Gustav Ponath

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Peter H
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Gustav Ponath

#1

Post by Peter H » 05 May 2003, 05:32

Seeking photos or information on this Knight's Cross holder.Ponath commanded the 8th Machine-gun Battalion outside Tobruk in April 1941 and was killed in action in the Easter Monday attack.Australian sources state that a German senior officer refused to surrender,after elements of the 8th MG were cut off, and was shot as a result.Most think this was Ponath.

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Peter H
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#2

Post by Peter H » 07 May 2003, 02:20

More on the 'Ponath Battalion'.On the 7th April 1941 they captured the British Generals Neame and O'Connor.Ponath was awarded the Knights Cross for his advance through Cyrenica.


jose luis
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Gustav Ponath

#3

Post by jose luis » 19 May 2003, 19:57

Enclosed pic of Gustav PONATH for "Moulder"
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Re: Gustav Ponath

#4

Post by [email protected] » 13 Jul 2009, 03:52

Gustav Ponath was killed in a wadi some 4 or 500 metres in front of A Company headquarters of the 2nd/15th Australian Infantry Force on 14 April 1941. My father, the company commander led his troops unarmed and injured. Ponath attempted to fight on, but was cut down by a bren gun burst to the neck. His troops immediately surrendered. His body was draped in a German flag which was presented to my father by the troops who were in the field. I recently donated that flag to the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. It had a spot of Ponath's blood on it - useful for DNA analysis. I can give more details by email, but as I am a pensioner, lack of funds denies me this effort.

John Mackenzie-SMith, son of Capt Greig Smith, Commander A Coy, 2nd 15th Bat., Tobruk, 14 April 1941.

I would like to bring closure to his grieving relatives - a brave man.

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Peter H
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Re: Gustav Ponath

#5

Post by Peter H » 14 Jul 2009, 07:19

John,thanks very much for the information on Ponath's death and the details on your father.Much appreciated.

Here's another photo of Ponath from Kurowski's Knight's Cross Holders of the Afrikakorps.

According to Kurowski,Ponath(born 27 February 1898) was a Major and 1a of the 50th Inf Division in 1939.Saw action in Poland,promoted to Oberstleutnant.Instructor in Infantry Tactics at Dresden.Then took over 8 MG Battalion in July 1940.
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Re: Gustav Ponath

#6

Post by Jan-Hendrik » 14 Jul 2009, 07:48

Here he is not mentioned with 50.I.D., and accoding to Balsi he was tactical instructor before becoming Kdr. of MG-Btl.8 :wink:

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Peter H
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Re: Gustav Ponath

#7

Post by Peter H » 14 Jul 2009, 08:00

Very confusing as usual with Kurowski. :(

He mentions that Ponath was a favourite of his divisional commander in Poland MajorGeneral Eccard Freiheer von Gablenz.Gablenz however commanded 32 Division,and that was from 1 October 1939?

Just back on Ponath's death,Frank Harrison in his Tobruk:The Great Siege Reassessed:
A report written by 2/15th's Intelligence Section...describes how a A Coy patrol with two Bren carriers commanded by Sergeant Keyes captured five officers and 89 men,and killed a German lieutenant-colonel and two men..
It appears this was Ponath,and resistance ceased once he was killed.

His 8 MG Battalion(with a ration strength of 1400 men) only numbered 300 or so after the battle..."150 being counted dead on the battlefield and 250 taken prisoner,many wounded.."

The 9th Division's Intelligence Summary No 40 held by the AWM also quotes extracts from Ponath's diary on the operations of his MG-Bataillon Ponath.


From the AWM,said to be men from Ponath's command captured:

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yateswilliam
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Re: Gustav Ponath

#8

Post by yateswilliam » 05 Dec 2009, 05:58

John
I read your entry 13JUL09 with great interest.
I was under the impression that my father Capt (then Lt) R A Yates MC shot Lt Col Ponath through the chest with his pistol as he approached Dad from behind during the battle.Dad died in 1975.He told me that he went through the colonels wallet and found a photograph of his wife & baby who would have been about the same age as my older brother .Dad had intended to write to the widow but never did.
I would be very interested in any other information that you may have.
William Yates
Toowoomba

Medi
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Re: Gustav Ponath

#9

Post by Medi » 06 Dec 2009, 16:35

This is getting confusing, Was Ponath killed by a machinegun burst or a pistol shot to the chest ? :|

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Re: Gustav Ponath

#10

Post by Charleslachlan » 30 Mar 2010, 06:28

Dear Sir, further to my Father’s letter (below) I some further evidence to arguably prove that the 2/15th Battalion (namely A Company) under the command of my late Grandfather , Captain Alfred Greig Smith QX6199 , killed the German Lieutenant Colonel, Gustav Ponath 13/4/1941. As my father stated, this is important to not only document for the military history of the 2/15th Battalion and their effort in the Easter 1941 Battle but also for the benefit of the German relatives and German historians who may have been trying to locate the remains or the last resting place of Gustav Ponath. Given his relative importance in Rommel’s assault on Tobruk and in the German Army (Knight’s Cross recipient and Commander of the 8th Machine Gun Battalion) he is important to the history of Tobruk. It is also important because the Australian War Memorial has the flag that was covering him when he was shot dead by the 2/15th complete with battle stains.
1. In the 2/15 Battalion Intelligence Section Record published in ‘Caveant Hostes (2/15 newsletter) Souvenir Issue’, (May,1990) it states: “A patrol of A Coy 2/15 Bn (under the command of Commanding Officer, Alfred Greig Smith QX6199), assisted by two carriers under Sgt. Keys,captured five officers, 89 men, many arms and ammunition without casualty. One German Lieut. Colonel (arguably Ponath)and two men were killed” (p.21).

2. In addition, Kevin Robinson, my grandfather’s Company’s Sergeant Major wrote the following account of A Company’s involvement in the 2/15th Battalion’s publication, This is Tobruk; “I believe one of the Bren gunners in Lieut. Yates’ group (9 platoon) shot the German Commander, a Lieut. Colonel (arguably Ponath) through the neck and killed him and that seemed to demoralise the ‘Jerries’. They had him covered by a big Swastika flag (presented to my Grandfather after the battle by Australian troops and now in the collections of the AWM) when we cleaned up the area”.

3. My Grandfather, Alfred Greig Smith QX6199, O.C. A Coy, wrote in his Report on Patrol 14April, 1941 found in the AWM diaries (Item Number 8/3/15) wrote: “After an attack on 14th April, 41 at approx. 0730hrs. (C;S.M.)Sgt. Robinson reported to me that men were seen by R.H.A. getting into an anti tank ditch near the vicinity of some disabled tanks.

I immediately got in touch with B.H.Q. and obtained permission to send out a platoon to contact the party.
At approx. 0900hrs. No 9 Pl., A Coy. Under Lieut. YATES a total strength of 31 men with C.S.M. ROBINSON as guide set out to contact the men.
The party advanced in open formation for about 800yds. When 2 enemy (Germans) came out of the Anti Tank ditch to surrender. As Mr Yates went forward to take the prisoners the remainder of the enemy who were in two groups opened cross fire with machineguns. The men were then dispersed one section to the right under cover of a sand hill (two men in the ditch were left with the prisoners) one section was placed on the forward part of the ditch which is 3V3 shaped to keep the enemies heads down. MR YATES took another section forward into the ditch when they were held up. Observing no movement for about 20 minutes I contacted B.H.Q. and asked for assistance, the Pl. of this Coy. Being under fire. Meanwhile a runner reported back to report the position of the platoon and ask for assistance.
Two carriers came out and one opened fire on one of the enemy parties which were in the right sector which immediately surrendered. About 25 men being in the party. The remainder approx. 76 in number opened fire on prisoners and carrier. The 2” Mortar with the Pl. fired into the group in the ditch and this was very effective shortly after which the remainder of the prisoners surrendered.
Enemy casualties were 3 killed (including the commander- Ponath?) and 14 wounded some seriously injured. 10” men were taken prisoners and this Pl. suffered no casualties whatsoever.” Capt. O. C. A Coy. 2/15 Bn

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Re: Gustav Ponath

#11

Post by Charleslachlan » 30 Mar 2010, 06:37

Medi wrote:This is getting confusing, Was Ponath killed by a machinegun burst or a pistol shot to the chest ? :|
We cannot confirm nor deny whether Ponath was killed by a machine gun or a single shot but it would be reasonable to say that Lieutenant Yates had shot him in the chest as his own son has recalled hearing. Yates was documented as being in that location when Ponath was killed and I would not want to dispute the words of someone of such high integrity and honour as Captain Yates. If he stated that he killed a German Lieutenant-Colonel and Ponath was the only man of such rank that I have been able to track in that vicinity at that time, then I believe his son. This also confirms that Ponath was defeated by the 2/15th not the 2/17th as has been sometimes reported.

yateswilliam
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Re: Gustav Ponath

#12

Post by yateswilliam » 30 Mar 2010, 12:28

Charles
Thank you for your reply.
I am also not a military nut but I do feel we should try to set the record straight.
Your grand-father was Dads company commander at the time and probably recommended him for the Military Cross. He is mentioned in my fathers letters and I could send you a CD of that period if I had your address. The Easter battle is documented in these letters. There is no doubt in my mind that Dad told me he shot the colonel personally. He was not particularly proud of it as this was a fine soldier and a husband/father but he accepted it as a reality of war - Dad probably
acted in self defence as the colonel was approaching him from behind. Dad had a very great respect for the Afrika Corp but had little respect for their Italian counterparts. I recently contacted Bob Scarr after reading your fathers entry. Bob was in one of the bren gun carriers and is probably the only participant of the battle that is still alive.His memory of the battle is very clear but Dads platoon was well off to his left flank so he could not shed any light on the matter.
I visited the German memorial in Tobruk a few years ago.I understand the Germans were buried in a common grave so Col Ponath would not have a headstone but his name is on the wall of those who were killed as I made a point of looking for it.
Please find enclosed my fathers citation and a photograph taken in Alexandria about that time.
William Yates
Toowoomba
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gustavponath
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Re: Gustav Ponath

#13

Post by gustavponath » 13 May 2012, 10:41

Hello,

My name is Daniel and I am from Germany. I am in possession of the estate of Gustav Ponath and now looking at everything about him and his unit.
I hope to get here in this forum more information, maybe there are photos or other things related to him or the MG Battalion 8 in conjunction. I know of photo albums of MG 8, which were sold to Australia, maybe one of you has such a thing and would help me further.

greeting
Daniel

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Re: Gustav Ponath

#14

Post by gustavponath » 15 May 2012, 09:48

Pictures

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Greets Daniel

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Re: Gustav Ponath

#15

Post by gustavponath » 15 May 2012, 09:55

if you want to see more pictures, tell it.
The last picture is Oberstleutnant Heinrich Ponath, brother of Gustav Ponath.

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