Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS
Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS
From Alpenkorps im Angriff: snowshoes for the Gebirgsjäger....and for the Gebirgspferde:
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- Gebirgs.jpg (92.87 KiB) Viewed 3925 times
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- Gebirgs 001.jpg (67.44 KiB) Viewed 3921 times
Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS
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
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
Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS
Hello to all ; just a little complement..............
Der gebirgsjäger und die tragtier, today as yesterday.....................
Cheers. Raúl M .
Der gebirgsjäger und die tragtier, today as yesterday.....................
Cheers. Raúl M .
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- Today. (Gebirsjägerbrigade 23 and the Gebirgstragtierwesen 230)
http://www.deutschesheer.de/portal/a/10div/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLN7SItzT1BslB2IZe-pFw0aCUVH1fj_zcVH1v_QD9gtyIckdHRUUAnZuuVg - gebirsjagerconmuladelacvv3.jpg (218.78 KiB) Viewed 3853 times
- Today. (Gebirsjägerbrigade 23 and the Gebirgstragtierwesen 230)
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- as yesterday.
Gebirgsjäger 1939-1945. Roland Kaltenegger. Die Grosse Bildchronik. - cargueroac1.gif (226.69 KiB) Viewed 3850 times
- as yesterday.
Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS
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!
Best,
~Vikki
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.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
Best,
~Vikki
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- From Brian Davis, Badges and Insignia of the Third Reich 1933-45
- Deutschen Falkenorden (Brian Davis).jpg (76.8 KiB) Viewed 3696 times
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- Brieftaubenmeister (Deutsche Uniformen 1939).jpg (37.61 KiB) Viewed 3696 times
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- Brieftaubenmeister 2 (Taschenkalendar für die Offiziere des Heeres).jpg (40.93 KiB) Viewed 3691 times
Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS
By the way, Bernd, see this link from the BBC, posted by MAX_theHitMan upthread, on MI 5 falcons used to intercept
German pigeons :
Best,
~Vikki
German pigeons :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/special_repo ... 263333.stmAirborne 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...
Best,
~Vikki
Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS
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 ?
Best regards
Bernd
Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS
Hello to all ; thanks for those kinds words Vikki. Here a little more showing combat and support tasks............
Cheers. Raúl M .
Cheers. Raúl M .
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- The AA 157 at Rudki - Poland 1939.
Source: Bundesarchiv - image006.jpg (35.29 KiB) Viewed 6729 times
- The AA 157 at Rudki - Poland 1939.
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- The soldier and his dog in combat - France 1940.
Source: Kampf in westen - image004.jpg (40.77 KiB) Viewed 6746 times
- The soldier and his dog in combat - France 1940.
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- Soldiers and their dogs - prewar pic - IR 119.
Source: an expired ebay auction. - image002.jpg (30.39 KiB) Viewed 6728 times
- Soldiers and their dogs - prewar pic - IR 119.
Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS
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!!!
That dog must be thinking: Oh boy, CHICKEN!!!
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- Brieftauben und Hundmeister.jpg (84.57 KiB) Viewed 6566 times
Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS
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
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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- show61_497591_2235.jpg (67.44 KiB) Viewed 6413 times
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- zaraoverprelim.jpg (44.26 KiB) Viewed 6399 times
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- Pippin4ftweb1.jpg (29.22 KiB) Viewed 6391 times
Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS
One more (Dressage)...
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- PiArron.jpg (64.97 KiB) Viewed 6387 times
Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS
Mayby any camel unit in North Africa??
Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS
Two photos of Waffen-SS soldiers on training with dogs in Norway from the Bundesarchiv.
/Marcus
/Marcus
Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS
Hello to all ; in these holidays season something dealing with reindeers.........................
Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas.
Cheers. Raúl M .
Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas.
Cheers. Raúl M .
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- It isn't Rudolph but............do not tell that to Santa.
Source: an eBay auction (expired) - photo-33 GBJ.jpg (62.58 KiB) Viewed 6246 times
- It isn't Rudolph but............do not tell that to Santa.
Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS
One of the most matching postings ever ! Nice one, thanks tigre
Bernd
Bernd
Re: Animal Units in Wehrmacht and Waffen SS
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.
(source http://www.samlarforum.nu/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=4234)
/Marcus
(source http://www.samlarforum.nu/viewtopic.php?f=57&t=4234)
/Marcus