What tracked vehicle is this?

[jmark]

This photo comes from an album I received in the post barely 1 hour ago! Does anybody recognise the vehicle? It almost looks like a miniature modern APC. I presume it's a captured vehicle. It seems to be armoured and fully-tracked.

The album belonged to a guy from Panzerjäger-Abteilung 100 (100. Jäger-Division) but the symbol on the front of the vehicle shows a Werkstatt-Kompanie (unless a Pz.Jg.Abt. has a workshop company). BTW, the photo was taken in October or November 1942, if that helps.

Thanks guys!
Jason

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[jmark]

Don't worry... I've found the answer, courtesy of Chamberlain and Doyle's Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two. Several photos appear on the second last page of the Captured Enemy Vehicles in German Service chapter. It's an Art Schl VA 601(b), the Vickers-Armstrong Utility Tractor built under licence in Belgium. I've never seen one before. It's always nice to find these little surprises in your photos albums!

Thanks for looking
Jason

[jmark]

Seeing as I've started this seemingly pointless thread (after having answered my own question), I thought I'd post some photos from the album.

First up we have a Renault "Infanterie Schlepper UE 630" in August 1942 in the Don Bend.

Jason

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[jmark]

Next is another photo of the Art Schl VA 601(b).

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[jmark]

An obligatory "happy snap" taken on Kharkov's Red Square, July 1942.

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[jmark]

According to the caption, four of the battalion's vehicles are towed into "Winterquartier" by a press-ganged Soviet tractor, September 1942.

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[jmark]

After the Stalingrad catastrophe, the battalion was reformed and sent to the Balkans (Croatia, Macedonia and Albania). Here we see the album owner on an Italian Autoblinda AB41 (Panzerspähwagen AB41 201 (i)), if I'm not mistaken.
These armoured cars were used by Pz.Jg.Abt.100 on anti-partisan operations. However, according to the battalion history, one of these cars, crewed by Italians, ran down and killed platoon commander Lt. Hans Zehender in September 1942 in Tirana, Albania. Anyway, forgive my digression... here's the photo.

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[jmark]

And another shot of the AB41, this time with our album owner in the commander's seat.

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[jmark]

One of the Marders of 1. Kompanie/Pz.Jg.Abt.100. Caption: "Nach Schlacht im Tarnopol-Kessel" (After the battle in the Tarnopol pocket).

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[jmark]

Our album owner now wears an assault gunner's uniform (I don't know the techincal name for it... a wrap?). Are his collar tabs unusual?

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[jmark]

A Kubelwagen belonging to the repair section (J = Instandsetzung) of 1./Pz.Jg.Abt.100 is in need of some repair itself.

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[jmark]

The album owner (centre) and two friends pose for a photo.

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[jmark]

Last one... a group of panzerjäger in Upper Silesia in 1945. Note that some men have the Totenkopf on their collar tabs and some don't.

I hope you enjoyed a little look inside my newest acquisition.

All the best,
Jason

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[Mogdala]

Great Album - i like it very much.

[Akira Takiguchi]

Me too, wonder why it didn't came my way I am very sure that not a few are delighted to see AB41 unter Balkenkreuz.