Small Unit Actions - France 1940.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; just to share another little story................................

Eisenbahn-Pionierregiment 4.

The special mission of Railway Pi. Rgt 4.

Among the numerous command enterprises which were carried out by the German side in the beginning of the Campaign of France (Unternehmen Fall Gelb) a small ones was fulfilled by the Eb Pi Rgt 4 reinforced with troops belonging to the IR 45. In order to make easy the main effort’s movements, the Eb-Pi Rgt 4 (reinforced) was entrusted with the following task: to take the night before the beginning of the attack as far as possible behind the Belgian lines all the critical crossing, juntions and railway stations in order to avoid its destruction by the enemy.

To carry out this task the engineers could count with two auxiliary panzer-zugs (armoured trains). These trains were the usual Diesel Tramcars of the National Railroad that were painted in field-grey with numerous white bars crosses. They had in front and rear an open carriage with a 60 cm high side board behind which at a 35 cm of distance a pararell board had been set; the gap was filled with sand. On each carriage a tripod with a ligh machine gun was placed. Ahead of the front open carriage still another empty car was linked up which should act as a kind of “minenräumer” (mine sweeper).

At the end of April 1940 and as a combat crew for these “panzer-zugs” the IR 45 was to release two groups, each with the following strength: 1 officer, 2 NCOs, 10 enlisted men and 2 light machine gun teams. The first group was sent by the 2./ IR 45 under Leutnant Ecker and the second by the 5./ IR 45 under Leutnant Hertzberg.

One of the panzer-zug should roll from Prüm over the border station of Steinebrück northward to Malmedy, the other should proceed over Steinebrück due southwest against the main railway Luxembourg - Liege (Lüttich). The days before its employment were used for carrying out intensive training and for excercises in surprising the bridge’s security detachments.

Source: http://de.geocities.com/eisenbahntruppen
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... Rgt4-R.htm

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello chaps ; more follows...........................

Here goes a report dealing with the actions of the group of 5./ IR 45 which was subordinated to the 2./ Eb-Pi Rgt 4 (under Oblt Hofmann-Schmidt) in the panzer-zug driving due north:

The bulk of the group was in the front carriage while in the rear ones were one NCO and three men.In the night from 09 to 10 May 1940, at 00:00 hours sharp the train started; the small tramcar was full of pioneers, who were divided in different teams (with different strength) in order to storm, under our fire protection, a dozen of bridges up to the main viaduct of St. Vith and beyond if possible to Malmedy, remove the prepared explosive charges and secure the objectives afterwards.

The panzer-zug drove over the open border (without obstacles) and proceeded at low speed. 50 meters before each bridge the train stopped, the pioneers stormed ahead and gave the signal for it drives on. The station of Lommersweiler was occupied before it could be alarmed by on-duty officials of other stations. At all the bridges were already men of the Regiment z.b.v. 800 Brandenburg.

The armoured train could not roll completely hidden however, so when it was approaching the viaduct of St. Vith, it flew into the air when the germans were 600 meters short of its objective. Then the train took heavy fire coming from the bridge’s security detachment. The group of 5./ IR 45 under Leutnant Herzberg proceeded against the bridge, surprised the guard comprising over 30 men taken them as a prisoners without own or hostile losses. The POWs were held in the waiting-room of the free of enemy station of St. Vith.

In the meantime the offensive had started and at 05.35 hours could be heard clearly the roar of the Luftwaffe’s squadrons heading west and southwest. In spite of the inhabitants of St. Vith stated that there were not Belgian soldiers in or around the place, Leutnant Herzberg mopped up the town and confirmed this and could report that to the commander of the spearhead of one Pz Div (5 Pz) which arrived there at 07:00 hours.

Source: http://de.geocities.com/eisenbahntruppen
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... Rgt4-R.htm
Die Reichsbahn im Zwiete Weltkrieg. Januzs Piekalkiewicz

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the end of this story.....................

The other panzer-zug with group Ecker could proceed up to Oudler getting stuck there due to the large bridge located there (60 meters long) had been blown up into the sky and needed heavy engineer equipment to make it passable.

The two groups carried out security tasks for another eight days and early on may 1940 were set in march with a truck in order to rejoin their regiment which at that time already was beyond the river Meuse.

Source: http://de.geocities.com/eisenbahntruppen
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... Rgt4-R.htm
Die Reichsbahn im Zwiete Weltkrieg. Januzs Piekalkiewicz
Entscheidende Stunden. Erich Borchert.

It's all folks. Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; here goes another incident, this time with regards to the IR 377 at Meigem and Vinkt.....

Vinkt 1940

On 10 May 1940 on Adolf Hilter’s orders, the German army invaded Belgium; this was the beginning of the Second World War for that country. The Belgian Army offered some resistence but had to withdraw day after day. The IR 377 was taken by train from the area near Dortmund to Kranenburg. There the regiment detrained and went over the border with Netherlands getting across the Meuse at Nijmegen and Mook.

On May 14 1940, the unit had reached Tilbourg and by May 16 1940 was at Rosendaal; there was getting ready for the assault on Amberes. The assault went under way on May 18 1940 and next day the enemy positions were cracked with the fire support furnished by the artillery and the 225 ID entered into the city, it remained there up to May 22 1940.

Fourteen days later, on Friday 24 May, the front line had reached the surroundings of the Schipdonkkanaal (Lys - Gent Canal?). Meanwhile, the IR 377 had marched towards Gastrode and then through Gent to Nevele from where would launch the assault in order to cross the Canal (Lys - Gent ??).

On Saturday 25 May 1940, the villages of Vinkt and Meigem came under german fire. German soldiers seized Meigem, but Vinkt remained in the hands of the Ardense hunters of the Belgian army. As a result of the grenade cannonadings of that day, in Meigem sixteen citizens lost their lives. In spite of several attempts were not possible the German infantrymen could not take Vinkt.

This very day Germans soldiers attempted the crossing over the Schipdonkkanaal at Deinze. Citizens from that city were taken along as living shield. There, between 16:30 and 17:00 hours, during the fire between the Belgian and German army exploded a shell among this group of 150 hostages. As a consequence 38 people lost their lives.

Sources: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /IR377.htm

http://www.vinkt.be/pages/mei.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[IvanSR]

Interesting stories, thanks for sharing them!

[tigre]

Hello to all and thanks for your words IvanSR; now the story follows................

From Sunday 26 May 1940 onwards, the facts worsened. It was running among the German soldiers the rumour that citizens had shot on them. Therefore reprisal actions were taken. In Meigem the inhabitants were headed to the church and kept there as hostages. However Vinkt was still in the hands of the Ardennes’ hunters.

Monday 27 May 1940 was a dramatic day for Vinkt and Meigem. In the church of Meigem dozens of people had been caught by German soldiers since Sunday 26 May 1940. However, in the afternoon a heavy deflagration took place there, where in sum 27 people lost their lives. There were several tales concerning this explosion, but most likely it was the consequence of friendly fire. The church was in the line of fire, and could be hit by a Belgian artillery shell.

The cannonadings between the German soldiers and the Ardennes hunters lasted all day long in Vinkt. Around 15:00 hours, the fight had been settled and the IR 377 finally occupied the village.

Sources: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /IR377.htm

http://www.vinkt.be/pages/mei.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; the story follows in this way................

The German soldiers had been then persuaded that some citizens had shot on them. Therefore a raid followed in the village. The inhabitants were taken out from their houses and men, women and children were separated. The women and children were brought together on the meadow of the farmer Jules D'Oosterlinck.

The men firstly were conveyed in the direction of Meigem, but then were brought back to the village. Then the seniors were shot down against the wall of the convent. Along the pastorij's wall a group of five was called forward and then shot. Immediately afterwards eleven others followed. Just as in verderop, to the beenhouwerij ' Of Laere' a similar execution followed. In sum on the rural quarter 38 people were assassinated in this way, four survived the drama.

On Monday 27 May the German soldiers had seized all the main places in Vinkt, such as cross roads or farms. At those places groups of people were shot. Thus around the black Huizeke, twelve people were executed and afterwards were buried in a mass grave. At the farm of "Van der Vennet" another three men were executed: Omer Van Meenen, Jules Van Meenen and Emiel De Ketelaere while Achiel Van Renterghem, Alfons De Cloet and Raymond Van der Plaetsen should dig a mass grave and then shot.

Sources: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /IR377.htm

http://www.vinkt.be/pages/mei.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[dgfred]

Thanks for the post and the great pics.

[IvanSR]

Yeah, those pics are interesting. Haven't seen them until now.

[jerimiah]

wonder what was going through the minds of these soldiers as they shot these innocent people???

[IvanSR]

Do you think that this question is answerable? WAR IS HELL!

[tigre]

Hello and thanks to all of you for joining guys ; the end................

With the capitulation of the Belgian army on Tuesday 28 May officially ended the 18-Days Campaign. But this did not mean the end of the drama in Vinkt. Several citizens had been caught before, and they were still taken as hostages on the meadow of René D' Oosterlinck.

That day nine people once more were brought in front of the firing squad. Five of them, Louis of the Vennet, but Goyvaerts and Oscar, Herman and Roger Pieters were obliged to dig their own grave and then were immediately executed.

During those days in Vinkt and Meigem 140 citizens lost their lives. Among them 86 people were executed, 27 citizens died in the church of Meigem. After the second world war’s end, there was a process against the former German officers Kühner and Lohmann. They were condemned up to 20 years coercion labour but 5 years later, they were extradited to Germany.

Sources: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /IR377.htm

http://www.vinkt.be/pages/mei.html

It's all folks. Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; after a while a little more.........

Armored Infantry in Action.

Early afternoon, June 5, 1940. 1st Company, 12th Armored Infantry (12 SR - 4 Pz) was resting at a farm about 700 yards north of Flancourt. The remainder of the Battalion (I) was in the vicinity of Herbecourt (see map). South of Flancourt, other German Armored Troops in hard combat with the enemy ( French) were held up. Scattered units of this force were South of the Assevillers—Barleux Highway. The Tank Brigade of the Division (4 Pz) having forced its way south through the enemy defense line had reached the hill about 1 1/4 miles northwest of Marchelepot.

At 3:00 PM the 1st Company received the following orders: “Move through Barleux and establish a strong support point on the heights about 1,700 yards east of Ablaincourt. Our tanks will assemble in that area. After establishing the position, the armored train (the APC) will be sent to the rear lightly manned. Other companies of the battalion will be sent up on the armored train to widen and strengthen the supply point.

Attached to the 1st Company are the following:

2 Infantry Guns (75-mm Self-propelled)
4 Heavy Machine Guns
1 Radio Unit (team)
3 Antitank Guns (37-mm)
2 Mortars (81-mm)



Source: Armored Infantry in Action. By Lieutenant Colonel JAMES . CROCKETT ,G.S.C. G-2 ARMORED FORCE. C.& G.S.S. Militarg Review Oct 1941.
eBay auction! Rare German Troop Photos (Panzer Frankreich) 11 de Octubre de 2009, 03:08:31

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

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little more.........

Armored Infantry in Action.

The guns were hooked on to the armored train in compliance with Division orders. Likewise, the heavy machineguns were loaded on the vehicles. While the ammunition and the crews of all weapons were distributed among the infantry units. All wheeled vehicles, including motorcycles, were left behind. A radio unit loaded on an armored vehicle and
assigned to the Company Commander served as liaison and contact with the battalion remaining behind temporarily. By mean of this, the various locations of all units were to be reported by prearranged signals.

At 3:55 PM the reinforced Company fell in after the reconnaissance of the route of Flancourt had been made. The Company utilized all terrain features for protection in the advance towards the enemy. An artillery section in position southwest of Flancourt was requested to support the advance of the Company by fire covering the flanks. Especial attention to the villages Assevillers, Belloy-en-Santerre, Estrees-Deniecourt, Berny-en-Santerre and Fresnes-Mazaneourt.

Source: Armored Infantry in Action. By Lieutenant Colonel JAMES . CROCKETT ,G.S.C. G-2 ARMORED FORCE. C.& G.S.S. Militarg Review Oct 1941.
eBay auction! Rare German Troop Photos (Panzer Frankreich) 11 de Octubre de 2009, 03:08:31

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

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; a little more.........

Armored Infantry in Action.

On crossing the Highway Assevillers—Barleux, the Company attached several scattered infantry units whose attack had been halted by enemy machine-gun fire. Having barely crossed the road, the Company met heavy machinegun and mortar fire from the village of Belloy -en-Santerre.

Without regard or distraction, the Company continued to follow the route of the tanks, which were driving a spearhead towards Ablaincourt.

At the Highway Estrèes - Deniecourt, Villers-Carbonnel., hostile artillery opened fire attempting to prevent our crossing the road, Machine-gun fire came from Estrèes-Deniecourt and Berny en Santerre.

In spite of heavy firing, the enemy failed to deter the Company as it continued the march by detour around the points of artillery concentration.

A narrow path between Estrèes-Deniecourt and Berny en-Smterre was traversed at a high rate of speed under heavy enemy machine gun fire from both sides.

Source: Armored Infantry in Action. By Lieutenant Colonel JAMES . CROCKETT ,G.S.C. G-2 ARMORED FORCE. C.& G.S.S. Militarg Review Oct 1941.
eBay auction! Rare German Troop Photos (Panzer Frankreich) 11 de Octubre de 2009, 03:08:31

Feliz Año Nuevo - Happy New Year - feliz Ano Novo - gluckliches Neues Jahr - Bonne Année - Felice Anno Nuovo!!!

Cheers. Raúl M .