German Machine Guns of the Second World War (Images of War)

First published in Great Britain in 2013 by PEN & SWORD MILITARY An imprint of Pen & Sword Books Ltd 47 Church Street Barnsley South Yorkshire S70 2AS Copyright © Hans Seidler, 2013 ISBN 978-1-78159-273-1 PDF ISBN: 978-1-47382-939-8 EPUB ISBN: 978-1-47382-853-7 PRC ISBN: 978-1-47382-896-4 The right of Hans Seidler to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the Publisher in writing. Typeset by Concept, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire Printed and bound in England by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY.

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Contents Introduction Chapter One The Blitzkrieg Years, 1939–40 Chapter Two Russia, 1941 Chapter Three Offensives in the East, 1942 Chapter Four Year of Reckoning, 1943 Chapter Five End Game, 1944–45 Appendix I Main German Machine Guns, 1939–45 Appendix II Personal Equipment & Weapons Appendix III Standard German Infantry Divisions Appendix IV Typical German Infantry Regiments, 1941–43 Appendix V Typical German Infantry Regiments, 1944

Appendix VI German Grenadier Regiments, 1944–45

Introduction

U

sing over 220 rare and unpublished photographs together with detailed captions and accompanying text, this book provides a unique insight into German weaponry from early blitzkrieg campaigns through to the final demise of the Nazi empire. German Machine Guns of the Second World War is a comprehensively illustrated record of the German war machine between 1939 and 1945. Many of the photographs originate from the albums of individuals who took part in the war. The book analyses the development of the machine gun and describes how the Germans utilized weapons such as the MG34 and the much-vaunted MG42 in both offensive and defensive roles, supported by a host of other machine guns such as the MP38/40. The following material depicts how these formidable weapons were used in the fight against an ever-increasing enemy threat. The Machine Gun The correct term for a machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm which is designed to fire bullets in rapid succession either from a magazine or ammunition belt. These weapons that can often fire rounds of more than several hundred in one minute are categorized generally as machine guns, submachine guns or automatic cannons. A machine gun can be used either in a heavy or light role in combat. In its light role it can be carried into action and fired, or moved to a position and placed on the ground supported by a bipod and then fired. In its heavy role it is generally carried and then attached to a fire mount, such as a tripod or a sustained fire mount, and then used in its fixed offensive or defensive position. Submachine guns on the other hand are handheld small portable automatic weapons for personal defence, or may be used for shortrange combat firing pistol-calibre rounds. As for the difference between machine guns and auto-cannons, this is based on calibre, the latter often firing from a calibre larger than 16mm. These large-calibre cannons often fire explosive rounds. While they differ from machine guns, they share the same characteristic of a very high ratio of barrel length to calibre (i.e. a long barrel for a small calibre). A machine gun is primarily designed to fire while the user holds the trigger down. In this position the user, or machine-gunner, is able to provide continuous automatic fire for as long as there is sufficient ammunition to feed his weapon. The machine-gunner can also just use frequent bursts of fire, and hold the trigger for longer more sustained aggression against a suspected target. Machine-gunners were mainly used on the battlefield against unprotected or lightly protected personnel, or to provide adequate suppressive fire. Since the trenches of the First World War, the machine gun has provided soldiers with effective offensive and defensive fire-power that could ultimately cause the enemy

considerable damage. The German army for one saw the machine gun as one of the most important weapons in its arsenal, and during the early 1930s began designing an example that would arguably become one of the greatest machine guns of the Second World War. The Machine Gun 34 or MG34 was one German weapon manufactured in Germany that became the finest machine gun ever produced in the world and was deployed throughout the German army. The MG34 was based on a 1930 Rheinmetall design, the MG30, which was adapted and modified by Heinrich Vollmer of Mauser Industries. Vollmer increased the rate of fire, designing a feed mechanism to accept either drum magazines or belt ammunition. He also manufactured a brilliant double-crescent trigger which dictated either semi-automatic or fully automatic firing modes. On the battlefield the machine gun operated magnificently in both offensive and defensive roles. In offensive applications the gunner, normally in a mobile or light MG role, used a drum magazine that could hold either fifty or seventy-five rounds of ammunition. In a stationary defensive role, the heavy MG role, the machine gun could easily be mounted effectively on a bipod or tripod and fed by an ammunition belt. Belts were carried in boxes of five, each belt containing fifty rounds. Belt lengths could be linked for sustained fire, and in this situation the ammunition barrels could be quickly changed. During these heavy sustained MG fire missions, the gun required more than one operator. Apart from the MG34, another machine gun made its debut before the outbreak of the Second World War: the MP38. The MP was designated as a Maschinenpistole, literally Machine Pistol. It was often called Schmeisser, these submachine guns being developed in Germany and used extensively by the Fallschirmjäger (paratroopers), tank crews, squad and platoon leaders. The MP38 was an open-bolt, blowback-operated fully automatic weapon. Because of its low rate of fire, the trigger allowed the gun to operate with single or sustained fire. Out in the field the MP38 was a very effective weapon and could be used in a number of offensive and defensive roles.

Chapter One

The Blitzkrieg Years 1939–40

B

y the time war broke out in September 1939, hundreds of MP38s and MG34 machine guns had been manufactured. When the attack came in Poland both the MG34 and MP38 proved their worth and were used extensively against their Polish foe. Throughout the first days of the Polish campaign, the German machine-gunner strove to achieve its objectives. The entire thrust of the German army was swift and decisive. The fruits of the dash east were intoxicating for the men riding the tanks and trucks. An almost unopposed advance across country against a disorganized jumble of Polish units retreating with all that could be saved and salvaged had instilled eager enthusiasm into every German soldier. However, following this initial excitement of battle, the rapid capture of the first towns and villages, the dramatic seizure of heavily fortified positions and the clearance of the frontier area, the mood among the men slowly changed as certain parts of the front stiffened and congealed. They quickly began to learn the cost of conflict. In some areas the Germans found the quality of their opposition extraordinarily uneven. At one moment a handful of them were receiving wholesale enemy surrenders, while in other sectors an entire division found itself being held up by the stubborn resistance of a company of Polish troops with a detachment of artillery and anti-tank guns. Yet, despite the determination of these brave Polish soldiers, the devastating efficiency of Blitzkrieg had arrived. Over the next few days both the German Northern and Southern army groups continued to make furious thrusts on all fronts. As this great advance gathered momentum, more towns and villages fell to the onrushing forces. The campaign had taken on the character that would remain for the following few weeks. Everywhere north, south and east the fronts were shrinking; cracking slowly but surely under the massive German pressure. In this unparalleled armoured dash, some units had covered 40 miles – 60 road miles in just twenty-four hours. For many soldiers it was an exhilarating dash, Panzers swarming across the countryside, meeting in some places only isolated pockets of resistance. By the end of the Polish campaign the German war machine found itself apparently invincible. Its men had proven their worth on the battlefield and had now become bloodied for the first time. The MG34 and MP38 had scored sizable successes and this led to a massive increase in the production of the MG34 and a re-design of the MP38, the MP40. The MP40 was manufactured in a number of sheet metal stampings instead of different parts. Other improvements included changing the rest bar from aluminium to plastic, making it lighter and more versatile to use on the battlefield. There was also the

addition of a safety lock in order to secure the bolt in place, which prevented accidental firing if the gun was dropped. It was on the Western Front that the first MP40 made its debut alongside the existing MP38 and of course the MG34. For the invasion of the Low Countries and the attack against France, a typical German infantry division in 1940 comprised the Divisional HQ, which was formed from a divisional staff company and a mapping platoon. The division itself comprised three infantry regiments which included a reconnaissance battalion consisting of a mounted squadron, a bicycle squadron, an armoured section equipped with two Sd.Kfz. 221 armoured cars, and a heavy squadron equipped with three 3.7cm PaK 35/36 anti-tank guns and an infantry gun platoon equipped with two 7.5cm leIG 18 guns. There was also an artillery regiment comprising three batteries equipped with four 10.5cm leFH 18 guns and a heavy battalion consisting of three batteries equipped with four 15cm sFH 18 heavy gun howitzers. The bulk of the guns were pulled by animal draught as most of the towing vehicles were reserved for Panzer and motorized divisions. The infantry regiments within the division consisted of three infantry battalions, each formed from three rifle companies. In the rifle companies there was a machine-gun company equipped with eight heavy MG34 machine guns on sustained fire mounts and six 8cm mortars, and an infantry gun company equipped with two 15cm sIG 33 and six 7.5cm leIG 18 guns. In support of the division’s drive was the anti-tank battalion, which contained a heavy MG34 machine-gun company equipped with twelve 2cm FlaK and three antitank gun companies, each equipped with twelve 3.7cm PaK 35/36 guns. One of the final supporting elements of the division was the engineer battalion comprising three pioneer companies and a motorized bridging column. The pioneers ensured that the division’s drive would not be hindered and were always on hand, pending on the speed of the armoured spearhead, to construct pontoons and prefabricated bridges across rivers and canals. On the ground the German drive through the Low Countries and France was undertaken effectively and efficiently. In the air the Luftwaffe continued attacking selected targets, mainly aiming for enemy troop concentrations and bridges. With sudden surprise attacks – the bombers and fighter planes soaring overhead, reconnoitring, attacking, spreading fire and fear – the Stukas howled as they dived and pounded the BEF troops as they tried to claw their way back through France to the Channel coast. In a number of areas German tank commanders reported that the enemy was simply brushed aside, thrown into complete confusion. In many cases the defenders lacked any force capable of mounting a strong coordinated counter-attack British artillery, eager to stem the tide of the German onslaught, poured a storm of fire into advancing German columns but they soon found that these were too strong to be brought to a halt for any appreciable length of time. Once again the Germans found their opposition to be very sporadic: wholesale enemy surrenders occurred in some areas, while in others an entire division might be held up by the tenacious resistance of a company of French or British

troops with a detachment of anti-tank guns and artillery. However, British and French commanders struggled desperately to hold their forces together. They seemed paralysed by developments they had not anticipated and could not organize their forces in the utter confusion that ensued on the battlefield. In a number of areas the virtual collapse of the communication system had left many commands isolated, making it difficult for them to establish contact with the fronts. Consequently decisions were almost invariably late and therefore disastrously overtaken by events of one position after another being lost to the Germans. The BEF, however, tried desperately to regain the initiative, even when they had long since been overtaxed, but coupled with the ineffectiveness of their troops, significantly reduced by the destruction of transport, an ultimate catastrophe now threatened the British and French armies. In northern France the front lines were shrinking, cracking slowly but surely under massive German pressure. German units seemed to be progressing with an increased determination and vigour, convinced of their ability to crush the enemy before they could prepare a secondary line of defence. In an extraordinary armoured charge, some units had covered more than 50 miles in just twenty-four hours. Parties of fugitive French or halfhearted counter-attacks on German positions were ruthlessly cut down, although some of their remnants were able to escape across country. Many French troops seemed ready to surrender – some had even been seen tying handkerchiefs to their rifles as they emerged from decimated buildings or foxholes - yet there was no let-up in the fighting. In some areas it was hard going for the German soldier and French positions occasionally stiffened and put up a heroic defence. However, the rate of the German thrust was greater than the French had anticipated and militarily the French were doomed. Dominated by increasing losses, commanders in the field became sodden with defeatism. Their armies were in a pitiful shape. They had been broken up, their armour expended and little was left of the weak air force. Nevertheless, the French continued to fight with great bravery and tenacity, temporarily stopping even German armour and standing up resolutely to the incessant bombing of the Luftwaffe, but it was an unequal struggle. German troops inspired by their victorious gains surged across France like a tidal wave. The battle of France had ended with another victory for the Germans. They had reaped the fruits of another dramatic Blitzkrieg campaign with their armoured vehicles, well-trained troops and seemingly invincible weapons. France had proved ideal tank country in which to undertake a lightning war and its conception seemed flawless. To many of the tacticians, Blitzkrieg would ensure future victories.

Two photographs, one with German troops posing for the camera with a Maschinengewehr 08 or MG08 in the late 1930s. This was the German army’s standard machine gun during the First World War. The MG08 remained in service until the outbreak of the Second World War due to shortages of its successors, the MG13 Dreyse and the MG34. It was retired from front-line service by 1942.

A photograph taken during the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 showing troops lined up in front of their field commander Note the three MG34 machine guns on their bipods in their light machine-gun role. Each infantry squad always possessed one of these weapons, around which its base of fire was built

During training and a soldier can be seen holding the tripod of a mounted MG34 machine gun. Here the MG34 gunner is using his weapon in an anti-aircraft role, which on the battlefield would be quite successful against low-flying enemy targets. The MG34 was a very effective weapon and on its sustained mount in an AA role it was more than capable of damaging or even bringing down an aircraft.

During training and showing an MG34 machine gun mounted on a sustained fire mount The MG34 not only had superb offensive capabilities on the battlefield but impressive defensive ones as well. Indeed, a couple of well-sighted MG34s could inflict heavy casualties on an entire attacking regiment and could hold a frontage for several miles.

At their barracks MG troops are seen cleaning the 7.9mm barrel of an MG34 machine gun. To ensure the effective fire of the weapon it was imperative that the barrel and the rest of the gun were clean from any grime or dirt at all times.

Two photographs taken during a training exercise in the early autumn of 1939 and showing an MG34 machine-gun crew with their weapon attached to a Lafette 34 sustained fire mount with optical sight Note the special pads on the front of the tripod. These were specifically used when the weapon was being carried on someone’s back and would allow the carrier some reasonable comfort. Each infantry battalion contained an M G company which fielded eight MG34 heavy machine guns on the sustained fire mount. A heavy machine-gun squad often consisted of six men.

During training and a machine-gunner can be seen at a firing range with his MG34 on its bipod. A unique feature of the MG34 was its double-crescent trigger which provided select fire capability without the need for a fire mode selector switch. The machine gun’s bipod could be easily folded for carriage. Under battlefield conditions the bipod would invariably be extended when carried and the belt loaded so that the machine-gunner could effectively move the weapon quickly from one position to another and put it into operation in moments with deadly effect

During training and a light MG34 machine-gunner targets a position in the spring of 1940. His MG34 has been positioned on camouflaged Zeltbahn shelter quarters. This well illustrates the ammunition belt being automatically fed from the ammunition box through the machine gun. Belts were supplied in a fixed length of fifty rounds but could be linked up to make longer belts for sustained firing. A 250-round belt was also issued to machine guns installed in fixed emplacements such as bunkers. Note that the user of the weapon is firing lefthanded.

An MG-34 machine gun can be seen here on a Dreifuss (tripod, literally three-foot) antiaircraft tripod mounting. Note the drum magazine attached to the gun. This assault drum held a 50-round belt or a 75-round double drum magazine which could be used by replacing the top cover. A typical machine-gun company had a company troop, three heavy machinegun platoons and a heavy mortar platoon.

An interesting photograph, set up for the cameraman, is of an MG08 in the undergrowth training on a target This First World War machine gun could reach a firing rate of up to 400 rounds per minute using 250-round fabric belts of 7.9mm ammunition. While sustained firing could invariably lead to overheating, this was prevented by using a water-cooled jacket around the barrel.

A photograph taken during the Polish campaign showing a well dug-in MG34 machine-gun crew with their weapon attached to a Lafette 34 sustained fire mount with optical sight.

Here the MG34 gunner is using his machine gun in an anti-aircraft role on the roof of a building. The soldier is more than likely being used in an observation role, not just to detect enemy aircraft but more importantly to detect enemy artillery in the surrounding area.

An MG34 in undergrowth in a light role. The gunner is directing the machine gun at a target on its bipod. Note the drum magazine and his ammunition feeder or number two, lying next to him. A light machine-gun troop consisted of a machine-gunner (No. I) and two machinegun riflemen (Nos 2 and 3) to carry ammunition.

During the war in Poland in September 1939 and along a typical congested road mounted on board an infantry truck is an MG34 machine gun attached on a tripod in an anti-aircraft role. The MG34 was very effective mounted on vehicles and was able to defend its column to some degree from low-flying enemy aircraft.

An old MG08 being utilized in an anti-aircraft role during the Polish campaign. This is more than likely a staged shot for propaganda purposes. The rifleman is armed with a 7.9mm Kar98k carbine, a compact and reliable bolt-action Mauser design.

Out in the field and rifleman and machine-gunners converse, probably during a training exercise in the early spring of 1940. Note the Kar98k rifles and the MG08 machine guns.

On a firing range in the early winter of 1940, an officer can be seen with his men. They are armed with an MG34 machine gun mounted on a sustained fire mount.

An MG34 machine-gunner poses for the camera in the snow during the early winter of 1940. In the light machine-gun role the MG34 was used with a bipod and weighed only 12.1 kg (26.7lb). This meant that the weapon could be easily and conveniently moved from one part of the battlefront to another without too much hindrance to the gunner.

A heavy machine-gun crew with their MG34 on a sustained fire mount The term light and heavy machine guns defined the role and not the weight of the gun. Rifle groups generally had a light machine gun with a bipod, along with one or two spare barrels. A heavy machinegun group, however, had the bipod-fitted machine gun but additionally carried a tripod with optical sight and a supply of spare barrels.

A photograph taken during the campaign on the Western Front in May 1940. It shows a Luftwaffe soldier standing next to his MG34 on a tripod. MG34s were found throughout Luftwaffe units where they were often defending and supporting their FlaK guns from aerial attack.

In a French town and a gunner can be seen on the back of a single-axle MaschinengewehrDoppelwagen 36 (twin machine-gun wagon). The gun is a twin 7.92mm MG34. It was used very effectively against ground and low-level aerial targets and could be dismounted and fired from its bipod or from two Lafette 34 tripod mounts.

An interesting photograph showing an MG34 machine-gun squad with their MG34 fixed to a wooden post inside a defensive position somewhere in France in the summer of 1940. The MG34 was tremendously effective against enemy infantry and soldiers took to continuously deploying their machine guns in the most advantageous defensive and offensive positions.

A machine-gunner poses for the camera in France with his mounted MG34. A well-positioned MG34 machine-gunner was quite capable of holding up attacking infantry many times his number. In fact, just a couple of well-sighted adequately-supplied machine guns could hold up an entire attacking unit on a frontage of 5 miles or more.

A Waffen-SS machine-gun team, probably from Das Reich Division, during combat in France in 1940. In France the SS were organized into three regimental units, each of them consisting of three battalions with three infantry companies and one heavy company. The infantry companies were all motorized and armed with three 50mm light mortars, two heavy and nine light machine guns. The heavy weapons company consisted of six mortars and eight machine guns. Incorporated into the division there were four combat units of battalion size that comprised an anti-tank battalion with three companies of twelve 3.7cm PaK35/36 guns in each of them, a reconnaissance battalion with two motorcycle companies that were armed with twenty-two machine guns and three 50mm light mortars, and a platoon of armoured cars used as the main fighting component.

An MG34 machine-gunner fires at a bunker installation during the French campaign. This gun was very effective against fixed targets. While its ammunition was unable to penetrate concrete, it was able to hold down an enemy position for an appreciable length of time.

A Waffen-SS MG34 machine-gun squad belonging to Das Reich Division during the French campaign. In this campaign the SS performed well and penetrated deep into enemy lines, consistently seen leading furious attacks upon the bewildered French forces.

Fresh Heer troops march through a French town bound for the front lines. Note the MG34 machine-gunner holding his weapon slung over his right shoulder. Marching next to him another soldier from his squad can be seen holding the ammunition box.

More than likely a forward observation post somewhere along the front line in France. An MG34 is used to support the reconnaissance team. A field telephone and telex machine are in the process of being used in order to relay and receive messages along the front for the rear echelons that are steadily moving forward.

A typical scene, especially during the first half of the war. Animal draught was predominantly used as the main form of transport for the Heer. Here in this photograph a column of horsedrawn transport advances across open countryside towing the single-axle MaschinengewehrDoppelwagen 36.

One of the quickest and most effective methods for infantry divisions to move from one part of the front to another was by railway. Here machine-gunners with their MG34s can be seen mounted on tripods in order to help defend the train against low-flying enemy attack. These infantrymen are more than likely attached to an artillery battery being transported by rail. Artillery batteries were provided with two 7.92mm light machine guns for self-defence from both ground and aerial attack.

A photograph showing an MG34 machine-gunner belonging to Das Reich Division advancing cautiously through what appears to be a French farm. On the evening of 22 May 1940 the SS division proceeded with the 6th and 8th Panzer divisions towards the port of Calais in order to help strengthen German positions west and south of the Dunkirk perimeter.

Inside a French town a light MG34 has been deployed next to a building. The gunner is lying down and training his gun on a suspected position, while his number two is seen armed with a K98 rifle and two ammunition boxes.

Pioneer troops are seen here with inflatable boats. Pioneers were equipped with a number of these and infantry men could also use them. Note the light machine gun inside the boat.

A soldier stands next to an Sd.Kfz. 223 Leichter Panzerspähwagen or Light Armoured

Vehicle Model 223. This armoured car was part of a series of light 4x4 armoured reconnaissance Aufklärung vehicles and its folding ’bed frame’ antennae can be seen fitted onto the main body in order to give it both short- and long-range radio communication. For local defence it was armed with a 7.9mm MG34 machine gun. The radio vehicle (Funkwagen) often accompanied two other scout cars to report intelligence. The vehicle travelling in front of the Funkwagen is an Sd.Kfz. 222 light armoured reconnaissance vehicle.

SS soldiers, probably attached to a unit in Das Reich Division during operations in France in the summer of 1940. The commanding officer is giving orders to his men. Three of the soldiers have been issued with the usual rifleman’s equipment and weapons: the enlisted army man’s leather belt and rifle ammunition pouches for his Karbine 98K rifle. The officer is armed with the 9mm MP38 or MP40 machine pistol. The MP38/40 machine pistol was commonly but mistakenly called the ‘Schmeisser’. He also wears a pair of 6 x 30 field binoculars. Note the M 1924 stick grenades tucked into the infantryman’s leather belt.

A troop leader can be seen armed with what appears to be the pre-war Erma machine pistol which was issued to SS security and field police units. Both the French army and Waffen-SS used this weapon, especially during the French campaign. It had a vertical wooden grip which

was provided on standard models. Two lengths of barrel were available in different versions, each with a perforated barrel shroud. The gun could be fired either in semi- or fully automatic mode.

Waffen-SS troops in a dugout armed with the MG34 machine gun in a light role. One of the most important factors in overwhelming the enemy was to face them with a well-supplied machine-gun team with plenty of ammunition. Machine-gun crews were often pushed up front into battle where their weapons’ long range could be utilized to full effect.

A machine-gunner makes a quick dash along a road during action somewhere in France. He is armed with the MG34 machine gun complete with 50-round basket drum magazine.

Heer troops comprising rifleman and MG34 machine-gunners move through a captured French town. The troops are wearing the standard infantryman’s kit of M36 field grey tunic, gas cape and gas canister. Attached to the standard leather infantryman’s belt are ammunition pouches for the Karabiner 98K rifle, map case, entrenching tool and canteen.

An interesting photograph showing an MG34 machine gun mounted on a Dreifuss 34 antiaircraft tripod mount In order to help break up its distinctive shape and provide camouflage, the squad have attached foliage over the tripod and concealed it further with a Zeltbahn shelter quarter. Both number two and three gunners stand closely behind.

Troops relax in undergrowth with an MG34 machine gun. These men are outfitted in the M36 field uniform with a field grey tunic and M 1938 field cap with stone grey trousers and hightopped leather marching boots. For armament they carry the Mauser 7.9mm Kar98k carbine, the standard issue Heer shoulder weapon.

Chapter Two

Russia 1941

F

or the invasion of Russia, code-named Barbarossa, the German army assembled some 3 million men divided into a total of 105 infantry divisions and 32 Panzer divisions. There were 3,332 tanks, over 7,000 artillery pieces, 60,000 motor vehicles and 625,000 horses. This massive force was distributed among three German Army Groups. During the early morning of 22 June 1941 the German army finally unleashed the maelstrom that was Barbarossa. Over the days and weeks that followed, the Soviet army was overwhelmed by the German onslaught. It now seemed that Hitler’s grand strategy had yielded such astonishing results that the Eastern Front would soon be conquered. Emboldened by these victorious gains, in mid-September Hitler once again began drawing up his plans for the resumption of operations against Moscow. On 16 September the Panzers were finally halted and their withdrawal to the Moscow front began in earnest. The regrouping for the final assault on Moscow was a massive logistical nightmare as three Ponzergruppe, Guderian’s, Hoth’s and Hoppner’s, were to be used. Of these Hoth’s Panzer force was already in place, while Guderian’s had to make the long haul back from the Ukraine and Hoppner’s tanks were to be transferred from the Leningrad front. Within two weeks Field Marshal von Bock’s forces were in place and ready for action. The Soviets were quite unprepared for the might of the German attack. In some areas along the front units were simply brushed aside and totally destroyed. Red Army survivors recalled that they had been caught off guard, lulled into a false sense of security after escaping from the Smolensk pocket. Now they were being attacked by highly mobile armour and blasted by heavy artillery. In many places the force of attack was so heavy that they were unable to organize any type of defence. In total confusion, hundreds of troops, disheartened and frightened, retreated to avoid the slaughter, while other more fanatical units remained ruthlessly defending their positions to the death. During the early hours of 30 September 1941 the first phase of the attack on Moscow began, code-named Operation Typhoon. In early November German supply lines were considerably overstretched, their vehicles were breaking down and casualty returns were mounting by the hour. Stagnating in front of Moscow, von Bock stated that he would have to regroup Army Group Centre for the final march on the capital. Yet, several days later on 15 and 16 November his army group, still exhausted and under strength, was ordered by Hitler to push forward towards Moscow and capture the city before the snow blizzards arrived in December. At first the advance went well and Hoth’s Panzergruppe threatened to break open the whole Russian position in the north-west. To the south Guderian’s force also came close to achieving its objective. However, the freezing temperatures had caused well over 50 percent of

frostbite casualties in each of the regiments of the 4th Panzer Division. Slowly the division disintegrated in the snow and by the end of November was near to collapse. With the almost total destruction of Guderian’s force he ordered his men to a fight a defensive battle of attrition in the terrible arctic conditions. Despite the condition of Army Group Centre, Hitler ordered that Bock should continue with its drive on Moscow regardless of the extreme shortages in men and material. Day by day the makings of a disaster steadily came together. By early December the situation became much worse as the temperature dropped. Many soldiers were now reluctant to emerge from their shelter during the blizzards to fight. Hundreds of tanks were abandoned in the drifting snow. By mid-December with the situation worse than ever the temperatures reached 40 degrees below zero. Despair gripped Heeresgruppe Mitte (Army Group Centre). On Christmas Eve Guderian had less than forty Panzers in his entire command, Hoppner had only one strength of more than fifteen tanks and still they were told not to withdraw. Hitler’s policy of holding his battered frostbitten forces in front of Moscow had in fact saved ground, but at an alarming expenditure in men and material. The Russians, as predicted, finally ran out of power because of the harsh weather and were unable to achieve any deep penetration into the German lines. This had consequently saved Army Group Centre from complete destruction. Although Hitler was later to say that the battle for Moscow was his finest hour, his army had in fact failed to capture the city, being crucified by the Russian winter and by fanatical Soviet resistance. However, much of the failure of Operation Typhoon was essentially due to the remarkable Russian recovery and their winter offensive. The battle had completely altered the Heer from its glory days in June and July 1941. From now on, it was to carry the scars of Operation Typhoon to its grave.

Two photographs showing a light Waffen-SS and Heer MG34 machine-gun crew in action during the opening phase of the invasion of Russia, code-named Operation Barbarossa. The objective of Barbarossa was for the German forces to crush and paralyse the Soviet war machine and infrastructure of the country and to swiftly advance and capture Leningrad, Moscow and the Ukraine using tried and tested Blitzkrieg tactics. Hitler believed that Barbarossa would be completed by October 1941. The MG34 was used extensively on the Eastern Front in a variety of actions, both in offensive and defensive roles.

Heer troops rest during a lull in the fighting on the Eastern Front An MG34 can be seen lying on the grass with its bipod. The situation for the Soviet forces looked grim. The ferocity of the German attack was relentless. Stalin’s insistence that his troops must fight from fixed positions without any tactical retreat had consequently caused many units to become encircled and destroyed.

Three photographs showing the MG34 machine gun mounted in an anti-aircraft role. While the skies were dominated by the Luftwaffe, the Red Army air force still posed a threat to the advancing columns in some areas. On the ground the battles that took place in the first days and weeks in Russia became a fierce contest of attrition and although the Russians showed great fortitude and determination, they were constantly hampered by lack of weapons and manpower needed to sustain them on the battlefield. Consequently the remaining troops holding out along the front lines were subjected to merciless ground and aerial bombardments.

Two photographs showing Heer crew with their heavy MG34 machine gun on the sustained fire mount The Soviets were quite unprepared forthe speed and fury of the German attack that rapidly swept through Russia. In some areas along the front units were simply brushed aside and totally destroyed. Red Army survivors recalled that they had been caught off guard, lulled into a false sense of security. Now they were being attacked by highly mobile armour, blasted by heavy artillery and held down by well-emplaced machine-gun crews. In

many places the force of attack was so heavy that the Russian soldier was unable to organize any type of defence. In total confusion hundreds of troops, disheartened and frightened, retreated to avoid the slaughter. It appeared that victory soon beckoned for the Germans.

Two photographs showing Waffen-SS soldiers belonging to the famous Nord SS Division. These men are armed with the second most popular machine gun used on the Eastern Front, the captured Russian PPSh-41 (Pistolet-Pulemyot Shpogino). The PPSh was popular throughout the Heer and Waffen-SS and so these captured weapons were frequently used in anger against their former Soviet owners. Due to the dimensional similarities between the

Soviet Tokarev and the German Mauser cartridge used in the Mauser C96 pistol, the PPSh could fire either cartridge and was thus easily supplied with ammunition.

A light machine-gun crew rest during a lull in the fighting.

A Waffen-SS soldier well concealed in the undergrowth with his light MG34 somewhere on the Eastern Front Note the drum magazine attached to the gun.

In action against an enemy target is a Waffen-SS MG34 gun crew who are taking cover from Russian artillery. The machine-gun troop was ideally a three-man crew but due to the high casualty rate sustained in Russia this was commonly reduced to only two by 1942.

Gebirgsjäger (mountain) troops somewhere on the Eastern Front in the summer of 1941. The gunner is armed with an MG34 machine gun and strangely appears to be resting the barrel of the gun on the shoulder of his crew member. It is likely the gunner is not preparing to use the gun in a sustained fire role as the heat generated in the barrel could cause considerable burns to his comrade.

An MG34 on a sustained fire mount hidden inside a dilapidated wooden building on the Eastern Front. A position such as this was in an advantageous location and the gunner and his crew would be able to inflict severe casualties on any unsuspecting advancing enemy.

An excellent photograph showing an MG34 machine-gunner carrying his weapon. Note the ready-to-use 50-round MG34 machine-gun belt draped around his neck. Attached to his kit strap are two 50-drum magazines. He is also wearing a 5-round rifle magazine and soldiers typically carried 60 rounds in two three-pocket leather cartridge pouches on their front belt as in this photograph. Also visible is his gas cape.

A well-camouflaged MG34 machine-gun crew inside a wooded area preparing their gun for action against a possible enemy target somewhere on the Eastern Front Note the machinegunner and feeder wearing what appear to be mosquito nets which have been pulled back over their field cap to give them better vision. Mosquitoes were a serious problem in Russia, especially around swamp-infested areas.

In a dug-out position an MG34 troop can be seen armed with their 7.92mm Mauser Kar98k carbine, the standard German rifle. They are all wearing the army M 1935 steel helmet and the M36 field blouse with its distinctive dark-green facing collar and shoulder straps.

Waffen-SS troops stand before their commanding officer prior to going back into action. Due

to adverse weather conditions they are all wearing the Zeltbahn shelter quarter in order to help protect their uniforms against getting wet. Note the MG34 machine-gunner with his weapon. The rest of the troop are all armed with the 7.92mm Mauser Kar98k carbine.

Waffen-SS troops with their MG34 machine gun on its sustained fire mount somewhere in southern Russia in the summer of 1941. On the Southern Front six German infantry divisions with some 600 tanks distributed among them were ordered to bulldoze their way through thinly-held Russian defences. The main thrust in the south was directed between the southern edge of the Pripet Marshes and the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains.

A light MG34 crew prepares to open fire against a target during the first snow showers on the Eastern Front. By October 1941 it had become perfectly clear to the German army that the war they were fighting on the Eastern Front was not going to be won by the time winter had set in. The German high command had not anticipated a long-drawn-out battle and predicted in its planning that the war would be won by October at the very latest. Consequently they had not planned to combat the Russian winter and it was quite apparent that the vehicles, equipment and clothing with which the German army was supplied were defective and inferior to those in service with the Russian army.

An MG34 machine-gun feeder can be seen supporting his troop’s advance through a wooded area somewhere in Russia. Common practice for the feeder was to sling the machine-gun belt around the back of his neck where he could feed through the ammunition from the 50or 250-round lengths of the ammunition box. Carrying ammunition belts by this method was the quickest and most effective way to prepare a gunner for action. Note also the soldier armed with a flamethrower.

A photograph taken in late 1941 or early 1942 showing an MG34 ski trooper wearing a winter white camouflage jacket This was part of a two-piece garment that was supplied to a few front-line troops during this early period of the war in Russia. The jacket was buttoned all the way down the front with white painted buttons. It had a large white hood which could easily be pulled over the steel helmet. The hood not only helped to conceal the headgear but also afforded protection to the back of the wearer s neck and to the ears.

An MG34 machine-gunner with his number two and three armed with their standard rifles out in the depths of the Russian winter. The soldiers are typically wearing, due to the lack of proper winter clothing, the standard issue greatcoat with a woollen toque being worn under their M 1938 field cap. Scarves were sometimes worn with the toque in order to help provide the wearer with extra insulation. The first winter period for the German soldier was a great ordeal.

An MG34 machine-gunner with his gun mounted on a tripod in the snow. The soldier is wearing what appears to be a captured Russian ushonko fur-covered cap that was specifically worn during subzero temperatures. Due to the severe shortages of winter garments the soldier is wearing this cap in a drastic attempt to afford some kind of protection against the harsh weather. He is also wearing the German army issue greatcoat which can be seen well padded with an underlay of clothing.

An MG34 machine-gunner in a defensive position somewhere in Russia. Beneath the gunners M 1935 steel helmet he is wearing what appears to be a scarf designed to help contain as much body heat as possible and to prevent discomfort from the arctic temperatures while wearing a standard issue steel helmet. Troops often complained that the helmets were like ’freezer boxes’ during the winter. Heat loss through the head lowers the body temperature and there was a very real danger of hypothermia.

An MG34 squad on the Eastern Front Two of the soldiers have utilized their scarves around their head and chin in order to protect the ears and parts of the face from the extreme cold temperatures.

A light MG34 machine-gun crew in Russia. The machine gun has been positioned inside a sledge complete with its ammunition boxes. The machine-gun crew is camouflaged in the standard two-piece snowsuit Their steel helmets have been whitewashed in order to afford additional concealment against the snow.

A machine-gun squad advances along a road. The M 1935 steel helmets they are wearing have been given a coating of winter whitewash paint Whitewash was used instead of white paint so that when the snow disappeared the whitewash could easily be removed with water and the helmet’s original grey finish restored for spring and summer operations.

An MG34 machine-gun crew with their weapon on a sustained fire mount in the snow. The troop leader can be seen wearing winter whites and is armed with the 9mm MP38/40 machine pistol, one of the most effective submachine guns ever produced.

MG34 machine-gunners in a light role during fighting in Russia in late 1941. The machine gun has the assault drum attached which is holding a 50-round belt. It was not only the winter that began to paralyse movement along large sections of the Eastern Front but stiff resistance too.

Two photographs (opposite and above) showing an MG34 heavy machine-gun position on the sustained fire mount Each infantry battalion contained an MG company which fielded eight MG34 heavy machine guns on the sustained fire mount

A troop leader directs his men during an advance on an enemy position. Note the soldier armed with a captured Russian PPSh-41 machine gun.

A Waffen-SS machine-gun crew preparing their position in the frozen countryside somewhere in Army Group Centre in late 1941. Note the 9mm MP38/40 machine pistol lying near a unit leader.

A light MG34 machine-gun crew pauses during their march in the snow. It is evident in this photograph how unprepared these troops were for winter combat The majority of them wear their standard army issue greatcoat Two of the men are seen wearing the woollen toque which was a popular winter item during this period of the war.

A posed shot of a group of soldiers standing around an MG34 on its sustained fire mount. The infantry battalion’s machine-gun company had two heavy machine-gun platoons, each with four guns. In open terrain they would protect the flanks of advancing rifle companies as in this photograph.

A Waffen-SS soldier holding the rank of captain (Houpsturmführer) can clearly be seen wearing his winter whites during operations on the Eastern Front in late 1941. He is armed with the MP38/40 machine pistol.

Chapter Three

Offensives in the East 1942

B

y the spring of 1942 Hitler, who was now in full command of operations on the Eastern Front, was determined to smash the Red Army once and for all in southern Russia. An ambitious plan was worked out that involved the seizure of Stalingrad and the isthmus between the Don and the Volga. Following the capture of Stalingrad he planned to use the city as an anchor and to send the mass of his Panzer force south to occupy the Caucasus, where it would be used to cut off vital Russian oil supplies. This operation was code-named Blau (Blue). The directive that Hitler himself dictated was executed in two stages. The first part of the summer operation was a determined all-out drive in successive enveloping thrusts along the Kursk-Voronezh axis, where it was to destroy the Soviet southern flank and carry on to the Don River. The second part was the advance to Stalingrad and across the lower Don into the Caucasus. For this operation Heeresgruppe Süd (Army Group South) would be divided. He ordered General List’s Heeresgruppe A south towards Rostov and the Caucasus, while General Weichs’ Heeresgruppe B would be responsible for the drive across the lower Don to the Volga and into Stalingrad. By late August 1942 advanced elements of the German 6th Army finally arrived on the Don and began to dig in to prepare for what was later known as the Battle of Stalingrad. Over the ensuing days and weeks the German soldier would fight a battle of terrible ferocity, almost comparable to the battles that were fought at Verdun during the First World War. However, unlike Verdun where each side rarely saw each other face to face and were killed by long-range machine-gun fire or blown to bits by artillery, at Stalingrad the battles were fought separately between individuals. Here they fought street by street, where vicious hand-to-hand duels were unleashed among the strewn rubble and burning buildings. Although many of these hardened veterans had previously experienced urbanized fighting in Russia, nothing could compare to the horrors that they were about to experience. It was here on the streets of Stalingrad that the machine gun was used extensively in both light and heavy roles simultaneously. The new MG42 machine gun saw much use on the bombed and blasted streets. This powerful new machine gun supplemented the MG34 general-purpose machine gun, though both weapons were still being produced and were used until the end of the war. The MG42 soon proved itself in Stalingrad through its reliability, durability, simplicity and ease of operation. It also had an amazing suppressive firepower with one of the highest rates of fire for any single-barrelled man-portable machine gun. In spite of fervent attempts by the Germans and their allies, by late November 1942 battle-fatigued divisions of Paulus’s 6th Army had become trapped in and around the

ruins of Stalingrad. What followed was their fight for survival. All over Stalingrad both the Germans and Russians continued to wage a relentless battle of attrition. With freezing temperatures and hunger, German troops were slowly being worn down. The first bitter days of 1943 opened up as had 1942 – with the German army facing total catastrophe on the Eastern Front. For those soldiers fighting inside Stalingrad, a mood of despair and dread gripped them as never before. Much of the 6th Army was starving. Paulus’s army was now broken up into two pockets and conditions were appalling. On 2 February 1943 what was left of the 6th Army surrendered. The Battle of Stalingrad was a bitter blow to the German army and was the start of its slow and painful retreat through the devastated land they had dominated for almost two years. Over the next few months the German army fought desperately to maintain cohesion and hold their positions, which struggle often saw thousands perish. By May 1943 the German forces were holding a battle line more than 1,400 miles in overall length which had been severely weakened by the overwhelming strength of the Red Army. To make matters worse during the first half of 1943 many units were finding it harder and harder to be refitted with proper replacements to compensate for the large losses sustained. Supplies of equipment and ammunition were also becoming insufficient in some areas of the front, so much so that commanders were compelled to issue their men with rations. As a consequence many soldiers had become increasingly aware that if they did not stem the Russian onslaught soon they would find themselves in dire circumstances, and in a number of sectors of the front soldiers were able to realistically assess the war situation. This in turn managed to save the lives of many who would otherwise have been killed fighting to the last man. In spite of the adverse situation in which the German soldier was placed during the first half of 1943 he was still very strong, especially in Army Group Centre, and was determined to fight with courage and skill. By June 1943 German forces had expended considerable combat efforts lacking sufficient reconnaissance and the necessary support of tanks and heavy weapons to ensure any type of success. The Red Army had constantly outgunned them and Luftwaffe air support was almost nonexistent in a number of areas of the front. The short summer nights had also caused considerable problems for the men as they only had a few hours of darkness in which to conceal their night marches and construction of field fortifications. Ultimately the German soldier in the summer of 1943 was ill-prepared to launch a massive offensive in the East, even with the considerable support of the Panzerwaffe. Commanders in the field were fully aware of the significant problems and difficulties imposed by under-equipped soldiers of fighting in any large operation. However, in the end they had no other choice than to order their troops to fight with whatever they had at their disposal.

Two photographs showing an MG34 machine-gunner with his Dreifuss MG anti-aircraft tripod mount One of the least popular winter garments worn by the German army on the Eastern Front was the animal-skin greatcoat with a fur-lined collar seen in these photographs. These items of clothing were generally worn by officers in very cold climates. The animal-skin greatcoat varied in both size and colour and easily became discoloured from continual wear.

A machine-gun crew with their MG34 machine gun on its sustained fire tripod mount in the depths of the Russian winter in early 1942. Even by this stage German troops were still learning how to deal with some of the problems of winter warfare. The troops are all wearing their ’winter whites’ and M 1935 steel helmets.

Out in the field and an MG34 machine-gunner can be seen in a dugout somewhere on the Eastern Front. Living in the snow was generally very difficult but all the soldiers were taught that the snow could also serve as an ally and was not simply an enemy to be feared.

In the vast hinterland of the Soviet Union and a machine-gunner scours the vast snowy terrain through a pair of 6 x 30 binoculars. He is standing next to the Dreifuss MG antiaircraft tripod mount and wears the two-piece snowsuit The white jacket kept the soldiers

relatively warm and insulated against the very low temperatures.

An MG34 machine-gun crew in action in the snow. The troops are wearing the two-piece snowsuit. With the Red Army forces wearing similar winter clothing, front-line German troops were normally issued with coloured armbands enabling them to distinguish between friend and foe as seen in this photograph

An excellent photograph showing a German unit somewhere on the Eastern Front all wearing their two-piece snowsuits. Note the soldier armed with an MG34 machine gun. The distances over which the soldiers had to travel were immense. Although these mountain forces sustained heavy casualties during the winter of 1941 they grimly held the line and by early 1942 a stalemate had developed with the Russians. By spring only minor skirmishes continued as both sides rebuilt their strength.

An MG34 machine-gun crew opens fire against a suspected enemy target during the early spring of 1942. Note the foliage secured on the M 1935 steel helmet. In order to attach camouflage to the helmet, rubber bands were strapped around it which helped secure the cover and allowed the wearer to insert various pieces of foliage inside the bands to increase camouflage effectiveness.

A machine-gunner scours the sky for Soviet aircraft while standing next to his MG34 which is fitted with a 50-drum magazine and aircraft sights and is set up on a Dreifuss 34 anti-aircraft tripod mount

An MG34 crew preparing to use their weapon against an enemy target The MG34 was an allpurpose machine gun that could be utilized on the battlefield in both light and heavy roles. It was the most popular machine gun used by the German army during the war and it had a formidable defensive reputation, especially for troops in the later part of the war.

An MG34 machine-gunner and his number two are poised to take action during fighting in the spring of 1942. This machine gun is perfectly sighted and could inflict heavy losses on an enemy advance.

An interesting photograph showing an MG34 machine-gun crew belonging to the paratroopers or Fallschirmjäger. The Fallschirmjäger played a very important part during the war and were perceived to be the élite infantry units of the Wehrmacht.

In the summer of 1942 and an MG34 is about to be fired in an anti-aircraft role. Rifle groups generally had a light machine gun with a bipod along with one or two spare barrels. A heavy machine-gun group, however, had the bipod-fitted machine gun but additionally carried a tripod with optical sight.

A light MG42 machine-gun crew during defensive action in Russia in 1942. The field of view for the gunner must have been immense and would have certainly offered a very good opportunity for detecting enemy movement from some distance away.

A light Waffen-SS MG34 machine-gun position during action along a river. Although by 1942 the MG34 had been supplanted by the faster-firing MG42, it was still considered a very effective weapon and was used extensively in Russia until the end of the war.

A photograph showing Waffen-SS assault troops crossing a river in a medium inflatable pneumatic boat complete with MG34 mounted on a sustained fire mount This was one of the quickest and most effective methods for soldiers needing to cross expanses of water. Some of the larger boats were capable of carrying over 2 tons of equipment

An early Sd.Kfz. 251 halftrack with what appears to be improvised camouflage added in a static position. This is either an Ausf. A or B version, which lacked the gun-shield and mounting for the forward MG34. Carrying a spare wheel on the hull front was unusual.

An MG34 machine-gun crew converses in a trench during Operation Blue (Blau), the German summer offensive in southern Russia in 1942. It was in the south that Paulu’s 6th Army stagnated in front of Stalingrad. Some of the trench warfare that ensued resembled that of the First World War.

An observation post A trench periscope can be seen on its tripod mounting on a gradient concealed with foliage in order to break up the shape and help minimize a sniper attack. This optical device was for conducting observations from a concealed protected position and was very effective especially during urbanized fighting where soldiers often had to endure many hours or even days in the same trench or fortified position. A battery observation post often had two scissor binoculars for engaging an enemy target and searching and plotting for additional enemy positions. Note the heavy MG34 machine-gun position in front of the observers.

A column of troops with a horse advances across open countryside following a twin-axle Maschinengewehr-Doppelwagen 36 as it makes its way south through Russia. Although the flat open terrain was regarded as good tank country, most of the supplies had to come by horse transport which was often slow.

An MG34 machine-gun crew belonging to the famous mountain troops or Gebirgsjäger. Both leading men carry a spare MG34 barrel for their 7.9mm MG34 machine gun. These mountain men were trained to ski, climb and endure long marches, survive appalling conditions and were given a role as crack shock troops. Yet many of the campaigns in which the Gebirgsjäger fought were on level ground where they had little opportunity to demonstrate their unique skills. Instead these élite bands of mountain troops were invariably employed as assault infantry in conventional battle, a role in which every individual trooper excelled but not one for which they had been trained.

A Gebirgsjäger machine-gun squad uses the rocky terrain as cover on the mountain slope. The light 7.92mm MG34 machine gun is on its bipod. The squad is relatively concealed and their uniforms blend in well with the local terrain.

A column of halftracks with captured Russian troops. One Soviet soldier can be seen clambering on to the front of an Sd.Kfz. 251 Ausf. C halftrack complete with mounted MG34 machine gun and splinter shield. The two nearest vehicles are fitted with frames (known as Wurfrahmen, from Wurfgeschoß (missile, projectile) – werfen means to throw, Rahmen, a frame) to fire mortar projectiles in order to bolster firepower. The fate of these captured soldiers can only be imagined. Many of them were held in massive POW camps waiting for transfer to labour or concentration camps. However, many either starved to death or died of disease in such camps.

A heavy MG34 machine-gun position with its gun sight aiming skywards. Heavy machine guns were normally found in the three platoons of the grenadier battalion’s machine-gun company. Each platoon had no less than four machine guns organized into two two-gun groups.

A heavy MG34 machine-gun crew. This gun is mounted on the Lafette 34 tripod mount complete with optical sight. It was more than capable of firing 900 rounds per minute, which was a massive rate of fire compared with many enemy machine guns.

Infantrymen board an inflatable boat bound for the far shore. One of the soldiers can be seen armed with a Czechoslovakian 7.92mm ZB 26 light machine gun. By 1943 a number of these weapons were found in the Heer as the MG34 was in short supply along some sectors of the Eastern Front. The Czech ZB 26 and the slightly improved ZB 30 were the direct descendents of the British BREN light machine gun; though excellent weapons they were expensive to make due to the excessive amount of milling employed in Czech manufacturing methods.

A troop leader armed with his 9mm MP40 machine pistol. This is an early production MP40 as later models had horizontal reinforcing ribs stamped in the side of the magazine housing.

A commander armed with his MP40 machine pistol surveys the terrain ahead through his 6 x 30 binoculars. Note his M35 dispatch case attached to his black leather infantryman’s leather belt

More than likely this infantryman is acting as a group leader. He is seen armed with the MP40. His M35 steel helmet is attached to his belt for ease of carriage during the long summer marches and he wears a pair of 6 x 30 binoculars around his neck.

An MG34 crew advances with their machine gun. Although supplanted by the faster-firing MG42, the MG34 was still considered a very effective weapon and was used extensively in Russia until the wars end.

A photograph depicting an MG34 machine-gun team. On the left is the gunner (senior rifleman). He is carrying the MG34 along with the tool and spare parts pouch. The number two gunner to his left carries most of the ammunition, while the number three carries spare barrels and another ammunition box.

An NCO armed with the MP40 machine pistol clearly displaying his field equipment His canteen, gas-mask canister and shelter quarter are attached to the Y straps over his standard infantryman’s uniform.

Inside a captured Russian anti-tank ditch a group of infantrymen snatch a few moments’ rest during their long arduous march eastwards through the vast hinterland of the Soviet Union in the summer of 1942. Apart from the standard carbine 98K infantryman’s rifle, a light MG34 machine gun can be identified.

An MG34 gun troop keeps cover in a ditch during summer operations in 1942. The gunner can be seen with a spare barrel slung over his back. All the crew are wearing camouflage over their M35 steel helmets in order to break up the distinctive shape.

German troops on the march south. During the first days and weeks of Operation Blue German forces found the march south relatively easy going with a number of enemy troops and battlefield booty being captured along the way. Yet the main body of the Red Army was falling back, not giving battle, and therefore was not trapped in pockets. The withdrawal of Russian forces actually led to Hitler to confidently abandon the idea of committing the bulk of his forces on the drive to Stalingrad. Instead he favoured destroying the Soviets along the lower Don before committing the rest of the troops in the vicinity of Stalingrad.

A Heer troop leader armed with the MP40 out in the field with his men. Among the infantrymen is a Waffen-SS soldier clearly identified wearing his summer camouflage tunic and helmet cover and armed with a rifle. Along the Eastern Front both Waffen-SS and Heer forces invariably fought in close quarter, especially during heavy pushes against enemy positions.

An MG34 machine-gun crew marches along atypical dusty road passing local villagers who are watching the spectacle moving in the opposite direction while being towed by horsedrawn transport.

A Gebirgsjäger mountain trooper armed with a heavy MG34 machine gun. The gunner has set up his position in what appears to be a captured Soviet bunker.

Three photographs showing an MG34 machine-gun crew with their gun mounted on a tripod in an anti-aircraft role. Troops used a variety of camouflage in order to conceal their weapons from both ground and aerial recognition. Two photographs show a Zeltbahn shelter quarter camouflaging the tripod, while another crew have used foliage to help conceal it. ^^^^^^^^

A soldier armed with his standard carbine 98K rifle runs along one of the many trenches that littered the shores of the Volga. Many of these captured trenches were used by the Germans and remained their homes until the final days of the battle of Stalingrad. Note the machine-gunner at the end of the trench surveying the battlefield through a pair of binoculars.

An MG34 machine-gun team passes the ruins of a building during the early stages of the battle of Stalingrad in the late summer of 1942.

A light MG34 machine-gunner during the battle of Stalingrad. Lying next to him is a captured Russian PPSh-41 submachine gun and a couple of standard infantryman’s rifles. It was in Stalingrad that both the MG34 and MG42 came into their own as effective killing machines.

An MG34 gun troop poised to attack a position. While the MG34 machine-gunner opens fire to soften an enemy target, the infantry wait before going into attack.

Inside Stalingrad a soldier can be seen in action. In his possession he has a captured Russian PPSh-41 submachine gun. This gun, nicknamed the ’Finka by the Russians, was widely used by the German army in Stalingrad. It was rugged, reliable and had a large 71round magazine capacity.

In Stalingrad and an MG34 machine gun can be seen resting against a wooden building with two standard infantry rifles. Note one of the rifles has a fixed bayonet ready for closequarter fighting which was a common occurrence in the streets and buildings of Stalingrad.

An MG34 machine-gun crew moves through a forested area during operations in the Soviet Union. Note the folded Dreifuss 34 anti-aircraft tripod mount attached to the soldiers back.

A light MG34 machine-gunner out in the field with extended bipod for accurate stable firing. He wears the Heer reversible camouflage and winter white trousers.

A Gebirgsjäger MG34 mountain trooper settled in a very advantageous position on a mountainside. Note the stick grenades lined up for additional fire-power

An MG34 Gebirgsjäger soldier takes a much-needed rest during a pause in fighting during autumn operations somewhere on the Eastern Front in 1942. In southern Russia the mountain environment in particular offered a wide range of challenges for the men. The ground was often irregular, broken and rugged but many had extensive training on this sort of terrain.

On a mountain slope inside a dug-out position an MG34 Gebirgsjäger gunner can be seen surveying the terrain ahead using his 6 x 30 field binoculars. From this location he probably had an exceedingly good vantage point and was able to pinpoint the enemy or their position with great accuracy.

A Gebirgsjäger on guard duty at the corner of a road where defence was naturally an advantage at a main crossroads. He is wearing the standard army greatcoat with rifle ammunition pouches for his Karbine 98K rifle which can be seen slung over his shoulder. Positioned next to him is an MG34 machine gun on a sustained fire mount. Note the special pads on the front of the tripod which were specifically used when the weapon was being transported on the carriers back.

An interesting photograph showing a U-boat armed with two MG34 machine guns mounted in the tower of the submarine. The bridge of a U-boat was often heavily defended by either one, two or even three MG34 machine guns. The MG34 could be utilized in both a light and heavy role and had an effective range of 2,000m (2,187yds) and an impressive rate of fire of 800–900 rounds per minute. This weapon could undoubtedly deliver a formidable volume of fire and was particularly effective at combating low-level aircraft attacks against U-boats.

A Waffen-SS MG34 machine-gunner looking through the optical sight which is mounted on the sustained fire mount.

An MG34 machine gun complete with splinter shield mounted on an Sd.Kfz.251 halftrack during operations in the autumn of 1942 on the Eastern Front By this period of the war the Sd.Kfz. 251 had become the most common halftrack used. It was also used for local defence and offensive measures where it was often able to drive into the some of the thickest fighting and disembark its troops.

An MG34 machine-gun crew during winter operations somewhere on the Eastern Front in 1942. By this period of the war the German war machine was becoming increasingly stretched along the front and in Stalingrad the 6th Army was totally surrounded and was being slowly starved to death in sub-zero temperatures.

Waffen-SS troops pose for the camera during a lull in the fighting. All the men wear the twopiece snowsuit which has become discoloured with dirt and grime following weeks of living and fighting in it. Note the unit leader armed with an MP40 machine pistol.

Two photographs taken in sequence showing Waffen-SS troops in their snowsuits inside a snow-covered defensive position during winter operations in late 1942. During the snowy months in Russia, especially during the second winter period, these new practical loosefitting snowsuits were designed to wear over many layers of clothing including the greatcoat.

A heavy MG34 machine-gun position during winter fighting. All the troops are wearing their snowsuits and blend in well with the surrounding terrain. Note the coloured armbands to distinguish between friend and foe. These colours were regularly changed. Without their white camouflage smocks these soldiers would have undoubtedly been vulnerable to enemy air attack.

Troops in action in the snow, armed with the MP38/40 machine pistol and the standard infantryman’s rifle, the 98K. Signs of enemy movement were often easier to identify in the snow and a vigilant patrol could quickly detect the location of their enemy by fresh footprints, snow knocked off from bushes or other disturbed foliage.

A Gebirgsjäger squad leader prepares to open fire against a suspected target By this period of the war the MP38/40 submachine gun was manufactured in great numbers and issued to squad leaders, senior NCOs and front-line officers.

Two photographs showing a heavy MG34 machine-gun position in winter combat In open terrain the MG34 squad would use their sustained fire mount to protect the flanks of the advancing rifle companies. However, in built-up areas the crews often had to operate forward with the rifle platoons and in light machine-gun roles with bipods only. They were still able to sometimes take advantage of the situation and revert back to the heavy machine-gun role. By this period of the war German soldiers had learned to adapt to the harsh arctic conditions of the Soviet Union. They were facing an enemy force that had immense toughness and physical strength and was able to endure the bitter cold far better than any soldier from the west.

Chapter Four

Year of Reckoning 1943

B

y the spring of 1943 German plans were put in place for an offensive around the town of Kursk and by June this plan was finally issued to all the commanders in the field. The code name for the attack was Operation Citadel (Zitadelle). The plan was for the German forces to smash Red Army formations and leave the road to Moscow open. For this daring offensive the German force was distributed between the Northern and Southern groups, consisting of a total of twenty-two divisions, six of which were Panzer and five Panzergrenadier. The main attack fell to the 9th Army in the north. There were some 335,000 soldiers, 590 tanks and 424 assault guns. In the south, the Germans fielded a much stronger force and concentrated 349,907 troops together with 1,269 tanks and 245 assault guns. Initially the attack in the Kursk salient went well but due to heavy Russian resistance the attack soon faltered. The reverberations caused by the defeat at Kursk meant that German forces in the south bore the brunt of the heaviest Soviet drive. Both the Russian Voronezh and Steppe Fronts possessed massive local superiority against everything the Germans had on the battlefield and this included their diminishing resources of tanks and assault guns. The Panzerwaffe were now duty-bound to improvise with what they had at their disposal and try to maintain themselves in the field, and in doing so they hoped to wear the enemy’s offensive capacity. However, in the south where the weight of the Soviet effort was directed, Army Group South’s line began breaking and threatened to be ripped wide open. Stiff defensive action was now the requirement placed upon the Panzerwaffe but they lacked sufficient reinforcements and the strength of their armoured units dwindled steadily as they tried to hold back the Russian might. During the first uneasy weeks of August 1943 the 1st Panzer Army and Armeeabteilung Kempf fought to hold ground along the Donets River while the final battle of Kharkov was fought out. Further north near the battered town of Akhtyrka the 4th Panzer Army was also fighting a frenzied battle of attrition. Along the whole Russian front massive Soviet artillery bombardments would sweep the German lines and inflict considerable casualties on both infantry and armoured vehicles. Throughout August and September the Germans tried frantically to hold on to the receding front line. With just over 1,000 Panzers operating in southern Russia the Germans were seriously under strength and still further depleted by vehicles being constantly taken out for repair. Along many areas of the front, high losses resulted from inadequate supplies rather than the skill of the defenders. In other areas of the Russian front the situation was just the same. Both Army Group Centre and Army Group North were trying desperately to hold the Soviets back from

breaking through their lines. Replacements continued to trickle through to help bolster the under-strength Panzerwaffe. However, in truth the average new Panzer soldier who had been freshly recruited was not as well-trained as his predecessors during the early part of the campaign in Russia. In almost three months since the defeat at Kursk Army Group Centre and South had been pushed back an average distance of 150 miles on a 650-mile front. Despite heavy resistance in many sectors of the front the Soviets lost no time in exploiting the fruits of regaining as much territory as possible. In Army Group South where the front lines threatened to completely cave in under intense enemy pressure, frantic appeals to Hitler were made by Field Marshal Manstein to withdraw his forces across the Dnieper River. What followed was a fighting withdrawal that degenerated into a race with the Russians for possession of the river. While the Panzer divisions covered the rear, the army group’s columns withdrew on selected river crossing-points at Cherkassy, Dniepropetrovsk, Kiev, Kanev and Krmenchug, leaving behind a burnt and blasted wasteland during their retreat.

A unit leader poses for the camera clad in his winter whites including whitewashed M 1935 steel helmet He is armed with the MP40 machine pistol. Tucked into his black leather infantryman’s belt is a stick grenade. He also has a pair of 6 x 30 binoculars attached around his neck.

An MG42 machine-gun crew out in the snow during operations in Army Group North in the early winter of 1943. On 18 January 1943 the Red Army went on the offensive in order to try to smash the siege of Leningrad and drive back the forces of Army Group North. Although the Soviet attack went well, the German defensive positions were then too strong.

During winter operations and an MG34 machine-gun crew prepares to go into action against an enemy position during fierce fighting in Army Group North. Throughout 1943 the Heer and their Waffen-SS counterparts were compelled to fight and defend its positions to the bitter end. In spite of mounting casualties Hitler still prohibited all voluntary withdrawals.

Two light MG42 machine-gunners leave their position for the front Although along many sectors of the front the Germans fought with fanatical resistance and held in a number of places, it came with a high price in men and materials. However, the German soldier was still capable of meeting the highest standards, fighting courageously with self-sacrifice against massive numerical superiority.

In one of the many defensive positions that littered the front during the early winter of 1943. Along large sections of the Eastern Front the battered lines comprised a number of light and heavy MG34 and MG42 machine-gun positions, anti-tank and artillery guns, and occasionally self-propelled guns. However, many of these defensive positions were often ill-equipped or thinly deployed with insufficient ammunition or supplies.

MG42 machine-gunners climbing a mountain range, more than likely in the Caucasus. In southern Russia the weather could be extremely warm, as this photograph suggests. The troops have discarded their tunics and wear their kit over just their shirts.

A Waffen-SS MG42 machine-gun crew in a captured village somewhere on the Eastern Front. The Waffen-SS represented around 5 per cent of the fighting strength of the Heer, though they comprised more than a quarter of all Panzer divisions. The ’classic’ SS divisions like Leibstandarte, Das Reich, Totenkopf, Wiking and Nord all played a significant part in the war in Russia. However, it was clear that these premier divisions were overstretched.

An MG34 machine-gun position inside a forest somewhere on the Baltic Front in Army Group North. Mosquitoes were very problematic in the Baltic swamps, especially in the early summer. In an attempt to prevent the insects from biting, many troops took to wearing mosquito nets over their heads, as in this photograph.

Six photographs showing various Heer and Waffen-SS heavy MG34 machine guns on a sustained fire mount with optical sight. This MG34 Lafette had a telescopic sight and special sighting equipment for indirect fire. Another important feature of this equipment was that the legs could be extended to allow it to be used in the anti-aircraft role and when lowered it could be placed to allow the gun to be fired remotely or aimed through a periscope attached to the tripod. It was a very successful gun and used extensively until the end of the war. In defensive positions, which became more familiar by mid-1943, the MG34 Lafette could hold up entire enemy units for hours or even days.

A Waffen-SS MG42 machine-gun position. From his well dug-in position the gunner, complete with mosquito net attached over his M35 steel helmet, watched the battle unfold in the distance.

In a trench is an MG42 machine-gun team during spring operations in Russia in 1943. The MG42 proved its capabilities in both offensive and defensive actions. Its dependability was second-to-none and every unit of the Waffen-SS and German army was equipped with this weapon.

An MG34 machine-gun crew during an intensive fire mission. It was very common for infantry, especially during prolonged periods of action, to fire their weapons either from trenches or dug-in positions where the crew could also be protected from enemy fire.

An MG34 machine gun being used in an anti-aircraft role. By mid-1943 the Soviet air force increasingly dominated the skies. This prompted German personnel to become more aware of aerial attack than ever before. Thousands of FlaK guns were produced as a consequence and more and more artillery and PaK positions were defended by anti-aircraft guns, including MG34 and MG42 machine-gunners.

An MG34 machine-gunner posing for the camera with his light MG slung over his shoulder for ease of carriage. The gunner is more than likely guarding what appears to be a FlaK gun position. He is standing next to what appears to be a log-frame shelter, possibly for the FlaK crew, which has had lots of foliage applied for concealment. Such shelters offered no real protection from enemy fire but did protect the gun, ammunition and crew from the rain and snow.

A typical defensive position somewhere in Russia. This type of shelter offered warmth and concealment for the troops, especially during bombing raids along the front lines.

A Waffen-SS soldier belonging to Totenkopf Division and holding the rank of captain (Houpstürmführer) calls his men into action by raising his arm and shouting his orders. He is armed with what appears to be the pre-war Erma machine pistol.

An Sd.Kfz.251 halftrack complete with mounted MG34 machine gun and splinter shield pushes forward during the opening phase of the Kursk offensive, code-named Operation Citadel, in July 1943. The halftrack halts near a stationary Russian T-34, abandoned by its crew. During the first day of the attack both the Heer and their Waffen-SS counterparts progressed well against stiff Red Army resistance. However, the first line of Russian defence seemed almost impossible to break through in spite of strong unrelenting attacks.

An interesting photograph showing a Waffen-SS machine-gun crew with a Czech ZB37 machine gun mounted on a tripod. It was a simple, reliable and robust weapon with a quickchange capability for overheated barrels; it was widely exported and was used in British armoured vehicles as the BESA. It was also offered with a sustained fire tripod and provided with a sufficient supply of full magazines and spare barrels. The tripod could also be adapted for an AA role.

An MG42 machine-gun crew moves forward along a road which appears to have been churned up by many tracked vehicles. The initial phase of the fighting at Kursk had been very costly to the Russians but in a tactical and operational sense it achieved its objectives. During the days that followed the Red Army began to deprive the SS of even tactical superiority.

From a defensive position Waffen-SS troops belonging to the infamous SS-Totenkopf Division can be seen armed with a captured Russian Maxim M1910 machine gun. This Russian weapon was used by the Imperial Russian Army during the First World War and the Red Army during the Second World War. The M1910 had a wheeled mount with a gun shield. During the war captured stocks were used by both the Heer and their Waffen-SS counterparts.

A fully-equipped MG34 machine-gun crew marches towards a Russian collective farm. They are equipped with their standard infantry equipment and can be seen carrying ammunition boxes for the MG. Two of the soldiers are armed with the MP38/40 machine pistol.

Two soldiers belonging to the SS-Totenkopf Division in a dugout with their MG34 machine gun complete with drum magazine. On the Eastern Front few other units could have endured or shown so much confidence in the face of such overwhelming odds but the soldiers of this

division fought fanatically to stave off total destruction.

An MG34 mounted on a Dreifuss 34 anti-aircraft tripod mount can be seen in a field. A motorcycle combination and a number of Horch cross-country cars can be seen purposely spaced out across the field in order to reduce heavy loss to their column if there was an aerial attack.

A gunner can be seen on the back of a single-axle Maschinengewehr-Doppelwagen 36 as it passes a burning building during operations in the East in the summer of 1943.

In the field and Waffen-SS troops take cover on a hillside during intensive fighting. Note the captured PPSh-41 lying on an ammunition box near a stick grenade. The PPSh was a durable, low-maintenance weapon that could fire 900 rounds per minute. Some 6 million of these weapons were produced by the end of the war and the Soviets would often equip whole regiments and even entire divisions with the weapon, giving them unmatched shortrange firepower. The gun had proved such an effective weapon on the battlefield that both the Heer and Waffen-SS used captured stocks extensively throughout fighting on the Eastern Front.

A light MG42 machine-gun position during the initial stages of the Battle of Kursk. This battle was probably the first modern Soviet operation of the war. Despite the fact that the Red Army lacked the technological superiority of individual weapons, they had a well-prepared defensive programme which included elaborate deception plans to confuse the enemy.

A photograph showing a Russian soldier and what appear to be two Soviet tank men surrendering from a defensive position to a grenadier armed with an MP38/40 machine pistol. Spread out across the Russian steppe are various vehicles including captured Russian artillery. The grenadier wears the Zeltbon shelter quarter over his kit, indicating that the weather has probably been rainy that day.

A Waffen-SS MG42 machine-gun crew preparing to go into action against an enemy target Note the spare barrel on the back of the gunners number one. Both troops are well concealed in their summer camouflage smocks and blend in with the local terrain.

A light Waffen-SS MG42 machine-gun troop takes cover in a trench to wait before going into action. In the distance two Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. H or J can be seen rolling into battle. The soldiers wear their issued winter uniforms that include the grey parka with hoods lined with white fur

Two Soviet soldiers raise their arms in capitulation and move from their position towards a Waffen-SS soldier armed with an MG42. The machine gun’s bipod can be seen extended. Under battlefield conditions the bipod would invariably be extended when carried and the belt loaded so that the machine-gunner could effectively move the weapon quickly from one position to another.

Another photograph showing Waffen-SS troops, one armed with an MG42, capturing two

Russian soldiers who have evidently been concealed in a dugout covered with straw. They all wear the reversible winter uniform, grey side out, which was first introduced on the Eastern Front in 1942. The garment was designed large enough to be worn over the field service uniform including basic field equipment. However, the majority of soldiers preferred wearing their equipment overthe winter jacket. Although the winter reversible was a popular item of clothing, it soon became very dirty from constant wear and so defeated the objective of the white camouflage.

A light MG34 machine-gun troop during winter operations. Both soldiers wear the shapeless winter whites. These items of clothing proved to be extremely versatile. As combat garments they gave the wearer plenty of movement and freedom and at the same time plenty of concealment in the snow.

Fallschirmjäger troops on the Eastern Front in late 1943. They are in a dug-out defensive position armed with the MG42 on a sustained fire mount. Now relegated to fighting on the ground, these paratroopers were considered to be élite front-line units and were known for their front-line mobility. Within months the Fallschirmjäger units no longer operated as paratroops due to the deteriorating strategic situation. In the last several months of the war the Fallschirmjäger divisions extended to over a dozen and were used entirely to support dwindling numbers of Heer and Waffen-SS troops that were fanatically trying to contain their over-extended defensive positions against overwhelming enemy forces.

Waffen-SS troops in atypical defensive position on the Eastern Front By the end of 1943 much of the German Front consisted of many miles of trenches and various other forms of defensive positions. For days Russian ground troops and artillery pounded the front but both the Heer and their Waffen-SS counterparts had dug deep and were determined to defend their positions to the bitter end.

An interesting photograph showing new recruits being drafted into the Heer in order to defend their lines against the growing threat of Russian attacks. These soldiers are practising in the snow with an MG34. By this period more and more foreign troops were being drafted into the German armed forces and this included younger and older male recruits.

Defending a flatbed train, probably part of an artillery unit, an MG34 machine-gun crew can be seen with their weapon in an anti-aircraft role. The troops wear the green splinter pattern army camouflage smocks. As with most of the later version winter camouflage smocks, these uniforms proved to be extremely comfortable and as a combat garment gave the wearer plenty of movement and freedom plus plenty of concealment.

Chapter Five

End Game 1944–45

U

ltimately during the last months of the war the German soldier was ill-prepared against any type of large-scale offensive. The infantry defensive positions relied upon a sufficient supply of ammunition and the necessary support to ensure that they would able to hold their fortified areas. Without this, German forces were doomed. In the field, commanders were fully aware of the problems imposed by committing badlyequipped soldiers to maintain the depleted lines of defence but they had no choice other than to order their troops to fight with whatever remained at their disposal. In these last months German forces continued receding across a scarred and devastated wasteland. On both the Western and Eastern Fronts, the agonizing closing moments of the war were played out. While British and American troops were poised to cross the River Rhine, in the East the terrifying advance of the Red Army was bearing down on the River Oder, pushing back the last remnants of Hitler’s exhausted units. Everywhere it seemed that the Germans were being constantly forced to retreat. Many isolated units spent hours or even days fighting a bloody defence. Russian soldiers frequently requested them to surrender and assured them that no harm would come to them if they did so but despite this reassuring tone, most German troops continued to fight to the bitter end. To German soldiers in 1945 they were fighting against an enemy that they not only despised but also greatly feared. Many soldiers, especially those fighting in the ranks of the Waffen-SS, decided that their fate would be met on the battlefield. For them it was preferable to bleed fighting on the grasslands of Eastern Europe than to surrender and be at the mercy of a Russian soldier. In the days and weeks that followed, the Germans tried their utmost to prevent their Red Army foe from breaking through. However, despite fervent attempts by wellpositioned artillery and machine-gunners, nothing could deter the overwhelming strength of the enemy. Even along the Seelow Heights which had been regarded by the Germans as impregnable if well-defended, the Russians, with all their might, stormed across. Within hours of their smashing through the string of heavy machine-gun and artillery positions, confusion soon swept the depleted lines. German soldiers who had fought doggedly from one fixed position to another were now seized with panic. The Battle for Berlin had now begun. Geographically the battle east of Berlin was an important defensive operation for the Germans. Every soldier was made aware of the significance of holding on to as much land as possible, and it was essential that they wage a static battle of attrition until other parts of the Eastern Front could be stabilized. However, slowly and systematically the

Soviet Army ground down the Germans, forcing their army to withdraw deeper into the Reich and fight a determined defence wherever it could. All that was now left for the Russians to do was drive through into Germany and take Berlin. The battle for the Reich capital was a massive Soviet undertaking and the loss of life on both sides was immense. In spite of fervent attempts by well-placed, often aggressive German defensive action holding positions at all costs with whatever they could muster, nothing could prevent the Soviets from taking street by street, building by building. Even the most well-defended German heavy machine-gun positions could not be maintained for any appreciable length of time. Guns like the MG42 were useless against heavy Russian tank and artillery fire, and quite often the machine-gun teams either abandoned their position or were depleted before they had time to do so. While the machine-gunners had held roads and streets against advancing enemy infantry, regularly causing high casualties, MG teams quite often ran out of ammunition and had to quickly withdraw from their position. Sometimes hand-to-hand fighting occurred but it was normally the Soviets who had the upper hand.

Two photographs taken in sequence showing troops armed with the MG34 machine gun and MP38/40 machine pistol during defensive action in Russia in early 1944. All of them are wearing their winter whites with whitewashed helmet While the reversible ’white-side-out’ garment provided the soldiers with adequate winter camouflage, it often became soiled by mud and grime and as a consequence became too conspicuous against the winter background. By this period of the war a feeling of despair and gloom prevailed across the Eastern Front.

In a defensive position in the snow is an MG34 machine-gun crew wearing their winter whites. By early 1944 supplies of equipment and ammunition were becoming increasingly insufficient in some areas of the front As a consequence many soldiers became increasingly aware that they were in the final stages of the war in the East, and this included battlehardened combatants. They had also realized that they were now fighting an enemy far superior to them.

A battery of whitewashed vehicles in a field. The nearest vehicle is a 105mm howitzer-armed Sturmhaubitze Ausf. G, and that behind is the standard 75mm armed StuG III; neither are the final versions as they lack the Soukopf (sow’s head) cast gun mantlet, which in many cases had a MG34 mounted to fire through it. The vehicles illustrated have the older, standard, built-up square gun mantlet

In action in the vast open Russian steppe is a heavy M G 34 machine-gun crew with their weapon on a sustained fire mount A small snow wall has been erected by the team as a snow and wind break, and this helps shield them from the elements which were often a serious problem, especially in southern Russia.

Withdrawing from one position to another, here troops and support vehicles retreat along a road in early 1944. During this period of the war the German soldier expended considerable effort while lacking sufficient reconnaissance and the necessary support of tanks and heavy weapons to enable any kind of success. Ultimately, German troops were becoming increasingly ill-prepared to meet any kind of large-scale offensive. The infantry defensive positions relied upon sufficient ammunition supply and necessary support to ensure that they would be able to hold their fortified areas.

Troops in their winter whites during a lull in the fighting. Note the unit commander armed with the MP40 machine pistol. By early 1944 the Germans were still fighting on foreign soil trying desperately to gain the initiative and throw back the Red Army from its remorseless drive along the Baltic towards the Reich frontier.

Soldiers all armed with the MP40 machine pistol out in the snow during winter operations in 1944. They all have been issued with the usual rifleman’s equipment and weapons: the enlisted army man’s leather belt and rifle ammunition pouches for his Karbine 98K rifle.

Waffen-SS troops in a forested area preparing to resume operations. The unit leader is armed with an MP40 machine pistol. An MG34 machine gun with a drum magazine attached can just be seen behind another soldier.

SS troops passing a Befehlspanzer Panther Ausf. A command tank. Note the distinctive ’star shaped radio mast, and the additional radio aerial mounted on the turret roof. The Panthers standard radio aerial was fitted on the left of the rear hull decking, but in this picture it is obscured by the officer standing behind the turret’s left side.

A photograph showing infantry ferrying supplies across a river. On board are loaves of bread which were a vital ingredient in the dwindling stocks of food supplied to the German forces in the East An MG34 mounted on an antiaircraft tripod is being used against possible aerial attack.

Troops belonging to the famous Gebirgsjäger cross a field, purposely spaced out to reduce casualties if attacked. By early 1944 over 4 million Russian soldiers were being thrown at the exhausted German troops. Even the élite Waffen-SS Gebirgs-Divisions could do nothing to stem the rapid enemy onslaught. By mid-May the Red Army overran the Crimea and was remorselessly bearing down on the Carpathian Mountains.

Newly-recruited troops being trained with an MG42 machine gun in 1944. By this period of the war recruiting young, old and foreign conscripts was the only way that Germany could ensure it would survive a little longer on the Eastern Front.

An MG42 machine-gun crew with their weapon mounted on a sustained fire mount The soldiers are all wearing the special waterproof triangle camouflaged cape or Zeltbahn. The Zeltbahn was first issued in 1931 and was carried by each German soldier as part of his personal equipment It could be worn as a poncho over the field equipment and could also be worn buttoned up underthe equipment as a form of camouflage. When the wearer no longer required the use of the Zeltbahn it was usually rolled up and fitted to the personal equipment with two leather straps. They were also sometimes seen attached to the D’ rings of the Y straps or to the back of the leather belt.

A machine-gunner prepares to open fire at an enemy target during combat somewhere on the Eastern Front in 1944. Supporting the infantry drive is a StuG.III. Throughout the midwar years this assault gun provided crucial mobile fire support to the infantry and it also proved its worth as an invaluable anti-tank vehicle.

A StuH 105mm and other assault guns advance along a snow-covered road with grenadiers consisting of infantry armed with machine guns and rifles hitching a lift on board. Despite the longer 7.5cm barrel, this assault gun was continually hard-pressed on the battlefield and constantly called upon for offensive and defensive fire support where it was gradually compelled to operate increasingly in an antitank role.

Commanders in their winter whites and field cap or Bergmütze converse with the aid of a map in the snow before resuming operations. These men are part of an unidentified mountain troop unit Note the MP40 machine pistol slung over the shoulder of the commander.

Out in the field and two soldiers pose for the camera. The unit commander is armed with an MP38/40 machine pistol, while the other soldier carries the standard carbine 98K bolt-action rifle. Both men are wearing a whitewashed steel helmet and a two-piece white camouflage smock which has become quite dirty from weeks of constant wear.

Along the Oder and an MG42 machine-gun crew can be seen positioned in a trench. Dozens

of MG42 machine-gun nests were buried along newly-constructed fortified defences in order to stem advancing enemy infantry. The MG42 was regarded by the German soldier as a formidable weapon of war and was probably the greatest machine gun of the Second World War. As long as machine-gunners could keep their weapons intact and operational, they were quite capable of holding up attacking infantry many times their number.

During winter operations and a Sd.Kfz. 250 light halftrack can be seen moving along with crew armed with a mounted MG34 machine gun complete with splinter shield.

An MG34 machine-gun crew uses an inflatable boat to cross a river in order to join other units defending the front lines. Along 200 miles of the defensive front remaining German divisions with handfuls of anti-tank and artillery guns were strung out along the lines and were almost totally unprotected. A report noted that each division had to hold a frontage of approximately 20 miles. For every mile offrant some remaining regiments had one artillery piece, one heavy MG, two light MGs and about 150 men. On every 2.5 miles offrant they had, in addition, one anti-tank gun. On every 4 miles they had one Panzer, and on every 6 miles one battalion of men.

Another MG34 machine-gun crew in a boat. The soldiers all wear the splinter reversible jackets. The reversible uniform was designed large enough to be worn over the service uniform, including personal equipment. However, troops did favour wearing most of their equipment over the winter jacket.

An MG crew pauses before going into action. These troops belong to the infamous WaffenSS Wiking Division. This division saw extensive action on the Eastern Front and during the last months of the war fought in Czechoslovakia. In spite of the numerical superiority of the Russians there were still many battles fought by the Wikings where they went on to the offensive, stemming the Russian drive and supporting Heer forces.

German troops with a captured Russian Maxim M 19 10 machine gun tow the weapon to another defensive position during the last months of the war. The M 19 10 machine gun was an excellent, reliable, weapon that could fire to a much greater range than the German MG34 or 42, and, being water-cooled, had a much higher sustained-fire capability.

An MG42 machine-gunner in one of the many defensive positions along the front lines. A typical strongpoint deployed along the front during the last weeks and months of the war contained light and heavy MG34 and MG42 machine guns, an anti-tank rifle company or battalion, a sapper platoon that was equipped with a host of various explosives, infantry guns, an anti-tank artillery company with a number of anti-tank guns, and occasionally a selfpropelled

A Sd.Kfz. 250 halftrack complete with mounted MG34 machine gun with drum magazine advances through a bombed-out district in Berlin. Until the end of the war these vehicles were used extensively to transport Panzergrenadiers to the forward edge of the battlefield. Despite being in the main lightly armoured, they could maintain a relatively modest speed and manoeuvre across country and keep up with the fast-moving spearheads. By the end of the war these vehicles were transporting much-needed troops and supplies from one part of the front to another.

Appendix I

Main German Machine Guns 1939–45 Maschinengewehr 34 (MG34) Year Built: 1934–45. Calibre: 7.92 x 57mm. Load: continuous belt feed/75-round beltless saddle drum. Action: semi/fully automatic, air-cooled. Rate of Fire: 800–900rpm. Weight: 12.1 kg (26.71b). Maschinengewehr 42 (MG42) Year Built: 1942–45. Calibre: 7.92 x 57mm. Load: continuous belt feed/75-round beltless saddle drum. Action: semi/fully automatic, air-cooled. Rate of Fire: 1, 100–1,200rpm. Weight: 11.5kg (25.51b). Sturmgewehr 44 (StG44) Year Built: 1944–45. Calibre: 7.92 x 33mm. Load: 30 rounds/magazine-fed. Action: semi/fully automatic, gas-operated, air-cooled. Rate of Fire: 500–600rpm Weight: 5.1kg (11.31b). Maschinenpistole 28/11 (MP28/II) Calibre: 9 x 19mm. Load: 32 rounds/magazine-fed. Action: single shot/fully automatic, blowback Weight: 4.1 kg (9.11b). Maschinenpistole 34/0 (MP34/0) Manufacturer: Steyer-Solothurn. Calibre: 9 x 19mm. Load: 32 rounds/magazine-fed.

Action: single shot/fully automatic, blowback. Weight: 4.3kg (9.41b). Maschinenpistole EMP35 (Erma) Calibre: 9 x 19mm. Load: 32 rounds/magazine-fed. Action: single shot/fully automatic, blowback. Weight: 4kg (8.51b). Maschinenpistole 38/40 (MP38/40) Year Built: 1939–45. Calibre: 9 x 19mm. Load: 32 rounds/magazine-fed. Action: fully automatic, blowback. Weight: 4kg (8.51b). Fallschirmjägergewehr 42/44 (FG42/44) Year Built: 1943–45. Calibre: 7.92 x 57mm. Load: 10/20 rounds/magazine-fed. Action: semi/fully automatic, recoil-operated, air-cooled. Rate of Fire: 900rpm early model/600rpm. Weight: 4.2kg (9.21b) early model/5kg (11 lb) late model.

Appendix II

Personal Equipment & Weapons

T

he German soldier was very well-equipped and in 1939 when the German attack was unleashed against the rest of Europe he was perhaps the best in the world. The rifleman or Schütze wore the trademark model 1935 steel helmet which provided ample protection while marching to the battlefront and during combat. His leather belt with support straps carried two sets of three ammunition pouches for a total of sixty rounds for his carbine. The soldier also wore combat harness for his mess kit and special camouflage rain cape or Zeltbahn. In addition he wore an entrenching tool and attached to its carrier was the bayonet, a bread bag for rations, a gas-mask canister which was invariably slung over the wearer’s shoulder and an anti-gas cape in its pouch attached to the shoulder strap. The infantryman’s torch was normally attached to his tunic and inside the tunic pocket he carried wound dressings. A small backpack was issued to the soldiers, though some did not wear them. The backpack was intended for spare clothing, personal items and additional rations along with a spare clothing satchel. The weapons used by the German soldier varied, but the standard issue piece of equipment was the 7.92mm Kar98k carbine. This excellent modern and effective boltaction rifle was of Mauser design and it remained the most popular version used by the German army throughout the war. The Kar98k was spoiled only by its small 5-round magazine and the awkward bolt-action that kept the rate of fire low and strenuous to perform as a result of the use of a straight bolt. Another weapon used by the Germans but to a lesser extent was the 9mm MP38 or MP40 machine pistol. This submachine gun was undoubtedly one of the most effective weapons ever produced for the German war machine. The 7.92mm MG34 light machine gun was yet another weapon that featured heavily within the German army ranks. The effectiveness of this firearm made it the most superior machine gun produced at that time. The MG34 and later the MG42 possessed a very impressive rate of fire and could dominate the battlefield both in defensive and offensive roles. The German army possessed the MG34 in every rifle group and machinegun crews were able to transport this relatively light weapon easily onto the battlefield by resting it over the shoulder. Other weapons that were seen at both company and battalion level on the battlefield were the 5cm 1.GrW36 light mortar and 8cm s.GrW34 heavy mortar. The puny 5cm mortar fired a bomb that was too small to be effective, like all mortars of this calibre. At regimental and divisional level the German army possessed its own artillery in the form of 7.5cm 1.1G18, 10.5cm 1.FH18, 15cm s.FH18 and 15cm S.IG33 infant^ guns. Specially trained artillery crews used these and they were seen extensively in Poland, on the Western Front, in the Balkans, and during the first two years of war in Russia. The

3.7cm PaK35/36 was another weapon that was very popular, especially during the early years of the war. However, by the time the German invasion of Russia was unleashed, Panzerjäger crews quickly became aware of the tactical limitations of the weapon.

Appendix III

Standard German Infantry Divisions

B

y the onset of war in 1939 the German infantry division had changed little from the assault divisions of 1918. The bulk of its supply and transport units were still by animal draught. The standard infantry rifle had basically not been changed since the war in the trenches but its machine guns, notably the MG34 and mortars, were far superior to anything the enemy could muster. The artillery had changed little except that of the 10.5cm field howitzer, which had replaced the 7.7cm 18 infantry gun. Communication too was vastly superior to that of the enemy. The Infantry division in 1939–41 averaged 16,860 men and this was made up of the following: Officers: NCOs: Other Ranks: Officials:

518 2,573 13,667 102

Of the total standard infantry division only about 65 per cent consisted of combat troops with the remainder being support elements. Three infantry regiments comprised the following: Officers: NCOs: Other Ranks: Officials:

75 493 2,474 7

(Also included were staff and intelligence units) Reconnaissance (Aufklärungs) Battalion: 623 officers and men. Anti-tank (Panzerjäger) Battalion: 550 officers and men. Engineer (Pionier) Battalion: 520 officers and men. Artillery (Artillerie) Regiment: 2,872 officers and men. Light (Leichte) infantry column: 30 men. Signal (Nochrichten) Battalion: 474 officers and men. Supply services (Versorgungsdienste): 226 officers and men. Logistics column/supply train (3 motorized, 3 horse-drawn): 180 officers and men. Petrol, oil and lubricants column: 35 officers and men. Workshop Company: 102 officers and men.

Transport Company: 245 officers and men. Veterinary Company: 235 officers and men, 890 horses. 2 Medical Companies (1 Field Hospital and 2 medical transport platoons): 616 officers and men. The infantry divisions also included the rations platoon, Bakery Company, butcher platoon, Military Police and Feldpost (German military mail service).

Appendix IV

Typical German Infantry Regiments 1941–43 Composition 14 Companies of troops and one HQ Company. Rifle Companies 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11. Heavy Weapons Companies 4, 8, 12. Anti-Tank Company 13. Infantry Gun Company 14. (Anti-Tank Companies consisted of 3.7cm guns.) (Infantry Gun Company consisted of 7.5cm (6-gun) and 15cm (2-gun) sections.) Each Rifle Squad comprised 10 soldiers with an MG34 and an SMG (1 Squad leader, 5man Rifle Section and 4-man LMG Section). Each Platoon had 50 men and included a 3-man anti-tank rifle section and an LMG section. The Company held between 180 and 200 men, with two MG34s (tripods) in a Heavy Weapons Platoon consisting of 8 MG34s (tripods) and 68cm mortars. By 1942 the infantry regiments were scaled down to two battalions of rifle companies. The same numbering system was used but there were no more 9, 10, 11 and 12 companies. The old 3.7cm guns were now being replaced with 5cm anti-tank guns. A year later in 1943 the majority of rifle regiments were reduced to just two battalions. The infantry squad was reduced down to just nine men. Some squads fighting in Russia tried to add an extra machine gun and many of these sought to replace the MG34 with the newer and more powerful MG42.

Appendix V

Typical German Infantry Regiments 1944

B

y 1944 the infantry division had gone through a series of changes and had been modified and reorganized. The reconnaissance battalion, for instance, was removed and re-introduced with a bicycle-mounted reconnaissance platoon within every regiment. The anti-tank battalion was more or less motorized and consisted of an antitank company equipped with Jagdpanzer IVs, Hetzers or StuGs which were organized into three platoons of four vehicles and an HQ section of two vehicles, a motorized antitank company of twelve 7.5cm PaK 40 guns and a motorized FlaK company equipped with twelve 2cm or 3.7cm FlaK guns. The engineer battalion also took over the responsibility of the heavy weapons company. This comprised three engineer companies, each equipped with two 81cm mortars, two MGs and six portable flamethrowers. The heavy weapons in the engineer battalion were normally mounted in trucks but by 1944 they were predominately pulled by animal draught, while the troops would be mounted on bicycles. At regimental level an anti-tank company was added. This consisted of a platoon equipped with three 5cm PaK 38 guns and two platoons armed with Panzerfäuste. Within the regiments, the infantry battalions were reduced in number to just two. A number of divisions in the field were attached with fusilier battalions and were structured identically to the new standard rifle battalion. The infantry battalions were equipped with four 12cm heavy mortars, while the rifle companies’ heavy weapons platoon was equipped with two 8.1cm mortars.

Appendix VI

German Grenadier Regiments 1944-45 Common Translations Infanteriegeschütz-Kompanie Nachrichtenzug Panzerjäger-Kompanie Panzerzerstörer-Kompanie Pionierzug Regiumants Tross Reiter oder Radfahrerzug Schützen-Kompanie Schwere-Kompanie Stab Versorgungszug

= infantry gun company = signals troop = tank hunter company = tank destroyer company = pioneer troop = regimental train = rider or cyclist troop = rifle or infantry company = heavy [weapons] company = staff or HQ = supply troop

Grenadier Regiment 1944 Regiments-Stab Nachrichtenzug Pionierzug Reiter oder Radfahrerzug Grenadier-Bataillon ( x 2) Bataillons-Stab Schützen-Kompanie ( x 3) Maschinengewehr-Kompanie Leichte Infanterie Kolonne Infanteriegeschütz-Kompanie Panzerjäger-Kompanie Regiments Tross

6 x light MG34/42 3 x light MG34/42

1 6 x light MG, 2 x 8cm mortar 3 x light MG, 12 x heavy MG, 4 x 8cm mortar 5 x light MG, 6 x 7.5cm infantry gun, 2 x 15cm infantry gun 1 3 x light MG, 12 x 7.5cm AT gun

Volksgrenadier Regiment 1944/45 Regiments-Stab Stabs-Kompanie Grenadier-Bataillon ( x 2) Bataillons-Stab

10 x light MG34/42

Versorgungszug Grenadier-Kompanie ( x 3) Infanteriegeschütz-Kompanie Panzerzerstörer-Kompanie Regiments Tross

2 x light MG34/42 9 x light MG, 6 x 7.5cm infantry gun, 6 x 8cm mortar 5 x light MG, 4 x 7.5cm in gun, 8 x 12cm mortar 4 x light MG, 54 x Panzerschreck