Gebirgsjäger in the Balkan Invasion 1941

Gebirgsjäger (German Mountain Troops) in the Balkan Invasion 1941. Studying the map in the Kompanietrupp, the company squad. The men were issued the tapered feldgrau M40 trousers for the campaign. The officers are wearing tailormade Bergmützen. In the foreground, the arm of the company adjutant (Spiess) is visible with his two silver stripes. During the Balkanfeldzug of 1941 the Gebirgsjäger of the Wehrmacht demonstrated their specialized training in mountainous terrain when German forces launched simultaneous invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece on 6 April. The 1. Gebirgs-Division, operating under the XXXXIX. Gebirgskorps of the 2. Armee, crossed from Carinthia near Bleiburg and advanced rapidly through the Slovenian Alps toward Cilli and Zagreb, with a Vorausabteilung under Major Lang reaching Karlstadt by 13 April and motorized elements pressing on to Bihać against limited resistance. Simultaneously the 4. Gebirgs-Division, attached to the XIV. Panzerkorps, struck from Bulgaria into southern Yugoslavia and marched at great speed across rugged country. In the Greek theater the XVIII. Gebirgskorps, comprising the 5. and 6. Gebirgs-Division, advanced from Bulgarian positions through the Rhodope Mountains amid snow blizzards and steep slopes to assault the fortified Metaxas Line. The 5. Gebirgs-Division conducted costly frontal attacks against determined Greek defenders before breaking through to the plains and advancing toward Salonika, while the 6. Gebirgs-Division forced a quicker penetration and pursued withdrawing British and Commonwealth forces southward toward Corinth. After the mainland campaign the 5. Gebirgs-Division reinforced the Fallschirmjäger during Unternehmen Merkur on Crete, arriving partly by fishing vessels that suffered heavy losses to the Royal Navy and partly by Ju 52 air landings at Maleme, where the Gebirgsjäger then fought New Zealand troops in the surrounding mountains until the Allied evacuation. Throughout the twelve-day Yugoslav campaign and the subsequent Greek operations these mountain troops, identifiable by their Bergmütze and Edelweiss insignia, overcame extreme terrain, weather, and fortified positions through rigorous mountain training, light equipment, and aggressive marching, contributing decisively to the rapid Axis victory before redeployment eastward.

Source :
https://www.facebook.com/100076430438564/photos/gebirgsj%C3%A4ger-german-mountain-troops-in-the-balkan-invasion-1941-studying-the-map/912503424640664/

Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 in Greece

This is a color slide showing motorcycle soldiers from the Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 of the 2. Panzer-Division entering Greece in 1941. In March 1941 the Abteilung took part in the Balkan campaign and took Salonika on April 12, 1941. The Abteilung then remained in Greece for security purposes. The 1. Schwadron was sunk during a ship transport and thus destroyed.

Source :
Akira Takiguchi photo collection
https://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gliederungen/Panzerdivisionen/2PD.htm
https://twitter.com/atakiguchi/status/1708002090055036941/photo/1

Gebirgsjäger (German Mountain Troops) in the Balkan Invasion 1941

 

Studying the map in the Kompanietrupp, the company squad. The men were issued the tapered feldgrau M40 trousers for the campaign. The officers are wearing tailormade Bergmützen. In the foreground, the arm of the company adjutant (Spiess) is visible with his two silver stripes.

Source :
"German Mountain Troops 1939-42" by Yves Beraud
Alain Gesgon photo collection
https://www.akg-images.co.uk/CS.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&VBID=2UMESQJ3NSR4FA
https://www.facebook.com/groups/237076659811098/posts/1876146242570790/?__cft__[0]=AZVgixUnElfwZBI-YNcDuZRslCNTy_KSeznES5Lo39ajUYWsYZbO432MuiqvrRrwvlwmy7vNsI-K0RTbpvtNUU2KZhHxqht1N99zM6mZHWiaIH9pc6LPgjm83YDLw5zwdnk7ysYPVRWZ8JfDhGa4snMpgyDXcNiNdGZbyepyBgDaU4zrI0MTmMfFey_ut6igmRg&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R

Exhausted Motorcyclists Sleeping

 

Exhausted motorcyclists of Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 taking a nap in Greece, 1941. Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 (armored recce batallion 5) of the German 2. Panzer-Division invades Greece. Their Kupferbraun (copper brown) Waffenfarbe (branch color) of the Aufklärer / Kradschützen is evident in this photo.

Source :
Akira Takiguchi photo collection
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10224431956859960&set=gm.1818746084977473

Sd.Kfz.222 of 2. Panzer-Division during Balkanfeldzug

 

 

An Sd.Kfz.222 from Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 of 2. Panzer-Division is seen with its crew in Balkan during Balkanfeldzug, spring 1941. Later after the campaign, surviving armored vehicles of 1.Schwadron were lost in the sinking of"Marburg" and "Kybfels" by the sea mines.

Some unit names were used by different organizations during the war. Names of Aufklärungs-Abteilungen are good examples. One must be careful when reading and writing about these units! Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 was a unit of 5.Infanterie-Division (later 5. Jäger-Division) since August 1939. It was renamed to Radfahr-Abteilung 5 in May 1942, but renamed back to its original name in1943. Confusing enough another "Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5" was in existence since October 1935, which later in March 1940 renamed to Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 until it was disbanded in August 1941. This unit was organic to 2.Panzer-Division. The name was succeeded by the new Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 5 in 1943, renamed from Kradschützen-Bataillon 55. This unit was organic to 5.Panzer-Division.

Source :
Akira Takiguchi photo collection
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10222748315769985&set=gm.1642065522645531

Ritterkreuz Action of Ludwig Crüwell

Ludwig Crüwell (20 March 1892 – 25 September 1958) as a Generalmajor and Kommandeur 11. Panzer-Division. He received the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes #286 on 14 May 1941.

The following wartime excerpt describes why Crüwell was awarded the Ritterkreuz:

“Generalmajor Crüwell broke through the Yugoslavian border positions in the Nisava valley with his Panzer-Division. He and his men captured Nisch on the 09.04.1941 and broke the fighting capabilities of the Yugoslavian Army and People with the capture of Belgrade on the 13.04.1941. 40000 prisoners, 30 batteries, 24 aircraft and a large amount of other materiel fell into the hands of the 11. Panzer-Division.”

The following press excerpt further details these actions as follows…

“While serving in his role as commander of a Panzer-Division, Generalmajor Crüwell broke through the Yugoslavian border positions in the Nisava valley and reached the assigned objective of Belgrade within five days despite the very bad weather and road conditions. In the process he and his men smashed at least five enemy divisions and a cavalry division while also triggering the disintegration of further significant elements of the Yugoslavian army. The resistance of the enemy was thus shattered to the point where the government was forced to make an offer of a ceasefire already on the day after Belgrade’s capture.

This success can be attributed to the brave personal actions of Generalmajor Crüwell, who operated amongst the lead elements of his Division. His ruthless energy helped to ensure that his soldiers were able to overcome all the difficulties created by the weather, terrain and exhaustion.”

Submitted on April 17th 1941.
Preliminary document and decoration on May 19th 1941 to AOK 12.

Source :
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?p=2282510#p2282510
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/13410/Cr%C3%BCwell-Ludwig.htm

A Messerschmitt Bf 110 of Lehrgeschwader 2 in Bulgaria during Balkan Campaign

L2+SR, a Messerschmitt Bf 110 E-3 of 7.Staffel (Fern) / Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2), photographed at Sofia-Vrazdebna at the beginning of April 1941 as German forces were preparing to invade Greece and Yugoslavia. We can see the entire cockpit area is covered with tarpaulin. The yellow yellow painted rudders are clearly visible. The aircraft letter "S" is in the Staffel color white. Also note the heavy mottling on the fuselage sides. At the beginning of November 1938 the Lehr-Verband / Aufklärungsgruppe Jüterborg (Training Unit / Reconnaissance Group Jüterborg) was reformed as the III.Gruppe (Aufklärungs) / Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2). Consisting of three Staffeln (7, 8, and 9. Staffel), the Gruppe was part of LG 2. The Geschwader's other two Gruppen were I.(Jagd)/LG 2 and II.(Schlacht)/LG 2, fighter and close-support unit respectively. 7.(F)/LG 2 saw action in Poland, flying the Dornier Do 17 P and M. Not until operations against England began was it reequipped with the Messerschmitt Bf 110 C-5. It was at this time that the Staffel emblem, a small "Teufelskopf" (Devil's Head), first appeared on the unit's aircraft. The Staffel was based at Grimbergen, Belgium, until 12 February 1941, when it was withdrawn from operations over England to prepare for the attack on Greece and Yugoslavia. On 24 March 1941, 7.(F)/LG 2 moved via Popest, Romania, to Krumovo in Bulgaria, and on 2 April to the Sofia-Vrazdebna airfield. There yellow identification markings were applied to the Staffel's Bf 110s, on the nose, elevators and rudders. The German forces attacked in 6 April 1941. After missions over Southern Yugoslavia and Greece, the Staffel supported the airborne invasion of Crete from Athens-Kalamaki. The Russian campaign saw the Staffel in action in the southern sector where, in the summer of 1941, it flew reconnaissance missions on behalf of Panzergruppe 1 with its few remaining Bf 110 E-3s and C-5s as well as several Bf 109 E-6s. In September 1941 the unit was briefly withdrawn from operations and sent to Breslau for a rest and refit. In December the Staffel returned to operations, flying from Mariupol on the Sea of Azov west of Rostov. In february it transferred to Stalino. In March 1942 the unit was renamed to 7.(H)/LG 2 and in May it was attached to Stab Nahaufklärungsgruppe 12 (NAGr 12). In November the Staffel was briefly combined with 3.(H)/31 to form NAGr Fleischmann (Tactical Reconnaissance Group Fleischmann). The Gruppe flew missions over Stalingrad from Golubinskaya (north of Kalach). On 11 December 1942 the airfield had to be abandoned in a hurry as Russian forces approached. Most of the unit's machines were lost, as only a few Bf 110s could be flown out. At the end of December, 7.(H)/LG 2 and 3.(H)/31 had just five machines between them! By January 1943 this number had been reduced to three. At the end of February 1943, 7.(H)/LG 2 disappeared from the Luftwafffe Order of Battle. Many of its ground personnel had been forced into the Stalingrad pocket when the Russians broke through, and on 3 February 1943 sixty men were reported missing there. There is no record of the disbandment of 7.(H)/LG 2, the unit probably just ceased to exist.

Source :
"Luftwaffe im Focus", Spezial No.1 - 2003

German Bf 110 Fighter-Bomber in the Balkan Campaign

L2+SR, a Messerschmitt Bf 110 E-3 of 7.Staffel (Fern) / Lehrgeschwader 2 (LG 2), photographed at Sofia-Vrazdebna at the beginning of April 1941 as German forces were preparing to invade Greece and Yugoslavia. Yellow identity markings have already been painted on the aircraft. Note that the Staffel's "Teufelskopf" (Devil's Head) emblem was spared when the nose was painted. The spinner tips are white, the Staffel color. The heating air inlet in the fuselage nose and two ETC 50 bomb racks under each wing are identifying features of E-series aircraft. Canvas covers have been placed over the engines and wheels. The aircraft is finished in the standard gray camouflage finish (RLM 74/75/76) with mottled fuselage sides

Source :
"Luftwaffe im Focus", Spezial No.1 - 2003

Messerschmitt Bf 110 in Germany after Balkan Campaign

In the summer of 1941, the Messerschmitt Bf 110s of II.Gruppe / Zerstörergeschwader 76 (ZG 76) "Haifischgruppe" (Shark Group), returned to the Reich after operations in the Balkans. The Gruppe landed at the Magdeburg-Ost airfield, where this wonderful photograph of M8+A?, a Bf 110 E, was taken. The color photo reveals the yellow identity markings worn by this aircraft. Similar markings were worn by all Bf 110 reconnnaissance and Zerstörer units during the Balkan campaign of April-May 1941. II./ZG 76 applied the yellow markings to the engine cowlings, the upper part of the fuselage nose, and the rudders (including the inner surfaces) of its aircraft. The spinners were black with a white segment and yellow nose ring. Also clearly visible is the Shark Mouth, which is outlined in red, not black as it often appears in color drawings. Note that the two ETC 50 bomb racks have been removed from beneath the wings. II./ZG 76 was renamed to III./NJG 3 (III.Gruppe / Nachtjagdgeschwader 3) at the beginning of November 1941.

Source :
"Luftwaffe im Focus", Spezial No.1 - 2003

A Staffelkapitän in Front of a Junkers Ju 88A Bomber during the Balkan Campaign

 A German Luftwaffe Staffelkapitän with the rank of Oberleutnant in front of a Junkers Ju 88A bomber during the Balkan campaign, spring 1941. Staffelkapitän is a position (not a rank) in flying units (Staffel) of the German Luftwaffe that is the equivalent of RAF/USAF Squadron Commander. Usually today a Staffelkapitän is of Oberstleutnant or Major rank. In the Luftwaffe of the Wehrmacht the Staffelkapitän usually held the rank of an Oberleutnant or Hauptmann. For the first weeks of his assignment he was known as a Staffelführer (Squadron Leader), until he was confirmed in this position. If a Non-commissioned officer was tasked with this role, he was also referred to as a Staffelführer. With the beginning of the Balkan Campaign, yellow fuselage bands were introduced for those Luftwaffe units involved. Yellow wingtips, especially lower wings and rudders, were used additionally. Completely yellow painted engine cowlings disappeared with fall of 1941. Apart from these theatre, refered markings staffel or unit leaders always preferred yellow or white painted rudders. The colourful wing and rudder markings gradually disappeared towards the later war, when allied air superiority made more camouflage efforts necessary.

Sources :
Book "The Second World War in Colour: Luftwaffe" by John Christopher
http://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Ju-88/Junkers-Ju-88/pages/Junkers-Ju-88A-during-Balkans-1941-01.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staffelkapit%C3%A4n
http://www.mission4today.com/index.php?name=ForumsPro&file=viewtopic&t=11415&start=0&finish=15&printertopic=1

Quick Refreshment During a Troop Transport

Quick refreshment during a troop transport during World War II in the Balkans, April 1941

Source:
http://www.eisenbahnstiftung.de/bildergalerie/Reichsbahn%20im%20Krieg

Panzerkampfwagen III Crews at Rest and Playing Cards

The crews of a group of german panzers benefit from a pause during the advance to resume the never-ending card game, interrupted so many times. They were came from the 12. Armee commanded by Generalfeldmarschall Siegmund Wilhelm List during Operation Marita

Source:
Signal Magazine, June 1941 

German Armored Cars Passing Convoys of Tanks in Yugoslavia

 Unternehmen 25: An armoured column (visible are Sd.Kfz.251 and Panzer II) of the 11. Panzer-Division "Gespenster Division" (Ghost Division) passes the disabled vehicles and burning trucks of the Yugoslav 5th Army in the Serbian town of Niš, near Morava river. Four days later, after initially easy and then also heavy and exhausting battles, the division entered the Yugoslav capital. In the arrogant propaganda report about the advance of this unit, the Yugoslav Army had been referred to with great disrespect – however, in the end, a tribute was paid to the defenders of Belgrade after all: "We have to admit that they exploited the terrain remarkably and defended themselves bravely". The picture was taken in 9 April 1941 by Kriegsberichter Artur Grimm from Propaganda-Kompanie (PK) 691.

Source:
http://bandenkampf.blogspot.co.id/search?updated-min=2015-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2016-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=50
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16118167@N04/6788758214/in/set-72157629429929865
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=75080&start=420