Panzerwrecks 9: Italy 1

· ee Archer and William Auerbach

FEATURES: 13 27 64 92

On the road to Pontedera. Pz.Kpfw.1I1 (FI) in focus. Taming the Tigers. Panther forts at Anzio.

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The Italian campaign saw servicemen from all corners of the globe come together in a true Allied effort. Our photo coverage mirrors this with images from the UK, US, Poland, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. These images are backed up unit insignias from the talented hand of Barry Crook. Like all other Panzerwrecks, this has been a team effort, but a special thanks must go to Jeff Plowman for allowing us the use of photos from his collection and to Martin Block for devoting time and effort into identifying units and places . Bill, my partner in crime deserves the highest praise for sniffing out 1\c'W material and for keeping me on my toes time after time. fl· . .1 child my Grandfather, Roger Archer, a Sergeant in .".6.-.....,--~-.......----.._.,...,..., III<' \ I ~\ (jeneral Transport Company, R.A.S.C., used to tell IIi:, wartime service in North Africa and up into II.ily Willlililld sicht I wi sh I had paid more attention, but I,I.I VIIII ', w illi I ('1',0 was more interesting at the time. He was .. 1'1'1' 11 ,11'1.,1<'111 ph ot ograp her, and while in Italy bought or I, .. oil '.I .. 1 . 11,1< ' 1.1 II o III :l US serviceman, which is now with 11 ,1' 11111" " i,d W ,II IVIII ',I'llm in London with a number of his III<' .lilo lll

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"1111 '1 I ,.,. /1 ,, 1" '1 1",,1 W illI. II " 1\,11" h ... h, H<'printed 2010. Created by Lee Archer and printed by 1010 111,01111' IlIiI '1111111', " 11 , 1 I" , I"" ., ,, 11,11 :111', II",I'IWei. No part of this publication may be reproduced or

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For the use of their photos we would like to thank: Jeff Plowman, John Nicholson, US National Archives (NARA), Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum (PISM), Lord Strathcona's Horse Archive (Royal Canadians) (LSHA), South African National Museum of Military History (SANMMH), The Tank Museum (TIM), National Army Museum (NAM), We would also like to thank the following: Jeff Plowman, Hans Weber, Martin Block, Timm Haasler, W.O, Ted Macleod from LdSH(RC) Museum, Daniele Guglielmi, Matthias Radu, Juliet McConnell from the National Army Museum, Susan Strange of Strange Research and Barry Crook (for his excellent artwork).

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l /Ircher, Heathfield. July 2009

Many of the images in this book were taken by servicemen using basic equipment; they are included for their interest and historical value, not necessarily their photographic quality.

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Identification of vehicle types and nomenclature is from 'Panzer Tracts' with the assistance of Thomas L. Jentz. Top of page: Not German, not a Panzer and not wrecked, but what a paint-job!

'I ,Ii I Ii" "" I II 1I I" v, " ,V,. I"I II , w lll,,,"1 I" '1IlIi',\ioll in writing from the publishers. Don't steal, it 's

'il ltll _lll l d lIy lillllll,111I fllIl'riJach . Panzerwrecks. P.O. Box 2332 Monroe, New York 10949-2332 USA . [email protected] 1"1'/\" 11,,1. PH Rox 164 Heathfield, Sussex TN218WA UK. lee@panzerwrecks .com

NARA

I ',mther Ausf.A, tactical number '114' has had its gun barrel blown off, probably on purpose. II was photographed by a US Signal Corps photographer just outside of Torre Tre Ponti on

" . May 1944. The destruction of the gun barrel has wrecked the gun travel lock, which is '.111 ing next to the driver's visor. It has a bow MG port instead of a ball mount indicating

it was assembled before November 1943. The only unit equipped with Panther tanks Ita Iy was I./Pz. Rgt.4. US Army

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The photographs on pages 2 - 7 came with scant information, but we do know that they were taken by a US officer in the Canadian sector of Southern Italy in 1944. Here our officer has an almost sinister look about him as he stands inside a disembowelled Pz.Kpfw. IV. Opposite: He and two others check out a Pz.Kpfw.IV. The tank has been pretty much

gutted as it is missing much of the engine deck, rear plate and we can see a bare interior. The ammunition has been removed and is lying on the ground in the right of the photo. Inset: Another dead Pz.Kpfw.IV. This image has not been 'cleaned' of scratches and dust on purpose to show how images look originally. 3x B.Burns

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/\ 11 internal explosion has popped out the side of the fighting compartment and engine
think that these tanks may have come from II./Pz.Rgt.2 of 16.Panzer-Division and that they were destroyed by the Shermans of 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) near 2x B,Burns Termoli in October 1943.

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Our officer stands in the superstructure/turret assembly of another disembowelled Pz. Kpfw.IV in the Termoli area. The circular object on the right, perched on the left sponson

is what remains of the turret platform . Eighth Army trucks speed past the wreck.

B.Burns

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would have held spare roadwheel s, this was a field mod applied to vehicles of Pz.Abt.l03 and H.5tu.Gesch.Brig.907 in Italy. The extra '5' -hook, barely visible on the front of the superstructure, was only seen on vehicles from Pz.Abt.l03 .

111l ' roof of the fighting compartment and gun are missing from this 5turmgeschutz III 1\1I',f.G, and the vehicle has been covered with earth, foliage and branches; making us I l dllk that it was destroyed by aerial bombs or artillery fire, which has also churned up 111(' ground. The metal bracket partially attached to the side of the fighting compartment

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To quote the photo caption : "Tanks & infantry of the 1st Armored Division pass a knocked

out German tank about one half mile from Rome on the Appian Way. The remains of an old Roman aquaduct that supplied the Capital with water are in the background. US 5th Army Rome area, Italy. 4 June 1944". The 'tank' is a Sturmgeschutz III Ausf.G from

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Pz.Abt.103 of 3.Panzergrenadier-Division, note the divisional insignia on the bow. The Stu rmgeschutze of th is unit usually ca rried spare road wheels in brackets on the side of the fighting compartment, which were covered by a small section of 'Schurzen' which carried the tactical number. An M4 of the 1st Armored Division passes the wreck. US Army

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111 1,1 111, Army soldier peers into the turret of a Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.J from either Pz.Abt.129 I " 'I " '/c rgrenadier-Division or II./Pz.Rgt.26 of 26.Panzer-Division on 23 November i;, I I I I,,· (' ngine deck bolt on the left has snapped. There were two explosives, pre-set III, ",, 11 1 il1gs, one in the engine compartment and one in the fighting compartment, to

automatically disable the vehicle by setting off the stowed ammunition. The remaining turret 'SchLirzen' show a hand painted camouflage pattern. The Panzer has ended its days abandoned in a large crater. Note the thickened armoured cover on the turret exhaust fan and lack of visors and pistol ports in the turret doors. IWM

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This is the same Pz.Kpfw.IV as seen on the previous page, but two months later in January 1945 after the large crater has filled with rainwater and frozen over. Here a Polish soldier clambers the wreck while trying not to fall in . Remains of the hand painted camouflage pattern can be seen on the side and rear of the tank along with 'Zimmerit' on the rear. The 'Flammentbter' mufflers clearly identify it an Ausf.J assembled at Nibelungenwerke August 1944.

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Like la zy dogs snoozing in the sun, these vehicles aren't going anywhere anytime soon. The lugkraftwa ge n in the foreground is a Selbstfahrlafette (Sd.Kfz.7/1) with 'Pritschbau' (wood bOLlrd con struction) . The sharply angled trackguards and brackets for shovels on the hood

are specific features of this variant. Behind it is a Selbstfahrlafette (Sd .Kfz .1O/4) witho 2cm Flak 38. It has the wide r platform for the Flak 38. Both vehicles we re serving as ba load carriers when knocked out near the river Po. SANMMH

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' I)' II ell first glace appears to be roadside rubbish actually turns out to be the remains of a I, " III ('r Funkpanzerwagen (Sd.Kfz.250/3). This photo shows for the first time an internally " " H IIILed 'Kurbelmast' usually associated with the Fu 12 of a Sd .Kfz.250/3 I. {Note its II ill I '.l rm' (stabilising bracket) protruding from the right side wallo) This vehicle has the

standard single slit visors for the driver and co driver. In the background is another leichter Funkpanzerwagen (Sd .Kfz .250/3), and this time we can determine it's an Ausf.A with a 'Sternantenne' on the left rear.

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A US Signal Corps motion picture cameraman captures an M4 passing a wrecked Pz.Kpfw. IV, tacti cal number '812', in Ponsacco on 20 July 1944. The Panzer, and others in this feature, belon ged to 8./Pz.Rgt.26 of 26.Panzer-Division . This image makes an excellent

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comparison of the size of the two vehicles. Opposite: The side of the wreck, the tactical number and 'Balkenkreuz' have been obscured by charring of the paintwork. A Signal. 2x NARA Corps cameraman can be seen filming in the background.

(S(Hfl.250/7) 1/\ is parked nearby. The mortar

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~i ld'I,' , rather than .on the back wall and the . 1\11 11111 of t he mortar can be's~en sJickingout ofth~ " the veh icle. Along the rOifd are three Pz.Kpfw facing the le.S.P:w., one nidden und~r the trees I ,lflot her between 'the two. Hans Weber explains the 1)"",1 1.) 1 tactical number on the le.S.P.W "The use of two In Pz .-A.A. 26 cal} be traced 'back to early 43 when it was . 1(1 "I.( hutzenBtl. 26. From what is known, I would piece fo"gether Iii dlowing:Company denomination.with tactical sign and Co number. i'IJ J d/J~ it$ designating Platoo~ and vehicle. In case of: 50':Split the 11 Ie I ' of 4:jschwere Ko'mpanie':according to K.St.N. 1113(gp) dated March 1st

I IIHo two units. 40..- 46 Z.ugfii hrer (40) and twoschwere MG Gruppen with

'1I'W's~ e~ch (41-46),.'5' is ·a Gr:W Gru ppe with Gruppe!lfLihrer '50', two mortar '

! :!IIIIJ 'I ', and o"ne ammo carr ier (51:53)." Opposite: Here is the first vehicle, an Ausf.H :O'r i m,· t he le:S·;P.w., it carries the divisional insignia of26.Panzer-Division. Behind is the rear . IIfl l her a:ridejust visibl,e bet~een,.the two are the turret 'SchLirzen' of another. Inset: The II 1I11,i gnia was the head of a grenadier within a circle painted in yellow on a black background. rk by. BJmy Crook. . ~-1110 . 2x NARA, Ix B.Crook 11111'

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Th e two Pz .Kpfw.IVs, and the le .S.P.w. further down the road, taken on 18 July by a Signal orps photographer. Tank '834' is an Ausf.H version and has the radio antenna in the position of em Au sf.G in ad dition to the one on the left side of the engine deck. It carries a

rough field applied 'Zimmerit' coating and two kill rings on the gun barrel. Another fi modification is the steel frame welded to the top of the turret, possibly for extra a It also has its tracks on backwards (compare with the other Panzer) . 2x US

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A rather innocuous looking m.S.P.w. (Sd.Kfz .251 Ausf.C) can still be dangerous, as the warning painted on its rear doors indicates. Little can be gleaned from such photos unless some detail s em erge. In this ca se, a faint tactical number, '521,' appears on the top of the right rear door, leading us to believe we have a vehicle from the fifth company of an Aufklarungs Abteilung . Candidate units would be 5./pz.A.A .26, 5./Pz.A.A.103 (left Italy in Augu st , 1944), and 5./ Pz. A.A.129. It's licence plate number is WH 1451080. 3x l.Archer

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rolled over on their backs provide even fewer clues than the m.S.P.w. on there are clues nonetheless, such as the single ' Obergangsschienen' (bridge I II , "1' I" -low and between the vehicles, indicating the at least one of them is a mittlere

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Pionierpanzerwagen (Sd.Kfz.251/7) . The tracks are the 'Stahllaufketten mit Stahlkappen' (Steel capped tracks) that were used from February to July 1944. L.Archer

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burnt the rubber from the roadwheels. It had been towing an ammunition trailer whi has burnt out also. Compare the material used in the construction if the drop sides with that of page 23.

This 2cm Flakvierling 38 auf Sf] (Sd .Kfz .7/1) was photographed by a soldier in the 6eme Regiment de Tirailleurs Marocains. The vehicle has the addition of an armour shield in front of the radiator, on which some battle scars can be seen. It is interesting that the shield has been cut away around the front tow pintle. Fire has blackened the rea r compartment and

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right above the open rear doors are some of the internal brackets used to organise the 1800 rounds of ammo carried in this trailer in 20 round magazines. Note that the Sf] . is missing several of its outer road wheels .

of another Selbstfahrlafette (Sd.Kfz.7/l), this time caught towing a Sonder (special trailer for 2cm ammo) to support its 2cm Flakvierling 38. Scattered I e In shell casings. The bulbous forged housing with the crank arm is the levelling 1111' straight lever behind the crumpled fender is the parking brake. On the top

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18 September 1943, G.l.s tow a le.Einheits-Pkw. with a kI.Pz .Fu.wg. (Sd .Kfz.261) Ausf.B named 'Jaguar'. This vehicle is interesting as the grenade screens have been removed from the top of the crew compartment and a shield for an MG34 has been fitted, similar to

the type found on the Ie . and m.S.P.w. and it has been field modified by adding an antenna . The soldier on the armoured car has a white cloth tied to the end of his rifle - j in case. US

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III II I PZ.Sp.Wg. AB41 201(i) have been pushed into a ditch or crater and captured on 1111 " I,v " Polish War photographer. The armoured cars carry nameson the sides. On the left I I II 11' 1', a popular pet name, and 'Winnetou' - the Indian Chief in a number of Karl May

books. The AB41 was armed with a 2cm Breda 35 gun and two 8mm Breda 38 machine guns.

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A British soldier strikes a formal pose with a wrecked Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.H or J. The tank was knocked out while at a road junction by a hit to the final drive. Another A.P. projectile has embedded itself in the driver's front plate, just next to the radio operator's position and

can be seen sticking out! The tank was subsequently stripped of all useful parts.

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I jl l w.111 (FI) from 2.Flamm.Kp./Pz.Rgt.26 of 26.Panzer-Division photographed by a NZ soldier on the Orsogna ­ r II 1, , " I road in December 1943. A section of the idler wheel has been blown away and the exhaust fan compartment ,Archei i I II , I" " , are open . A small railway loading stencil can be seen underneath the tactical number '1123'. Inset: One of two

I' I Idw.11I (FI) captured in good condition in the Salerno area and evaluated by the Allies, Fahrgestell 77651. It now " "I,·· . in the WTS collection in Koblenz, Germany. lx J.Plowman, lx US Army

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page: This captured Pz.Kpfw.11I (FI), Fahrgestell 77651, has tactical number 'F23.' 'F23' ' I' were the subjects of a report by the Chemical Officer, Fifth Army, Col. M.E. Barker. II if I 1, ,,l os on these pages are from this report. The flame gun looked like an ordinary cannon, I I I/ I ,111 '1 being 134cm long and at the flame end 12cm in diameter. An additional30mm plate 1,[, 'd to the front of the tank chassis. Smoke grenades launched from the side projectors ill" " I I he vehicle to blind the enemy during approaches and withdrawals. This page, top left: 111111 , " I tlame oil tanks was by a suction process, which drew oil through a filling hose which II l.lched to a flame oil fuel line connection located at right rear of tank. Top right: Four I I I c extinguishers were carried on the vehicle : two on the left side of turret within easy /I " I" " Iank commander, one within reach of and along left side of driver, and one mounted on " ·111 rear outside the tank on an angle iron bracket with a small steel base plate . 8x US Army III'

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Top left: 1: Smoke grenade projectiles, 2: Coloured signal flare cartridge, 3: Egg grenade and 4: Fuse. Top right: 1: Flame gun, 2: Flame oil orifice, 3: Two electric igniters, 4: Pilot jets, 5: Flame shield . The flame shield was designed to facilitate flame oil combustion by having four openings cut into side of shield (10mm wide and 125mm long) . Top and

side openings were shielded to restrict spraying of unburned flame oil of pilot jets fl dropping down onto tank. Bottom left: 1: Demolition charge, 2: Fuse, 3: Hanging stl bends easily for fastening charge to any object 4: Carrying case. Bottom right: A s the improvised sight. 4x us SILTCfI NO. ONE T '~

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This page: 1: Smoke grenade launcher firing box and I firing buttons. Opposite page: 1: Electric control I 2: Flame oil pressure gauge, 3: Flame gun elevating I wheel, 4: Turret traversing hand wheel, 5: Turret direl dial, 6: Fire extinguisher, 7: Gas mask. Pressure forthe f oil was obtained by operation of a rotary pump attachl an auxiliary motor located within the left rear of the I Flame oil pressure was indicated by a gauge motll directly in front of the tank commander. The muzzle of the flame gun contained two pilot jets, two elect igniters and one orifice 10mm in diameterforthe exoLJI _ of flame oil. To fire, the tank commander simu pressed the electric control contacts behind the gauge and depressed the right foot pedal. Effective was normally 50 to 60 metres, with maximum flame 70 to 75 metres. For ease of vertical movement, a cou balance weight was attached to the rear of the gun. Fl. oil fuel was carried in two welded metal tanks each approximately 40 to 50 gallons each , located beside tank commander on the inside left and right side of tank chassis. The top of the flame oil tanks was low to allow for free rotation of the tank turret. Meter ga for the fuel oil tanks were metal rods screwed into the of the tanks. A signal pistol was carried on the right side of the t behind the right shoulder of the tank commander. boxes for flares were provided, one box directly behind tank commander's seat and one box beside the turret Each box held twelve cartridges. One Pz.Kpfw.1I1 (FI) found to contain an improvised rack welded to the of the turret directly behind the right rear of the commander's seat for carrying ten egg grenades. were secured in the rack by a raised rim around the of the grenade fitting down on top of the rack. 2x US

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Three more Pz .Kpfw.11I (FI) lie blown apart next to a railway line. From Martin Block: "16 Pz.Div. lost five PZ.Kpfw.1I1 (FI), forty-one Pz.Kpfw./~ eight StuG III, one Hummel, and two 'Grille' during September1943. These Flammpz.1I1 certainly belonged to the Pz. Flamm-Zug

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of the II./Pz.Rgt. 2. That platoon was almost wiped out on 9.9.1943 when it counterattack on Torre di Paestum" (40km south of Salerno).

A close up view of the vehicle in the background from the previous page reveals the shape of one of the internalflamefueltanks. NARA

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(Sf) auf Pz.38(t) Ausf.H (Sd .Kfz .138/1) 'Grille' is among the "wrecked enemy lilmed at Acerno around 20 September 1943. Acerno is about 25 miles east " I 'ia lerno. In what became a battle of the engineers, the Germans took full , 01 I he heavily mountainous terrain to delay the advancing American 3rd Division

by blowing up every road, bridge and switchback in the area as they retreated northward . This weapon used two piece ammunition; the base of the cartridges can be seen in a box at the back of the fighting compartment.

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01 .\ Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.G from the same motion picture film. Details can be teased out by close examination . For example,

IlI irzen' have small loops welded on to hold camouflage, a rectangular bracket has been welded to the top of the gun hatch appears to be missing some parts as it has folded completely flat. This vehicle retains its smoke dr' I , " " hers on the sides of the turret and still has its antenna mounted on the right side, so was probably produced around 1[1 11 I " " I pulled back from Sicily. The thin black outlined tactical number indicates a vehicle from II./Pz.Rgt.2 of 16.Panzer­ hll' I '1'1 ' 42: Another Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.G with racks for two jerry cans on the rear. 3x NARA, 1x US Army 11111 i i

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III' Iii .· Ihis are often frustrating as vital details are either missing or obscured. The I " " III point as he sat himself in front of the tactical number, only part of the " III 1 II •• 111 be seen to the side of his arm. The unusual style of 'Balkenkreuz' makes 11111 11 111. 11 thi s vehicle could have been operated by SS-Sturmgeschutz-Battalion.16 of

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16.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division. Details on the rear wall such as the fan housing are visible since the fighting compartment roof has been blown off. The interior RAL 1002 Elfenbein colour appears significantly darker than the RAL 7028 Dunkelgelb applied to the outside. L.Archer

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A very rare sight. A G.!. poses with an M4190/53 801(i) in a bombed out railway yard in the Spring or Summer of 1944. After the battle of Sicily, only 6 out of the 30 vehicles produced were still in service. This one has been painted in German camouflage colours, given a

' Balkenkreuz' on the sides and carries the divisional insignia of the 26.Panzer-Division . might dictatethat Pz .Jg.Abt.51, the division's anti-tank unit in Italy, might have had it, but only joined the division in October of 1944.

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I. poses with the SPG. The nose has the rhomboidal marking of an armoured II I.ill number '19'. The vehicle appears to be held on its rail carriage by a tow iillil l " I" 'J I to the front tow hook. On the right of the photo are rail wagons blown from il i:11I 111

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their tracks. Inset: In Italian use. This example was captured from the 10 Raggrupamento Semoventi in Sicily and is shown in Palermo on 24 September 1943. It now resides at Aberdeen Proving Ground in the USA. lx L.Archer, lx US Army

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The only unit operating the Sturm panzer 43 in Italy was ~,I Pz .Abt.216 and this one was photographed in the summer of by a US soldier. It is based on the drivetrain of a PzKpfw.IV and was produced between November 1943 and May 19411 hatches on the hull have all been blown out by an explosion. l.

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I rom the same US Army film as the Sturm panzer 43 in Panzerwrecks 1 and 5 I ·cl l'z.Kpfw.1I1 Ausf.N shown near Giuncarico on 23 June 1944. It had belonged 11 ,11" ' ' " I', lnzer-Regiment Hermann Goring of Fallschirm-Panzer-Division Hermann "111 .,.1" white circular insignia can be seen on the front trackguard . The Panzer has I· WI '

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a one piece commander's cupola hatch and smoke di schargers . It was produced between February and May 1943. The photograph on pa ge 49 seems to show the end of a 7·5cm round in the gun barrel. 3x NARA

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Ilhotos clearly show the devastation. The tank was an Ausf.N from the 'Auslauf 1I II Ihe hull of an Ausf.M, as it has closure lids on the air intakes and air outlets and ylli ll il ll .1I ex haust muffler. The divisional insignia is painted onto the left trackguards

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front and rear and part of a tactical number is visible on the rear of the turret 'Schurzen'. Heat from the fire has softened the torsion bars in the suspension, making the Panzer appear to sink. 2x NARA

The effects of war are in no doubt in this photo of a 2cm Flakvierling auf Mercedes-Benz 4500A destroyed on the 5th Army front and captured on film by a US cameraman. Fire has

burnt away the front tyre leaving a pile of ash and blistered the paintwork on the arm cab.

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" ll lence on the film shows this M4 passing a different 2cm Flakvierling auf 4500A, note how the paint on the front of the cab is not burnt like the lilli " II l lple and the gun is in a different position. An unknown emblem is visible on II I I I ' " ,lliver's door. Behind the M4 is another wrecked Flakwagen; a 3·7cm Flak auf

Sf]. (Sd .Kfz.7/2) with armoured cab and radiator. Another view of this vehicle, unavailable to us, shows the insignia of Fsch.-Flak.Rgt.HG, who operated these vehicles in the 16. Batterie of the III. Abteilung, so perhaps the Flak-truck belongs to them too .

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Sinking Semovente. M42 75/34 851(i), tactical number '122' from Pz.Jg.Abt.171 of 71.lnfanterie-Division has sunk while crossing a field. The sagging appearance of the tracks indicates that they are probably broken. The round hole in the roof of the fighting

compartment is where the antenna base should be. The all black 'Balkenkreuz' has seen on a number of Semoventes from this unit.

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75/34 851(i) from Pz .Jg.Abt.l71 with the tactical number '123', from the Semovente shown on the previous page . The other side of this vehicle is

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Blown apart then stripped. A Pz.Kpfw.IV Ausf.H awaits its ultimate fate; the smelting pot. gun mantlet. Translated, the sign reads : "War Ministry, Search Rescue Service,

It is quite possible that it was stripped by German maintenance units of useful items cooperative enterprise, collection centre No. 47."

before being blown up. Traces of 'Zimmerit' coating remain on the glacis, hull sides and

56

is not to be seen on the rest of the hull or superstructure . This Bergepanther can be seen in the background of page 9 of Panzerwrecks 1. A Polish or New Zealand Army M4 can be seen in the right of the photo. PISM

" 1' ,,1I 1'I'r Au sf.A captured by 8th Army units in Medicina in April 1945. The vehicle '1 '1 It 'ar to have had any camouflage paints applied and is in generally good 1I1'!1 1 1\ '/ irnm erit ' coating can be seen on the inner hull, above thetop track run, but 11.11

57

II, · \ US soldier looks over what remains of II I I' I 1] 0/2 auf Sfi,11 that has been thoroughly ,Ii I" I A demolition charge has been put I IIII' '11 11 barrel, the resulting explosion peeling I III" ,I banana skin, We would expect the rear Ii III l ighting compartment to separate in a 111 1" , which it has done, but the driver's front ilil l Ilose armour have disappeared along I I oj" , ' of the side hull as well. Two units were 11 1"1" I III h this Panzerjager in the Italian theatre; I' III Ilcrmann Goring and Fsch.Jg.Div,l.

US Armv

01 a rare Italian P40 tank taken over by III' , and given the designation Pz .Kpfw, Ily 5 January 1945, five had been issued ,I\ut . Sud' for training and an additional ' " '" l'z.Kp. under the control of 'Hoherer 1111 1 1', 11 ',·i-Fuhrer Italien.' Two of the company "U",'" I,," , ore known to be 10. And 12, Polizei­ II i I" ." we re perhaps not the most form idable 1111" III 'lcled, but they were perhaps the most !' II I I, I,' I he number '24' on the bow armour. 11111 1",' III 11 11 1/ (, I /I "

W.Auerbach

59

Ravenna, 1946, and a war torn StuG 75/34 auf M42 is unearthed in desolate countryside . What we see here is the rear of the vehicle with its cannon, still in its casement, bent backwards over its engine compartment. Note the large hand rails on either side of the

60

casement. Martin Block reports : "The location given as Ravenna would point towards 114. Jaeger-Oiv which had its Stu.Gesch.Abt 1114 (later Pz/Jg.Kp. 1114 and finally Kp. 1114) equipped with a mix of M42/L18, M42/L34 and Be!Wg. M42".

I II I I 1

II I

" I I he same vehicle showing a tactical sign and 'Balkenkreuz' on its bow. The

secondary armament composed of a single MG . This assault gun was deemed satisfactory and saw service with both German and Italian troops.

ve hicle was simplicity itself: a gimbal mounted cannon next to the driver's I lo w superstructure, rudimentary optics, vision ports and communications, and

I" II II'

111111 1 111

PISM

61

li lli , ( •. I.s turn a captured Selbstfahrlafette (Sd.Kfz.l0/5) flir 2cm Flak 38 against a 1"1 1.· II l'l.. Kpfw.III Ausf.L (probably from Fsch.Pz.Rgt.'Hermann Goring') and tryout I 111 11111I 1. lllship. It seems they have adopted the Flakwagen, as an American star has Il l lo li l oI.· d (lfl the equipment box behind the front wheel. The rear of the gun shield has

63

also been camouflaged. The side armour of the Pz.Kpfw.III could not be penetrated by the 2cm, which was part of the Pz.Kpfw.II' specifications, although a double hit close together could probablY take the turret door off and penetrate mild steel elements such as 'Schurzen' and the turret stowage bin . NARA

li i ll I" oI , Iii 'rs look over a Tiger I, thought to be from s.H.Pz.Abt.508, in 1944. Like many I " d " "I Tigers, the torsion bars have weakened through extreme heat, causing the 11 '" ' '' ' I 0 collapse. The gun looks shorter than usual because it is at full recoil. Most

of the 'Zimmerit' has been burnt and flaked off the turret side and the running gear is missing the first outer roadwheel.

65

Looking at the other side, we can see the blackened gun mantlet and that the loader's periscope cover and commander's hatch are missing. Unfortunately no obvious turret numbers are visible, although there is what looks like a small, dark painted '3' in a light

66

patch beside the gunner's vision port. The commander's cupola has the AA MG fitted to the ring.

I ji ll l dll ferent soldier, this time a Canadian . Only a small part of the rear side and I da ins any 'Zimmerit', the rest has come off. The sagging torsion bars are Ii !Iv . I( (I' 10 the crew setting demolition charges . Two charges were carried, one each

I 11( ,(iI I,

in holders above the heads ofthe driver and radio operator, one was to used in the breech

of the gun, the other was to go in the engine compartment.

67

Was it pushed? Or did it fall? Either way, the Eighth Army has erected a 'Bailey' bridge over it. Note the foliage wrapped around the gun barrel. The photographs caption gives the location as Medicina, by this time (April 1945) only the s.H.Pz .Abt.504 had Tigers in Italy. 4x PISM

69

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Il ldging by the missing engine deck cover and shredded stowage bin, it looks like the crew

G ill 'l l" dl l ion charge in the engine compartment before leaving the Tiger. This page: It takes at

i J WI' "flI ers to extricate the Tiger from its predicament. 71

This photo, taken by a Polish soldier from 16th 'Lwowski' Batalion Strzetcow, only gives a location of "Gothic Line", which is not very helpful. It looks like this Tiger has fallen from a road bridge, seen in the background, and subsequently looted of its wheels and much of its tracks. The Panzer has been outfitted as a 'Funklenk' vehicle with an extra

72

antenna base on the turret side (just next to the soldier's hand) for controlling sc Ladungstrager and would have belonged to the 3.Kompanie of s.H.Pz.Abt.504 or 508 were both outfitted as 'Funklenk' units.

A US tanker poses next to a knocked out Tiger from s.H.Pz.Abt.504 off Highway 6 near Giuncarico on 23 June 1944. The Tiger shows the faint traces of a tactical number '222' or '223', indicating a s.H.Pz.Abt.S04 vehicle . An A.P. projectile has hit the turret rear escape hatch and another has cracked the upper edge of the hull armour. The notes

74

with this motion picture state that it was knocked out by a Bazooka . Opposite: W hit the turret blew off a sizeable amount of 'Zimmerit', note the chunk taken out of roadwheel .

,'

..., ........... ......

Two Canadians poses with a Tiger from 1./s.H.Pz.Abt.508 near Casa Nadiani, over the river Pircio . The Sherman III next to it was the mount of Lt. Cross of NO.5 Troop, 20 Armoured Regiment (New Zealand) which had been knocked out on 25 September 1944 by a number of rounds from a Tiger that had camouflaged itself beside a house about 1200 yards away. The official history says: "He had parked it behind a haystack, and by standing on top of

76

the turret the crew could get a good view of the countryside over the top of the gr vines but could see no sign of the enemy. When Cross left to join the infantry commander observing from the top story of the farmhouse someone in the crew it was time to boil the billy. He rotated the turret so that he could get at the rations, evidently the movement gave away the tank's position." lx LSHA, lx j.Nichol

to'

"

11,1', ,', how things appeared later on, when a Polish soldier photographed the wrecks; the

11/1" ' " wheels have been pulled apart or pillaged and the turret turned . The Sherman 11 ", 1worse losing all of its wheels and tracks . Was this the Tiger that knocked out Lt .Cross'

tank? A 'cab-rank' of fighter bombers had been called upon to offer fire support and to find the Tigers, perhaps they killed it? Inset: New Zealanders check out the wreck , lx PISM, lx J.Nicholson

77

More Allies, this time US soldiers, pose in the Tiger sel'il l previous pages. The tank has hooks on the driver's fl'll!tI to hang spare track links. Unlike a number of the otl1l'i shown, it does not appear to have been disabled; th e 11111 its normal position and all the hatches are intact. 2x 1,. 1\

78

W. d " 1. snapshots of the same Tiger that has nose dived

II . I what we imagine is a river bed. Part of the tactical

II ,

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' " III" "

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'3' is barely visible on the turret side. The l"iI () on the left came in a collection of photos taken I I\I/ /io, while the photo on the right is captioned as ""111 Cecino". All that remains of the loader's hatch are II" hinges and the ' Nahverteidigungswaffe' has been .il l1 oved or blown out. Note the extensive oil and fuel 11111' . over the Panzer. 2x L.Archer II I/ il iler

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79

"

Holy cow, this Sturmgeschutz III Ausf.G has taken a battering w ith at least three Allied shells penetrating the SOmm + 30mm armour and sheariing the bolts on the nose. The vehicle had belonged to H.Stu .Gesch .Brig.242, whose insignia is just visible on the bow armour, opposite the cow. Like many wrecks shown

in Panzerwrecks, it has been looted of useful items such as the roadwheels and return rollers. The gun barrel has two kill rings painted in white behind the muzzle brake, which itself has been rotated 90 degrees. Inset: Drawing of the unit insignia courtesy of Barry Crook . lx PISM, lx B.Crook

80

@

',ll ll mgeschlitz '301' was destroyed "off the road to Pontecorvo" , II I ording to the caption. Assuming that this is correct, it would 1, .l VI ' belonged to H.Stu.Gesch.Brig.907. Concrete has been .111, I(~ d to the roof around the commander's cupola, although it I'. dl·batable if this would have added much protection in reality.

An explosion has bent the rails around the sides and rear of the engine deck and blown apart a stowage bin . A very careful look at the nose armour under the gun barrel reveals the unit insignia of H.Stu.Gesch.Brig.907. The field piece is a 7·5cm FK244 or 245(i). Inset: The unit insignia by Barry Crook. 1x L.Archer, lx B.Crook

81

--

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This Panzerjager 'Hornisse' fur 8·8cm Pak 43/1 (Sfl) {Sd.Kfz .164}, tactical number ' 232' II I

2./s.Pz.Jg.Abt.525, was knocked out by a Polish unit near Ronciteili, and is shown

off the road in August 1944. It was produced during or after May 1943, as it has the h

2x

reinforcement for the gun shield and lacks the interior travel lock.

82

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compa rtm ent affordin g gOOd VISIPIIIl:y mao", "Ir ~ "C,-,,~,c:::, ;:;:::,::-: ::­ _ operating from prepared positions. What appears to be diagonal bracing on the left side is actually angle iron trim popped off the side wall. 2x PISM

Another 'Hornisse,' tactical number '233'. According to the caption it was knocked out in Roncitelli by 3.Szwadron, l.Pulk Ulanow Krechowiekich (3rd Squadron, 1st Krechowieski Lancer Regiment). In both cases, flanking fire has been responsible, but here it has

thoroughly demolished the walls of the fighting compartment and punched holes in t gun barrel, gun slide, curved armour for the recuperator and drive sprocket. Note t heavier cowls for the brake cooling vents. 2x PISM

84

Opposite: A Polish trooper stands on the driver's compartment while he poses IIlI his picture. A wire mesh covers the air inlet on the side of the fighting I (I mpartment. Here the hole in the gun barrel is readily apparent. This page: li e massive 8·8 em Pak 43/1 is out of battery. Note the smaller details: The fl oor of the fighting compartment is covered in anti -skid plate and, down by ~~;i!f~ 111( : trooper's knees, the angle iron holding the superstructure to the hull is ',I ,tl loped, thereby increasing the length of the weld bead and in turn the '. 11 ength of the weld . 1

,

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Faenza, December 1944, and a SturmgeschLitz M43 mit 105/25 853(i) catches the eye of a photographer. This vehicle had a wider stance than the M42 mit 75/L34 as well as new pointed nose armour. When taken over by the Germans, they installed both the 7·5cm L34 and 10·5cm L25 in the M43, but the 10·Scm sat much lower in the superstructure and did not have the bifurcated wings of the gimbal mount. Note the horns on the drive sprocket

~'

and the extremely low profile of this vehicle overall. (Compare to the vehicle on pages - 55). Per Martin Block : " Besides the 26th Pz. Oiv., Faenza was also defended by eleme"IW. of the 2781.0 . and 305/.0., with the latter being a bit more directly engaged. Both infan t divisions fielded a mix of 7,5 cm M42/L18, M42/L34, 10,5 cm M43/L25 and BefWg.M42I, their Pz.Jg.Kp.1278 and Pz.Jg.Kp.1305 respectively." J.Plowman

88

',lI btle changes have occurred since the previous picture was taken : the foliage and radio antenna have been removed, the dl'iver's visor has been closed, and the vehicle has been moved a short distance with a tow rope, but the vehicle remains safely lx J.Plowman, lx l.Archer 1'II <;conced among the ruins of sunny Faenza along with a few of the city's inhabitants.

89

for infantry support. An explosion has shattered the 15mm thick side armour exposing til FIAT-SPA 4 cylinder engine. L.Archor

Juarez, Leonardis & D.Phillips pose with a SturmgeschLitz L6 mit 47/32 630(i) on 10 July 1944 near Grottaferrata . These diminutive vehicles had a crew of three and were designed

90

from I./Pz.Rgt.4 was abandoned near Fiuggi on 3 June 1944 because of a lack of fuel and spare parts. The Panther is an Ausf.A with MG port instead of the MG J.Plowman ball mount.

91

llie Germans reacted to the Allied landings on Anzio January 22, 1944, much quicker than the Allies pushed inland, and only massed British and American ,Irtillery fires were able to check the ferocious German (ounterattacks that ensued, Here two wrecked I',rnther Ausf.A's were captured on motion picture lilm by T/4 Nemeth from the 163rd Signal Photo Bn in ,I segment captioned simply as " Wrecked Enemy and II I/ied Equipment, British 1st Div. Front near April/a, /la/y." Aprilia, as it is spelled, is approx ten miles Inla nd from the coast. Note the scarring on the fronts of the Panthers. 1111

~

Ilrese Panther A's have MG ports in their bows ,lrId pistol ports in the turrets, but have monocular I: un sights, placing their manufacture sometime ,Iround November 1943. The periscope for the loader seems to have been blown out of the I urret roof of the Panther in the background . Only I races of 'Zimmerit' coating are evident on these vehicles, which would explain the lack of tactical 3x NARA, lx L.Archer

93

The telephone poles in the background follow a railroad track that is just visible in the lower photo on the oppo:.11t page (along with another Panther). These would appear to be transition vehicles with pistol ports. The German s u:"I·11 the hatches, tracks and timbers to make a fort around these two Panzers. Inset: An H.E. shell has hit the 16mm tu n ,·1 roof armour and collapsed it. 3x NARA, Ix L.Arch w

94

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....

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Another knocked out Panther AusfA, tactical number '311' lies a short distance away. The crew had done their best to conceal the suspension behind a low wall and built up a berm of earth and stone in front of their vehicle, but multiple strikes to the right hand side of the turret put and end to its career. Why the post was not crushed down is a

96

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~~

mystery considering that it probably interfered with the main weapon being traversed .

Note that this Panther has the binocular gun sight. The loader's periscope is clearly visibl"

silhouetted againstthe sky on the opposite page.

2x l.Archer

./

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