I have recently built up this little AA.3 grouping from Afrika in 1942.
The Black Wound Badge was awarded for Gefreiten Große-Halbour's wounds during the rapid counter-attack in January 1942. This followed the DAK's post-Crusader retreat from Tobruk. His wounds were probably caused by air attack. I have read that the 4. Kompanie was the Heavy Kompanie and may, by this time, have already been equipped with captured British 25 Pounder guns. The document is signed by the Abt Komd, the then Oberleutnant Wolfgang Everth, who was later awarded the Ritterkreuz for his part in the Gazala battles. He was the Abt Komd following the return of von Wechmar to Europe, and was in Komd until Hans von Luck arrived in Afrika. AA.3 had a very interesting campaign in Afrika, a lot of which is documented in von Luck's book. The unit had a number of fierce clashes with the NZ Division around Tobruk in late November 1941, and later guarded the southern Alamein front at Siwa Oasis.
The document is accompanied by an original 'Panzers Rollen in Afrika Vor' postcard, a Black Wound Badge and a period photo of Everth shortly after his Knight's Cross was awarded, with tropical shirt, M40 Officer's cap, shoulder boards with Hauptmann insignia and Aufklarüng cyphers with cavalry piping, 6x30 binoculars and dust goggles.
A small but interesting group from a fascinating 21. Panzer Division unit, said to be 'Rommel's favourite unit' in Afrika! Hope you like it!
The Black Wound Badge was awarded for Gefreiten Große-Halbour's wounds during the rapid counter-attack in January 1942. This followed the DAK's post-Crusader retreat from Tobruk. His wounds were probably caused by air attack. I have read that the 4. Kompanie was the Heavy Kompanie and may, by this time, have already been equipped with captured British 25 Pounder guns. The document is signed by the Abt Komd, the then Oberleutnant Wolfgang Everth, who was later awarded the Ritterkreuz for his part in the Gazala battles. He was the Abt Komd following the return of von Wechmar to Europe, and was in Komd until Hans von Luck arrived in Afrika. AA.3 had a very interesting campaign in Afrika, a lot of which is documented in von Luck's book. The unit had a number of fierce clashes with the NZ Division around Tobruk in late November 1941, and later guarded the southern Alamein front at Siwa Oasis.
The document is accompanied by an original 'Panzers Rollen in Afrika Vor' postcard, a Black Wound Badge and a period photo of Everth shortly after his Knight's Cross was awarded, with tropical shirt, M40 Officer's cap, shoulder boards with Hauptmann insignia and Aufklarüng cyphers with cavalry piping, 6x30 binoculars and dust goggles.
A small but interesting group from a fascinating 21. Panzer Division unit, said to be 'Rommel's favourite unit' in Afrika! Hope you like it!