Panzer IVs Before Operation Barbarossa

Two German Panzer IVs moving towards the German-Soviet demarcation line on 21 June 1941, less than 24 hours away before the start of Unternehmen Barbarossa, German invasion of Russia. In the foreground road sign "Grenze 1 km". For the campaign against the Soviet Union, the Germans allotted almost 150 divisions containing a total of about three million men. Among those units were 19 panzer divisions, and in total the Barbarossa force had about 3,000 tanks, 7,000 artillery pieces, and 2,500 aircraft.

Source :
https://9gag.com/gag/ajgVB0Q
https://en.topwar.ru/188854-21-ijunja-stalin-dilemma-prinjatija-reshenija.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Barbarossa

German Bicycle Soldiers Before Barbarossa

German soldiers on bicycles (Radfahrtruppen) driving towards the German-Soviet demarcation line to their deployments before the attack on the USSR a.k.a. "Unternehmen Barbarossa" (Operation Barbarossa), June 1941. The Wehrmacht did invest in bicycle troops for Barbarossa, but the soviet road system was bad enough that most bike columns looked like this and mobility was effectively foot mobile with perhaps slightly greater combat load per soldier. As well, German bike troops frequently lacked organic artillery and engineers that the giant kessels that Barbarossa created forced the infantry to use to grind them down, and this further limited bike troop’s utility.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_infantry
https://www.feldgrau.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22483
https://www.reddit.com/r/WarCollege/comments/h0afzb/why_no_bikes_in_barbarossa/
https://www.themodellingnews.com/2015/05/build-review-135th-german-military.html

Sherman Tanks during Maneuvers

M4A3 Sherman tanks moving through a wooded area during maneuvers. Because most served as training vehicles in the US during World War II, Ford M4A3s have survived in greater numbers than other 1942-43 production Shermans (about 80 units). The M4A3s in the photo above appear to be "as built," which was usually the case with Shermans in the US. The "padded" hull lifting rings combined with the vertical headlamp plug holders, suggest a production date between November 1942 and January 1943. There was a critical shortage of rubber at the time, and Ford was contracted to produce the particular type of "three bar cleat" steel tracks that can be seen on these tanks. The above Signal Corps photo is part of a color series unfortunately captioned "desert maneuvers, USA, 1944." The fall foliage seems inappropriate for the desert, as does the year. Tracing their movements, we think it is more likely that this series shows units of the 10th and 81st Tank Battalions, 5th Armored Division at Pine Camp, New York in the Fall of 1943.

Source :
https://historylink101.com/ww2_color/WorldWarIITanks/PICT0515.html
http://the.shadock.free.fr/sherman_minutia/manufacturer/m4a3ford/m4a3ford_variants.html

M-8 Greyhound before Boarding an LST

 

U.S. M-8 Greyhound tanks of the 36th Division of the 5th Army lined up just before boarding an LST (Landing Ship, Tank) at a port of embarkation in Italy, 1944. Men in the front vehicle are: Bottom, left to right: Private Carl Rowens and Private Roy P. Thrasher; Top left to right: Private Nicholas J. Saviano and Private Frank E. Sherman. It is the full dope on the Ford Motor Company's M8 Greyhound Armored Car as it was presented to the olive-clad readers of YANK MAGAZINE in the summer of 1944: "Armored Car, M8, 6x6: the Army's latest combat vehicle, is a six-wheeled, eight-ton armored job that can hit high speeds over practically any type of terrain. It mounts a 37-mm cannon and a .30-caliber machine gun in a hand-operated traversable turret..." Although the M8 was originally envisioned as a tank killer, it was soon understood that its 37 mm gun was not up to the job. It first saw combat in 1943 in both theaters.

Source :
https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/greyhound-tanks-of-the-36th-division-of-the-5th-army-lined-news-photo/103354634
http://www.oldmagazinearticles.com/article-summary/M8_Greyhound_Armored_Car_of_WW2#.YN2pJX4xXcs

President Franklin Roosevelt Funeral

President Franklin Roosevelt’s casket proceeds down Constitution Avenue toward the White House during his funeral procession on April 14, 1945.

The death of President Roosevelt on April 12, 1945, took the world wholly by surprise. Although those close to him had feared that since his reelection campaign that his time was near, the public was not aware of the seriousness of his condition even though photographs from Yalta showed his physical deterioration. The president secretly left for the Yalta Conference after his inauguration on January 20 and later reported on that trip in a speech to Congress on March 1. Legislators were shocked by his worn and frail appearance. Six weeks later President Roosevelt died in Warm Springs, Georgia.

The Ferdinand Magellan train returned the president to Washington on April 14 and his coffin was carried on a caisson in a military procession from Union Station to the White House. At least a 500,000 people watched silently in the hot April sun. The coffin was brought into the East Room where it would remain for about five hours. Hundreds of mourners gathered in the East Room where he lay in state. Thousands more gathered outside along the iron fences. After a simple funeral service the caisson returned to Union Station and the coffin was placed aboard a train to be taken for burial at Hyde Park, New York.

Source :
National Archives and Records Administration 80-G-K-3997
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
https://www.flickr.com/photos/airandspace/albums/72157715574200936
https://www.whitehousehistory.org/franklin-d-roosevelt-funeral

Marder III in North Africa

Rare Colour Picture of German Marder III (7.5cm PaK40.3 auf PzKpfw 38(t) Ausf H - Sd.Kfz. 138 Model) Tank Destroyers in Tunisia. Probably newly arrived and prepared to be sent to the front packed with gasoline drums and jerrycans. An unknown number of 7,5cm Pak40/3 auf Pz.38(t) Ausf.H (Sd.Kfz 138) did make it to Tunisia, and the only known units thus far to be known to have this vehicle was the 2.Kompanie / Panzerjäger-Abteilung 39 and the schwere Schwadron / Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 580. There is another image title "North Africa-unknown date. Vehicle captured in Tunis" on page 24 of the Zimmerit Press booklet by David V. Nielsen entitled 'Panzerkampfwagen 38(t)' which shows a 7,5cm Pak40/3 auf Pz.38(t) Ausf.H (Sd.Kfz 138). There appears that the DAK palm tree is located on the right side of the front plate and on the left there is a tactical symbol that looks like the front of an elephant's head. While the tactical marking, is for a Kavallerie Aufklärungs-Abteilung. It seems that units of the 90. leichte Afrika-Division carried some variations on the elephant theme of troop markings, (i.e. the 7,62cm FK auf SdKfz6, w/ H.Pz.Jg.Abt.605 etc.), so it is possibly belongs to the Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 580.BTW, an excellent reference on how the shade of RAL8000 looked like on the Hull and Wheels, RAL8020 on the Jerrycans, in addition to their fuel stowage!

After the failed Italian attack on the British positions in Egypt, Mussolini was desperate to convince Hitler to send military aid to his shattered forces in Africa.

Initially, Hitler was not interested in the Mediterranean. He reluctantly decided to help his ally and sent an armored force under the leadership of Erwin Rommel.

The Germans quickly found out that, beside the famous ‘88’ (88 mm Flak gun), the standard 3.7 cm and short 5 cm anti-tank weapons struggled against the well armored British Matilda tank.

A number of captured and modified 7.62 mm PaK 36(r) guns were also sent to the North African front. One great issue with this weapons was the low mobility on a front were speed was essential for success. Several solutions to this problem were tested, like the Sd.Kfz..6 armed with the 7.62 mm PaK 36(r) in a box shape casemate and the experimental half-tracks armed with the 7.5 cm L/41 gun.
Before sending the new Marder to Africa, it was necessary to adapt them for service in the African desert. In March 1942, one Marder III was equipped and tested with sand filters. The tests were successful and later vehicles sent to Africa would have these filters. The number of vehicles sent ranges from 66 to 117 (depending on the sources).

The first Marder IIIs (6 x Panzerjäger 38(t) für 7.62cm PaK36(r) - Sd.Kfz. 139] arrived to North Africa in May 1942, with the last one arriving in November 1942. The freshly arrived Marder IIIs were used to reinforce and equip anti-tank battalions of the 15th and 21th Panzer Divisions.

By late October 1942, the 15th Panzer Division had at its disposal some 16 Marder III [Panzerjäger 38(t) für 7.62cm PaK36(r) - Sd.Kfz. 139]. All were allocated to the 33rd Anti-Tank Battalion, together with a number of towed 5 cm PaK 38 anti-tank guns. After the British attack at El Alamein at the end of October 1942, the 33rd Anti-Tank Battalion was under a heavy attack. It managed to inflict some heavy damage to the British advance units but it also suffered losses. Almost all the Marder IIIs were lost, except one.

In September 1942, the 39th Anti-Tank Battalion of the 21st Panzer Division had around 17 PaK 38 guns and 18 Marder IIIs divided between two Kompanien (1st and the 2nd). There is little information on this unit’s participation in the Battle for Alam Halfa (October-September 1942). In late October 1942, during the British counterattack at El Alamein, all 18 Marder III vehicles were reported to be still operational. By the 25th of October, this unit was pulled out into reserve. The next day, the 2nd Kompanie was sent to the north to help stop a British attack while the 1st Kompanie was located to the south.

By the end of October, the 39th Anti-Tank Battalion was heavily involved in fighting, trying to free some encircled units of the 164th Light Division. On the 4th of November, the surviving German forces were forced to retreat. The 39th Anti-Tank Battalion lost all its Marder IIIs and had only a few 5 cm PaK’s left. By December, the 21st Panzer Division had only two Marders III, which were not even fit for action.

In March 1943, after some resting time, the 39th Anti-Tank Battalion was reformed and reinforced. The 1st Kompanie received 9 Marder IIIs [Panzerjäger 38(t) für 7.62cm PaK36(r) - Sd.Kfz. 139] and the 2nd Kompanie received Marder III Ausf.H [7.5 cm PaK 40/3 auf Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) Ausf. H, Sd.Kfz. 138]. They fought in Tunisia until the Axis surrender in May.

The 10th Panzer Division was pulled out from the Eastern Front and after some time resting was reinforced with 9 Marders III [with 7.5 cm PaK 40/3 auf Panzerkampfwagen 38(t) Ausf. H, Sd.Kfz. 138] in July 1942 (90th Anti-Tank Battalion).

The 10th Panzer Division was sent to the North African front in November 1942. In Africa, this unit was engaged in many battles against the British and newly-arrived American forces and the losses were heavy. The last Marder III was reported lost in March 1943.

Source :
https://ajhydell.com/2021/03/10/rare-color-pic-of-german-marder-iii-h-tank-destroyers-in-tunisia-probably-newly-arrived-and-prepared-to-be-sent-to-the-front-packed-with-gasoline-drums-and-jerrycans/?fbclid=IwAR1DnYJZVUEnlWeAG43yWDMNhd9obmWezHE6rtm_bfBqwyZzne5v2AHVWOY
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1728158044141689/permalink/2614494578841360/?__cft__[0]=AZVPCib9N6Y7F2MEOaWX0wsXncxZsf19rmZ8DqSgmylHY-qFh2eODVWIPH7Pa8kW4wdQjs1KECUh3riBlrcf3cPB4LELcO_15zbJdEBbTCt9IlNsheOvVHaYD00uSjJosbWLYRtK7OtkSo02rSpGQ7Rb&__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R
https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/germany/panzerjager-38t-fur-7-62-cm-pak-36r-sd-kfz-139-marder-iii/

A Motor Column Crossing a River on a Pontoon Bridge

France, 1940: The German convoy crossing a tributary of the Oise at Senlis on a pontoon bridge, in this case a Brücken-Gerät B, some 50m long and capable of supporting as much as 20 tons. While not evident here, anti-aircraft guns were normally emplaced to protect bridge sites. The Bruckengerat B could use two-piece metal pontoons (Halbpontons) or large inflatable boats.

Source :
Book "German Pionier 1939-45: Combat Engineer of the Wehrmacht" by Gordon L. Rottman
http://www.cartula.ro/forum/topic/4297-al-doilea-razboi-mondial-in-fotografiian-sau-color/page__st__620

German Panzers One Day Before Barbarossa

German Panzer IVs Ausf.F1 on the way to the Eastern Front, 21 June 1941. They're wearing Dunkelgrau Nr.46 camo paint. The Germans had begun massing troops near the Soviet border even before the campaign in the Balkans had finished. By the third week of February 1941, 680,000 German soldiers were gathered in assembly areas on the Romanian-Soviet border. In preparation for the attack, Hitler moved more than 3.2 million German and about 500,000 Axis soldiers to the Soviet border, launched many aerial surveillance missions over Soviet territory, and stockpiled war materiel in the East. Although the Soviet High Command was alarmed by this, Stalin's belief that the Third Reich was unlikely to attack only two years after signing the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact resulted in a slow Soviet preparation. This fact aside, the Soviets did not entirely overlook the threat of their German neighbor as well before the German invasion, Marshal Semyon Timoshenko referred to the Germans as the Soviet Union's "most important and strongest enemy" and as early as July 1940, Red Army Army Chief of Staff, Boris Shaposhnikov, produced a preliminary three-pronged plan of attack for what German invasion might look like, remarkably similar to the actual attack. Since April 1941, the Germans had begun setting up Operation Haifisch and Operation Harpune to substantiate their claims that Britain was the real target. The Germans deployed one independent regiment, one separate motorized training brigade and 153 divisions for Barbarossa, which included 104 infantry, 19 panzer and 15 motorized infantry divisions in three army groups, nine security divisions to operate in conquered territories, four divisions in Finland and two divisions as reserve under the direct control of OKH. These were equipped with about 3,350 tanks, 7,200 artillery pieces, 2,770 aircraft (that amounted to 65 percent of the Luftwaffe), about 600,000 motor vehicles and 625,000–700,000 horses. Finland slated 14 divisions for the invasion, and Romania offered 13 divisions and eight brigades over the course of Barbarossa. The entire Axis forces, 3.8 million personnel, deployed across a front extending from the Arctic Ocean southward to the Black Sea. The picture was taken by Kriegsberichter Horst Grund

Source :
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_169-0861,_Panzer_IV_auf_dem_Weg_zum_Angriff.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Barbarossa
https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/335586-dunkelgrau-nr46-as-default-color-for-german-tanks/

Krupp Protze and BMW R12 Sidecar of Panzergruppe Guderian

A group of Krupp L 2 H 143 trucks as personnel carriers (Kfz.70) proves its off-road capability in the Russian swamp, 1941. The white "G" indicates Panzergruppe 2 (Guderian). Note the two-line license plates on the front bumper. Unfortunately, the division emblem on the BMW R12 motorcycle with sidecar cannot be read clearly. The L 2 H 43 and L 2 H 143 "Krupp-Protze" (unofficial designation) was a six-wheeled 6x4 German truck and artillery tractor produced between 1934 and 1941 and heavily used in World War II. It was powered by a 55 hp or 60 hp (since 1936) Krupp M 304 4-cylinder petrol engine. Its main purpose was to tow artillery, especially the PaK 36, and transport motorized infantry. This vehicle was extensively used on the Eastern Front, during the North African campaign and in France and Sicily. The "Krupp-Protze" was of relatively advanced design. Its fuel consumption was relatively high (24 Litres / 100 km on road) in comparison to the comparable Opel Blitz 1.5 t truck (16.5 liters / 100 km, produced 1938 - 1942). Total production was about 7,000 units.

Source :
Book "Krupp at War: The Legendary Krupp Protze & Other Vehicles" by Reinhard Frank
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krupp_Protze

Wehrmacht Traffic Jam in the West 1940

An early World War II traffic jam of Wehrmacht vehicles on the road to Belgium through Koningshoeven, Netherlands, 12 May 1940. Interestingly there is not a horse in sight, and note the bright fluoro yellow recognition panels (even though all the vehicles are in dark gray and brown color) as an identification to friendly aircrafts. The second car from the front is an Opel Olympia, followed by a Büssing-NAG Type 350/400 truck. Left bus is a Ford V8-51 and the one in the background is a Mercedes. The picture was taken by Hugo Jaeger. As with all of their procurement efforts, Germany established a program to control manufacturing and application of camouflage paints. Specifications were sent to the paint suppliers detailing the exact method for preparing test specimens to send in for examination and approval. In addition, the inspectors at the assembly plants were provided with color swatches to use in accepting products painted in accordance with orders specified in contracts. This strictly controlled and enforced program ensured uniformity in both the paint and the final assembled product. These camouflage paints were used for the entire range of military equipment and vehicles intended for frontline use - not just panzers. At the start of the war, all panzers and military vehicles were painted in a two-tone scheme of Dunklegrau (dark grey) and Dunklebraun (dark brown). Dunklegrau RAL 46 (later renumbered RAL 7021) was the base coat. Irregularly shaped patches of Dunklebraun RAL 45 (later renumbered RAL 7017) were to be spray painted onto 1/3rd of the surface. In June 1940, a general order was issued to stop applying patches of Dunklebraun and only use Dunklegrau RAL 46 for the entire surface.

Source :
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=73232&start=8055
https://smallsagas.wordpress.com/2013/04/29/fifty-shades-of-panzer-grey/
http://www.twenot-forums.nl/viewtopic.php?t=31063&p=283388

The British Cruiser Convoy on D-Day

The Allied invasion fleet crossing from England to Normandy on D-Day kept to twelve narrow lanes in order to avoid minefields. From the starboard bridge wing of HMS Belfast, flagship of Force E, a line of three Royal Navy cruisers can be seen in the morning gloom. The picture was taken by George Stevens. Construction of Belfast, the first Royal Navy ship to be named after the capital city of Northern Ireland, and one of ten Town-class cruisers, began in December 1936. She was launched on St Patrick's Day, 17 March 1938. Commissioned in early August 1939 shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, Belfast was initially part of the British naval blockade against Germany. In November 1939 Belfast struck a German mine and spent more than two years undergoing extensive repairs. Belfast returned to action in November 1942 with improved firepower, radar equipment and armour. Belfast saw action escorting Arctic convoys to the Soviet Union during 1943, and in December 1943 played an important role in the Battle of North Cape, assisting in the destruction of the German warship Scharnhorst. In June 1944 Belfast took part in Operation Overlord supporting the Normandy landings. In June 1945 Belfast was redeployed to the Far East to join the British Pacific Fleet, arriving shortly before the end of the Second World War. Belfast saw further combat action in 1950–52 during the Korean War and underwent an extensive modernisation between 1956 and 1959. A number of further overseas commissions followed before Belfast entered reserve in 1963.

Source :
"Victory in Europe: D-Day to VE-Day in Full Color" by Max Hastings and George Stevens
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Belfast_%28C35%29

Mechanised Column of 7. Panzer-Division

Shown here is a mechanised column of the 7. Panzer-Division, commanded by Generalmajor Erwin Rommel, on the move during the Blitzkrieg through France in the last days of May 1940. The photo was taken by General Rommel himself. They are not hindered by Allied aircraft because the German air superiority ensures them a "safe trip" (at least from the air) along the way!

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

Possibly a German retreat or even a surrendering ceremony

Picture taken late in May 1945 in Czechoslovakia, possibly a German retreat or even a surrendering ceremony

Source:
http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82787&page=2

A German Panzergrenadier company in advance

A German Panzergrenadier company in advance. According to Tomek Basarabowicz from "Soldaten Fotoalbum" Facebook group, this unit are Panzergrenadier-Division Großdeutschland (based on the zoom in of Opel Blitz mudguard in the center). The vehicles are: Sd.Kfz.11's, Sd.Kfz.10's, a number of Steyr 1500's plus whole lotta of Pz.Kpfw.III's and IV's. Panzergrenadier (abbreviated PzGren or Pzg) is a German term for motorised or mechanized infantry – that is, infantry transported in combat vehicles specialized for such tasks – as introduced during World War II. It is used in the armies of Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

Source:

Das III.Reich 43 - Kursker Schlacht