Mountain police armour

[kerryboo]

Hello all,
Today, whilst searching for something else, I recovered a photo album I have not seen for well over 10 years. In the album I have a small group of large-scale photos on Agfa paper, depicting various armoured and soft skin vehicles of an unknown unit. The vehicles are very much a mixed bunch and the uniforms have me thinking. In one it is just possible to make out a police arm eagle, in others there are edelweiss on headgear and Pol number plates on the softskins. Please could someone suggest what the seemingly rag-tag unit might be? I attach a couple of scans which illustrate some of the points.
Many thanks,
Kerry.

[shamirnewell]

Hello all,
Today, whilst searching for something else, I recovered a photo album I have not seen for well over 10 years. In the album I have a small group of large-scale photos on Agfa paper, depicting various armoured and soft skin vehicles of an unknown unit. The vehicles are very much a mixed bunch and the uniforms have me thinking. In one it is just possible to make out a police arm eagle, in others there are edelweiss on headgear and Pol number plates on the softskins. Please could someone suggest what the seemingly rag-tag unit might be? I attach a couple of scans which illustrate some of the points.
Many thanks,
Kerry.

there was apparently a "Polizei Panzer-Jaeger Kompanie Kroatien. Don't know much but it existed 1944. Which would account for the Marder 3. The architecture in the photos look Zagreb Balkan? There is writing on the building what does it say? What language is it?

[kerryboo]

Thank you Shamir, I will try to find out the language. I attach another of the group to illustrate further the mixture of equipment, it looks like the line-up for a museum more than a fighting unit. To increase my puzzlement the helmet visible on the far piece of armour has a Wehrmacht decal.
Thanks again,
Kerry.

[john_g_kearney]

Interesting range of footwear too, Kerry.

In your first photograph the soldier in the white shirt appears to be wearing riding boots with straps for spurs. The other soldier appears to be wearing ordinary ankle boots.

In your second photograph the soldier on the right with his back to the camera appears to be wearing nailed mountain boots, and the soldier to the left of him is wearing either jackboots or riding boots - possibly the latter, as is he wearing breeches?

John.

[kerryboo]

Thank you for the observations John, it seems more like a mixed unit all the time.

Shamir, you mentioned the architecture, there were also two general views in the lot, with good detail. Perhaps somebody could suggest the location?

Thanks again,

Kerry.

[shamirnewell]

Looking at the initial photographs I think the man in shirt sleeves and the man in the center of the 2nd picture with the camera at his 8 o'clock position is the same man. To my eye the physical resemblance is identical.

I would also put forward I believe he is the officer in charge of the unit. appears to wear white shirt, riding boots with breeches, wears no head covering, and also is not engaged in fatigue duty like those around him.

[Mark V.]

Hi Kerry,

Nice pictures. Thanks for posting them. The last two pictures are from Kostanjevica na Krki in Slovenia. Not sure about the unit.

In autumn 1943 there were some Marders from LSSAH and 71.Inf.Div. in the area. Stationed in the area were also policemen from SS-Pol.Rgt.19 and later SS-Pol.Rgt.14, many from the latter wore Edelweisses.

[Mark V.]

or better yet a training unit - like Pz.Jäg.-Ers.- und Ausb.Abt. 48.

[Mark V.]

All photos were taken around the Kostanjevica southern bridge over river Krka. During the Italian occupation the Italian soldiers occupied the so-called Gatsch's house (photo #5) at the bridge and fortified it. You can see shooting slits made in the windows and signs of previous fighting from September 1943, when the partisans attacked the garrsion.
In 1944 elements of I./SS-Pol.Rgt.14 and 13.Pol.Pz.Kp. occupied the house, vehicles were parked in the backyard and in garages as shown on your photos (#2, 3). Usually when garrison units took part in larger anti-partisan sweeps the garrison received reinforcements from units located nearby. Probably this unknown unit (Pz.Jäg.-Ers.- und Ausb.Abt. 48.?) arrived in Kostanjevica as reinforcement during one such sweep.

3D model of Kostanjevica with locations of photos.

Now and then - Photo #1.

https://goo.gl/maps/ukHuWdqz8x42

Two more photos of the Gatsch house and the bridge over Krka (source: Kostanjevica na Krki – Podobe preteklosti).

kost.jpg (61.31 KiB) Viewed 931 times

kost1.jpg (26.8 KiB) Viewed 931 times

[kerryboo]

Mark V,
That is amazing information, thank you so much for sharing it, these photos now have real context for me. Also, the 3-D model is superbly made and makes it all clear concerning position of the various photos.
Best regards,
Kerry.

[kerryboo]

Here is another view of the vehicle park, the trucks have Pol registrations, also a nice view of the elderly Panzerjager 1.
Kerry.