Last week the members of "Der Windhund" travelled to the Belgian Ardennes to take part in "Unternehmen Herbstnebel". Together with the "Panzer Lehr" and "Die Freiwilligen" from Poland, and 1 very exited Belgian FJR2 member we formed a Volksgrenadier Zug. This consisted of 1 Zugtrupp, 2 Sturmgruppen and one Feuergruppe(2xMG42). The name "Sturm"-Gruppe originated from the fact that these Gruppen where allmost completely armed with semi or automatic weapons(G43/stg44).
15 December 1944
Hauptfeldwebel Schwalbe gives the orders Zugführer Schmidt and Gruppenführer Zuckerbauch. Just like in '44 the weather for us was bad. On the first day of the offensive we had a lot or rain, mud and strong wind. Temperatures where near freezing, the mud formed a muddy surface on the road that rendered the roads allmost useless for our Kubelwagen.
With the NCO's busy in conversation the members of the gruppen share their sigarettes. One of the older troops recognises this and he hands out some of his last sigarettes. He knows something is about to kick off, but what?
The young Volksgrenadier Rudolf Ochse, well equipped but he looks worried. His thoughts are with his family far, far away. In one of the last feldpost letters he learned of the death of his brother on the Russian front. This was going to be his first offensive, he is assured by his Gruppenführer. A task of the Gruppenführer is to keep the morale up. He sends Rudolf of with Theodor "Schnelle" Voss on a "Spahtrupp" 1 km further to clear his mind.
Gruppenführer Unteroffizier Zuckerbauch, his task was to lead his men into combat, and get them out alive. He would have been given orders by the Zugführer to take a certain point on the map, at a certain time. But How he would succeed this is up to the Gruppenführer. He is the man that thinks of the precise tactics and movements in the field. In comparison to normal Grenadiers he does carry additional equipment as:
-MP(MP40/STG44, in this case a Beretta)
-Signal Flute
-Binoculars
-Compass
Some other stuff that can be encountered (but not allways there!) on a Gruppenführer:
- Pistol
- Mapcase
- Wirecutters( As the war progressed this isn't hardly as much encountered as in 1940 )
Stellvertreter Henri Schreyer, the deputy Gruppenführer. Whenever something happens to the Gruppenführer he is the one that takes over the gruppe. As the war progressed Stellvertreter where given semi-automatic rifles. This was because the Stellvertreter was on the far end of the Gruppe, and mostly was one of the more experienced riflemen in the gruppe. He had to be able to give covering fire quickly.
Theodor "Schnelle" Voss returns from his Spah, he reports to his Zugführer that the American lines are positioned about 800 meters from the our lines. He allso states that visibility is about 250 meters and heared heavy petrol engines.
The Zugtrupp, a small Gruppe consisting of a Funker with fieldphone, a linesman, melder and a "Kränkenträger". Sanitäter weren't a common thing on the front and where mostly concentrated behind the front as they where too "expensive" to lose at the front. "Kränkenträger" had a basic medical knowledge and knew how to stop a critical bleeding, after that it was his task to get the wounded man to the back of the front, to the "verwundetennest". Here the wounded would be prioritized and divided into 2 groups. The one that needed instant help by expert medical care and another that had light fleshwounds or concussion.
Leutnant Neumann learned of the Spahtrupp that had been sent forward. He dissaproves and orders not to send another one out without his orders. This because he says we where going to be the "Spitze" of a big offensive. It was critical the big units that where formed behind our lines where not discovered and ordered to go back in "Stellung".
"Ohne MG, Keine Armee!"
MG-schutze #2 (Lader) Hans Krug spotted something moving, his report is short but sound: "500 meter, auf der weg, fahrzeug"
MG-schutze #1 Jarich Neuner looks at his Gruppenführer, he states he is ready to fire if needed.
Gruppenführer Michal Karpinski views the scene through his binoculars, he orders fire as he sees the Jeep pointing at their direction. The discovery of the forward lines could be a disastrous start of the new offensive. Michal is one of the "voluntary" Polish troops out of many. The Volksgrenadier-divisionen consisted up to at least 1/4th out of Polish "Volunteers".
"MG1 und MG2, 25 Schuss, Feind auf weg, Feuer Frei!"
The MG fire the ordered 25 rounds onto the jeep, the jeep gets riddled by the 2 MG's in the Feuergruppe. The crewmembers are dead.
Photo's by J.T. Bruyn, to be continued!
15 December 1944
Hauptfeldwebel Schwalbe gives the orders Zugführer Schmidt and Gruppenführer Zuckerbauch. Just like in '44 the weather for us was bad. On the first day of the offensive we had a lot or rain, mud and strong wind. Temperatures where near freezing, the mud formed a muddy surface on the road that rendered the roads allmost useless for our Kubelwagen.
With the NCO's busy in conversation the members of the gruppen share their sigarettes. One of the older troops recognises this and he hands out some of his last sigarettes. He knows something is about to kick off, but what?
The young Volksgrenadier Rudolf Ochse, well equipped but he looks worried. His thoughts are with his family far, far away. In one of the last feldpost letters he learned of the death of his brother on the Russian front. This was going to be his first offensive, he is assured by his Gruppenführer. A task of the Gruppenführer is to keep the morale up. He sends Rudolf of with Theodor "Schnelle" Voss on a "Spahtrupp" 1 km further to clear his mind.
Gruppenführer Unteroffizier Zuckerbauch, his task was to lead his men into combat, and get them out alive. He would have been given orders by the Zugführer to take a certain point on the map, at a certain time. But How he would succeed this is up to the Gruppenführer. He is the man that thinks of the precise tactics and movements in the field. In comparison to normal Grenadiers he does carry additional equipment as:
-MP(MP40/STG44, in this case a Beretta)
-Signal Flute
-Binoculars
-Compass
Some other stuff that can be encountered (but not allways there!) on a Gruppenführer:
- Pistol
- Mapcase
- Wirecutters( As the war progressed this isn't hardly as much encountered as in 1940 )
Stellvertreter Henri Schreyer, the deputy Gruppenführer. Whenever something happens to the Gruppenführer he is the one that takes over the gruppe. As the war progressed Stellvertreter where given semi-automatic rifles. This was because the Stellvertreter was on the far end of the Gruppe, and mostly was one of the more experienced riflemen in the gruppe. He had to be able to give covering fire quickly.
Theodor "Schnelle" Voss returns from his Spah, he reports to his Zugführer that the American lines are positioned about 800 meters from the our lines. He allso states that visibility is about 250 meters and heared heavy petrol engines.
The Zugtrupp, a small Gruppe consisting of a Funker with fieldphone, a linesman, melder and a "Kränkenträger". Sanitäter weren't a common thing on the front and where mostly concentrated behind the front as they where too "expensive" to lose at the front. "Kränkenträger" had a basic medical knowledge and knew how to stop a critical bleeding, after that it was his task to get the wounded man to the back of the front, to the "verwundetennest". Here the wounded would be prioritized and divided into 2 groups. The one that needed instant help by expert medical care and another that had light fleshwounds or concussion.
Leutnant Neumann learned of the Spahtrupp that had been sent forward. He dissaproves and orders not to send another one out without his orders. This because he says we where going to be the "Spitze" of a big offensive. It was critical the big units that where formed behind our lines where not discovered and ordered to go back in "Stellung".
"Ohne MG, Keine Armee!"
MG-schutze #2 (Lader) Hans Krug spotted something moving, his report is short but sound: "500 meter, auf der weg, fahrzeug"
MG-schutze #1 Jarich Neuner looks at his Gruppenführer, he states he is ready to fire if needed.
Gruppenführer Michal Karpinski views the scene through his binoculars, he orders fire as he sees the Jeep pointing at their direction. The discovery of the forward lines could be a disastrous start of the new offensive. Michal is one of the "voluntary" Polish troops out of many. The Volksgrenadier-divisionen consisted up to at least 1/4th out of Polish "Volunteers".
"MG1 und MG2, 25 Schuss, Feind auf weg, Feuer Frei!"
The MG fire the ordered 25 rounds onto the jeep, the jeep gets riddled by the 2 MG's in the Feuergruppe. The crewmembers are dead.
Photo's by J.T. Bruyn, to be continued!
"VOLLTREFFER!" One of the grenadiers hit the back of the halftrack. The rear armour is blown off and 4 Americans fell.
. Actually we did not get that much sleep. But I guss just a weekend does not compare anything to being in a war 24/7.
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