Soviet equipments captured by 16. Panzer-Division

 

Soviet equipments captured on the route of 16. Panzer-Division, 1942. A Soviet M1931 76mm Air Defense Gun and a GAZ-03-30 bus.

Source :
Akira Takiguchi photo collection
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10222239424968033&set=gm.1584419835076767

Heinrich von Vietinghoff with His Staff Officer

This photograph of Akira Takiguchi's personal collection shows, from left to right: General der Panzertruppe Heinrich von Vietinghoff-Scheel (Kommandierender General XXXXVI. Armeekorps [motorisiert]) and Major im Generalstab Joachim Sadrozinski (Ia Operationsführer XXXXVI. Armeekorps [motorisiert]). They are chatting in front of an Omnibus which functioned as the Befehlswagen (Command Vehicle) of the Corps. Note: ① unit marking of the corps, ② carmine color trouser stripe for general staff officers, ③ deep red color stripe for generals, and ④ "Befehlswagen Ia" (command vehicle for the operation officer). There is no information when and where this photo was taken, but most likely in Russia in the summer of 1941 during Unternehmen Barbarossa. In the German invasion of the Soviet Union, XXXXVI. Armeekorps (motorisiert) operates in the central sector of the Eastern Front and is under the command of Heeresgruppe Mitte. Von Vietinghoff became Commander-General of XXXXVI. Armeekorps (motorisiert) from 1 November 1940 to 10 June 1942 (when the motorized infantry corps was upgraded to a panzer corps), while Sadrozinski became Head of Operations of XXXXVI. Armeekorps (motorisiert) from October 1940 to May 1942.

Source :
Akira Takiguchi collection
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10220380242729639&set=p.10220380242729639&type=1&theater

Wehrmacht Soldiers After the Battle

After a battle.No further details known

Source :
Archiv für Zeitgeschichte, Stuttgart
Franz-Paul Peterka photo collection
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2938475636191277&set=gm.1423507071168045&type=3&theater&ifg=1

Russian Tank Crew Surrender to SS Soldier

The crew of a Russian T-34 tank stuck in the mud surrendered to an NCO from SS-Panzergrenadier-Division "Wiking" during the 1943 battle in the Eastern Front. Although it suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Kursk, the Wiking Division achieved an excellent reputation, even earning the grudging respect of the Soviets in several battle reports for its pugnacious fighting spirit (Soviet commanders were always concerned to learn that their troops were facing the soldier of the Wiking Division). In October 1943 the division was reformed yet again, and emerged as a fully fledged panzer division. The significance of this should not be under estimated. Considering the disdain shown for many of the foreign volunteer units by their German masters, the fact that a predominantly 'foreign' division should be accorded panzer division status and equipped with the latest tanks was a tribute to the regard in which it was held. The 'Wikinger' were fast attaining an elite status to equal the best of the original Waffen-SS divisions. This picture was first published in SIGNAL magazine, October 1943 edition.

Source :
Das III Reich Sondersheft №12 "SS Verfugungstruppe und Waffen SS 1939-1945" (1974)
http://5sswiking.com/history.html
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/world-war-ii-failed-german-tank-breakthrough-on-the-eastern-news-photo/548135261
https://ww2-weapons.com/5th-ss-panzer-division-wiking/

Sherman Tank of a Canadian Unit in Normandy

A nice color shot of an M4A4 Sherman tank from the 4th Canadian Armoured Division - with some hay on it - in the field near the French village of Vaucelles, Normandy, summer of 1944. The 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division was created during World War II by the conversion of the 4th Canadian Infantry Division at the beginning of 1942 in Canada. The division proceeded overseas in 1942, with its two main convoys reaching the United Kingdom in August and October. The division spent almost two years training in the United Kingdom before crossing to Normandy in July 1944. In the United Kingdom, it participated in war games together with the Polish 1st Armoured Division, and later fought in France, the Low Countries, and Germany, both divisions followed very close paths. The division participated in the later stages of the Battle of Normandy at the Falaise Pocket, the advance from Normandy and spent almost two months engaged at the Breskens Pocket. It wintered in the Netherlands and took part in the final advance across northern Germany.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_Canadian_Division
https://www.visiteiffel.com/DeuxiemeGuerreMondiale-photos.html
http://waralbum.ru/97952/

Christmas with the British Tank Crew in Holland

Christmas with the British Liberation Army in Holland, November 1944: A tank crew of the 4th Battalion, the Royal Tank Regiment, 4th Armoured Division, unpack a Christmas parcel near Weert in Holland. The crew - who are shown with their camouflaged tank looking like a 'travelling Christmas tree' - had been together for three years. They had seen action in Libya and Italy before coming to Holland. Left to right: Trooper R Buckley; Trooper J Round; and Sergeant H Kirk. The picture was taken by Captain E.G. Malindine from No. 5 Army Film and Photographic Unit.

Source :
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205189095

Sd.Kfz.7 Towing Artillery Crossing the K-Gerät Bridge

The halftrack prime mover shown in this picture (towing a 15cm sFH18 heavy howitzer battery) is the Sd.Kfz.7 mittlerer Zugkraftwagen (8-ton). It was the most widely used prime mover type of which 10,257 units were built. The K-Gerät  (Kastenträger-Gerät) moveable bridge and simple broad leaf camouflage is interesting too. K-Gerät is a light self-supporting 16-ton bridge on three part pontoons or blocks with length 78,8m. Its design was copied from the British Small Box Girder bridge in the mid-1930s. The K-Gerät used the same panel length as the SBG, but slightly amended the bracing details. A 1943 article in the German military magazine describes the bridge being used on the Russian Front in conjunction with pontoons and goes on to say that 'the bridge has given good service and is similar to bridges used in enemy armies'

Source :
Book "One More River To Cross" by J.H. Joiner
http://www.feldgrau.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7775
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=152334&hilit=equipment&start=330
http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2011/12/uk-military-bridging-equipment-pre-wwii-equipment-bridging/
http://www.ww2incolor.com/german-artillery/ale.jpg.html

Kübelwagen in Sicily

VW Typ 82 leichter geländegängiger Personenkraftwagen (Kfz. 1) "Kübelwagen" in Sicily, Italy, ready to cross the strait of Messina using Siebel ferry (Siebelfähre), 1943. The first picture from above showing the vehicle with camouflage net clearly visible from the front. A cloth cover is mounted over the headlights, leaving only a narrow opening for the light. The name "Otto" is painted below the headlight - giving names to vehicles was a common practice in many armies! Notice the tropical colors of the vehicle and uniforms of the men, all belonging to the DAK (Deutsches Afrikakorps). Some Afrikakorps troops crossed from Tunisia to Sicily and fought the Allies there during Operation Husky (9 July - 17 August 1943). The Volkswagen Kübelwagen (literally, "bucket car"), previously mostly used for rail, industrial or agricultural hopper cars) was a light military vehicle designed by Ferdinand Porsche and built by Volkswagen during World War II for use by the German military (both Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS). Based heavily on the Volkswagen Beetle, it was prototyped as the Type 62, but eventually became known internally as the Type 82.

Source :
Book "Afrikakorps: Rommel’s Tropical Army in Original Color" by Bernd Peitz and Gary Wilkins
http://research.omicsgroup.org/index.php/Volkswagen_K%C3%BCbelwagen

The Crew of an American M4 Sherman Tank Ressuplying the Ammunitions

A U.S. 5th Armored Division tank crew load round's for their tank's 75mm gun. All four of the men are wearing herringbone twill (HBT) coveralls, winter combat (tanker's) jacket and armoured forces' crew helmet. The cords that are draped over the left shoulders of the two men on the ground carry jacks for the headset. The cord would be plugged in to the tank's intercom system so that the man could communicate. Three of these men have sewn the 5th Armored Division patch to their left shoulders.

Source :

Book "Patton's Third Army" by Christopher J. Anderson

A Young Grenadier from Hitlerjugend Division in Normandy

 This picture was taken in Normandy front (France) in June 1944 by SS-Kriegsberichter Wilfried Woscidlo and showing a young Grenadier from 12. SS-Panzer-Division "Hitlerjugend" wearing camouflaged cloth and headgear. The division fought superbly throughout the Normandy campaign, its performance a testimony to the training it had received, its leaders and the calibre of its individual recruits. However, its fighting qualities were to no avail in the face of the Allies so-called ‘materialschlacht’, their overwhelming strength in tanks, aircraft, motorised infantry and artillery.

Source :
https://www.tumblr.com/search/hitlerjugend%20division

Italian Artillery Position in North Africa

Italian artillery position with 75/27 06 gun covered with bushes as camo in the desert. Photo taken during General Erwin Rommel's Campaign in North Africa, 1941

Source:
http://www.cybermodeler.com/history/germany/rommel.shtml

Oberst Alexander von Grundherr

Oberst Dr. Ing. Alexander von Grundherr zu Altenthan und Weyerhaus (1896-1973), Kommandeur Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 76 / 6.Panzer-Division and recipient of the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold (11 February 1943), photographed in his heavily camouflaged command APC - note large frame aerial!

Source:

"The 6th Panzer Division: 1937-45" by Oberst a.D. Helmut Ritgen