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.

The Canon de 75 Modèle 1897: World's First Modern Artillery Piece

(Author's Collection)

     The French Canon de 75 Modèle 1897, better known simply as the “75”, is considered to be the first modern artillery piece and a testament to its design can be seen in its use by over a dozen nations, deployment in multiple conflicts spanning the years, and that the “75” set the pattern for artillery which came after it. The key reason for the success of the “75” was its hydro-pneumatic recoil mechanism. By using cylinders with compressed air and hydraulic oil, the recoil force of the gun barrel is taken up by the cylinders. The effect of this is that the carriage of the gun barely moves, if at all. Guns without such a recoil mechanism had to be repositioned and relayed onto target after every shot as the recoil forces acted on the gun carriage, moving it out of position. With the “75”, a high rate of fire could be achieved as the gun crew did not have to put the cannon back into position. An adequately trained “75” crew could put 15 rounds per minute down range while a highly experienced crew could double that rate.

     In this photograph, an American gun crew is training with the “75” which in U.S. nomenclature was the 75mm Gun M1897. That they are training is evidenced by their wearing the campaign hats rather than helmets and that the firing position is completely exposed which would not be the case if at the front. We see the barrel in full recoil and the advantage of the carriage not moving is clearly evident by two of the crew being right behind the gun shield. The U.S. would license build the “75” though those artillery units in World War One were mostly equipped with French built “75” guns. The design would continue in use by the U.S. Army, being modernized in the 1930s with a new carriage, improved range of motion, and improved ammunition. French built guns updated were designated as the M1897A2 and A3 models while U.S. built guns were designated M1897A4 guns. When replaced in service in 1941 by the M101 105mm howitzer, the “75” was used as an anti-tank gun on M3 GMC (Gun Motor Carriage) tank destroyers and these vehicles would see action throughout the war in all combat theaters.

The Messerschmitt Me 163B-1a: A Captured Komet

     The Messerschmitt Me 163 “Komet” was the world’s first operational rocket fighter, entering combat for the first time with the test unit Erprobungskommando 16 on May 13, 1944. Because of the highly limited endurance (7.5 minutes of powered flight), the Me 163 was deployed as a point defense fighter, flying from bases close to known Allied bomber flight paths. The high speed while under power meant interception of the Me 163 was difficult at best. The combat service of the Me 163, taken as a whole, was underwhelming. When Me 163 bases were discovered, bombers would simply fly around them, out of range of the Komet. The high speed, while giving defending escorts fits, meant the Me 163 pilot had mere seconds to line up a bomber, fire, and bank away to avoid collision. Only the most skilled pilots could achieve hits. Finally, once the fuel was used up, the Me 163 was no more than a glider and so the Allied fighters would attack Komet bases before the Me 163s could sortie or would simply wait until the Me 163s expended their fuel and would “bounce” them as they glided back to their base.

     This particular Komet, a Me 163B-1a (the type most deployed in combat), belonged to II.Gruppe of Jagdgeschwader 400 (JG 400) [II/JG 400]. It carried the Werk Nummer (Work Number) 191301 and was captured by the U.S. and given the Foreign Equipment (FE) number 500 (FE-500). The plane was sent to Freeman Field in the U.S. and while there, was refurbished to make it ready for flight testing. On April 12, 1946, FE-500 was air freighted in a Fairchild C-82 Packet to Muroc, CA (now Edwards Air Force Base). Once there, the FE number was replaced with a “T-2” number after the Technical Data Laboratory (which evaluated Axis aircraft) became part of the T-2 Intelligence section. Starting on May 3, 1946, T-2-500 underwent numerous unpowered gliding flights, being towed into the air by a Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Nearly all of the flights were carried out by Gustav E. Lundquist (seen here in the cockpit). T-2-500, although the highly reactive fuels T-Stoff and C-Stoff were available, did not fly under power as it was discovered that the laminate on the wooden wings was failing and so T-2-500 was put into storage, ending up in Silver Hill in 1954. 

     The aircraft was put on public display in unrestored condition but in 1996, the aircraft was lent to the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum who restored the Komet. In 2011, it was returned to the Smithsonian and is currently on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.

Gefreiter Heinrich Severloh: Refuting the "Beast of Omaha"

     Online stories proclaim him as the “Beast of Omaha” but the reality of it was, Grefreiter Heinrich Severloh was not all the title makes him out to be. It was more a case of hyperbole which arose from the pages of his memoir entitled WN 62 – Erinnerungen an Omaha Beach Normandie, 6. Juni 1944 published by Hek Creativ Verlag in 2000. In it, Severloh claimed to have caused between 1,000 to 2,000 casualties among U.S. troops storming ashore on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. Was he posted to Omaha Beach? Severloh very much was present and did take part in the defense of the beach but his casualty claim is only believed by Severloh himself. Objective historians, on the other hand, dismiss his claim as outright fiction and have good cause to refute his words.

     Severloh was born in Metzingen, Germany on June 23, 1923, his parents farmers. On July 23, 1943, Severloh found himself conscripted into the Heer (Army) at the age of 19. Following initial training, he was posted to the 19. Leichte Artillerie-Ersatzdivision (19th. Reserve Light Artillery Division) which at the time, was based in Hanover, Germany. After a short stint with the reserve unit, Severloh was transferred to 3. Batterie, Artillerie-Regiment 321. As a side note, the reserve division was responsible for providing replacement troops to the regiment. With the regiment, he was trained as a kradmelder, or dispatch rider. Typically riding motorcycles, kradmelder were important components of artillery units with these men delivering messages between battalions and higher echelon units. As kradmelder often operated alone, their training included motorcycle maintenance so that common mechanical failures could be repaired in the field using spare parts carried on the motorcycle. In December 1942, Artillerie-Regiment 321 was deployed to the Eastern Front and instead of performing as a kradmelder, Severloh was made a pferdeführer (animal handler) and was posted to one of the unit's non-motorized supply trains. Perhaps upset with his lot, Severloh was cited by his superiors for uttering disrespectful and dissenting comments which resulted in him being put to hard labor where he was so severely worked, it resulted in him being hospitalized for six months. After his convalescence, Severloh was granted leave to return the Metzingen in order to assist his family in collecting the farm's harvest. 

     Despite the disciplinary action against him, Severloh was made a Unteroffizieranwärter (NCO aspirant) and sent to the Unteroffizierschule (Non-Commissioned Officer School) located in Brunswick, Germany in October 1943. Before he could graduate, Severloh was recalled from the school after less than a month of training and returned to Artillerie-Regiment 321 which had a number of units transferred into the 352. Infanterie-Division. The regiment's staff along with 2. Batterie, 3. Batterie, and 7. Batterie were all absorbed into Artillerie-Regiment 352 which was the 352. Infanterie-Division's artillery component. The division was moved to defensive positions in Normandy and specifically, Severloh was posted to Widerstandsnester 62 (WN62; Resistance Nest 62), one of fifteen such strongpoints situated along Omaha Beach. Specifically, WN62 was on the eastern side of the beach, overlooking two of the ten sectors the U.S. Army planned to hit: Easy Red and Fox Green. WN62 was between 40 to 164 feet above the beach depending on the position within WN62 which spanned 354 yards in width with a depth of 363 yards.

     When the U.S. landing commenced, WN62 was manned by twenty-seven troops from 716. Infanterie-Division along with thirteen men, including Severloh, from the 352. Infanterie-Division. WN62 was well armed and had a 7.5cm Flak M 37(t) (captured Czech 7.5cm Kanon PL vz. 37), two 5cm Panzerabwehrkanone 38 anti-tank guns, two 5cm leichter Granatwerfer 36 mortars, four machine-guns (one twin MG 34 mount and two captured 8mm Polish Ckm wz.30 machine-guns), and anti-personnel mines and barbed wire obstacles in addition to the thick concrete portions of the position. The task of the men from the 716. Infanterie-Division was to man the guns while the men from the 352. Infanterie-Division were mainly assigned as forward observers to direct fire from the unit's 10.5cm liecht Feldhaubitze batteries located 3 miles inland from the beach near Houtteville. Severloh was the Ordonnanz (Orderly) to Oberleutnant Bernhard Frerking. This meant that Severloh was Frerking's personal servant and acted as a runner, drove Frerking's vehicle, maintained Frerking's uniform and gear, served as a bodyguard to Frerking, among other tasks Frerking assigned to Severloh.

     During the attack, Frerking directed the artillery bombardment of the beach area from WN62's bunker while Severloh moved to a foxhole position that was 557 feet from the beach seawall and 492 yards from the drop zone of the landing craft. There, he manned a Maschinengewehr 42 (MG 42) machine-gun along with two Karabiner 98k bolt-action rifles. According to Severloh, a Unteroffizier (Sergeant) kept him supplied with ammunition to the point that Severloh claimed he went through over 13,500 rounds of machine-gun ammunition and 400 rounds of rifle ammunition. In 2004, he doubled down that he for sure caused 1,000 casualties but it was most likely 2,000.

     Despite the artillery fire, machine-gun fire, and mortar fire, U.S. troops (mainly from the 29th. Infantry Division and 116th. Infantry Regiment) made headway and Frerking called for a retreat from WN62, the men to make for the village of Colleville-sur-Mer. During the retreat, Frerking was shot in the head and killed, Frerking never to see his daughter who was born three months after his death. As for Severloh, he and the survivors from WN62 surrendered to U.S. troops on June 7, 1944. As a POW, Severloh was shipped to the United States and imprisoned in Boston, Massachusetts. After serving over a year and a half as a POW, in December 1946, Severloh was transferred to Bedfordshire, England to serve as forced labor on British road projects. Finally, in March 1947, Severloh was returned to Metzingen, Germany after his father petitioned the British to release him as he was needed to work on the family farm. Severloh died on January 14, 2006 at the age of 82 in Lachendorf, a town near Metzingen.

     Returning to Severloh's claim, according to the U.S. Army V Corps, U.S. fatalities on Omaha Beach was 694. A further 331 were missing and 1,349 were wounded. All told, this is 2,374 casualties. It is simply not possible for Severloh to have been the primary cause of these casualties, especially as Omaha Beach was some 5 miles long. The MG 42 had a maximum effective firing range of 1.2 miles when on its bipod. If fitted with the Lafette 42 tripod, it was 2.2 miles. Thus, he did not have the range to take the entire breadth of the beach under fire. It is also unlikely that he would have had the full range pf his weapon due to terrain limitations from his position. Despite the MG 42's range, it has been calculated that between 25,000 to even 100,000 rounds of ammunition had to be expended to result in a casualty. Numerous factors go into this but study depending, about 30% of casualties were caused by bullets. The reported casualties also include those killed or wounded by mortar fire and artillery fire, both of which were the main causes of casualties. This also doesn't include the unfortunate soldiers that drowned when their landing craft dropped them in deep water. The MG 42 was fed by 250-round belts and if Severloh is to be believed, he ran through 54 total belts. In action, typically, the barrel of the MG 42 had to be changed out every 150 rounds to allow the barrel to cool. Most machine-gun teams had one to two spare barrels with them to continually rotate them. If the gunner did not rotate the barrel, it would get too hot which would degrade accuracy as well as risk a weapon malfunction. So, assuming Severloh was changing out barrels and firing at the more practical rate of 150 rounds per minute, he would have consumed 13,500 rounds of ammunition alone in an hour and a half. If firing at the weapon's 1,200 rounds per minute, 13,500 rounds would have lasted a little over 11 minutes of firing time. It is said that the Unteroffizier was delivering ammunition to Severloh until 3:30pm. However, the assault on the two sectors of the beach had started at 6:00am with troops hitting the beach before 7:00am. If, indeed, Severloh was in action all that time, then he wasn't maintaining a constant fire which would reduce his ability to inflict casualties. In addition, some question that a single MG 42 had such a quantity of ammunition available. Since the MG 34 machine-guns used the same ammunition, one has to suspect that either the Unteroffizier was taking from the stockpile for the MG 34s or Severloh's accounting is simply way off.

     While Severloh was certainly a contributor to the casualties suffered by U.S. troops attacking the two sectors of Omaha Beach in his defense of the area, there are too many factors that cast doubt on his ability to have inflicted such a huge number on his own. Between his limited zone of fire with the MG 42, rate of fire concerns, ammunition availability, and the fact both artillery and mortar fire were impacting the beach in addition to small arms fire all add up to refute his claims. This also doesn't take into account that fact that his 2,000 casualties claim accounts for almost the entirety of the casualties across all 5 miles of Omaha Beach. Of course, you can be your own judge.

The Raketenpanzerbüchse 54: Germany's Bazooka

(Author's Collection)

     Two men from the Panzer Lehr Division form a team to practice with the Raketenpanzerbüchse 54 (RPzB 54; Rocket Anti-Tank Rifle Model 54) which was better known as the "Panzerschreck" or "Tank Terror." The RPzB 54 was the German response to the U.S. Army's M1 "Bazooka" and fired an 88mm rocket propelled shaped-charge grenade designated the RPzB. Gr. 4322. With an effective range of 150m, the grenade was capable of penetrating 216mm of face-hardened armor at an angle of 90 degrees. Typical engagement range was around 70m but because of the smoke created by the rocket once fired, the weapon was often called the "Ofenrohr" ("Stove Pipe") and it forced crews to quickly abandon their firing position before enemy fire was brought to bear. The photograph depicts the first version of the RPzB 54 which lacked a protective face shield of later makes. Thus, the firer is wearing winter mittens (of which the white lanyard connecting them can be seen) to protect his hands, a gas mask without a filter to protect his eyes and face, and a hood (likely also a winter one) to protect the rest of his head from the rocket's back blast. The loader, having taken a knee, has lowered his head in an effort to protect his face from both the blast and the dirt that the rocket would kick up after leaving the tube. The wooden crate next to the loader could hold two RPzB. Gr. 4322 grenades. The loader is armed with what appears to be a Maschinenpistole 43/1 (MP 43/1) judging by the stock shape and size.

     That the men belong to the Panzer Lehr Division is denoted by the schulterklappen (shoulder boards) visible on the loader. The cypher in the middle of the bottle-green colored schulterklappen is the letter "L" of "Lehr" which means "teach." The piping around the board was a light green. The Panzer Lehr Division was first formed on December 30, 1943 and was made up of instructor personnel from Panzertruppenschule I, Panzertruppenschule II and other Panzerwaffe training and demonstration units (hence the unit name). Thus, from the very beginning, the unit was considered elite due to the vast experience of the men within its ranks. Because of this status, it was the only panzer division to be completely equipped with tanks and half-tracks for the mechanized infantry. The division saw extensive combat on the Western Front.

The 37mm M1916: Soldiering On In WW2

     The Canon d'Infanterie de 37 Modèle 1916 TRP (standing for Tir Rapide, Puteaux; fast firing [made by] Puteaux), whose name was shortened to 37mm mle.1916, was a weapon whose purpose was to bring under direct fire hardened emplacements, such as machine gun “nests” and other hard points so as to facilitate assaults against enemy lines. As it was to be hauled into action by the crew, the mle.1916 was small and four men could carry the gun once broken down. In action, only two men were needed to operate it. A well trained crew could fire up to 35 rounds per minute. Entering service in 1916 with the French army, the gun was accepted into service with the U.S. military as the 37mm M1916. 

     The M1916 was not well liked and it was felt that mortars were better able (and in a way, more safely able) to bring enemy strongpoints under fire. Nevertheless, the M1916 remained in U.S. service for many years after the end of World War One, typically in a training role. This photograph depicts U.S. Marine soldiers “training” with the M1916. Given the Marine in the background is relaxing and reading a newspaper, this photograph was most likely staged rather than showing actual range training. 

     By 1941, the M1916 was either in storage or repurposed but during the Philippines Campaign (1941-1942), the M1916 was brought out in order to plug shortfalls in equipment. France still had the mle.1916 in service by 1940, using it to fill out anti-tank units still waiting for the more potent Canon de 25mm Semi-Automatique Modèle 1934 anti-tank gun. Enough mle.1916 guns remained that the Germans put captured examples into service as the 3.7 cm IG 152(f). The Japanese thought enough of the gun to obtain a license from the French to build it as the Type 11, putting it into service in 1922. The Type 11, despite being obsolete, would remain in service with the Japanese until the close of the war in 1945.

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.