Hi, I'm reading a memoir by a German deserter. It seems more of a 'boys own' adventure than a serious account. I just wanted to list a few of his claims and see whether any of them seem remotely likely.
He claims to have rescued an arab who was being beaten to death by Italians by opening fire on them.
One of his comrades is executed for shooting an ex-SS man after an argument over the 'camps'.
He blew up his unit's radio (21st Pz) to make good his escape. He mentions a Captain Weiss.
I've got him already on an absolute falsehood, that his father earned the Pour-le-merit in WW1.
Africa Korps deserter, Italian relations?
Re: Africa Korps deserter, Italian relations?
A bit further in to it, he's beat up an Italian or two, machine-gunned a couple of Arab police and grenaded some German MPs. He's currently lying low with some Arab rebels (fortuitously catching up with that Arab he saved preciously) who are attacking Italian convoys. Apparently....
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LineDoggie
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Re: Africa Korps deserter, Italian relations?
Well right off the bat how many "Ex-SS men" were in the Afrika Korps? My Guess is none as they would be in the SS, Allgemeine or Waffen.
"There are two kinds of people who are staying on this beach: those who are dead and those who are going to die. Now let’s get the hell out of here".
Col. George Taylor, 16th Infantry Regiment, Omaha Beach
Col. George Taylor, 16th Infantry Regiment, Omaha Beach
Re: Africa Korps deserter, Italian relations?
I've certainly heard of men transferring to the SS but not from it? It's possible I suppose. Also, in mid 1940, I don't know whether it's likely that anyone would be arguing about 'the camps' to the extent that murder and executions followed.
Anyway, I've finished 'I Deserted Rommel' by Gunther Bahnemann and I'm sure that most of it is complete rubbish. It seems likely he was with 21st Panzer but his adventures across the desert, shooting his way through road-blocks and attempts to capture him are fanciful. One thing that did intrigue me was his statement that his photo was in the Korps newspaper 'The Oasis' to assist in his capture. Again, this seems reasonable but hardly the sort of thing a propaganda paper would be drawing attention to?
Anyway, I've found some interesting stuff about the author. I'll put it all together and put a review on my German Memoirs thread.
Anyway, I've finished 'I Deserted Rommel' by Gunther Bahnemann and I'm sure that most of it is complete rubbish. It seems likely he was with 21st Panzer but his adventures across the desert, shooting his way through road-blocks and attempts to capture him are fanciful. One thing that did intrigue me was his statement that his photo was in the Korps newspaper 'The Oasis' to assist in his capture. Again, this seems reasonable but hardly the sort of thing a propaganda paper would be drawing attention to?
Anyway, I've found some interesting stuff about the author. I'll put it all together and put a review on my German Memoirs thread.