The French Potez 390: Obsolescence in the Phoney War

Rear gun position of a French Potez 390 observation plane. From a press photograph. (Author's Collection)

     The headline for this press photo, affixed to the back of the photograph on a piece of paper, reads “The 'Stingers' of a Mighty Wasp” with instructions to use the photograph in connection with articles on the European crisis. As the date was unfortunately faded away, it is difficult to assess when the photograph was taken. However, the instructions suggest a date during the Drôle de Guerre, or Phoney War, which ran from September 3, 1939 to May 10, 1940. As for the aircraft, the most likely candidate is the Potez 390 A2 (Artillerie Biplace) observation aircraft and since the print on the photograph lists Paris as the location, this suggests it belonged to one of seven Escadron d'Observation units that was equipped with the type and operating near the "La Ville-Lumière" ("City of Light" as Paris is known). The Potez 390 was, by 1940, woefully obsolete yet the situation of the looming war kept them in service past their prime. They were retired from frontline service only in October 1939 but continued to serve as training aircraft until the defeat of France in June 1940. 

     The Potez 390 started out as the Potez 39 and design work had commenced in 1928 with the first flight occurring in January 1930. It was to replace the aging Breguet 19 and Potez 25 aircraft then in service. It was a two-seat, parasol monoplane that was of all-metal construction, a first for Potez. Power came from a single Hispano-Suiza 12H 12-cylinder, air-cooled V-engine that developed 580 horsepower that drove a 2-blade, fixed pitch propeller. This provided the aircraft with a maximum speed of 155mph at 11,483 feet.  Enough fuel was carried to give the aircraft an operational range of 500 miles. The maximum service ceiling was 23,000 feet and to attain its maximum speed altitude, it took the Potez 39 a total of nine minutes to achieve it. The Potez 39 was a fairly large plane, having a span of 52.6 feet, a length of 32.1 feet, and a height of 11.2 feet. The total wing area was 377 square feet and the combat weight of the aircraft was 5,842 pounds. The aircraft was accepted by the Armée de l'Air and put into production as the Potez 390 with the first deliveries starting in 1934.

     For weapons, the armament consisted of dual Darne-built Lewis Model 1915 machine-guns chambered for the standard British 7.7mm (.303 inch) cartridge and this is what we see in the photograph. The entire mount was of the Tourelles (Turret) TO 10 type. This is the rear firing gun position (manned by the observer) and movement of the guns was entirely manual. The round pan magazines (that held 47 or 97 rounds) that sat atop the weapons are not fitted here. Just behind the gun mount are canvas bags to catch the ejected brass so as not to pose a slipping hazard for the firer. Fitted into the nose of the Potez 390 was a single 7.5mm Darne machine-gun. If need be, a modest bomb load totaling 265 pounds could be carried on under-fuselage racks.

     By 1939, all seven units equipped with the Potez 390 were grouped under the 1st. Armée Aérienne and consisted of Groupe Aérien d'Observation (GAO) 504 (based at Chartres), GAO 511 (Nantes), GAO 510 (Rennes Saint-Jacques), GAO 505 (Epernay-Plivot), GAO 517 (Nancy-Essey), GAO 512 (Limoges), and GAO 513 (Montbéliard). Given the photograph mentions Paris, the two units nearest the city were GAO 504 and GAO 505 but without being able to see any insignia on the aircraft, we cannot say with any certainty what unit the Potez 390 belonged to. When the Germans invaded France on May 10, 1940, there were a total of 43 Potez 390 aircraft within France. Of this total, 29 were distributed amongst the active units with a total of 20 operational planes. Another 11 aircraft were assigned to training schools with 5 of them operational, while the remaining 3 aircraft had been retained for experimental purposes with all 3 in non-operational condition. By this time, the more modern Potez 63.11 twin-engine aircraft was the main equipment for French observation squadrons. No unit is known to have flown the Potez 390 in combat against the Germans.

     The only other user of the Potez 39 was the Peruvian Air Force that bought twelve Potez 391 aircraft. This was simply the Potez 390 but fitted with a Lorraine 12Hdr Pétrel supercharged, 12-cylinder, water-cooled V-engine that developed 500 horsepower at 2,300rpm. It also had a larger air intake than the Potez 390.

Bundeswehr Soldaten: 3. Panzerdivision

     Female soldiers belonging to the 3. Panzerdivision (3. PzDiv) march on parade. The Bundeswehr unit was formed on July 2, 1956 in Hamburg, Germany and was one of the largest formations to have been stood up post-World War Two. The main area of operations for the 3. PzDiv was the Norddeutsches Tiefland (North German Plain) which consisted of a region bounded by the North Sea coast and the Baltic Sea coast. The Norddeutsches Tiefland was considered one of the two major invasion routes (the other being the Fulda-Lücke or Fulda Gap) that Soviet and Warsaw Pact countries would take into Germany as the topography favored the use of armored and mechanized forces. The region was also militarily protected by several NATO nations, to include U.S., Dutch, Belgian, and British forces. The headquarters of the unit, Stab./3. PzDiv, was based at Estetal Kaserne located in Buxtehude, Germany.

     The unit is identified by the sleeve patch that consisted of two crossed horse heads on a red background. Interestingly, the insignia was similar to that used by the 216. Infanterie-Division in World War Two. The division was made up of Panzergrenadierbrigade 7 (headquartered in Hamburg), Panzerbrigade 8 (based in Lüneburg), Panzerlehrbrigade 9 (based in Munster), Artillerieregiment 3 (headquartered in Stade), and sixteen other units housed throughout the region. The women are wearing the beret badge for panzergrenadiertruppen which is a stylized Marder IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle) above crossed rifles over the West German flag, all encompassed by a wreath. The green beret was worn by the combat arms of the Bundeswehr (infantry, jägertruppe, panzergrenadiers, armor, etc.). Thus, the women could have belonged to Panzergrenadierbataillon 71, 72, or 73 under Panzergrenadierbrigade 7 or Panzergrenadierbataillon 82 which was under Panzerbrigade 8.

     The typical Panzergrenadierbataillon of the late 1980s was equipped with 24 to 35 Marder (“Marten”; a type of mustelid animal) IFVs, six Panzermörser M113s (M113s converted to carry a 120mm mortar), and 12 to 23 M113 APCs (Armored Personnel Carriers). Panzergrenadierbataillon 71, a reserve unit, was reinforced with thirteen Leopard 1A5 MBTs (Main Battle Tank).

     The weapon the panzergrenadiers are carrying is the Heckler & Koch G36 which was adopted by the Bundeswehr in 1996. Development of the G36 began in 1995 in a hasty attempt to field a 5.56x54mm battle rifle after the cancellation of the radical 4.7x33mm caseless G11 rifle. The G36 is a gas operated, rotating bolt weapon which was a departure by H&K in not using their battle tested roller-lock, delayed blowback system. This was done to reduce the per unit cost of the G36 as well as simplify the operation. The weapon is fed from 30-round translucent plastic magazines which permit the firer to quickly assess remaining ammunition in the weapon. A tubular folding stock was fitted and the G36 has a integral ZF 3×4° telescopic sight graduated out to 800 meters. There is also a reflex sight on top of the telescopic sight but is only calibrated out to 100 meters. A notch sight is provided in case of sight failure and this is incorporated into the sighting bridge which doubles as a carry handle. Unloaded, the G36 weighs 7.6 pounds and this weight savings comes from the use of carbon fiber-reinforced polyamide, steel, and Nylon 66 (which is lightweight but has high mechanical strength, stability, and rigidity). Rate of fire is 750 rounds per minute with an effective range of 800 meters though the 2,788 foot per second muzzle velocity gives the round a maximum range of 2, 860 meters. The firer has two settings (aside from Sicher, or Safe) and that is Einzelfeuer (semi-automatic) and Feuerstoß (full automatic fire).

     Elements of the 3. PzDiv were deployed in 1962, 1976, and 1979 to assist local civil authorities during flooding in the region and in the case of 1979, emergency conditions created by heavy snowfalls. Some elements were also mobilized and sent to Somalia in 1993 as part of the second phase of the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM). Called UNOSOM II, the major incident was the Battle of Mogadishu...best known in the U.S. as the “Black Hawk Down” incident. On September 30, 1994, the 3. PzDiv was disbanded, its last commander being Generalmajor Gerd Schultze-Rhonhof. Following the disbandment, Panzerlehrbrigade 9 was incorporated into the 1. Panzerdivision.

The Erma Maschinenpistole: Soldiering into World War Two

     A Waffen-SS officer, cigarette in his mouth, smiles for the camera from his dugout. Where he is isn't known but given the extent of both the foxhole he is reclining in and the prone fighting position dug near it, it may be a defensive line location in which he and his men had the time to make more substantial fighting positions. The sticks driven into the ground near his head were likely for securing his camouflage zeltbahn (shelter quarter) to as a means to provide a more complete covering for his position since it appears that he has simply flipped half of it back. That he is an officer can be determined by the round belt buckle (Koppelschloss) that holds the black leather belt (koppel) around his waist as well as the white braid on the feldmütze (field cap) on his head.

     The photograph is of interest because of the weapon sitting next to his stahlhelm (steel helmet), the latter fitted with a camouflage cover. The weapon is a EMP, which stood for Erma Maschinenpistole, and this was a pre-World War Two weapon built by the Erma-Werke. The EMP, which was sometimes also called the MPE (Maschinenpistole Erma), was derived from the VMP1930 that was designed by Heinrich Vollmer. Vollmer had originally sold small numbers of the VMP1930 to Bulgaria under his own company, Vollmer Werk. However, financial difficulties forced Vollmer to liquidate and Erma-Werke bought all of his intellectual properties, including the VMP1930. Vollmer himself became the chief weapon designer for Erma-Werke.

     The VMP1930 was modified by adding a cooling jacket around the barrel and the name was changed to the EMP. Erma-Werke started to produce the weapon in 1932 and offered customization to customer specifications. Despite this, there were generally three common models. The first had a 11.8” barrel, a tangent rear sight, and a bayonet lug. The second had a shorter, 9.8” barrel, no bayonet lug, and either a tangent or flip-L rear sight. The third make did away with the characteristic front grip and instead, used a grooved stock. Customers, in addition to Bulgaria, included Mexico, Spain, and Yugoslavia. It was not until 1933 that the German Heer (Army) submitted a purchase order for the EMP. In addition to the Heer, the EMP was also obtained and issued to the SS as well as German Polizei (Police) forces. In all, some 10,000 EMP weapons were built when production ceased in 1938 to make way for producing the Maschinenpistole 38 (MP 38). By 1942, the EMP had disappeared from the ranks of the Heer, replaced by the MP 38 and its successor, the MP 40. However, the SS, Waffen-SS, and Polizei continued to use the EMP throughout the war. Interestingly, some 3,250 former Spanish EMP weapons ended up in French hands after being confiscated from Spanish Republican fighters who fled from Spain following the Republican defeat in the Spanish Civil War. Unfortunately, there were only 1,540 usable magazines and so between 700 to 800 EMP weapons were actually able to be issued and the majority of these were provided to the 638 Infanterie-Regiment, better known as the Légion des Volontaires Français Contre le Bolchévisme (LVF), a combat unit made up of French volunteers that fought for Germany on the Eastern Front. After the LVF was disbanded in September 1944, some of the former LVF members transferred into the Waffen-Grenadier-Brigade der SS Charlemange (Franzönische Nr. 1) and took their EMP weapons with them.

     The EMP had a overall length of 35.5”, had a weight of a little over 9 pounds, and used a blowback action. Weapons used by Germany were chambered for 9mm Parabellum. Internally, the weapon used a telescoping mainspring casing designed by Vollmer. This same casing would be used in the MP 38. A simple tubular receiver carried the bolt and casing. The weapon used a side-mounted feed which accepted 25- or 32-round detachable box magazines. The magazine well had a slight forward angle to improve ammunition feed. To set the EMP on safe, the bolt handle was pulled back and secured into a slot on the receiver. In the photograph, the officer has his EMP on safe based on the position of the bolt handle. Muzzle velocity was 1,250 feet per second with a cyclic rate of fire of 500 rounds per minute. The effective range was 150 meters with a maximum range of 250 meters. Without being able to see the rest of the officer's EMP, it is difficult to say for sure what model it is but chances are good it is the second model.

SS-Hauptsturmführer Friedrich Hannes: 12. Kompanie, III. Bataillon, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9 "Germania"

     Somewhere on the Eastern Front, SS-Hauptsturmführer Friedrich Hannes checks to see how well a M24 Stielhandgranate (stick hand grenade) fits into the muzzle of the 76.2mm ZiS-3 gun utilized on the Soviet SU-76 (Samokhodnaya Ustanovka-76) assault gun. Hannes, whose rank was equivalent to a Captain in the U.S. Army, was the commander of 12. Kompanie, III. Bataillon, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9 "Germania", of the 5. SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking”. Born on August 27, 1913, Hannes would eventually join the Waffen-SS and his membership number was 297 080. His promotion to SS-Hauptsturmführer occurred on June 21, 1944 and he would later be awarded the Deutsches Kreuz im Gold (German Cross in Gold) for his acts of bravery and combat prowess while company commander on October 9, 1944.

     The technique of using a stick grenade and shoving it down the gun barrel of an enemy tank or tank destroyer was taught to infantrymen as a means to attack enemy armor. The intent was to detonate the grenade inside the gun tube and hope the explosion caused enough damage to render the gun inoperable. A skilled “panzerknacker” (“Tank Breaker”) used the M24 stick grenade in other ways to achieve kills against enemy armor. One such way consisted of removing the wooden shaft from six grenades and using wire to secure the warheads around a seventh grenade, creating what was called a Geballte Ladung or bundled charge. The explosive power of seven grenades was able to render tanks immobile by blowing off tracks, damaging running gear, or causing engine damage if placed on the thinly armored rear deck of tanks. Even a single M24 stick grenade had the possibility of inflicting engine damage with a good placement. Another method of using the M24 consisted of lashing one grenade to a einheitskanister (a 20 liter metal fuel can...better known as a “Jerry Can”) which was ¾ full of fuel and throwing the can up onto the engine deck of an enemy tank. The resulting explosion was enough to cripple a tank. It was standard procedure for truck drivers to maintain one of these improvised anti-tank devices on their vehicles in case enemy armor broke through into rear echelon areas. The Eierhandgranate 39 (Egg Grenade Model 1939) could also be utilized to create a Geballte Ladung as well as be thrown down a gun barrel. Since it was egg shaped and depending on the elevation of the enemy tank's gun, it had the potential to roll down and detonate near the breech and if the “panzerknacker” was lucky, a round was already loaded or the grenade rolled out into the fighting compartment when the breech was opened, exploding inside the tank.

     Of course, to utilize any of the methods above required the infantryman to be very close to the target, even next to it. In an urban combat zone, tank hunters have more cover and opportunity to get close enough to utilize grenades. While still risky, more so if infantry were supporting the tanks, the odds were a bit more in favor of the tank hunter. In more open terrain, without some form of cover, attacking a tank at such close range was not likely to succeed. However, there was a variant of the M24 stick grenade, the Nebelhandgranate 39 (Nb.Hgr.39), or Smoke Hand Grenade Model 1939, and “panzerknackers” found a way to use them effectively to help them assault a tank. A six foot length of rope or cord connected two smoke grenades together. In one hand, one grenade was held facing upwards and the other facing downwards. Upon throwing, centrifugal force pulled the grenades apart, extending the rope. The target was the gun barrel of the enemy tank. The rope would catch on the barrel and wrap around it and by this time, the smoke commenced to issuing from the grenades and obscured the vision of the tank's driver and the hull machine-gunner (if the tank had one) as well as made it difficult for the commander in the turret to utilize his vision blocks to see what was happening. This allowed the “panzerknacker” to have a better chance to get up to the tank and effect an attack using explosive hand grenades or other close combat methods.

Bataillonsführer Ernst Tiburzy: Volkssturm-Bataillon 25/82

     On December 26, 1911, in Drosdowen, East Prussia, Ernst Tiburzy was born. Very little is known of Tiburzy's early life and in fact, even much of his early military career also remains unknown. Tiburzy, who survived World War Two, did not speak much of his service and on the extremely rare occasions he attended German veteran reunions, when asked why he went to so few, he said they were reminders of days best left forgotten. What can be pieced together is that Tiburzy was originally a member of the Sturmabteilung (SA; Storm Detachment) which was the paramilitary wing of the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (NSDAP; National Socialist German Workers' Party). The SA played a major role in the rise to power of the NSDAP, often using intimidation tactics and outright brute force against opposing political rivals. During the Nacht der Langen Messer (Night of the Long Knives) in 1934, the SA was turned upon by the NSDAP and SA men and leadership were executed between June 30 and July 2 which was spun by the NSDAP as preventing a coup. In reality, it was to ensure that the now Chancellor Adolf Hitler would retain his power. The SA, while it remained in existence, never regained any measure of power. That Tiburzy was a member of the SA came from a newspaper report dated April 3, 1945 that described his actions that won him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross). In the article, his rank was said to be that of SA-Sturmbannführer which was the equivalent to a U.S. Army Major.

     Tiburzy, however, did not remain active in the SA and was certainly not in it in 1945 because by 1939, most of the SA membership was called up for military service and Tiburzy was no exception. He entered the German Heer (Army) but exactly when isn't known nor is the unit(s) he served with known. What can be said is that he did serve on the Eastern Front in an infantry unit and suffered significant injuries to the point that he was no longer able to serve in the Heer. It was during this time period that Tiburzy was awarded the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class), the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse (Iron Cross 1st. Class), the Verwundetenabzeichen 3. Klasse (Wound Badge in Gold (3rd. Class)), and the Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen (Infantry Assault Badge). Some believe that following his convalescence, Tiburzy entered into the Regierung des Deutschen Reiches (Government of the Third Reich) in one of the many ministries, specifically the Reichsministerium für die Besetzten Ostgebiete (RMBO; Reich Ministry for the Occupied Eastern Territories), and this is due to Tiburzy wearing the fur lined Einheitsfeldmütze (field cap) favored by RMBO officials, to include the large government official regulation adler (eagle) on the front of the Einheitsfeldmütze. What rank he may have held in the RMBO is unknown nor is his length of service in the RMBO known. At some time in late 1944 or even at the start of 1945, Tiburzy either was called up to serve in the Volkssturm (the national militia) or he himself enlisted. This was because the Volkssturm was made up of men 16 to 60 who were not currently in military service, had non-essential employment, were unfit, overage or even underage, and even men still recovering from war wounds. In addition, men who could not serve in the military services due to permanent injuries sustained while in service were also accepted into the Volkssturm. Thus, Tiburzy was eligible to become a part of this militia but more importantly, he was an experienced and decorated soldier who was needed to train and lead men that, for the most part, had no training at all. Because of his previous rank and service, Tiburzy was given the Volkssturm rank of Bataillonsführer and assigned to Volkssturm-Bataillon 25/82. The unit was part of the forces commanded by General Otto Lasch in the city of Königsberg which, beginning in late January to April 9, 1945, battled elements of the Russian 3rd. Belorussian Front. Initially, the Germans managed to stabilize the area around the city which allowed civilians and wounded to be evacuated and supplies to get to the city's defenders. But on April 2, 1945, the Russians commenced a four day bombardment of the city and its defenses and on April 6, 1945, the Russian 39th., 43rd., and 50th. Armies plus the 208th. Rifle Division and the 11th. Guards Army moved off their start lines to take Königsberg. Tiburzy was in the thick of the fighting and early in February, he led a contingent of Volkssturm to retake a defensive trench that Russian infantry had managed to occupy. Using grenades, he and his men managed to dislodge the Russians and Tiburzy himself destroyed two T-34 medium tanks using Panzerfaust during the assault. Some 48 hours later, another Volkssturm defensive position was overrun by Russian infantry supported by tanks. Tiburzy, on his own initiative, led Volkssturm-Bataillon 25/82 in a counterattack that threw back the Russians from their gains and the Volkssturm were able to reestablish the defensive position. During the combat, Tiburzy added another three T-34 tanks to his kill tally, again using Panzerfaust. For these actions, Tiburzy was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on February 10, 1945 and he became one of only four Volkssturm men to earn such an esteemed decoration.

     The photograph of Tiburzy is one of his most well known. He is known to have suffered an injury to his right eye as he appeared in the very last Die Deutsche Wochenschau (The German Weekly Review) newsreel, No. 755, wearing an eye patch. He is wearing the RMBO Einheitsfeldmütze as discussed above. His feldbluse is likely that worn by RMBO officers which typically had a collar that matched the color of the wool and was devoid of shoulder boards. His Bataillonsführer rank is denoted by the black collar tabs with four silver pips. Interestingly, the rank of SA-Sturmbannführer was identical except the collar tab color was red rather than black. Perhaps the reporter for the newspaper article mistook his Volkssturm rank for that of the SA. Still, his former membership in the SA is shown by his wearing two Die Dienstauszeichnung der NSDAP (NSDAP Long Service Award) ribbons, one for 10 years of service and the other for 15 years of service. Assuming Tiburzy joined the SA when he turned 18 in 1929, from February 1925 to January 1933, the time served in the NSDAP was doubled in regards to the award. Thus, by 1935, he would have had ten years and by 1940, another five years. The third ribbon, closest to the buttons, is for the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse. Around his throat is the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes while on his feldbluse pocket is his Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse, Verwundetenabzeichen, and Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen. The other award is the SA-Sportabzeichen für Kriegsverletzte (SA Sports Badge for War Wounded) which was a special version of the SA-Sportabzeichen. Only those with a validated disability could earn the SA-Sportabzeichen für Kriegsverletzte whose scored events typically excluded the physical fitness (Leibesübungen) tests of the regular SA-Sportabzeichen and had modified basic exercises (Grundübungen) and field exercises (Geländesport). Not visible in the photograph, Tiburzy wore the Volkssturm armband around the lower left sleeve of his feldbluse. Incidentally, the armband was the only uniform item within the Volkssturm that was standard across all Volkssturm units.

     What happened to Tiburzy following the fall of Königsberg isn't known nor what happened to him following the defeat of Germany. He did survive the conflict as mentioned earlier though what he did in civilian life isn't told nor if he served any time as a POW. He died in Papenburg, Germany on November 14, 2004 at the age of 92.

 

The British FV4004 Conway: Not Good Enough

     When Soviet IS-3 heavy tanks belonging to the 71st. Guards Heavy Tank Regiment appeared before Western eyes on September 7, 1945, rolling down the Charlottenburger Straße in Berlin to celebrate the Allied victory over Germany, it would send a ripple of panic through the U.S. and Britain. With its pointed and well sloped front hull boasting 200mm thick armor and its low, rounded turret fitted with the heavy hitting 122mm D-25 gun, the “Shchuka” (“Pike” as the Soviets nicknamed the IS-3) became the boogieman that haunted the dreams of tank designers and tank crews. The IS-3 was the catalyst for two heavy tanks designed to beat it. The first was the U.S. M103 heavy tank which entered service in 1957 and the second was the British FV214 Conqueror which saw service starting in 1955. For the British, the delays in getting the FV214 into operational service saw the experimentation with heavy guns on existing tank chassis in order to put something into the field that both had the range and the hitting power to defeat the IS-3. One of these designs was the FV4004 Conway.

     The chassis to be used was that of the Centurion Mk.3 main battle tank and outside of the turret, the remainder of the Conway was exactly the same as the Centurion. The weapon to be used was the L1 120mm rifled gun and because the breech of the L1 was so massive, a completely new turret had to be built as the standard Centurion turret could not mount it. The turret itself was tall, a necessity to fit both the breech and allow the gun crew to operate, and was not thickly armored. By consequence, the turret, while larger and with a heavy gun, did not impose much of weight increase and so the mobility of the Conway remained good with a top speed of 21.5mph as provided by its Rolls-Royce Meteor engine. The ammunition for the L1 usually consisted of Armor-Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS) and High-Explosive Squash-Head (HESH). The ammunition was in two parts, the projectile and the brass propellant case. For the APDS round, the projectile was 21.4lbs. while the case was 60.9lbs. The HESH ammunition was 35.3lbs. and 41.5lbs. respectively. Because of the size of the complete rounds, the ammunition the Conway could carry was very limited. The APDS round could penetrate 390mm of flat steel armor at 1,000 yards or up to 120mm of armor at a 55 degree slope. The HESH round, on the other hand, could cause spalling on armor up to 120mm thick at a 60 degree slope at any range and this made it effective in long range tank duels in which the HESH round would not be as vulnerable to the sloping of the IS-3's armor.

     A single prototype of the Conway was completed in either 1949 or 1950 and was tested. However, by 1951, it was decided to discontinue work on the Conway. It isn't known the exact reasons as to why but it could be speculated that the limited ammunition capacity and the high profile of the Conway were not conductive to a tank destroyer. Another concern was that the APDS round could not reliably knock out the IS-3 at range leaving only the HESH ammunition which, while more capable at longer ranges, also did not guaranty target destruction. This is evidenced by the FV4005 “Centaur” project which essentially took up where the Conway left off, the new design meant to utilize the even larger L4 183mm gun which was thought to be the “one shot, one kill” weapon the British needed.

     Today, the Conway survives and is on display at the Tank Museum at Bovington in Dorset, England. Following the cancellation of the Conway in 1951, only the turret remained so the Conway at the museum is the original turret and gun but on a different Centurion Mk.3 chassis.

 

Jagdtiger "131": Signpost in Schwetzingen

One of the many photographs of Jagdtiger "131". Author's Collection.

     On March 26, 1945, U.S. forces crossed the Rhine River at Germersheim, 24 miles from Schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung 653's (s.Pz.Jg.Abt.653) encampment where mechanics worked to repair and refit the unit’s Jagdtigers. On March 30, U.S. Army Air Force fighters and bombers subjected the town of Schwetzingen to an aerial bombardment in preparation for an attack by U.S. infantry and armor. Once the bombardment lifted, troops commenced to advancing into the town. s.Pz.Jg.Abt.653 was ordered to deploy Jagdtigers to assist in the defense and dispatched three Jagdtigers for the effort. Unfortunately, disaster was waiting. The gruppe (group) was led by Leutnant Knippenberg in Jagdtiger “115” and as he attempted to maneuver his vehicle into a firing position, it became bogged down in a field. Unable to extract it, Knippenberg had his crew blow “115” up. 

     “131” entered Schwetzingen and was moving down Heidelberg Road when from a side street (Mannheim Road), a U.S. M4 Sherman spotted the Jagdtiger and fired, hitting the left side of “131” and jamming the track. This caused the Jagdtiger to suddenly veer into what was left of the corner home of the Krebs family. The M4 quickly fired again, striking the Jagdtiger in the weaker side armor (which was 80mm compared to 150mm to 250mm at the front) just above the track. One crewman was killed immediately after the second hit with another severely wounded then “131” began to burn. The surviving crew abandoned the Jagdtiger but the wounded soldier would later die of his injuries. 

     The third Jagdtiger retreated from Schwetzingen, headed towards the town of Eppelheim along the E5 Autobahn. While at speed, the Jagdtiger threw a track (meaning, it came off the running gear). With the rapid advance of the U.S. troops, there was no time to either put the track back on or attempt to move the Jagdtiger into some sort of firing position so it was blown up by the crew.

     The burned out “131” would become the subject of many photographs as well as becoming a sign post to direct U.S. troops. The hole created by the second round from the Sherman can be seen in the fender to the right of the soldier getting his picture taken.

155mm M1A1 Howitzer: Barrel Burst on Enubuj Island

(U.S. Army Signal Corps)

     The job of artillerymen, from the 12th. century when cannons were first introduced to modern times, still comes with considerable risk. While counter-battery fire, aerial bombardment, and enemy ground attacks are known risks which have a measure of risk mitigation, a more frightening aspect of crewing and firing cannons is the barrel burst. This is graphically illustrated by this photograph of a U.S. Army 155mm M1A1 howitzer belonging to the 7th. Infantry Division.

     The photograph was taken on Enubuj Island which U.S. military planners named Carlson in preparation for Operation Flintlock. This was the nine phase taking of the Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls from the Japanese. The invasion commenced on January 31, 1944 and the 7th. Infantry Division was tasked with taking the islands of Ennylabegan (Carlos), Gea (Carter), Ninni (Cecil), and Enubuj (Carlson). The mission was to sweep the islands of Japanese forces and set up artillery firing positions to support the landings which were to occur elsewhere on the atolls the following day. The four islands made up a portion of the Kwajalein Atoll. The islands were not wide, typically being only a half a mile in width. This made it impossible for the Japanese to defend in depth and so the Japanese situated the bulk of their forces to repel an ocean-side landing. The landings on the four islands were swift and the men of the 7th. Infantry Division were able to quickly dislodge and eliminate what few Japanese defenders there were. However, the main island of Kwajalein held the majority of the Japanese defenders, 5,000 in all, which were drawn from the 1st. Amphibious Brigade and 2nd. Mobile Battalion. The U.S. had learned from earlier assaults against Japanese held islands and unleashed a massive bombardment of the islands prior to the launch of the assault forces. Ships from the U.S. Navy's Southern Attack Force moved closer to Japanese positions and utilized armor-piercing shells in order to penetrate heavily dug-in Japanese positions while Consolidated B-24 bombers flying out of Apamama Atoll added their bomb payloads to the artillery bombardment coming from Enubuj (Carlson) Island. The effect was devastating to the Japanese troops and the landings on Red 1 and Red 2 Beaches kicked off at 0930 on February 1, 1944 with the 7th. Infantry Division making significant progress, in part as the landings were made on the atoll side, not the ocean side as the LVTs and tanks were able to travel over the coral reefs. Despite repeated Japanese counterattacks, Kwajalein Island was declared fully secure on February 5, 1944 though the fighting was more or less over by February 3, 1944.

     During the four days of combat, the 7th. Infantry Division lost 142 men, suffered 845 wounded, with 2 missing in action. Of the Japanese, 4,300 perished with only 166 being taken prisoner. Unfortunately, the gun crew for this M1A1 howitzer were counted in those 142 men killed. Burst barrels can be caused by metal fatigue in the gun but most often, the cause is a problem with the shell itself. Examination of the damage to the M1 indicates the latter to be the case. A problem with the shell such as poor construction, metallurgy variance, or some other production defect can cause the shell to explode within the barrel with dreadful effects, especially here as the shell burst just barely beyond the breech rather then further down the barrel. The shrapnel caused by the shredded metal of the gun created by the explosion only compounded to the tragedy.

     As a side note, the M1 was redesignated as the M114 in 1962 and while it is no longer in service with the U.S. Army, the M114 is still used by a number of nations around the world. The largest users of the M114 include Greece, Brazil, Pakistan, and Turkey.

Obermaschinist Rudolf Zölk: eBay Auction Misinformation

     If one isn't careful, eBay is a place in which sellers unintentionally or intentionally misrepresent the merchandise they offer. This particular photograph is one of those cases. The seller listed the name as Rudolf Zölk, holding the rank of Kapitän zur See (literally Captain at Sea) on the submarine U-123. At $3.99, the reproduction of the genuine photograph isn't too bad except that Zölk was not a line officer. To boost the eyes on the auction and entice sales, the seller included the word “Hardegen” and this was in reference to the actual captain of U-123, Korvettenkapitän Reinhard Hardegen. Hardegen was one of the more successful U-boat captains and during his command which ran from May 19, 1941 to July 31, 1942, 221 total days at sea, he sank 22 ships totaling 115,656 gross register tonnage sent to the bottom. 19 of these ships were torpedoed off the U.S. east coast and in Canadian waters.

     Returning to Zölk, he held the rank of Obermaschinist and this can be told by his schulterstücke (shoulderboards). The pointed shape of the schulterstücke denoted a sailor within the Unteroffiziere mit Portepee ranks which, more or less, was the U.S. Navy equivalent to Petty Officers. Zölk's specific rank is shown by the two rank pips which was the equivalent to a Senior Chief Petty Officer. His naval profession, that of machinist, was denoted by a cypher situated between the two pips. It consisted of a anchor with the anchor's shaft running between two stylized gears. As a machinist on U-123, his duty tasks included the maintenance and repair propulsion equipment, auxiliary equipment, boilers, pumps, engines, and even mess equipment such as refrigerators, stoves, etc. In addition to being able to maintain and fix such equipment, he also had to know how to operate it.

     As far as awards, Zölk was certainly well decorated. From his awards, U-123 was certainly not his first duty station. This is told by the Kriegsabzeichen für Minensuch-, U-Boot-Jagd- und Sicherungsverbände (Minesweepers, Sub-Chasers and Escort-Vessel War Badge). This was awarded to those men that served on minesweeper ships and could be received under several conditions including simply serving on such a ship for 25 days of escort duty all the way to earning the badge for his ship being sunk from enemy action. The badge represented a geyser of water rising from waves, surrounded by a gold wreath. Above this badge is the U-Boot-Kriegsabzeichen (U-Boat War Badge) and this was typically earned by being part of two war patrols with each patrol sometimes lasting months at sea. Above that badge, and having the highest order of precedence, is the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse (Iron Cross 1st. Class). Zölk has three ribbons but of the three, the only one which is identifiable is the Wehrmacht-Dienstauszeichnung (Long Service Award). This was a blue ribbon which had a eagle (adler) device affixed to it. If only by the appearance of the eagle, it may be the second lowest grade which was for 12 years of service. Through the buttonhole is the ribbon for the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class). However, the most notable award is that of the Spanien-Kreuz (Spanish Cross) which is partially visible. This meant that Zölk likely served on one of the Kriegsmarine ships dispatched to Spain as part of Nordseegruppe (North Sea Group) during the Spanish Civil War. German forces were active in the conflict from July 29, 1936 through May 26, 1939.

     On May 17, 1944, Zölk was awarded the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (German Cross in Gold) and because this decoration is not shown on his uniform in this image, we can date the photograph to sometime earlier. This prestigious award was received for repeated acts of valor or multiple outstanding achievements.

 

SS-Rottenführer: SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 3 "Deutschland"

     A studio portrait of a SS-Rottenführer belonging to the SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 3 "Deutschland" which was a part of the 2. SS-Panzerdivision "Das Reich". His rank is denoted by the sleeve chevron while his unit affiliation is evidenced by the cuff title on the sleeve of his feldbluse. Speaking of the feldbluse, he is wearing Die Feldbluse Modell 1936, often called the M36 feldbluse by modern collectors and the more evident features of the M36 included the dark blue-green collar, the three-pointed pocket flaps, and the box pleats on the pockets themselves. Despite being a pre-World War Two feldbluse, it continued to be worn during the early war years. However, the M36 was superceeded by the Feldbluse Modell 1940, or M40, which did away with the blue-green collar and replaced it with a collar using the same feldgrau (“field gray“) color as the rest of the feldbluse. Interestingly, some soldiers liked the look of the M36 and kept it for as long as possible or modified later feldbluse by stitching a salvaged collar from a M36 over the existing collar. The piping on his uniform's shoulderboards (schulterstücke) as well as the piping on his uniform cap (schirmmütze) is white, the waffenfarbe (meaning, corps or branch color) for infantry and panzergrenadiers. Speaking of the schirmmütze, it was a popular piece of headgear for NCOs (non-commissioned officers) who often removed the cap spring which kept the rigidity of the schirmmütze. This allowed it to be shaped by wear, giving it a “crushed“ look which became a sign of a veteran soldier. Given the pinched appearance of this man's cap on either side of the metal eagle, it is evidence that he has taken the spring out though he may have primped the cap up to make it more regulation appearing for this formal photograph.

     On the right upper pocket is a signal whistle, something often carried by NCOs who led men into battle. The whistle is tucked into the pocket with only the lanyard visible. A loop on one end of the lanyard secured it around the pocket's button. For decorations, he has earned the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class) whose ribbon has been sewn through the feldbluse's button hole. On his upper left pocket is the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse (Iron Cross 1st. Class), Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen (Infantry Assault Badge), and a Verwundetenabzeichen 3. Klasse (Wound Badge 3rd. Class) as evidenced by it being painted black. The single ribbon seen above the left pocket is most likely the Medaille Winterschlacht im Osten 1941/42 (Winter Battle in the East 1941–42 Medal). This particular award is more often called the Ostmedaille (Eastern Medal) by collectors but during the war, given it was earned by seeing combat on the Eastern Front, German troops called it the “Gefrierfleischorden“ which meant “Order of the Frozen Meat“. This was because one of the ways to get the medal was to suffer a frozen limb which was severe enough to warrant being awarded a Wound Badge.

 

Private First Class Floyd L. Rogers: Sniper Killing BAR Gunner

     Private First Class Floyd L. Rogers of C Company, 38th. Infantry Regiment, 2nd. Infantry Division poses for a photographer somewhere in the north of France on June 29, 1944. Rogers was part of a heavy weapons platoon, led by Technical Sergeant Frank Kwiatek. Kwiatek had a score to settle with the Germans when one of his two brothers, Ted Kwiatek, was killed in action during the combat in Sicily, having served as a gunner in a tank crew. A few weeks later, his other brother, Jerry, was killed during the battles in Italy proper. Kwiatek was featured in an article by Sgt. Walter Peters in Yank magazine where he discussed his methods for dealing with German snipers which were a ever present threat as the Allies moved through France. Included in the article was mention of Rogers. Rogers was born on November 29, 1919 in Rising Star, Texas and at the time of the photograph, he was 24.

     There appears to be some confusion on the number of kills Rogers was credited with. Most sources give a count of 27 and this appears to be confirmed in General Orders No.32 issued through the 2nd. Infantry Division headquarters in 1944 when Rogers was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in actions which took place on June 11, 1944 in France. Interestingly, it was said Rogers was part of the Rangers which suggests that he had been selected to attend the Ranger Battle Training Course. Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) from select infantry regiments, which included the 38th. Infantry Regiment, attended the two month course at Camp McCoy (in Wisconsin) that started on April 12, 1943 and concluded on June 5, 1943 and graduates from the course were sent back to the units they came from albeit far more highly trained and adding capable NCO leadership to those units. Thus, while Rogers likely received this specialized Ranger training, he was not a part of any of the Ranger battalions created during World War Two. Returning to the Silver Star, this is the third highest award a soldier can receive for valor in combat. The 2nd. Infantry Division, in total, had 741 personnel decorated with the Silver Star during World War Two.

     It is said that Rogers used his M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) to vanquish the 27 men which had all been called snipers. The BAR was not a new weapon, having been introduced into service in 1918 and being first blooded in combat on September 13, 1918 in the hands of the 79th. Infantry Division. Typically chambered for the .30-06 Springfield round, the BAR usually used a 20-round magazine and it was deployed as a light machine gun. The U.S. Army did not issue the BAR in large numbers until 1938 when it began to be used as a squad automatic weapon. By World War Two, the main BAR model in use was the M1918A2 though earlier models were also issued to meet the soldier's demand for the hard hitting weapon. Some debate whether or not some of the men Rogers killed were genuine snipers as the BAR was not exactly conductive to precision shooting. It was not uncommon for the Germans to leave behind one or two soldiers to harass Allied troops. The trained and skilled snipers typically were found in German companies, battalions, and other higher echelon formations. At the platoon level, some German soldiers were given the designation of sniper but had no formal training at all. Other Germans who may have been encountered alone or in pairs included artillery forward observers and reconnaissance troops. While not taking away from Rogers' accomplishments, it is possible that some of those in his kill score were not specifically snipers.

     Of interest is that Rogers is wearing a helmet cover made of German Buntfarbenaufdruck 31 (literally “Colorful Print 31”) camouflage material. More commonly known as Splittermuster (“Splinter Pattern”), it was introduced in 1931 and continued in use throughout World War Two. The camouflage was mainly used for zeltbahn, tarnhemd (smocks), and tarnhelmüberzug (helmet covers). Rogers likely used a swath taken from a smock or zeltbahn to fashion his helmet cover. Also, he has removed his rank from the sleeves as evidenced by the loose threads where the rank patches would have been. He carries a total of twelve magazines for his BAR (not including the one in the weapon) and a Mk.2 fragmentation grenade is also visible. Finally, he has the M1910 entrenching tool but has cut down the shaft, eliminating the T-handle end.

     PFC Rogers did not survive the war. On July 12, 1944, he was killed in action. It was the very same day he posted his Silver Star to his mother, Anne Belle Rogers. He was returned to Rising Star, Texas and was buried in the Rising Star Cemetery in Rising Star, Eastland County off County Road 273.

     As for Frank Kwiatek, he survived the war, having a kill score of 38. Later, in 1947, at the rank of Master Sergeant, he would be decorated with the Medal of Honor for his service.

British Medium Mk. A Whippet: In Japanese Service

     Parallel to the development of British heavy tanks in World War One was the creation of a cavalry tank that could exploit any breakthroughs made by the heavier tanks. Work began on the new tank in October 1916 with metal being cut on the prototype on December 21, 1916. The work was completed on February 3, 1917 and trails commenced on March 3, 1917. Following the demonstration of the tank, given the designation Medium Mark A but nicknamed the Whippet, an order of 200 examples was given with the first to be delivered on July 31, 1917.

     Originally, the Whippet was given a rotating turret off an Austin armored car but this was dropped in favor of a fixed, rear mounted turret. Armament consisted of four, ball-mounted .303 Hotchkiss machine-guns, one on each face of the turret. The Whippet was powered by two 4-cylinder Tylor Twin engines, each driving one set of tracks. In addition, each engine had its own gearbox and transmission which could be locked together when the tank was driving in a straight line. This rather complex drive train required significant training on the part of the driver in order to master the handling of the tank. In order to turn the Whippet, the transmissions had to be uncoupled and one engine revved up and the other powered down in order to effect the change in direction. The driver was provided with a steering wheel whose mechanism automatically adjusted the engines accordingly. In practice, the gradual steering often failed, causing the tank to veer off course. Drivers, knowing the problems with the regular steering mechanism, would use the brakes to effect turns or would bring the tank to a halt, lock a track side, then turn which sometimes led to the Whippet throwing or breaking a track due to the jerky motions. For armor, the Whippet had a maximum of 14mm which was proof against German armor-piercing ammunition as used in their machine-guns and small arms though it was completely vulnerable to anti-tank guns and artillery. In terms of speed, the Whippet could muster a top speed of 8mph which was double that of the main British heavy tank, the Mark IV. The Whippet had a three man crew that consisted of the commander, the driver, and the gunner. The latter had his work cut out for him given he had to man four weapons within the confines of the turret. In some cases, the commander would assist or a second gunner was crammed into the fighting compartment.

     Following World War One, the Whippet was eventually replaced by the Medium Mark B and Medium Mark C which left examples of the Whippet as surplus and at this stage, the Japanese entered the picture. As Japan sought to modernize its military in the 1920s, it did so in three major ways. The first was to send personnel abroad to the major military powers (like Britain and France) to study the military technology of those countries. The second way was for Japanese companies to hire foreign engineers and designers and the third way was to purchase foreign designs with which to study. When World War One ended, the Japanese looked to Britain and France to purchase tanks. The first order was for a single Mark IV heavy tank (some sources state a Mark V tank) while a second purchase, done in 1919, was for six Medium Mark A Whippet tanks along with thirteen Renault FT light tanks (called the Ko-Gata Sensha in Japanese service). The photograph shows one of the Japanese Whippet tanks being demonstrated before a crowd of military personnel.

     The Whippet tanks the Japanese obtained were production models as evidenced by the four mud chutes on the tank as the prototypes had five. Exhaust smoke from the engine is obscuring some of the features of the tank but the fixed turret is evident though devoid of any armament. It is possible that the demonstration was done soon after the Whippets were received in Japan as the original British white/red/white identification striping on the front of the tracks is still visible. Later photographs of the Whippets do not show this and stars were added to the front of the hull which suggests the tanks had been later repainted. The Japanese retained the Whippets in service until 1929 but by then, Japanese industry was already developing their own indigenous tank, the Type 87 Chi-I medium tank. 

The Model of 1941 Johnson Rifle: Domestic Failure but Foreign Success

(Photograph from the Dutch Nationaal Archief)

     Very much overshadowed by the M1 Garand semi-automatic rifle was the Model of 1941 Johnson Rifle. The designation Model of 1941 is no grammatical mistake as the naming was meant to convey that the rifle had been accepted by the U.S. military even when it hadn't. Melvin Johnson developed the rifle and after informally demonstrating the weapon to the U.S. Army in June 1938, the rifle was seen favorably to give it an official testing in August 1938 at Aberdeen Proving Grounds by the U.S. Army's Ordnance Department. The Johnson rifle was put up against the new M1 Garand and for the most part, found favor save a few minor concerns that Johnson rapidly corrected. The revised rifle was again put to the test in December 1939 but following the Ordnance Department's official final report on the testing issued in February 23, 1940, the Johnson rifle was found to have no significant advantages over the M1 Garand. This did not spell the end for the Johnson rifle as the M1 had some early “teething” problems of its own which made public headlines that even had Congress threatening to withhold funding for further M1 Garand purchases. Yet another competition between the M1 and the Johnson rifle was held on May 5, 1940 but once more, it did not win out against the M1. Some felt Johnson was dealt a bad hand and the competitions were rigged to the point in December 1940, the War Department had to issue a statement proclaiming there were no shenanigans and the testing between the two rifles was fair. Shot down twice by the U.S. Army, Melvin Johnson went to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) to interest them in the rifle only to be denied once again following a shoot-off between the M1 Garand and the M1903 Springfield bolt-action rifle (used as a control rifle) in which the M1 was deemed superior. With no U.S. military orders, Johnson had little option but to push export sales, the rifle often being called the M1941 Johnson Rifle in pitches to foreign buyers.

     The M1941 Johnson Rifle was chambered for the .30-06 Springfield round and a rotary magazine held ten rounds. The magazine could be fed singly or it could use the five-round stripper clip of the M1903 Springfield rifle to more quickly load the weapon. Total length of the M1941 was 3.8 feet long and had a loaded weight of 9.5 pounds. The M1941 used a short-recoil action with a rotating bolt. The usage of a short-recoil system was one of the main problems with the M1941. In short, upon firing, both the bolt and the barrel travel backwards. The barrel is stopped and the bolt continues backwards, ejecting the round. As the bolt rides back forward, it feeds a new round into the barrel and then pushes the barrel back into battery. This type of recoil system led to wider shot dispersion and while the M1941 could be fitted with a 8 inch triangular “spike” bayonet, attaching the bayonet to the barrel added enough weight to cause stoppages. In truth, the bayonet was an afterthought, included only as selling point for potential customers. The M1941 was unsuited for bayoneting as it risked damaging the rifle, the bayonet had no use outside of being attached to the rifle (and it had no true handle at all), and it was sometimes referred to as a “tent peg”. Muzzle velocity was 2,840 feet per second and the round was suitable for shots up to 1,000 yards using the rifle's iron sights.

     Johnson's efforts to obtain foreign sales paid off when the Netherlands ordered 70,000 examples in late 1941 to equip the Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger (KNIL; Royal Netherlands East Indies Army) in the face of the looming Japanese attacks on Dutch holdings such as Java and Sumatra. The only change to the rifle was using meters instead of yards on the graduating sight. However, just under 2,000 M1941 rifles reached the Dutch East Indies before the Japanese completed their domination of the region by March of 1942. The Dutch government in exile (Nederlandse regering in ballingschap) embargoed some 33,000 rifles to prevent them from being captured by the Japanese while the remainder of the Dutch order was completed by Johnson (via the Cranston Arms Company) and kept in storage by the company. 

     Some of these rifles, however, were distributed and used to equip the Surinaamse Schutterij, the Surinamese Militia. At the time of World War Two, Suriname (located on the northeastern Atlantic coast of South America) was a Dutch colony and the country was an important exporter of oil, rubber, and bauxite, a rock that contains a high content of aluminum. Aware of the Japanese threat, the Dutch government in exile (as the Germans had conquered the Netherlands in May 1940) permitted the deployment of U.S. troops in November 1941 to Suriname (as well as the Antilles and Dutch Guiana) to protect these vital industries. The presence of U.S. troops in the Dutch colonies was seen by some as a threat to colonial rule by the Dutch governors of the territories, thinking the troops would remain permanently. In Suriname, the Surinaamse Schutterij was raised and supported U.S. troops in protecting important industrial facilities and ports. These men, photographed in Paramaribo (the capital city of Suriname) in 1942 during a visit by Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, are dressed in the Dutch M1937 service uniform which was made of gray-green cotton material (called Garoet-B). The tunic was closed by seven brass buttons, had two pleated upper pockets and two lower patch pockets with all of the pockets having pointed flaps. Their headgear, however, isn't Dutch but looks to be patterned after British army side caps. For equipment, the men have brown leather belts and Y-straps to which a single M1931 ammunition pouch (normally used for the 6.5mm Mannlicher M95 carbine) has been fitted. None of the visible men have any rank. The rotary magazine of the M1941 Johnson Rifle is very much evident here as is the bayonet fitted to the barrels. The lack of a true handle and the spike nature of the bayonet is clear and illustrates how useless it was for anything else. Ultimately, neither the Japanese nor the Germans threatened Suriname though German U-boats shelled an oil refinery in Aruba (another Dutch colony) in February 1942. In September 1943, Suriname was deemed safe and the regular U.S. Army troops were replaced by Puerto Rican troops from the 65th. Infantry Regiment. These men were the last U.S. forces in Suriname, finally leaving in October 1947. 

     As for the M1941 Johnson Rifle, the USMC ultimately made a small purchase of the rifle to equip the 1st. Parachute Battalion on account the M1941's barrel was easily detached which made it shorter, important for combat drops. The unit was never deployed as airborne troops and saw action in the Solomons in 1942. However, they were rapidly replaced by the M1 Garand. Other U.S. users included the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and the 1st. Special Service Force (the “Red Devils”). Other foreign users included the Free French Forces (Forces Françaises Libres) during World War Two and after the war, the largest user was Chile who equipped her navy with 1,000 M1941 Johnson Rifles chambered in 7X57mm Mauser.

     Following World War Two, most of the M1941 Johnson Rifles were demilitarized by destroying them. The fate of the Dutch weapons stored by Cranston Arms is believed to have been one of destruction or shipped to the Dutch after the war. The embargoed weapons were purchased by the Winfield Arms company sometime in 1953 and were sold into the 1960s before their supply ran out. Today, the Model of 1941/M1941 Johnson Rifle is much sought after by collectors and commands a high price when in good condition.