High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

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alcius
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Re: High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

#901

Post by alcius » 14 Mar 2023, 17:39

I found some sources on Leutnant Rudiger von Moltke of Pz.Rgt.35.
In the last month of 1945 he destroyed 35 enemy tanks on his Panzer IV.
I don't know if alone, or with his company

Antonio

Gastolli
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Re: High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

#902

Post by Gastolli » 14 Mar 2023, 20:19

alcius wrote:
14 Mar 2023, 17:39
I don't know if alone, or with his company
Hello Antonio,

I know this, he destroyed 35 tanks within two months in Westpreussen with his Zug, not allone. But, anyway, you may credit him with at least 10 tanks or so, a Zug usually had fife or four tanks, and less than that in the last stages of war for sure. On the other hand: He was Führer of 8. Kompanie of Pz.Rgt. 35 from early February 1945, so this success in my opinion could also be, or should be?, the success of his company!

Further, he got the EK2 in November 1943 and EK1 in March 1944, so he was an experienced tank commander a year before already, obviously picking up some point for a later Deutsches Kreuz in Gold proposal :) !

But, I have no total or details as to his personal success, unfortunately.

Oliver


alcius
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Re: High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

#903

Post by alcius » 16 Mar 2023, 17:11

Thanks Oliver

From germandocsinrussia.org
CAMO-500-12475-22-0169
12/07/1944
Unteroffizier Pieper - 8/Pz.Rgt.26 - PZ.IV - 4 Sherman
pieper unt.png
Antonio

Gastolli
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Re: High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

#904

Post by Gastolli » 17 Mar 2023, 19:54

alcius wrote:
16 Mar 2023, 17:11
Unteroffizier Pieper - 8/Pz.Rgt.26 - PZ.IV - 4 Sherman
Hi Antonio,

thank you for that! Unfortunately Pz.Rgt. 26 is one of the units I'm lacking information on their men, so I can't add anything to this person.

Nice find :-)

Oliver

alcius
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Re: High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

#905

Post by alcius » 21 Mar 2023, 11:50

Leutnant Hubertus Drolshage - Knight's Cross - Panzerjäger-Abteilung 41 (sfl)
From what I understand, he attacked 9 T34s, but I don't know if he destroyed them
drolshage.png
drolshage.png (205.58 KiB) Viewed 614 times
Antonio

Gastolli
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Re: High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

#906

Post by Gastolli » 21 Mar 2023, 13:58

alcius wrote:
21 Mar 2023, 11:50
From what I understand, he attacked 9 T34s, but I don't know if he destroyed them
Hello Antonio,

unfortunately this article doesn't give us a clue as what exactly happened, but he single handedly stopped these 9 T34's with his thinnly armored Marder.

From several books I know that he had destroyed 2 T34 on 24.11.1943 and 1 T34 on 22.3.1944, by occasion I would like to say, but this wasn't the Ritterkreuz feat. He could well have destroyed more than 5 tanks, much more I think ...

Oliver

alcius
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Re: High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

#907

Post by alcius » 22 Mar 2023, 17:49

Thanks Oliver

I found in
Der Führer / Kreisausgabe Rastatt (21/09/1943) 261
https://digital.blb-karlsruhe.de/blbz/p ... e%20pak%22
some panzerjager names.
Rahlenbeck, Fasel and Weidlich I had already entered.
Obergefreiten Wagner, is Erich Wagner - Geschützführer 16./Jäger-Regiment 38 - 9 kills
But I haven't found any of these.
Obergefreiter Kratochwil – Schweren Pak - 3 kills
Unteroffizier Chilian – Schweren Pak – 3 kills
Gefreiter Bargsten – Mittleren Pak – 6 kills

Antonio

Gastolli
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Re: High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

#908

Post by Gastolli » 23 Mar 2023, 20:54

alcius wrote:
22 Mar 2023, 17:49
some panzerjager names.
Hello Antonio,

ah, nice :-) Of course, Rahlenbeck, Wagner and Weidlich are "well known", so to say.

I haven't heard from Fasel yet, that was new to me!

So, o.k., we still have three soldiers to go:

Ogfr. Kratochwil
This is a PK-report, name also could have been Kratochwill, Kratochvil or Kratochvill (you know the accuracy of these kind of stuff), but anyway I have no details on this man. The report says "Südlich der Flugplatzstraße vor der Stadt", sounds like the immediate vicinity of Staraja Russa, so from the chart I would say he must have belonged to 30. Inf.Div.

Uffz. Chilian
Also, unknown to me, but a very unusual German family name. I can see all those men listed in the Volksbund database born in Northern Germany, so I would expect Uffz. Chilian also belonged to 30. Inf.Div.!

Gefr. Bargsten
Here, also this name can be found in Northern Germany, usually. But I found a note of mine from Bundesarchiv sources, that
Gefreiter Dietrich Bargsten, 14./G.R. 6 (30. Inf.Div.)
was recommended for the "Nennung im Ehrenblatt", but this recommendation was rejected (no further details). So, you can't find him in any lists, but at least we have a full name. I can't find a Dietrich Bargsten in the Volksbund database, so he could have survived WW2.


Oliver

alcius
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Re: High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

#909

Post by alcius » 24 Mar 2023, 12:40

Thanks Oliver
I thought I already put Fasel.
However you find it in
https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/300 ... Walter.htm
From the site it appears that he destroyed 14 enemy tanks

Antonio

alcius
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Re: High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

#910

Post by alcius » 24 Mar 2023, 12:46

2 more, about which I know nothing.

Gefreite Erich Bardehle - 4 kills
Westfälische Tageszeitung 91 (14/05/1942) 131
https://zeitpunkt.nrw/ulbms/periodical/ ... panzern%22
bardehle.png
bardehle.png (118.49 KiB) Viewed 525 times
Gefreite Johannes Bohme - Geschutz - 10 kills
Der sächsische Erzähler : 07.03.1942
https://sachsen.digital/werkansicht/313 ... e6d5452969
bohme.png
Antonio

Gastolli
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Re: High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

#911

Post by Gastolli » 25 Mar 2023, 12:06

alcius wrote:
24 Mar 2023, 12:40
From the site it appears that he destroyed 14 enemy tanks
Hello Antonio,

thanks for the addition. I'm not sure if the one tank destroyed in close combat by Fasel is included in his total of 14, but anyway a nice find.

Oliver

Gastolli
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Re: High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

#912

Post by Gastolli » 25 Mar 2023, 13:00

alcius wrote:
24 Mar 2023, 12:46
Gefreite Erich Bardehle - 4 kills
Hi Antonio,

well, one of many Richtschützen of a gez.Pak, I would say, although a gunner of a tank or a Sturmgeschütz also is possible to be true.

There's one Erich Bardehle in the Volksbund database, missing between 23.-30.8.1944 in Romania:
https://www.volksbund.de/erinnern-geden ... a09f8488d9

Oliver

Gastolli
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Re: High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

#913

Post by Gastolli » 25 Mar 2023, 13:12

alcius wrote:
24 Mar 2023, 12:46
Gefreite Johannes Bohme - Geschutz - 10 kills
Hi Antonio,

Johannes Böhme (with the Umlaut Ö) most probably died on 30.8.1944 at Schloßberg, Ostpreußen:
https://www.volksbund.de/erinnern-geden ... 46d5455a2e

I just searched for the place of birth "Wilthen", and it's not 100% save but pretty sure, that this is the right person.

Most probably a Pak gunner, year of birth 1920 does fit with his rank in early 1942 as did his rank in the summer of 1944.
His unit remains unknown to me of course.

Oliver

alcius
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Re: High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

#914

Post by alcius » 25 Mar 2023, 16:42

Thanks Oliver
As for Fasel, I have some newspaper clippings confirming 1 tank destroyed in close combat in the Knight's Cross action, so it's included in the total of 14.

Antonio

alcius
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Re: High Scorers with Panzers and Paks

#915

Post by alcius » 25 Mar 2023, 16:48

alcius wrote:
07 Oct 2022, 11:28
Oberleutnant Leitheser - Sturmgeschutz - 6 kills
Zeitung 8/9/1944

leitheiser.png
I found in
https://www.wehrmacht-forum.de/index.ph ... /&pageNo=1

LEIDHEISER, Karl; OLt., RDA: 1.3.44 (94), *23.10.1911 • †17.08.1944 a.d.F.d.Verw. Bretville/Frankr.); Pz.Jäg.Abt. 272 (EKII)

Since the article refers to a fight against the Americans, it could be him.

Antonio

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