German Mine Breaching Equipment

[WSchneck]

1. German manuals mention a field improvised device called a Ladungsschieber (described below) for breaching minefields. Are there any accounts or photos of its actual use in combat?

The Ladungsschieber was a 25-meter long set of Gestreckte Ladungen, improvised Bangalore torpedoes made (according to the manual) of 5-meter lengths of 16-gauge steel pipe and loaded with blasting gelatine or other suitable explosives. These Gestreckte Ladungen were then supposed to be mounted on 5 sets of improvised wheels that placed the Gestreckte Ladung 35cm above the ground and allowed two dismounted pioneers or a vehicle to push the Ladungsschieber into a minefield. One Ladungsschieber was supposed to be able to clear a four to six meter wide breach. Larger breaches were possible by varying the design and fabrication of the device. Two Ladungsschieber with four meters between them (presumably with bracing between them to maintain this spacing, but the manual does not state this) would clear an eight to ten meter wide breach, while longer breaches could be created by adding more Gestreckte Ladungen. Reportedly, this technique was also copied by the Soviets and may have inspired the larger "demolition snakes" used by the western allies (breakout from Anzio and in Lorraine).

2. Also, did the Germans have any manufactured Bangalore Torpedoes (Gestreckte Ladungen) or did they simply use improvised ones in WWII? Are there any accounts of either of these being used in combat?

3. The German manuals also describe how to improvise "knallnetz" (a net made of detonating cord) for clearing footpaths for dismounted soldiers. Are there any accounts or photos of these being used in combat?

Finally, German manuals mention improvised rollers for detecting/clearing mines. The Soviet General Staff Study for Kursk says that the Germans fitted rollers to their tanks. Are there any German accounts of this or photos of Panzers fitted with improvised rollers?

[MilHist BT]

Hi WSchneck

Interesting subject. The references I have make no mention of German pioniers using anything like the Allied bangalore, just the various types of Minensuchgerät such as the Frankfurt 42, Templehof 41, and a pair of very unhappy looking fellows with a probe and shovel.

Can't blame them for being unhappy, the idea of manual mine clearance makes any veteran cringe.

The only formally adopted method I know of Germany using explosive clearnace involved remote controlled vehicles such as the Borgward.
The Borgward B I and B II (both designated Sd.Kfz.300) were radio controlled and apparenlty towed various types of roller sets behind themselves. Apparenlty they lacked the traction and/or torque to push the roller sets over rough terrain, so they were destroyed by mines quite easily.

The B III is poorly documented but appeared to have the same hull and chassis as the kleiner Panzerbefehlswagen Sd.Kfz.265 which was the control vehicle for the B I and B II.

The B IV Sd.Kfz.301 is the best known and was driven by remote control to a position where it stopped then fired explosive bolts to jettisson a large explosives canister. Separation of the explosives canister from the vehicle pulled a lanyard which ignited a chemical fuze. The B IV was then retrieved by driving back to a recovery area for refueling and reloading. After the chemical fuze delay burned out the explosive charge detonated, clearing a large area by sympathetic detonation of the mines by overpressure.

[WSchneck]

Thanks, the German development and use of the remote controlled vehicles is very well documented in "Funklenkpanzer" by Marcus Jaugitz. I strongly recommend this book for anyone interested in this subject.

I have had to look for mines using both a metal detector and a bayonet, neither one is much fun.

I did find a little more on the deployment of Bangalore torpedoes by the Germans. James Mrazek in his book "The Fall of Eben Emael" claims that ten of the gliders carried 3 torpedoes each. Mrazek does not state if they were manufactured or improvise nor whether or not they were used in the attack.

[MilHist BT]

Hi WSchneck

Finally found the only reference I've got that provides any details on the German equivalent of the allied Bangalore torpedo.

German Demolition Equipment AFHQ Engineer Section May44
pp.27 & 28, Plate XXV, Fig 15 & 16

Gestreckte Ladung, 2 types
Type A Rohrladung 3kg - 1.9inch Inside Diameter, 43.3inch length (minus nose cap), 9lb gross weight (including nose cap), 3kg / 6lb 2oz TNT bursting charge. Tube made from 0.06inch steel tubing.
Nose cap was a ogival shape on a cylindrical base. The cylindrical base was held into the lead end of the tube by two metal clips on the nose cap base cylinder and two retainer clips on the tube.
Type B was a longer tube type with a 2inch Outside Diameter, 7ft to 7.5ft length, made from 16AWG steel tubing. Each has a 1ft long mating sheath on one end. Each has a standard detonator well at one end, from which an instantaneous fuze cord runs to the other end.

The drawings show one Type A (with a faired nose cap) coupled to two of the Type B. The drawings also show what appears to be a specialized firing module that fits in the firing end of the tube that allows for use of either an embedded friction iginter with a 30second chemical fuze, or installation of various types of pull igniters into the standard detonator well.

The text indicates sympathetic detonation fired the entire device, and that the devices were airdropped with Fallschirmjäger in Greece and Crete.

[WSchneck]

Thank you for the additional information.

[peeved]

Gestreckte Ladungen with stick grenade and heads in WW2 & 1 (also Geballte Ladungen in the latter) from eBay.de auctions 261170373903 & 321094160767 (links expired).

Markus