Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS

Discussions on all (non-biographical) aspects of the Freikorps, Reichswehr, Austrian Bundesheer, Heer, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Fallschirmjäger and the other Luftwaffe ground forces. Hosted by Christoph Awender.
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Vikki
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Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS

#46

Post by Vikki » 31 Aug 2008, 07:43

From Alpenkorps im Angriff: snowshoes for the Gebirgsjäger....and for the Gebirgspferde:
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Bernd R
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Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS

#47

Post by Bernd R » 31 Aug 2008, 15:52

Anyone ever heard about falcons in service of the Heer / Luftwaffe ? (small hint catched up over at the panzer-archiv)
Anything known about units like Heeresfalkner ? In France most probably.
with duties like : airfield protection against birds (so today one technique on all modern airports) , catching pidgeons of the resistance ?

Bernd :)


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tigre
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Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS

#48

Post by tigre » 31 Aug 2008, 18:14

Hello to all :D; just a little complement..............

Der gebirgsjäger und die tragtier, today as yesterday.....................

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
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gebirsjagerconmuladelacvv3.jpg
Today. (Gebirsjägerbrigade 23 and the Gebirgstragtierwesen 230)

http://www.deutschesheer.de/portal/a/10div/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLN7SItzT1BslB2IZe-pFw0aCUVH1fj_zcVH1v_QD9gtyIckdHRUUAnZuuVg
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cargueroac1.gif
as yesterday.
Gebirgsjäger 1939-1945. Roland Kaltenegger. Die Grosse Bildchronik.
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Vikki
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Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS

#49

Post by Vikki » 06 Sep 2008, 20:43

Hello tigre, I love the "then and now" photos! There are some situations where even modern technology can't replace the good old mule or horse!

Bernd R wrote:Anyone ever heard about falcons in service of the Heer / Luftwaffe ? (small hint catched up over at the panzer-archiv)
Anything known about units like Heeresfalkner ? In France most probably.
with duties like : airfield protection against birds (so today one technique on all modern airports) , catching pidgeons of the resistance ?

Bernd :)
Interesting question, Bernd. There was a civilian Falconers' organization, the Deutschen Falkenorden (see collar insignia below). And as most civilian organizations that had any military application got taken up by the military, I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case with that order too. As for pigeons--putting them to work for the military too--there was an Army specialty, Brieftaubenmeister, for those (probably an adjunct of Nachrichten troops?) working with carrier pigeons (specialty patch shown below). Somewhere I've seen a photo of the pigeons in use, with the message cylinder attached to their legs, but can't locate it now.

Best,
~Vikki
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Deutschen Falkenorden (Brian Davis).jpg
From Brian Davis, Badges and Insignia of the Third Reich 1933-45
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Brieftaubenmeister (Deutsche Uniformen 1939).jpg
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Brieftaubenmeister 2 (Taschenkalendar für die Offiziere des Heeres).jpg
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Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS

#50

Post by Vikki » 07 Sep 2008, 05:45

By the way, Bernd, see this link from the BBC, posted by MAX_theHitMan upthread, on MI 5 falcons used to intercept
German pigeons :D :
Airborne threat of Nazi pigeons


Nazi-trained homing pigeons were the target of British covert operations during WWII, it has emerged.
Scores of lofts of the message-carrying birds were pinpointed by MI5 agents in 1940 across Belgium, West Holland and the Balkans.

The airborne threat was believed to be the pet project of SS chief Heinrich Himmler - who was known by British intelligence as an avowed pigeon fancier.

Under interrogation, captured "German pigeon personel" told how the birds were a vital component of Hitler's plans to invade Britain.


The MI5 report on the phenomenon, released with a batch of wartime secret service documents this week, said: "From these prisoners of war it was learnt that it was anticipated that the birds would be used to convey information obtained by short-term pre-invasion agents."

To counter the menace, MI5 tamed and trained its own crack force of peregrine falcons, with the aim of felling incoming pigeons.

According to documents now held at the Public Record Office in Kew, London, at least two of the captured pigeons became "prisoners of war".

Displaying humour in the midst of adversity, an intelligence officer marked in his report: "Both birds are now prisoners of war working hard at breeding English pigeons."

The new Army Pigeon Service Special Section birds of prey were used to set up an airborne net over the Scilly Isles early in 1942 following sightings of pigeons disappearing towards France.


The MI5 report notes Britain's new anti-pigeon force would patrol for two hours at a time over the islands off the Cornish coast.

It says: "This was a great success. The falcon flying high above the Scillies could watch not only a part of one island, but the whole group, and any pigeon flying over them would be attacked."

Agents had found that the Nazi party had taken control of all pigeon lofts in Germany after it assumed power, while Himmler had ordered the use of pigeons by his own Gestapo security police.

The British document notes: "It is said that Himmler, who has been a pigeon fancier and enthusiast all his life, is the head or president of the German National Pigeon Society.

"And he has brought his enthusiasm for pigeons into the Gestapo, who are said to use this form of communication both in Germany and in the occupied countries."

Intelligence officers also investigated ways in which pigeons were deposited in the UK.

They believed some were carried in by individuals, and that some were dropped off in baskets by high-speed E-Boats and submarines.

Dropping pigeons by parachute was also identified as a possible method of their entering the country...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_repo ... 263333.stm


Best,
~Vikki

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Bernd R
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Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS

#51

Post by Bernd R » 07 Sep 2008, 20:46

:lol: :lol: :lol:
Vikki,
thanks for that. I remember to have seen a photo of the pigeons. Didn't they even got names ?
If existing we will find more on that. :)

Re: the Brieftaubenmeister, Yes
just ad hoc without re-checking : this career was abandoned with a major change in the end 1930s ; the similar and new career was "Funker" ("blitz" in colours) and "Nachrichtenmechaniker" ("N" with the "blitz") I tend to say. (Davis , Schlicht/Angolia)

So, falcons here - falcons there ? :idea:

Best regards
Bernd

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tigre
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Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS

#52

Post by tigre » 08 Sep 2008, 00:47

Hello to all :D; thanks for those kinds words Vikki. Here a little more showing combat and support tasks............

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
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image006.jpg
The AA 157 at Rudki - Poland 1939.
Source: Bundesarchiv
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image004.jpg
The soldier and his dog in combat - France 1940.
Source: Kampf in westen
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image002.jpg
Soldiers and their dogs - prewar pic - IR 119.
Source: an expired ebay auction.
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Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS

#53

Post by Vikki » 11 Oct 2008, 04:30

Not the one I was looking for, of the pigeons with the message tubes on their legs, but here's another pigeon photo for you, Bernd. :) From Angolia and Schlicht, Uniforms and Traditions of the German Army 1933-1945, vol 2:

That dog must be thinking: Oh boy, CHICKEN!!!
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Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS

#54

Post by Vikki » 21 Dec 2008, 06:14

A followup on Tigre's "yesterday and today" post.

I was inspired even today by examples of Haflingers' versatility in their modern civilian uses. Excelling at show and dressage, or fox-hunting, clearing a jump that's their own height (or more than their own height and length!)....No wonder these lovely horses had no problems at all carrying light artillery pieces over mountains.

(Notice the third photo....No saddle....and...NO BRIDLE!!!)

All photos from http://www.haflingerhorses.com/

Best,
Vikki
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Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS

#55

Post by Vikki » 21 Dec 2008, 06:15

One more (Dressage)...
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Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS

#56

Post by Rian » 21 Dec 2008, 13:47

Mayby any camel unit in North Africa??

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Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS

#57

Post by Marcus » 23 Dec 2008, 11:44

Two photos of Waffen-SS soldiers on training with dogs in Norway from the Bundesarchiv.

Image Image

/Marcus

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Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS

#58

Post by tigre » 24 Dec 2008, 13:33

Hello to all :D; in these holidays season something dealing with reindeers.........................

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas. :wink:

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
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It isn't Rudolph but............do not tell that to Santa.
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Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS

#59

Post by Bernd R » 24 Dec 2008, 13:41

One of the most matching postings ever ! Nice one, thanks tigre 8-)

Bernd

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Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS

#60

Post by Marcus » 16 Jan 2009, 19:41

Two photos of the sled dog unit set up by the Swedish volunteer Åke Aspegrén and attached to 6. Gebirgs-Division, as far as I know it was the only such unit.
Image
Image
(source http://www.samlarforum.nu/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=4234)

/Marcus

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