Weapons entries

[Angel Farré]

I have seen in Soldbuch entries regarding the weapon that the soldier has for almost every model of pistol, submachine gun, assault rifle and rifle (both bolt and semiautomatic action) but I wonder what happen with machine guns, I know that mortars are colective weapons, but MG are given to one soldier who is trained in its use and receive a pistol as a personal weapon, but it's the MG his personal obligation or was never notated as personal weapon and given the consideration of a colective one like mortars?

Thanks for your replies.

Angel

[Matt L]

Hi Angel,

I'd think that just because a soldier was instructed on the use and care of a weapon, he wouldn't necessarily carry that weapon himself- I'd expect there was basic training on most weapons likely to be encountered (e.g. in case he HAD to fire the MG). An actualy machine-gunner would probably receive far more advanced training such as positioning, use of the heavy-mount, etc. It seems to me that basic use training in many weapons is no different than the use of a gasmask, or that most interesting of Soldbuch entries, being run over by a tank. Some of the personal histories I've read actually have a soldier being MADE a machine-gunner after reaching his unit, suggesting that he was already sufficiently trained before reaching the front.

Matt

[Angel Farré]

My interest was entries in the pages 8 of Soldbuch where the clerck noted the weapon that the soldier use, not in which he was trained. I have seen almost all pistol, rifle, submachine guns and assault rifles noted, but never a MG and I wonder if colective weapons were not listed, no matter that a soldier was in charge of it.

Angel

[JYN]

Hi Angel,

Never seen one with an MG.
Just a nice entry for a STG.44, the SB has been in the water, probably not rare.

[Angel Farré]

Nice entry, which unit was he serving on when used this weapon? Here I have one that still named it MP 43/1, he was serving with Gren.Rgt. 1077, he was given a camouflage garment on May 5th, 1.944 and changed his MP for a P 38 on January 3rd, 1.945 after having a Kar 98k, a P O8 and an MP 40, also he has a semiautomatic rifle, no model listed, only Selbstl. serial number 4186. A lot of weapons for a man serving from April 28th, 1.944 till his death on Janury 17th, 1.945.

Angel

[JYN]

Hi Angel,

He was a panzergrenadier in a unit that I have a lot of problem to find as the document has been in the water. By 15.10.44, he was in the Stamm.Kp.Ers.u.Ausb.Abt.4. By 1945, he was in the 3rd Coy of the Pz.Rgt.Ers.Ausb.Abt.10. He was born in India/Kroatien (?).
He get the ST44 on the 17.04.45.

Jean-Yves

[Angel Farré]

Jean, have you tried to make a big scan of the unit and clean with a program? Post it here, we can try to look what it was written. India/Kroatia? Those german looks for soldiers everywhere. He won any award? Photo in the Soldbuch?

I make a lot of questions, but my grandpa says, no ask, no knowledge.

Angel

[Ian Jewison]

I do have only one with the entry "MG Komplet"...however I can not remember the persons name or unit so it may take a time to find it....I think he was also issued a bycycle!!
Scan to follow shortly.

Incidentally I have only ever seen the entry once!

/Ian

[Angel Farré]

Ian at the rescue!!!!!!!!

I wonder this because I have seen some combos of Soldbuch/Wehrpass to soldiers trained a MG Schutzes who were asigned to Infantry units, but given as weapon a pistol and I think that he had notated the pistol as his personal weapon, but the MG was responsability of the entire crew and not only for the MG Schutze.

Search quickly, dying of impatient (I'm the current holder of the Impatient World Championship award)

Angel

[Ian Jewison]

I wondered if this was a one of mistake as I also have wondered why I have not seen more with MG issued!
I will run off now to find it.................................

/Ian

[Angel Farré]

My opinion is that MG, mortars and other colective weapons are not listed as one soldierresponsability as were the Kar98k, Mps and pistols, they are for the whole platoon so no indicated in an individual soldier Soldbuch, I never have seen a mortar or a Raketten Panzerbusche notated as weapon in a Soldbuch I suppose that only truly individual weapons are notated and not those who are operated by several soldiers. No matter I wait the entry in Ian's Soldbuch, will be nice to see it, also the bycycle use.

Angel

[Ian Jewison]

And here it is!
Interestingly at the time of issue he was serving with 2 Kompanie, Panzerjäger Abteilung 643 an independant unit in Poland, France and Russia. 26.3.1942 Stab and 2 Kp. became Pz.Jg.Abt. Großdeutschland....however he did not and was transferred to 14 Kompanie, Grenadier Regiment 743 of 719 Infanterie Division in Doordrecht, Holland.

The "MG Kompl." is on page 8b...on the top of pae 8a he was issued a rifle on 24.2.1945...notice it is a "Schnellfeur" rifle!!!

Here is a link from a post last year regarding Panzerfaust in the Soldbuch!!

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...&threadid=9608

/Ian

[Angel Farré]

I wonder if this is an entry for an MG, perhaps a complement or something similar as no serial number is notated, but I can assure it, nice piece. Have he some awards?

Angel

[Ian Jewison]

He was awarded:

20.3.1940 West Wall Medal
8.8.1941 General Assault Badge
20.2.1942 Iron Cross 2nd Class
10.7.1943 Russian Front Medal

/Ian

[JYN]

Hi Angel,


I made a scan from page 6 . It could be Pz.Gren.Rgt.119



Jean-Yves