High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

[Gastolli]

Leutnant Gantert -2/ PZ,JG,abt.205 - 8 panzerkills

Hello Antonio,

Leutnant Hans Christof Gandert, Pz.Jg.Kp. 1205, got the EK2 on 20.1.1945 and the EK1 after the above mentioned success on 28.1.1945, died on 7.3.1945.

His Richtschütze Unteroffizier (ROB) Joachim Riecke, got the EK2 on 20.1.1945 also, so I expect these men serving in the same Sturmgeschütz even before the action vom 23.1.1945. Riecke didn't get the EK1 from 205. Inf.Div. for that ...

Oliver

[Gastolli]

Panzerjager Unteroffizier Zink - 13 Panzerkills
I don't know anything about this

Ah, I can't add anything to this man.

Obviously a gun commander of a Sturmgeschütz from a unit fighting south of Siena. Looking at the maps, that's the position of 29. PGD, to the South-West of Siena the 90. PGD, and to the South-East 4. Fsch.Jg.Div.

29. PGD and 90. PGD of course had Sturmgeschütze in their inventory, but I can't tell you who this Mr. Fink was

Oliver

[Gastolli]

Hm, to counter this "failure", I have found this one within Bundesarchiv files this evening:

This should be Leutnant d.Res. Walter Beise, born 3.8.1918, according to some sources Chef of 2./Stug.Abt. 904 !

He got the EK2 on 13.7.1941 and the EK1 on 31.10.1941 as an Unteroffizier with 1./Stug.Abt. 197, than the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold as Lt.d.R. on 25.10.1943.

He's not listed within Volksbund Kriegsgräberfürsorge as fallen or missing.

Oliver

[alcius]

Thanks Oliver for the clarifications, and for Beise, of whom I knew nothing.

Other panzerjager aces
Leutnant Franz Kopka and Gefreiter Franz Muschiol - 1./Pz.Jäg.Abt. 8

In the book: The History of the Panzerjäger Volume 1: Origins and Evolution 1939–42 · Volume 1 -page 251 describes the action of July 7, 1941, in which the 1./Pz.Jäg.Abt. 8 destroyed 34 enemy tanks.
Kopka's platoon on 3 SDKFZ8 with 88mm destroyed 27 tanks.
The panzerjager in which Kopka was commander and Muschiol gunner, was credited with 15 victories, and for this Kopka was decorated by the HRC.
They were later transferred to Schwere Panzerjagerabteilung 559, both on the same Sturmgeschutz, and were awarded the German Cross in Gold.
I don't know how many victories they got in the SPz.Jg.Abt.559, but from what I have found at least 3 or 4.

Antonio

[alcius]

Another panzerjager aces

Unteroffizier Ferdinand Twirdy - 3,/Pz.Jg.Abt.181 - 14 kills
https://hultschiner-soldaten.de/soldat/ ... ferdinand/

Antonio

[alcius]

Another Stug Aces I don't know about

Feldwebel Zeisig - 18 kills
http://bc.wimbp.lodz.pl/Content/29179/L ... %20279.pdf

zeisig.png (121.52 KiB) Viewed 497 times

Antonio

[Gastolli]

Leutnant Franz Kopka and Gefreiter Franz Muschiol - 1./Pz.Jäg.Abt. 8

Ah, again, Franz Kopka was the Zugführer, and despite him being on board the Selbstfahrlafette during that engagement, the actual gun commander was Uffz. Erich Himmel (gunner Gefr. Franz Muschiol). Erich Himmel got the EK1 on 17.7.1941 for that engagement, as did Kopka and Muschiol, with Franz Kopka getting the Mention in the Ehrenblatt additionally.

Himmel (as a Leutnant) and Muschiol (as a Feldwebel) earned the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold late in 1945, but I don't know for what actual feats.

Franz Kopka also got the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold in Dec 1944, according to the unit chronicle he had some successes, but I'm not sure how many exactly.

Oliver

[Gastolli]

Unteroffizier Ferdinand Twirdy

Thanks for that, good find!

Oliver

[Gastolli]

Feldwebel Zeisig - 18 kills

Hm ...

I think something is wrong with this article, which I also have found. A Feldwebel was not gun commander of a Sturmgeschütz (he should have had the rank of Wachtmeister) and in the same article you can read "vier deutsche Panzer". So what?

Most probably it was a tank unit and during that time they claimed a lot of success at the Nordriegelstellung Stalingrad. There must have been a couple of tank aces among the units involved in the fights there and I think the name "Zeisig" is wrong. Intentionally or accidentely.

Oliver

[Gastolli]

Hello Antonio,

something I have found recently (Velberter Zeitung, 13.3.1944), but in this case ..., you have three tank aces but, no names, unfortunately.

Well, this is s.Pz.Abt. 501, as Witebsk is mentioned it also could have been s.Pz.Abt. 505, but Brückenkopf Wowiki and the river Lutschessa identify the unit as the 501.

Not much known about them, so here you have 3 tank commanders with 8, 9 and 12 tank kills, but I don't know their names.

Oliver

[alcius]

Thanks Oliver
I also have this newspaper clipping, I had looked for evidence, but I have not found anything

Antonio

[alcius]

I'll put you some aces from the Pz.Abt.116
Unteroffizier Stellenberger - 8 kills
Unteroffizier Rostand - 7 kills
From the clipping it is also written that the Leutnant Bunzel destroyed 48 Tanks.
Later he fought in Panzer Regiment 16, reaching 95 tank kills.

Zeitung 3/2/1944

bunzel.png (217.43 KiB) Viewed 427 times

Another ace is the Leutnant Rudolf Schröder of the 2 / Pz.Abt.116
On 24/08/1943 he destroyed 10 T34
Book "Panzer aces III"

Antonio

[Gastolli]

I'll put you some aces from the Pz.Abt.116

Wow, nice find this is. Found this article too, now. The last sentence of this article also gives particulars as to the dates of the 100th, 200th and 300th tank kill of Pz.Abt. 116, very nice.

And, here they are:

Lt. Hans-Karl Bunzel
Fights around 31.1.1944, he than had 48 tank kills according to the newspaper. On 17.12.1944 he had his 55. tank kill (according to the recommendation for the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold). So to say I have some doubts as of his own claim of 95 tank kills up to war's end. Oblt. Bunzel was using Panther tanks with I./Pz.Rgt. 16 in the final months of war, but he had "just" 55 tank kills to his credit up to 17.12.1944, so he needs another 40 in less than fife months. Would be possible on the Eastern front against the big sowjet offensive pushes in 1945, but on the Western front? You know, that the allied tankers avoided unnecessary engagements, German tank vs. tank success in the West in 1944/45 was ..., well, I estimate it 1:1, not really impressive.

Uffz. Julius Stellenberger
He got the EK 1 on 31.1.1944 while serving with 3./Pz.Abt. 116, the same company as Lt. Bunzel (maybe the same Zug?).

Uffz. Fritz Rostan
He also got the EK 1 on 31.1.1944, also serving with 3./Pz.Abt. 116.

Rudolf Schroeder (Oberfeldwebel, later Leutnant)
He was a Oberfeldwebel and "Hauptfeldwebel-Diensttuer" with 4./Pz.Abt. 116 and got the EK 1 the same day he had this big success, 24.8.1943. In January 1944 he was promoted to Leutnant and went on to serve with I./Pz.Rgt. 16 (Panther).


Oliver

[alcius]

Thanks Oliver.

I have a series of aces with few wins, of which I know little.

Obergefreite Heinz Munch - Panzerjager - 10 kills
https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkans ... 6af59053b0

munch.png (292.92 KiB) Viewed 366 times

[alcius]

Unteroffizier Oberst and Gefreiten kaiser - 3/Pzjgabt 190- 7 kills in 2 days

https://digital.slub-dresden.de/werkans ... 8f132cf2fb

oberst.png (231.56 KiB) Viewed 366 times