worn by tank crews was inspired by the Herzoglich Braunschweigisches Korps (Brunswick Ducal Corps) which was a mixed formation of infantry, Jägers (light infantry), and cavalry raised by the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Charles William Ferdinand in 1809. The unit was characterized by their black uniforms and use of the Braunschweiger Totenkopf (Brunswick Death’s Head [Skull]) and thus earned them the nickname Schwarze Schar (Black Horde). The Schwarze Schar, by 1866, became the Braunschweigisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr.92 and Braunschweigisches Husaren Regiment Nr.17 and upon the German defeat in World War One in 1918, the “Black Horde” was disbanded.

     Thusly inspired, the German panzer uniform was all black and used the Totenkopf on the collar tabs. The Waffenfarbe (Corps Colors) for panzer troops was pink and so the piping on the uniform seen in the photograph along the collars, on the shoulderboards, and surrounding the collar tabs was pink. The most distinctive piece of the uniform was the Schutzmütze, first issued in 1934. It appears as an oversize, floppy beret but in reality, the Schutzmütze main purpose was as a crash helmet. The beret portion of the Schutzmütze, which was removable, was made of black wool and formed the cover for the crash liner underneath. The liner was constructed of thick felt padding covered in black oil cloth. It also featured a leather sweatband and had six rubber lined ventilation holes. Featured prominently prior to World War Two, once the war began in 1939, the Schutzmütze fell into disuse and by 1940, had been officially replaced by a black wool version of the German Army’s Feldmütze (Field Service Cap) that the Army had been using since 1938.