On a Bicycle Built For....War

Discussions on all (non-biographical) aspects of the Freikorps, Reichswehr, Austrian Bundesheer, Heer, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Fallschirmjäger and the other Luftwaffe ground forces. Hosted by Christoph Awender.
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Haegg
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#31

Post by Haegg » 15 Jan 2003, 09:14

Caldric wrote:I wonder how much more ground they could make in a day compared to regular marching infantry.
During the forties the Swedish army estimated that a marching unit would keep a speed of appr. 4 km/h while a bicycle unit would keep a speed of appr. 12 km/h.

I have to agree with Harri that the distance a bicycle unit can cover per day is at least two to three times that of an marching unit. To ride a bike is not only faster, it does not wear so much on the body as marching does. Well the rear side can be pretty sore I admit that, but it's a minor problem compared to sore feets caused by marching for the ability to keep moving :)

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sylvieK4
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#32

Post by sylvieK4 » 17 Jan 2003, 18:49



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sylvieK4
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#33

Post by sylvieK4 » 22 Jan 2003, 16:57

How much equipment could a bicycle trooper carry? Did they ever carry heavy machine guns, mortars and things such as this?

What did the average bicycle soldier carry with him? Was it more or less than what a foot soldier had? (For example, did the bicycle trooper carry more grenades, different weapons, etc. than an ordinary infantryman?)

Did the bicycle soldier usually carry more food rations with him (since he might out-pace field kitchens traveling with the foot troops)?

From: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... egory=4078
Image

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Stuka
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#34

Post by Stuka » 18 Feb 2003, 10:01

I have read from John Torland's <<Pacific war>> that mentioned that during the campaign in southeast asia, the Japanese infantrymen got rid of the rubber tyes from the bicycles @_@ :lol: , then the British soldiers
regarded the noises as the roar of tanks' tracks, so that they put off their weapons to retreat......

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Dennis Redler
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Bicycle built for war

#35

Post by Dennis Redler » 21 Feb 2003, 00:56

Here's something from my action figure collection.
Dennis :)
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Matthew
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#36

Post by Matthew » 21 Feb 2003, 13:45

I don't know if anyone has posted this picture before, but it is the only color one I have ever seen of German soldiers with bicycles.

Radfahr-Schwadron
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#37

Post by Radfahr-Schwadron » 08 Jan 2006, 18:19

Timo wrote:The Leibstandarte and Das Reich both entered the Ardennes with several platoons on bicycles per order from OKH with the intention to save fuel. Also Muncheberg had a complete Panzergrenadier-Regiment on bicycles

Hitler ordered on 02.11.1944 that a Division with six Panzergrenadierbataillonen should have two complete Batallionen on bicycles. A KstN was made following this order.

(BA-MA WF 03-4693, Tätigkeitsbericht des Gen.d.Pz.Tr. West, Anlage 145)
TIMO,

I am unfamiliar with this source. Can you please provide the whole source for this? I am unfamiliar with the abbreviations. I would like to read more about the Leibstandarte and Das Reich into the Ardennes on Bicycles. Thank you if you can provide me with any information.

Richard

Andreas
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#38

Post by Andreas » 08 Jan 2006, 19:45

OKH - Oberkommando des Heeres (German Armz High Command)

KStn - Kriegsstärkenachweisung (TO/E - see also http://chrito.users1.50megs.com/kstn/kstninfo.htm )

BA-MA - Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv (German federal military archives)

Gen. d. Pz.trp. - General of Armoured Troops (in this case presumably the inspector of armoured troops for the west).

All the best

Andreas

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Christoph Awender
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#39

Post by Christoph Awender » 08 Jan 2006, 19:47

TIMO,

I am unfamiliar with this source. Can you please provide the whole source for this? I am unfamiliar with the abbreviations. I would like to read more about the Leibstandarte and Das Reich into the Ardennes on Bicycles. Thank you if you can provide me with any information.

Richard
The BAMA is the Bundesarchiv Militärarchiv in Germany which holds the surviving original documents of the german military forces.

http://www.bundesarchiv.de

\Christoph

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Larrister
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#40

Post by Larrister » 09 Jan 2006, 12:45

Some bicycle photos.
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Larrister
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#41

Post by Larrister » 09 Jan 2006, 12:51

2.
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Larrister
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#42

Post by Larrister » 09 Jan 2006, 12:52

3.
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Larrister
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#43

Post by Larrister » 09 Jan 2006, 12:54

4.
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Reader3000
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#44

Post by Reader3000 » 09 Jan 2006, 19:11

Nice photos. They took it with pride. 8) The Swiss nowadays has still bicycles in some of their units.

Dubar1
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#45

Post by Dubar1 » 22 Jan 2006, 14:02

Did anyone notice the "female" bicycle in Larrister's next to last picture??? It's the last bike on the right.

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