Freiwilliger: 1. Kosaken-Kavallerie-Division

     The 1. Kosaken-Kavallerie-Division (1st. Cossack Cavalry Division) came into being during the months of April and May in 1943. Of all the various Eastern volunteers, the many tribes of Cossacks made up the majority of them. The first Cossack volunteers commenced fighting for the Germans almost from the very outset of the German invasion of Russia. Over time, more and more Cossack units were raised but were scattered among the many German forces spanning the Eastern Front. The creation of the 1. Kosaken-Kavallerie-Division brought these various units into one fold and with additional recruitment, some 12,000 men were assembled representing Don, Kuban, Terek, and Ural Cossacks. The division was made up of two brigades, each with three cavalry regiments and one artillery regiment. Division assets included a reconnaissance battalion, two engineer battalions, one signal battalion, and a divisional artillery battalion. The division was first deployed into action on October 12, 1943 against Yugoslav partisans and in 1944, was shifted to Croatia to battle Chetniks and Croat partisans. The unit gained a reputation for ruthlessness to the point special courts-martial were set up in the division to dispense justice on those Cossacks who exhibited more extreme barbarism. The division first saw battle against the Red Army near Pitomača, Croatia. There, the Cossacks showed their prowess in combat, forcing the Soviets to retreat from the field. By February 1945, the 1. Kosaken-Kavallerie-Division was absorbed into the XV SS Cossack Cavalry Corps.

     The soldier pictured is from one of the units within the 1. Kosaken-Kavallerie-Division. This can be told by the plain shield seen beneath the Russian Liberation Army (Russkaya Osvoboditel'naya Armiya, abbreviated ROA) shield. The divisional shield was red with a white border. The ROA shield (POA in Cyrillic) was introduced early in 1943 and issued out to the various Osttruppen (Eastern Troops) but it would not be until the formation of the Komitet Osvobozhdeniya Narodov Rossii (Committee for the Liberation of the Peoples of Russia) in November 1944 would the ideal of a singular Osttruppen army come into being. So, many of the various Osttruppen and Cossack soldiers would simply add the ROA shield to their uniform rather than replace their indigenous unit insignia with it. The ROA shield featured a blue St. Andrews cross on a white field surrounded by a red border. The POA lettering was yellow with the shield's background being a dark green. The photograph can be dated to sometime after May 1943 given that he wears the regulation crossed lances collar patches which were first authorized for Cossack troops on May 29, 1943. The lances were silver on a red background. For enlisted men, like this man who holds the rank of Freiwilliger, the patch had a olive green border. As typical for many of the ROA units, he has a mixture of rank accouterments. His shoulder boards are from the previous rank regulations for Cossacks that were issued on November 11, 1942. These consisted of shoulder boards which were of the same pattern as the German military except that the material was green with red piping around the edges. The 1943 regulations called for Czarist-style shoulder boards. He is lightly equipped, the only notable piece of equipment being the metal gasmaskenbüchse (gas mask case). 

     For weapons, he holds a Soviet Shpagin 7.62X25mm PPSh-41 submachine gun. The weapon could use a 35-round box magazine but it was most often seen, and used, with its 71-round drum magazine. The weapon was popular with Soviet troops but also was highly valued by the Germans who would use captured examples whenever possible. In German service, it had its own designation which was the MP717(r). Enough examples were captured that many were rechambered to fire the 9mm Parabellum round and such conversions were known as the MP41(r). Soviet soldiers nicknamed the weapon "Papasha“ which meant "Daddy“. The soundness of the design is validated by the fact that the PPSh-41 still sees combat to this day in the hands of various militias and irregular forces around the world.

Zugführer: Festungs Grenadier Regiment 360

      A Zugführer (platoon leader) of Festungs Grenadier Regiment 360. The unit, formally the 6th. Cossack Regiment, was commanded by Oberst der Reserve (Reserve Major) Evert von Renteln. Identification of this unit is made rather simple by two specific pieces of insignia. The first is the sleeve shield which is red with a white border. But the more prominent of the two is the tank badge. When Cossack units were first formed, the wearing of German combat decorations was forbidden. This changed but until then, commanders of foreign auxiliary units would come up with their own decorations to award bravery. In the case of von Renteln, he created the tank badge with a golden “F” as a means to award those soldiers who showed bravery in battle against Soviet tanks. 

     This Zugführer wears the authorized collar tabs and shoulderboards as given in a German Wehrmacht order issued on November 11, 1942. He is also wearing the authorized cap badge which consisted of two crossed lances over a red bar on a green oval background. For decorations, he wears three Tapferkeitsauszeichnung für Angehörige der Ostvölker (Valor Award for the Eastern Peoples; shorted to Ostvolkmedaille [Eastern Peoples’ Medal). The medal with the green and red striped ribbon is the Ostvolkmedaille 2nd. Class in Silver while the other two are likely the Ostvolkmedaille 2nd. Class in Bronze. The award had 1st. and 2nd. Classes and was awarded in gold, silver, or bronze. The German awards are the Panzerkampfabzeichen (Tank Battle Badge) to recognize soldiers who took part in armored assaults. The other decoration is the Verwundetenabzeichen (Wound Badge) in Black which signifies he had been wounded up to 2 times in combat.

SS-Obersturmführer Oskar Wolkerstorfer: 1./SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 105

     In Linz, Austria, on November 2, 1919, Oskar Wolkerstorfer was born. While still attending primary school, he became an apprentice at Heinrich Korb, a bookstore in Linz (the company is still in business to this day), on September 10, 1933 at the age of 13. Prior to his apprenticeship, Wolkerstorfer joined the Austrian Hitlerjugend (HJ) in August 1933. At this time, the HJ was illegal in Austria but was given clandestine support by the German Sturmabteilung (SA). He did not remain in the HJ for very long as in July 1934, he transferred into the Austrian Sturmabteilung and found himself almost immediately incarcerated for fourteen days after the failed July Putsch that took place in Vienna, Austria on July 30, 1934. Despite this, exactly three years after becoming an apprentice, Wolkerstorfer was hired on as a regular employee. However, he resigned his position, joined the Allgemeine-SS (General SS) on January 1, 1937, and departed Austria for Germany. By this time, he had already earned the Deutsches Reichssportabzeichen (German Sports Badge). On June 30, 1937, Wolkerstorfer was transferred into SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS Dispositional Troops), SS-Sturmbann “N” (SS Battalion “N”) that was formed in Prittlbach, Germany. The “N” stood for Nürnberg (Nuremberg) which was the garrison city selected for the unit. SS-Sturmbann “N“ was subordinate to SS-Standarte “Deutschland“ and participated in the Anschluss Österreichs (Annexation of Austria) that took place on March 12, 1938. By this time, Wolkerstorfer had the rank of SS-Mann (equivalent to a Private) but his superiors saw much potential in him and so on April 12, 1939, he was promoted to SS-Junker (officer candidate) and upon entering SS-Junkerschule Braunschweig on November 9, 1939, he had the rank of SS-Standartenjunker (also officer candidate but received while in officer school). Wolkerstorfer performed well, graduating on December 20, 1939, and his high marks and evaluations saw him considered for the Waffen-SS (Armed SS) as an officer. This was approved and on January 1, 1940, Wolkerstorfer reported to the SS-Unterführerschule Bresla-Lissa and by April 20, 1940, he graduated as a newly promoted SS-Untersturmführer (equivalent to a 2nd. Lieutenant) with his first posting being the 2./SS-Infanterie Regiment “Der Fuhrer“, 2. SS-Panzer-Division "Das Reich". Interestingly, Wolkerstorfer did not receive his SS number until sometime in 1940 despite his being in the SS since 1937. When received, it was 353112.

     On February 8, 1941, Wolkerstorfer was moved to 1./SS-Infanterie Regiment Deutschland, 2. SS-Panzer-Division "Das Reich" where he served as a platoon leader within one of the four companies underneath the 1st. Battalion and later, he would become the adjutant to the 1st. Battalion. Wolkerstorfer performed expertly during the campaigns in France and the Netherlands which earned him the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse (Iron Cross 2nd. Class) on July 28, 1941. He was still with the battalion when it went into Russia during Unternehmen Barbarossa (Operation Barbarossa) which kicked off on June 22, 1941 and once again, Wolkerstorfer proved his mettle which was rewarded with the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse (Iron Cross 1st. Class) on October 1, 1941. He was made company commander of 15./III.Bataillon, SS-Infanterie Regiment “Der Fuhrer“ in September 1941 and the unit saw heavy combat from September through November 1942. It was during this time that Wolkerstorfer earned his third of four Panzervernichtungsabzeichen (Tank Destruction Badge) when he destroyed a Soviet T-34 tank on September 23, 1941. He had destroyed two tanks prior during combat near Moscow on December 1, 1941. These awards, plus the Verwundetenabzeichen 2. Klasse (Wound Badge in Silver), were bestowed on Wolkerstorfer while he recovered from injuries suffered during combat around Istra, Russia in November 1942. Also, on December 5, 1941, Wolkerstorfer was recommended for promotion to SS-Obersturmführer (equivalent to a 1st. Lieutenant) and this was approved.

     Following his long convalescence, Wolkerstorfer returned to his unit in February 1943 and was once again in the thick of battle soon after his arrival. In combat that occurred between February 16-25, 1943, Wolkerstorfer again proved himself, earning the Deutsches Kreuz im Gold (German Cross in Gold) which was awarded on April 9, 1943. On April 20, 1943, he would earn his fourth (and last) Tank Destruction Badge. On October 1, 1943, Wolkerstorfer was transferred into the V. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgskorps where he was put in command of 1./SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 105 (1st. Battalion, SS Reconnaissance Division 105). Four days later, he was recommended for promotion to SS-Hauptsturmführer (equivalent to Captain) which was also approved. V. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgskorps operated in the Balkans and saw combat against partisans. During this time, Wolkerstorfer was decorated with the Nahkampfspange im Silbur (Close Combat Clasp in Silver) on March 3, 1944. At some point, Wolkerstorfer became the commander of SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 505 as a report dated October 20, 1944 listed him at that position. Thus, SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 105 had became a Sondertruppen der Reichsführung-SS (Special Troops of the Reich Leadership) unit, hence the change in designation to SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 505. After being wounded for the sixth time, Wolkerstorfer was awarded the Verwundetenabzeichen 1. Klasse (Wound Badge in Gold) on February 13, 1945. His name was submitted to receive the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes (Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross) on March 19, 1945 but this decoration was not approved prior to the end of World War Two.

     The photograph depicts Wolkerstorfer when he was an SS-Obersturmführer. Visible decorations include three of his four Panzervernichtungsabzeichen on his right sleeve and the Deutsches Kreuz on the right pocket of his feldbluse. Sewn through the buttonhole on the feldbluse is the ribbon for the Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse and beneath it, the ribbon for the Ostmedaille (Eastern Front Medal). On the left pocket is the Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse. Other decorations that he received during his World War Two military career include the Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 13. März 1938 (Anschluss Commemorative Medal; received in 1939), the Medaille zur Erinnerung an den 1. Oktober 1938 (Sudetenland Medal; received in 1939), Verwundetenabzeichen 3. Klasse (Wound Badge in Black; received in 1941), Infanterie-Sturmabzeichen (Infantry Assault Badge; received in 1942), Panzerkampfabzeichen (Tank Combat Badge; received in 1942), the SS-Ehrenring (SS Honor Ring; received in 1942), and the Orden der Krone von König Zvonimir, 3. Klasse mit Schwertern (Croatian: Red Krune Kralja Zvonimira III.Stupnja s Macevima; Order of the Crown of King Zvonimir, 3rd Class with Swords; received in 1944).

     Wolkerstorfer passed away in his hometown of Linz on January 11, 1971.

Char B1 (n° 238) “Hardi I”: Knocked Out Near Origny-Sainte-Benoite

     The Char B1 heavy tank, No.238, was built by Renault and delivered to the 508th. RCC (Régiment de Chars de Combat) in December 1938 where the unit was based in Lunéville, France. By September 1939, the tank was transferred to the 8th. BCC (Bataillon de Chars de Combat) where it was issued to the 3rd. Company. Named “Hardi I”, the tank was commanded by Sous-Lieutenant Gérard Bernard (a rank equivalent to a 2nd. Lieutenant on the U.S. Army), Caporal-Chef Longefay was assigned as the driver (his rank is Master Corporal), Caporal Martin served as the assistant driver/loader, and Sergent Robert Le Fleuve was the radio operator.

     On May 17, 1940, “Hardi I” was situated in the town of Origny-Sainte-Benoite which was located some 9 miles to the east of the city of Saint Quentin. Bernard had positioned his tank to overlook a bridge that crossed over the Sambre–Oise Canal as it was assumed that elements from German Heeresgruppe A (Army Group A) would attempt to seize the bridge in order to continue their advance without being delayed by having to construct their own crossings. Unfortunately, French forces were unable to hold the Germans at Sedan which opened the way into the Meuse region and resistance began to crumble in the area. Origny-Sainte-Benoite, being along the German advance as anticipated by the French, saw a very brief skirmish between elements of the 8th. BCC and German forces. “Hardi I” was taken under fire by German panzers and one of them was able to score a hit on the French tank. According to the available documentation, it would appear that the German infantry were close on the heels of the German tanks and before “Hardi I” started to burn with earnest, the crew bailed out. Unfortunately, Sous-Lieutenant Bernard was hit in the kidney area by German small arms fire and collapsed near the tank. The remainder of the crew was able to reach the retreating remains of the 8th. BCC forces in the town and were evacuated. Bernard, luckily, had survived the hit and was moved away from the tank by German infantrymen and given medical aid in the field before he was sent to the rear for further treatment. In time, he was sent to a prisoner-of-war camp.

     “Hardi I” was a tank that was photographed many times by the Germans. How long it remained where it was hit is not known but the photographic record show that over time, the left track was completely removed, the turret position changed, and the hull howitzer position was also changed. The latter two most likely occurred from curious German troops clambering inside and using the turret's manual traverse and messing around with the howitzer from within the tank. What eventually happened to “Hardi I” isn't known but it was likely scrapped at some point during the war or afterwards.

Jagdtiger "102": Demolition Outside Rittershoffen

     By 1900 hours on March 16, 1945, the 3e Division d'Infanterie Algérienne (3rd. Algerian Infantry Division; 3e DIA) had wrested control of the towns of Oberhoffen and Schirrhein from the Germans and solidified their positions. In the vicinity was Schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 653 (Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion 653; s.Pz.Jg.Ab.653) who was preparing to evacuate damaged Jagdtigers by trains out of Soultz with their destination being the repair works in Bellheim. All three of the battalion's companies, 1./653, 2./653, and 3./653, were converging at Soultz with the hopes that the two trains positioned at Soultz could be loaded up and then dispatched under the cover of darkness. As work got underway with loading the Jagdtigers onto the rail cars, it was decided that a kampfgruppe (battle group) remain behind to provide a covering force to ensure the trains departed for Bellheim without incident. Put in charge of the kampfgruppe was Oberleutnant Werner Haberland, the commander of 1./653. The unit was made up of the remaining Jagdtigers from 1./653 and 2./653, seven Jagdtigers in all, plus those of 3./653 which was at its full strength of nine Jagdtigers. The kampfgruppe moved out and took up a position in the forest near Biblisheim and it did not have to wait very long before elements of the U.S. 36th. Infantry Division ran into the Jagdtigers during their push towards Gunstett. Haberland's Jagdtigers were able to punish the advancing U.S. troops enough to stall their advance. During the night, the 257th. Volksgrenadier Division launched an attack against the 3e DIA but failed to beat the Algerian troops. However, the trains departed from Soultz unimpaired and so their job done, Haberland had the kampfgruppe withdraw towards Wissembourg.

     Along the way, Jagdtiger “102” broke down near the town of Rittershoffen. It was decided that “102” could not be repaired nor taken with the kampfgruppe and so demolition charges were set and the Jagdtiger was blown up. The detonation blew a portion of the roof off the vehicle as well as blasted the gun mantlet clean off. The photograph here, though, depicts the remains of “102” after the end of the war. It was in the process of being scrapped in situ and one can see the Maybach HL 230 P30 engine has been completely removed along with the tracks, much of the rear hull and superstructure has been cut away along with a portion of the 128mm PaK 44 L/55 gun. The photograph does show the large breech block to good effect. Of note, some publications caption the post-WW2 photographs of “102” as evidence of the destruction caused by the demolition charges but this would be incorrect.

     As for s.Pz.Jg.Ab.653, by mid-March 1945, the unit's commander, Major Rudolph Grillinberger, issued a report to the Oberkommando des Heeres (Army High Command) which stated he had eighteen operational Jagdtigers with sixteen total needing repair, all of which had been dispatched by rail to Bellheim. Thus, the war was not yet over for s.Pz.Jg.Ab.653.

2cm Becker M II: Anti-Aircraft Success Story

     Somewhere on the Western Front, a crew poses with a 2cm (20mm) Becker M II automatic cannon. The Becker design actually predated the opening of World War One, development having begun in 1913 based on an earlier 1.9cm (19mm) model. Thus, when the German War Ministry issued a specification in June of 1915 for an aerial weapon under 3.7cm in caliber, weighing under 154lbs., and having a ten round burst, the Becker M II was already well advanced and thus at the right place and time. Unfortunately, when the weapon was mounted on Gotha G.I heavy bombers for testing in action, the Becker did not perform well. Still, potential was seen in the design and so the Spandau Arsenal was asked to lend their expertise to the weapon and after some modifications, an initial purchase order of 120 examples of the M II was placed. The Becker had a rate of fire of 325 rounds per minute and utilized a curved, 10-round or 15-round box magazine. Empty, the M II weighed 66lbs. and had a muzzle velocity of 1,600 feet per second. In service with the Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte (German Air Force), the Becker was used on the Friedrichshafen G.III heavy bomber as well as other bombers in the Großflugzeug (“Large Aircraft”;G-Klasse) category. In addition, some of the zeppelins utilized by the Kaiserliche Marine (Imperial German Navy) were also fitted with Becker cannons. The Germans also sought to use the Becker as an air-to-ground weapon and fitted it to prototype ground attack aircraft such as the Albatros D.VI and the AGO S.1. This latter use would see the Becker adapted as an anti-tank weapon for ground troops under the designation 2cm Tankabwehrkanone Becker M II. The gun was fitted to a heavy tripod though the recoil of the M II was still more than the tripod could handle and given the muzzle velocity, despite the caliber, the M II showed up poorly against tanks. In fact, the M II had a lower muzzle velocity than the Maschinengewehr 08 (MG 08) machine-gun which was 2,953 foot per second. Disliked by the troops, the Tankabwehrkanone M II saw production halted after some 200 were built and issued. The Becker, however, had better luck with the troops as a anti-aircraft weapon. Given aircraft were built of thin metal, wood, and canvas, the Becker's round, if it hit, could inflict significant damage, especially if it struck a critical component, such as the engine or control surface. However, there was no official anti-aircraft mount for the M II and so troops had to make improvised mountings such as that seen in the photograph.

     The gunner and the two loaders all wear the Infanterie Panzer (Infantry Armor) which debuted in mid-1917 and so this at least dates the photograph to that period. The armor was proof against small arms fire from 550 yards but it was more intended to protect the wearer from shell splinters and shrapnel. It came in two sizes, small and large, weighing 22lbs. and 24lbs. respectively. The smaller plates were secured to the chest plate by web straps with felt pads underneath the edges to prevent metal-on-metal noise. The armor was not popular with troops as it made shouldering a rifle and throwing grenades difficult and dug into the armpits when crawling. Thus, the armor became trench equipment rather than issued to individuals. When a unit left a particular trench line, the armor stayed behind and was then issued to the next unit to man the trench lines. Given the mobility restrictions, the armor was usually worn by machine-gun crews in static emplacements or as we see here, an anti-aircraft crew. It is likely the photograph was posed given the gun and crewmen are completely exposed. In actual combat, it would be better concealed with some form of cover, be it earthen berms or sandbagged emplacements. The M16 helmets they wear were first issued in January 1916, the shape inspired by the sallet helmet from the 15th. century. Of all the helmets made during World War One, the M16 was the best design of them all. The shape deflected away shrapnel, covered the neck and much of the head, and used a padded liner system which made wearing the helmet more comfortable. The lugs on the sides were ventilation holes and were also used as the attachment points for an armored plate. At 6lbs., the plate was not popular and was almost always used by static gun crews and snipers. Finally, the crew have donned their M17 Lederschutzmaske (leather protection mask) gas masks for the photographer.

Battle of Kwajalein: Armor Disparity

(U.S. Marine Corps)

     From January 31, 1944 to February 3, 1944, the Battle of Kwajalein took place on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. It was to be a hard lesson learned for the Japanese and a morale boosting victory for the U.S. The U.S. committed the V Amphibious Corps which was comprised of the 4th. Marine Division, the U.S. Army's 7th. Infantry Division, 22nd. Marine Regiment, the U.S. Army's 106th. And 111th. Infantry Regiments, and Underwater Demolition Teams 1 and 2. Arrayed against this formidable force was the Japanese 1st. Amphibious Brigade, 2nd. Mobile Battalion, and the 22nd. Air Flotilla. The attack, called Operation Flintlock, was a multi-stage, two-prong assault along the numerous small islands which made up Kwajalein Atoll. The two main thrusts were against Kwajalein and Roi-Namur. Tasked with taking Roi-Namur was the 4th. Marine Division. First, the division took the tiny islands of Ivan, Jacob, Albert, Allen, and Abraham all within the initial start of the operation. The unit landed on Roi-Namur on February 1, capturing half the island by the end of the day then taking the remainder on February 2. The division lost 206 men, suffered 617 wounded, and 181 men missing in action. The Japanese defenders fought to the last with 3,500 men killed with a mere 87 soldiers being captured. The Japanese found that defending on the beaches without defense in-depth was a recipe for failure. For the U.S., it proved their revised tactics worked and it was the first victory within the Japanese territorial sphere.

     The photograph depicts U.S. Marine Private First Class N.E. Carling posing beside the M4A2 medium tank “Killer”. The tank belonged to Company C, 4th. Tank Battalion, 4th. Marine Division and the photograph was taken following the Marine victory on Roi-Namur. This photograph is one of several of “Killer” which are commonly seen in publications because of its war trophy mounted on the engine deck. The trophy is a Japanese Type 94 tankette and these photographs are often used to illustrate the disparity between U.S. tanks and those of the Japanese. To be fair, the Type 94 was never intended to battle other tanks and so the comparison isn't a very good one. Development of the Type 94 started in 1932 as a tracked vehicle which could supplement or replace wheeled armored cars as the latter had limitations, especially when it came to what terrain it could operate in. The prototype was completed in 1934 and after field testing, was put into production beginning in 1935. By 1937, some 823 had been built. The Type 94 was designed for reconnaissance, supply transport (it used a special tracked trailer for hauling), and if need be, infantry support. Armor protection for the two man crew was a maximum of 12mm down to a minimum of 8mm. The armament consisted of a single, turret-mounted Type 91 6.5mm machine-gun which was later upgraded to a Type 92 7.7mm machine-gun. The Type 94 was 5.4 feet high as well as wide and was 10.1 feet long with a total weight of 3.4 tons. Although the Type 94 was superseded by the Type 97 Te-Ke tankette in 1936, the Type 94 remained in service in some Japanese units until the end of the war. Which unit this particular Type 94 belonged to is difficult to say as both the 1st. Amphibious Brigade and the 2nd. Mobile Battalion were equipped with the type and there is no unit identification visible in the picture.

     The sides of “Killer” are protected by wood boards and these modifications were made in the field to defend against Japanese magnetic mines, namely the Type 99 mine. The mine contained 1.5 pounds of TNT or RDX explosive. A feature of the Type 99 was that two of them could be stacked together to increase the armor penetration. A single Type 99 could pierce 19mm of armor but together, two of the mines could penetrate 32mm of armor which was very close to defeating the 38mm of side armor the M4A2 had.

     Finally, of interest, PFC Carling is resting his hand on the fender of a Type 97 Te-Ke tankette and the crew of “Killer” have stuffed a duffel bag into the driver's compartment of the Type 94. In addition, the box-like structure on the rear of “Killer” is the exhaust adapter for the tank's deep-wading equipment. A exhaust stack would have been fitted to it while another similar stack would have been secured as an air-intake for the engine. This equipment allowed the M4 to come ashore in shallow water (though it could not fully submerge).

Captain Fernand Jacquet: Belgium's World War One Ace

Capt. Jacquet (left) and his gunner, Lt. Robin, with their Farman F.40.

     In October 1907, Fernand Maximillian Leon Jacquet (born November 2, 1888) enlisted in the Belgian Army as a cadet. After successfully completing training at the École Royale Militaire located in Brussels, Belgium, Jacquet received his commission as an infantry second lieutenant and was posted to the 4e Régiment de Ligne (4th. Line Regiment) on June 25, 1910. Jacquet, though, soon grew very keen on aviation and towards the end of 1912, he applied for both civilian flight school as well as military flight school in order to earn his flying credentials. He received his instruction in the village of Sint-Job-in-'t-Goor and earned his civilian pilot license (license no. 68) on February 25, 1913 and then his military pilot certification on August 30, 1913. After a promotion to first lieutenant, Jacquet was posted to the 2e Escadrille d’Observation (2nd. Observation Squadron) based in Boninne, Belgium. An interesting note was that Jacquet was nearsighted and it was the main reason he always flew two-seater aircraft so that he would do the flying while his gunner would do the shooting.

     When World War One began and Germany invaded Belgium in August 1914, Jacquet was in the thick of it, flying reconnaissance missions from his unit's Boninne base, to include deep penetrations behind German lines. He also took it upon himself to bomb German positions whenever possible, hitting German targets at Groote Hemme on November 24, 1914 and twice on December 24, 1914 at Beerst and Essen. At this time, Jacquet's mount was a Farman HF.20 pusher reconnaissance aircraft and it was on this aircraft and his later Farman F.40 aircraft that would carry the grim moniker of the death's head on the nose. On April 17, 1915, Jacquet scored Belgium's first aerial kill when his gunner Henri Vindevoghel shot down a German Aviatik reconnaissance plane. Sometime in 1916, Jacquet traded in the HF.20 for an improved F.40 mount. Like the HF.20, it was a two-seat pusher-style reconnaissance aircraft but while slower and with less range than the HF.20, the F.40 had a better service ceiling, had better armament, and in addition to a better bomb load, could carry ten Le Prieur rockets. During the course of the war in 1916, Jacquet and his gunner, Louis Robin, racked up another three kills though, on September 8, 1916, their F.40 was shot down by German anti-aircraft fire. Fortunately, while the F.40 was utter wreckage, both men walked away unscathed. In December 1916, Jacquet was given command of the 1ère Escadrille de Chasse. On February 1, 1917, Jacquet became an ace when Robin downed a German Rumpler aircraft while Jacquet was flying a two-seat Sopwith 1 1⁄2 Strutter and by December 1917, Jacquet was promoted to Captain-Commandant and put in charge of the Groupe de Chasse, Belgium's first fighter wing. By now, Jacquet was flying the two-seat SPAD S.XI with his unit being a mixture of the SPAD S.XI and Sopwith 1 1⁄2 Strutters.

     When the war ended, Jacquet had seven confirmed victories with another nine unconfirmed and he had an impressive array of medals to go with his wartime service. His decorations included being a Knight of the Order of Leopold (Chevalier de Ordre de Léopold), Ordre de la Couronne avec des Palmiers (Order of the Crown with Palms), the Croix de Guerre (six citations), Médaille de la Victoire 1914-1918, Médaille Commémorative de la Guerre 1914-1918, Knight of the Legion of Honor (Chevalier de Légion d'Honneur), the Croix de Guerre (the French version), the Russian Order of St. Anna (Орден Святой Анны), and the British awarded him the Distinguished Flying Cross (the only Belgian to have received this decoration during World War One).

     The photograph depicts Jacquet (on the left) with his gunner, Lt. Robin. Jacquet's rank is that of Captain as shown by the three stars on his collar tabs. The fuselage of his F.40 was all black with a predominantly white skull on the nose. The F.40 was a tall aircraft, standing 12.1 feet in height, had a length of 30.4 feet, and a wingspan of 57.9 feet. The F.40 used many engines but the most common was a Renault V-12, air-cooled piston engine that developed 130 horsepower that drove a 2-bladed, fixed pitch wooden pusher propeller. This gave the F.40 a maximum speed of 84mph at 6,600 feet. Enough fuel was carried for a 260 mile range or a total air endurance of 2 hours and 20 minutes. The service ceiling was 13,290 feet and it took the F.40 a total of fifteen minutes to reach 6,600 feet. For weapons, the usual fit was a single .303 caliber Lewis machine-gun though it could be fitted with two. A total of 530 pounds of bombs could be carried and the F.40P model could mount ten Le Prieur air-to-air incendiary rockets. These rockets were exclusively used against observation balloons and German Zeppelin airships.

     Jacquet retired from the Belgian military in 1921 after fourteen years of service. He, along with Louis Robin, opened a flying school in Gosselies, Belgium. On August 27, 1931, Jacquet became the commercial director for the British aviation firm Fairey's Belgium subsidiary Société des Avions Fairey that the British company had set up at Gosselies' aerodrome. When the Germans, again, invaded Belgium on May 10, 1940, Jacquet once again heeded the call to battle and joined the Résistance Belge (Belgian Resistance) at the age of 52. He was captured by the Germans and imprisoned at Fort de Huy in the city of Huy in 1942. The fort was used by the Germans to house all manner of criminals, communists, resistance fighters, captured soldiers from England, France, and Russia, and even hostages for one reason or another. It was also used as a transit stop for Jews and other "undesirables" before being taken to either the Neuengamme concentration camp in northern Germany or the Vught concentration camp in the Netherlands. Jacquet survived imprisonment and was freed from Fort de Huy upon the end of the war. He moved to Leval-Chaudeville and that was where he passed away on October 12, 1947 at the age of 58.

Corporal John Raines: Posing with the Big Boy

     Corporal John Raines, as written on the back of the photograph, “...posing with Tommy gun and one of the big boys.” Raines looks to be wearing the herringbone twill one-piece work suit which was commonly issued to both mechanics as well as tank crews. This uniform item would later become popular and would see wide-spread usage outside of the motor pool and armored vehicle troops. He is also wearing heavy leather gloves. On his head is what appears to be the M1938 combat helmet as evidenced by what looks like one of the ventilation holes on the helmet just below the goggles. The helmet wasn't designed to protect the wearer from bullets like the M1 steel helmet. Instead, the helmet was to protect crewman from sharp edges and protrusions within the confines of a tank or tank destroyer. For equipment, Raines only appears to be wearing the carrier for the M3 lightweight gas mask.

     In Raines' hands is the Thompson M1928 submachine gun firing the .45 ACP cartridge. That it is the M1928 model can be told by the Cutts compensator on the end of the barrel. Later Thompson M1 and M1A1 models did away with this compensator and also, as a further identifier of the first model is that the M1 series could not fit the 50-round drum magazine (seen here) or the larger, 100-round drum. Nicknamed the “Tommy Gun”, the weapon saw widespread use by Allied forces throughout World War Two and some of the 1.75 million weapons built continue to see combat even today.

     The “big boy” is a M3 light tank, known to the British as the “Stuart” or less commonly, the “Honey”. This is likely the initial production M3 judging by the positioning and style of the small pistol port flap on the side of the turret. The M3 was crewed by four men and first entered production in March 1941. The M3 served as a light reconnaissance tank and despite being declared obsolete in July 1943, the M3 continued to see combat until the end of World War Two. The M3 was armed with the M5 37mm gun which could successfully engage other light tanks, armored cars, and even some early war medium tanks but as the war continued in the European Theater, the M3's gun was woefully inadequate. However, in the Pacific Theater, the M3 was able to successfully combat Japanese tanks which typically were not thickly armored. Besides the British, the other large scale user of the M3 was the Soviet Union via Lend-Lease. In addition to the M5 gun, the M3 was equipped with five Browning M1919 .30 caliber machine-guns. One was mounted on a pintle mount fixed to the turret side, one was fitted co-axially with the gun, one was fitted in the front of the hull (which we can see behind Raines), and one was fitted into a sponson on either side of the hull, firing forward. The later M3A1 model did away with the sponson mounted weapons. The hatches for the driver and the co-driver are open and laying in the hatch of the driver is a Springfield M1903 bolt-action rifle judging by the butt plate which is about all that is visible of it.

     Unfortunately, there is no visible unit patch on his uniform nor markings on the M3 tank to identify what unit Raines was part of. On the back of the photograph is the location of where the photograph was taken, that being Washington D.C. If this is the case, it could be that he was part of the 428th. Reserve Infantry Regiment which was based in Washington D.C. It should be noted that some infantry divisions had a reconnaissance company that, in some cases, were equipped with M3 tanks instead of the more common armored cars such as the M8 Greyhound. As to exactly where such a field photograph could be taken, the only real possibility was Fort Humphreys which was located at Greenleaf Point, a peninsula at the confluence of the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers. The post, renamed to Fort Lesley J. McNair after World War Two, is the third oldest post in the United States, having been founded as Washington Arsenal in 1791. It is the home of the Inter-American Defense College and National Defense University but at the time of World War Two, the post was also used for basic training and thus a reasonable possibility for Corporal Raines' location. However, again, with no real specific identifiers in the photograph, an accurate unit and location isn't possible.

Char B1 (n° 326) “Dordogne”: Knocked Out Near Montfaucon

     The Char B1 heavy tank, No.326, and named “Dordogne” was originally assigned to the replacement battalion of the 41st. BCC ((Bataillon de Chars de Combat) on January 6, 1940. However, by May 10, 1940, the tank was transferred to the 2nd. Compagnie, 28th. BCC. The tank was commanded by Lieutenant Marcel Cousin, the driver was Adjutant-Chef (Chief Warrant Officer) Colombo, the radio operator was Sergeant Magne, and the gunner was Corporal Savrey. The 28th. BCC was part of the 1st. DCR (Divisions Cuirassées de Reserve) and on May 15, the unit was deployed to the north of Flavion, Belgium.

     On the morning of May 16, the German Panzer Regiment 25 ran into the 3rd. Compagnie of the 28th. BCC at approximately 8:30am. Soon, all three companies of the 28th. BCC were engaged with the German regiment. The German tankmen were unprepared to see their rounds bouncing off the thick armor of the B1 tanks, let alone the number of French heavy tanks encountered. As it turned out, Panzer Regiment 25 was not informed by Luftwaffe intelligence assets of the true strength of the French in the area. The German commanders decided that combat had to commence at close range in order to have a chance at eliminating the French tanks. Using the terrain to as much advantage as possible to mask their movements, Panzer Regiment 25 sought to flank the 28th. BCC and around 9:30am, the 2nd. Compagnie shifted from their position in order to stop the German advance. Unfortunately, the sporadic supply situation saw many of the company's tanks run out of fuel. The B1 tanks were struck dozens of times by German fire which put many of the tanks out of action. Those B1 tanks with fuel began to retreat but soon, the crews knew they wouldn't get far. So, instead, they used the last of their fuel to turn the tanks to bring the 75mm hull mounted gun to bear on the enemy. Once fuel was expended, the commanders used the turret mounted 47mm gun to continue the fight, often until the electric batteries died leaving only hand cranks to turn the turret. The combat was joined by Panzer Regiment 31 around 12:00pm and they too received a bloody nose by the tanks of the 28th. BCC. The German tanks began to run out of ammunition and their supply trains were still too far behind to offer any swift replenishment. By 2:00pm, the 28th. BCC still held their positions despite the punishment the unit received. At 6pm, the order was given to withdraw and what tanks of the 28th. BCC were still mobile and had enough fuel, commenced to retreat to either Beaumont or Chastre. Those tanks which could not retreat remained where they were, giving battle until they had nothing left. Abandoned tanks were blown up and their crews continued to fight on foot for a time before retreating from the field. All told, only three of the 28th. BCC tanks made it out of the battle.

     “Dordogne”, assuming the dates are correct, survived the battle but this would not last and on May 18, 1940, the tank was knocked out in combat with elements of the 2nd. Panzer Division near Montfaucon. The crew survived the hit and was taken prisoner by the Germans. Lt. Cousin suffered severe injuries and had his left arm amputated as a result of those wounds.

Major Carroll Burleigh Colby: Civil Air Patrol

     For those of us who grew up in the 1970s as kids, few school libraries didn't have at least one book by author C.B. Colby on the shelves. Most of the books I remember by him were military in nature but his span of works were not limited to the topics of weapons and war. Born Carroll Burleigh Colby on September 7, 1904, Colby's writing career began in 1929 when he sold his first fiction story. He took an interest in aviation and became a glider pilot in 1930 and soon embarked on a career of writing and illustrating articles for several aviation magazines. This would earn him the editorship in 1937 for "Air Trails" and "Air Progress" magazines. During World War Two, Colby became a war correspondent and was assigned to cover the U.S. Army Air Force in Alaska as well as Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. By 1942, Colby enlisted in the Civil Air Patrol (where he would attain the rank of Major) and in 1943, he left his editor seat for the two magazines to assume the post of aviation editor for "Popular Science" which he held until 1946 before relinquishing it to go freelance. Colby would commence writing non-fiction books for young readers in 1951 when "Our Fighting Jets" was published and from then on, the so-called "Colby Books" began to be released which not only covered military subjects but also public service/safety (such as police and fire) and outdoor sportsman topics. Colby would pass away on October 31, 1977.

     As for his decorations, it is difficult to determine with certainty what the ribbons are. The ribbon nearest the jacket lapel is likely the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Service Ribbon (old style) then the CAP Cadre Ribbon (ceased being issued in 1971) and the third could be the U.S. Armed Forces American Campaign Medal ribbon. Above the ribbon bar is his CAP Pilot Wing device. The devices on the jacket lapels were the standard CAP insignia of the 1940s which consisted of a pair of "wings and prop" and a pair of CAP initial devices. 

Observation Squadron VO-9M: Deployment to Haiti

The men of VO-9M in Gonaïves, Haiti. Photograph by 1Lt. Louie Bertol.

     On July 28, 1915, the United States landed 330 U.S. Marines in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Their mission was to protect "American and foreign" interests in the country. Haiti, by this time, was already unstable politically and various militia (nicknamed cacos) roamed the land and carried out numerous coups. The U.S. was also concerned about Imperial German influence in the region, including the monetarily powerful German minority within Cap-Haïten and Port-au-Prince. This would see the U.S. seize Haiti's gold reserve in 1914 and in February 1915, the dictatorship of Vilbrun Guillaume Sam came into power until several cacos overthrew and brutally killed him. This was the final straw which caused the U.S. to act, namely to defend her economic interests. The occupation, which lasted until August 1, 1934, was one of combat with the various militias who rebelled against the occupation, the assumption of much of the Haitian government's power in regards to running the country to the exclusion of Haitian political leaders, and efforts to improve the country's infrastructure. It was little over 19 years of turmoil, upheaval, and resentment. 

     Throughout the occupation, the U.S. Marines kept aviation assets in-country and U.S. Marine Observation Squadron VO-9M was one. This 1931 unit photograph depicts the men of VO-9M while in Gonaïves, Haiti. It was taken by First Lieutenant Louie N. Bertol. The flying boat behind the men is not actually a Marine aircraft. It was a Consolidated Commodore that was flown by Pan American Airways of which Gonaïves was a destination the airline serviced. The Marines, however, availed themselves of Pan American and used the carrier to ferry important personnel to and from the mainland as well as carry correspondence back to the United States. VO-9M was equipped with Vought SU-2 and SU-3 Corsairs (scout designation of the O2U) and missions included reconnaissance, mail delivery, passenger transport, and medical evacuations. By June 29, 1934, VO-9M commenced preparations to return to the mainland, specifically, to Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia. Squadron property was assessed on what would remain behind, be destroyed, or returned with the squadron. Much of the physical infrastructure was to be turned over to the Haitians but the U.S. Navy felt that the unit's hangers and shops needed to be dismantled and sent to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in South Carolina. On August 15, 1934, the aircraft of VO-9M departed Haiti for good. 

     Sometime late in 1934, VO-9M would be redesignated as Scouting Squadron VMS-3 ( the "Devilbirds") and they operated from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands until inactivated on May 20, 1944. VMS-3 flew Grumman J2F Ducks, Vought OS2N Kingfishers, and finally the Douglas SBD Dauntless.

     The aircraft in the background are difficult to make out but appear to be Curtiss F6C-4 Hawk fighters.

Char B1 (n° 226) “Toulouse”: Abandoned in Origny-Sainte-Benoite

     Built by Renault, Char B1 No.226 was delivered to the 510th. RCC (Régiment de Chars de Combat) early in 1938 where the unit was stationed in Nancy, France. In September 1939, the tank was transferred to the 15th. BCC (Bataillon de Chars de Combat) but by April 18, 1940, the tank was assigned to 1st. Compagnie, 8th. BCC. The tank, named “Toulouse”, was commanded by Lieutenant Jean Renevey and had a driver by the name of Sergent Lavaux. Who the remaining three crew members were remains unknown.

     The 8th. BCC was within the area of operations of the French 9th. Army commanded by Général d'Armée André Corap. It was Corap's troops that faced Heeresgruppe A (Army Group A) which was under the command of Generaloberst Gerd von Rundstedt. Included in this force was the 7th. Panzer Division led by Generalmajor Erwin Rommel. It was the task of Heeresgruppe A to break through the Ardennes into France and while Belgian and French forces were able to cause minor delays, they did not have the anti-tank capacity nor the available manpower to stem the flow of German forces. It was the poor roads in the region which was the main cause of German delays and the Armée de l'Air Française (French Air Force) failed to take advantage of bombing the long German traffic lines that were more or less at a standstill. As an example, Panzergruppe Kleist (the original name of 1. Panzerarmee) had over 40,000 vehicles jammed into four passable routes through the Ardennes. By May 12, 1940, elements of Heeresgruppe A reached the Meuse Line which was a series of French forts and emplacements some 31 miles long. The next day, Panzergruppe Kleist launched attacks to establish three bridgeheads through the Meuse Line in what became the Battle of Sedan. The Germans focused their airpower against a narrow portion of the Line and the Luftwaffe flew 3,940 bomber and dive-bomber sorties against the French in a non-stop, eight hour bombing. Although there was some French resistance, it crumbled underneath the relentless aerial bombardment and by midnight, the Germans were five miles behind the Meuse Line. The combat in and around Sedan was intense but by May 15, 1940, the Germans had succeeded in pushing through, cutting off Corap's 9th. Army along its southern flank and in short order, the isolated French forces collapsed and surrendered.

     The photograph depicts “Toulouse“ along Rue Pasteur in Origny-Sainte-Benoite. What exactly happened to it is not known but most likely, the tank either had mechanical problems or ran out of petrol on May 16, 1940. Interestingly, “Toulouse“ was photographed many times by German troops and one such photograph shows the tank with no damage at all with a German soldier standing beside it holding a shell for the hull mounted 75mm ABS SA 35 howitzer. Later photographs show the tank in the condition seen here and from this, it can be surmised that the tank was struck by a German tank gun whose crew was unaware the tank had already been abandoned. That the shot was was through the rear of “Toulouse“ lends some credence to this as the Char B1 was difficult to knock out from the front and when able, German tank crews tried to get side or rear shots into the B1. The damage does show the Char B1's 6-cylinder, 16.5 litre inline Renault engine and six gear transmission (5 forward gears and 1 reverse gear). The hit set the tank on fire and secondary explosions caused further damage to the tank, including lifting the turret up and off its turret ring. At some point, the wreckage around the tank had been cleaned up and the tank's tracks coiled up next to the hull. It can be presumed that “Toulouse“ was eventually scrapped.

     As a note, the town of Origny-Sainte-Benoite has a war memorial commemorating French troops who had come from the town that fought and died during the First World War as well as World War Two. It is located off E44 on a plaza bordered by Place Jean Mermoz.