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OSPREY· MEN-AT-ARMS SERIES

£ufiwajft
~rborneand
yield 'Units
Text by MARTIN WINDROW
Colour plates by MICHAEL ROFFE
MEN-AT-ARMS SERIES
EDITOR: PHILIP WAR ER

Text by MARTIN WINDROW


Colour plates by MICHAEL ROFFE

OSPREY PUBLISHING LIMITED


aCuftwaffi ~rborne ol1d.Jileld 'Ul1its

fillschirntjiiger several police battalions, entitled Landespoli;:ei-


gruppe 'General Goring'. Subsequent to the official
birth of the Air Force in October 1935, this unit
was incorporated with the title Regiment 'General
Goring'. It became an "lite formation and was held
up as an example of smartness and efficiency. In
November 1935 some 600 volunteers from the
regiment formed the nucleus of Germany's first
airborne unit. In 1938 the battalion was severed
from its parent regiment to become I. Batailton/
That forces with a nominal strength of more than Faltschirmjiiger Regiment I (1st Bn., Paratrooper
twenty divisions should have served in all m'\ior Regiment I).
theatres of the Second World War, as infantry,
artillery, tank crews, and service troops, while
wearing the blue uniform of the German Luftwaffe,
may seem paradoxical. In part this situation came
about through the bizarre conditions under which
the Nazi Party came to power. All the major
personalities of that ungodly hierarchy were
dedicated to the advancement of their personal
and departmental empires. When occupied terri-
tory was being looted, they strove to acquire
privileges and priorities; they vied with one
another for Hitler's ear, and for the influence
which came with his especial favour; and when
his flame was finally seen to be guttering out, they
indulged in schemes of Byzantine intrigue for
personal survival and aggrandizement. In many
cases they worked ceaselessly to extend their
personal pre-war 'power-bases' into autonomous
formations of combat troops, both as a measure of
insurance in a chancy world, and in order that
their personal spheres of influence should be seen
by the German people and the world to be parti-
cipating actively in Germany's conquests.
In this squalid contest Hermann Goring was an
enthusiastic competitor. Before the emergence of
the young Luftwaffe in 1935 his power-base
centred upon his office as Secretary of the Interior, Cover of the JUDe 1941 issue of the Gennan. forces znaga-
and his control of the Prussian police apparatus. zine Signal - beret a Dutch language edldOD - with an
ard.de on the Cretan cam.paign. Note detall. of parachute
Under his orders he assembled an armed force of harness and e:dt poddoD

3
For the reasons already mentioned, Goring characteristic dive from the door seen in many
lobbied ceaselessly to gain control of all airborne wartime photographs was not an example of over-
troops; in January 1939 his efforts bore fruit. Not dramatic posing, but a necessary tactic. Illustra-
long after the raising of the paratroop battalion in tions indicate that the type of chute used by the
his own personal regiment the Army High Com- Fallschirmjager, in puzzling contrast to that issued
mand, appreciating the obvious potential of such to Luftwaffe aircrew, did not have lift webs - the
troops, had brought into being an experimental straps connected the lower ends of the shroud
Fallschirm I~fanterie Kompanie, which was soon lines to the body harness. The shroud lines seem
expanded to battalion strength and attracted to terminate in the pack itself, rather than in
great attention through its spectacular participa- attachment points on the shoulders. The centre of
tion in public displays. In 1939 this unit was gravity was thus rather high, and if the canopy
handed over to the Air Force to become II. had deployed when the man was falling in the
usual 'standing' posture the shock would have
jerked his legs back and up, with considerable
danger of fouling the whipping shroud lines. By
exiting in a semi-'face down' posture he could
withstand the shock of opening with greater
stability. Nevertheless, from personal experience
the author believes that landing in this type ofrig
must have been a severe test of skill and nerve -
both technically tricky and psychologically un-
nerving.
The air phase of training consisted of six jumps,
of which the first was made alone, from a height Service tunic of a Luftwaffe Hauptmann or captaht. The Detail of Hauptmann's twdc, showing rank disdncdons
collar 18 piped in .ilver to htdicate cornmJ.ssloned rank; on shoulder and collar. The sUver 'Russia braJd' shoulder-
LuftwGffe officer's service cap (Schirmmutze) piped itt of about 600 feet; this would give a falling time of the .Uver thread breast eagle is an early pattern with a straps have an underlay of yellow Waffenfarbe, indicadng
sUver, with silver thread woven badges and silver cords. about half a minute. Subsequent jumps were short, dOWD~turDed taiL The War Service Cross with service in either the ftying or paratroop branches. Two
(Author'. collection) Swords t. worn on the right breast, the ribbon of the Iron yellow-Inetal pips indicate rank. The collar patches in
made in groups and in conditions of varying light, Cro•• 2nd CIas. in the buttonhole, and the Iron Cross ut yellow Waffenfarbe are outlined in sUver cord, and bear
CIa.. and the Silver Wound Badge on the left breast. the three styl1zed sUver wings and sm.a1l oak .pray of
Bataillon/FJR I. (This abbreviation of Fallschirm- culminating in the sixth jump, which involved (Battle of Britain Museum, Langley) captain's rank. (Batde of Britain MuseUDl, Langley)
jager Regiment will be used henceforward.) The nine plane-loads of troopers jumping under
regiment was placed under the command of the simulated battle conditions. The altitude was
very able Generalmajor Kurt Student in the Air lowered progressively, and this final 'combat' carried. Conventionally, the main back-pack was Parabellum (Luger) 9 mm automatic pistol, a few
Force's Flieger (Fallschirm) Division 7. drop was from less than 400 feet. In common with deployed by the' pull ofa static line, anchored to a grenades in his smock pockets, and his gravity-
The training of the elite paratroop units was paratroopers of other nations at that time (and for rail by the aircraft door. On completing his six knife; this last was a large flat jack-knife, which
thorough and carefully planned. First were in- many years thereafter) no emergency chute was jumps the soldier was awarded his qualification could double as a fighting knife, and was primarily
stilled the basic techniques of landing - the badge; to retain it, he had thereafter to make at intended for cutting free fouled harness and
positioning of the body to transmit the shock of least six jumps a year. shroud lines. One source states that about one man
landing into a rolling impact, spreading the blow Parachute training ensures merely the soldier's in four carried the folding-stock MP.38 (later,
over a large and relatively invulnerable area. arrival on the battlefield; of more obvious MP.40) Schmeisser 9 mm sub-machine-gun on
Familiarity with and correct handling of the importance is his effectiveness once on the ground. the drop, but whether this practice was followed
parachute harness came next, and at an early The Fallschirmjager were exhaustively trained in from the beginning of the war is not certain. All
stage the recruit began training in parachute light infantry techniques designed to exploit their other weapons were dropped in supply canisters,
packing. By the time air training commenced he advantages (surprise and mobility) and to mini- which had to be located and opened on the drop-
was required to have mastered this fairly simple mize their handicaps (isolation and lack of heavy zone before the unit could be fully effective. These
but vital skill, and thereafter he only jumped rigs weapons). Demolition under fire, fast movement weapons were the standard Mauser K.98 rifle,
that he had packed himself - psychologically, an over enemy terrain, maximum disruption of the the MP.38 and .40, and the MG.34 (later,
extremely sound practice. Having undergone enemy's lines of communication, the use of enemy MG.42) machine-gun. The proportion of rifles
sessions suspended in a captive harness and having weapons - all these were emphasized. The arma- to Schmeissers seems to have been about two to
mastered exit procedures from a static fuselage, ment of the paratroop rifle squad was precariously one; a small number in each platoon were
Luftwaffe officer's sidecap (Feldmutze) piped in silver
the recruit made his first actual jump. The around the 'turD~up'. (Author's collection) weak. Each man jumped with only a P.08 equipped with telescopic sniper sights, to improve

4 5
OPERATIONS
The paratroopers played no part in the Polish
campaign, beyond taking up defensive positions
on captured airfields. Their first major campaign
was Operation Weseriibung in April 194c0 - the
seizure of Norway and Denmark.
On 9 April elements of FJR I seized the vital
Aalborg airfield in Denmark and the long bridge

-- connecting Funen with Falster island. In Norway


a company ofparatroopers took part in the capture
of Stavanger-Sola airfield and the occupation of
Oslo. On 14 April a company landed at Dombils
north-east of Oslo to prepare a blocking position
across the British line of retreat. Goring stepped in
at this point and refused to reinforce the company,
on the grounds that the Air Force was already
bearing too heavy a burden in the campaign; as
a result the company, after five days of bitter
fighting, was captured. In late May and early
June paratroopers to company strength were
dropped into Narvik; led by Oberleutnant Fritz
Becker, they earned a good name for steadiness
under difficult circumstances.
Meanwhile, in the West, the opening of the
blitzkrieg was marked by a brilliant operation
FonnadoD of Junkers Ju SZ!3m. transport aircraft over Jumping from. only some 200 feet above the Dutch
the Mediterranean; the sturdy Junkers was invariably
mounted by a small force from Sturmabteilung countryside, a FallschiYmjhgeY drops clear of the aircraft;
used when the LuftW4}fe mounted an airborne operation. Koch, a special services unit led by an officer of note face.dowD position, and fully extended stade line
(U.S. National Archives) strap. (hnperiaJ War Museum)
that name. Major Witzig and his para-sappers
(Fallschirm-Pioniere) landed on Fort Eben Emael
the weak long-range firepower of the squad. fire were too limited for the FG.4c2 to replace the in D.F.S.230 gliders early on the morning of I I In Holland the paratroopers also played their
As early as 194c0 an effective airborne artillery conventional belt-fed light machine-guns, and May. So secret had been their training that the part in the steam-roller advance of the Wehrmacht;
piece had been developed, but it is not thought certain features of the design were not perfected gliders, flown perforce by civilian volunteers, had the whole of FJR I was eventually committed,
that these were available in quantities greater until the 19# version appeared. been transferred from the training field at seizing bridges and airfields as well as the cities of
than about two per paratroop rifle battalion. The The paratrooper was carried into action by the Hildesheim to Koln-Butzweilerhof, disassembled, The Hague and, in company with other units,
75 mm recoil-less gun, rather resembling a large venerable but reliable Junkers Ju 52/3m tri- in furniture vans! While Witzig and his fifty-four Rotterdam. The paratroopers were supported
'bazooka' on a light wheeled carriage, could be motor transport aircraft. Eighteen men could be men blasted their way into the nine fortifications and reinforced, as soon as they had seized a land-
dropped in two supply canisters. In 194c3 a accommodated in its slab-sided fuselage; it was a of Eben Emael with 50 kg satchel charges, para- ing ground, by plane-loads ofmen from the Army's
105 mm piece appeared, and there was an air- robust machine which stood up well to battle troopers of 1. Kompanie/FJR I jumped near by 22nd Air Landing Division.
borne version of the standard tapered-bore 28/20 damage and rough landings on front-line air- and captured the three bridges at Veldwezelt, In the aftermath of the victories in the West the
mm anti-tank gun. Each battalion also had thir- strips, and its three engines were an important Vroenhoven and Briedgen, supported by dive- paratroop units were expanded into the XI.
teen 81 mm mortars. The functions of both rifle safety factor. It was also employed as the towing bombers. By mid-morning the forts and bridges Flieger Korps (Luftlande-Korps) under General
and sub-machine-gun were to some extent taken craft for the world's first assault glider, the were firmly occupied, the Albert Canal had ceased Student. This included FJR I and FJR 2, the
over in the mid-war years by the ingenious FG.4c2 D.F.S.230; this carried nine fully equipped to pose an obstacle to the German advance, and newly raised FJR 3, the Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment
- the forerunner of the modern assault rifle. Based soldiers, and was used both in the West and in the the 6th Army had an open door to the Belgian and various service and support units such as
on the Lewis action, this gas-operated weapon Mediterranean theatre by the Air Landing plains. In penetrating Eben Emael, and clearing artillery, engineers, para-medics, and so forth.
weighed only lOt Ib (compared with the K.98 regiments. the galleries with grenades and Schmeissers, In late 1940 the Fallschirmjager had been in
rifle at 91b 12 oz, and the Schmeisser at.g Ib 6 oz) Witzig's little group had suffered only five training for the invasion of England, and seven
and was fed by a side-mounted box magazine casualties, an incredibly light price for such a main drop-zones had been selected along the
holding twenty rounds. Effective range and rate of great prize. South Coast, stretching between Portland and

6 7
latter were serviceable at anyone time. It was number of supporting troops. The airborne units
a desperately tired and badly mauled garrison, were allocated more than 600 transports and a
whose performance when they faced the ultimate similar number of gliders, and the Gebirgsjiiger
test was truly heroic. Their commander was the force was prepared for a seaborne attack in locally
determined and energetic General Freyberg, commandeered vessels with Italian naval escorts.
leader of the New Zealand contingent. Wolfram von Richthofen's famous VIII. Flieger
Both Malta and Crete were threats to Hitler's Korps, with two medium bomber, one Stuka, one
plans in the Mediterranean; but it was decided Bf 109 and one Bf 1to Geschwader, would provide
that Crete, potentially the most dangerous in that heavy air cover. The other obvious choice for this
it was close to Hitler's precious oil resources in operation was the Asmy's 22nd Air Landing
Romania, should be the first target; for the Division, but this could not be spared as it was
invasion of Russia was imminent and oil was actually in Romania covering the Ploesti oil
uppermost in the mind of the German staff. The complex.

,.
force selected comprised Student's XI. Flieger The major centres of resistance were correctly
Korps with Army reinforcements. The total forecast as being around Maleme, Retimo,
invasion force of 22,000 men was made up Heraklion and Canea on the north coast of the
of Flieger Division 7, with FJR I, 2 and 3 and island; the first three were the sites of hurried
the Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment; the 5th Mountain British airfield construction, and Heraklion was
Division and elements of the 6th; and a large operational, while Canea was a sizeable town and

A adck of paratroopers dropping from. a Junkers; it i.


Just possible to disd.nguish the single Juncdon of the
ahrouds in the pack on each m.an's back, and their anns
hanging free. (Imperial War Muaeum.)

Ramsgate. But in actual fact their next campaign the charges suddenly went up, apparently set off
was the bitter fighting in Greece. by a stray shot, and the bridge and many of the
In March 1941 Oberst Sturm's FJR 2 was sent paratroopers were destroyed. Total German
to Bulgaria to prepare for an operation against the losses were around 60 dead and 150 wounded,
Greek island of Lemnos. Army formations fore- approximately one-tenth of the British and Greek
stalled this operation, however, and the para- losses.
troopers were employed in the seizure of the The fortress island of Crete, garrisoned by the
bridge over the Corinth Canal, a vital bottleneck British and held as a supply base and jumping-off
on the British escape route from the terrible place in the eastern Mediterranean, was the
fighting in the mountains to the north. The drop greatest battle-honour - and the graveyard - of
involved two battalions of FJR 2 and an engineer the classic Fallschirm units. The island, roughly
detachment; taking off from Larisa soon after 150 by 35 miles at its widest point, mountainous,
dawn on 26 April, the Ju 52S approached the stony, with few roads and little water, is cruel
target at low altitude from the east, then climbed country to fight over. The British and Greek
to 400 feet for the drop. Gliders landed at both defenders numbered some 40,000 men; all but
ends of the bridge, and paratroopers managed to 5,000 of whom were exhausted survivors of the
capture it and a sizeable number of its defenders. fighting in Greece, having lost most of their arms
Charges had already been laid by the British and equipment. There were twenty-four tanks
troops, but the fuses were successfully cut by the and some thirty-six aircraft; but Crete was totally As:aem.bly on the drop-zone; the weapons canisters have
been secured, and a trlpocl-m.ounted MG.34 Is being set up.
Fallschirm-Pioniere sappers. Minutes later, however, unsuitable country for the former, and few of the (Imperial War Muaewn)

8 9
headquarters. In the south the anchorage of Suda mann, commanding the Canea force, was killed doomed. The British, New Zealand, Australian
Bay was also covered by a strong Allied force. in a glider crash. The airfield at Maleme was and Greek troops began to fight their way south
German tactics at this time involved dropping partially captured but was still under heavy through the mountains to Sphakia. Some 15,000
paratroopers and landing gliders directly on their British fire when night fell, and no immediate were successfully evacuated to Egypt. Intense
objectives. This practice, which inevitably carried reinforcements could be landed. The Canea force activity by the Luftwaffe over the island and the
a heavy penalty in casualties, was largely forced was vistually wiped out. By vigorously pressing surrounding waters caused severe losses to the
on the Luftwaffe by the light armament of the home their counter-attacks before the para- Royal Navy, the destroyer flotillas suffering parti-
Fallschirmjiiger. They had to make the maximum troopers could assemble and reach their main cularly heavily. By 27 May the island was firmly
use of surprise to seize airfields almost im- weapons on the dsop-zones, the defenders were occupied, although sporadic fighting by isolated
mediately, so that reinforcements and heavy reaping considerable success. The afternoon land- groups of survivors who joined up with Cretan
weapons could be flown in and the bridgehead ings at Retimo and Heraklion were decimated, partisans in the hills continued for some months.
expanded. British and American theories en- and by nightfall Fallschirmjiiger Regiment 3, in The cost of Hitler's new island in the sun had
visaged landing troops some distance from the particular, had almost ceased to exist; the de- been sobering; so sobering, indeed, that no further
objective, giving them time to 'sort themselves fenders directed their firepower at the supply major airborne assaults were mounted for the
out' of the almost inevitable confusion on the canisters, and many scores of paratroopers died remainder of the war. Widely varying figures have
drop-zone, prepare their weapons, and move on without reaching their weapons. An attempt to been quoted, but the facts appear to be that the
the target in several columns. The drawbacks of land troops from the sea that night was foiled by paratroopers and other assault units lost 3,250 men
the German system were evident during the the Royal Navy, who intercepted the convoy some killed and missing, and 3,400 wounded. Aircraft
Cretan campaign; those of the Allied, at Arnhem distance from the coast and sank many of the losses were also heavy - about 100 Ju 52S were
three years later. small vessels; the Italian escort did not distinguish destroyed and as many seriously damaged.
Operation Merkur was planned in characteristic itself. Although they were to playa considerable part in
German fashion. Early on the morning of 20 May The following morning several plane-loads of the land operations of the Wehrmacht over the next
1941 Maleme and Canea were to be attacked supplies and ammunition were salvaged from four years, the Fallschirmjiiger actually jumped into
simultaneously by both glider troops and para- wreckedJu 52S by the desperate paratroopers, who action on only three further occasions. There were
troopers. The airfield and town were to be seized, Paratroop hebnet, with double chin-straps. Wartime renewed their efforts. At last, around noon on the limited drops at Catania, Sicily, in July 1943; at
photos revealsf:veral patterns cllffering in details of shape;
and elements of the Mountain Divisions were to this example Is probably a post-war reproduction cut 21st, the redoubtable Oberst Hermann Bernhard Leros in the Aegean later that year; and in the
fly in by Junkers almost at once to consolidate the down from a conventional steel hebnet, but .s the early Ramcke led a reserve battalion of paratroopers in Ardennes during the 'Battle of the Bulge' in
i.sue of paratroop hehnets were produced in jU8t this
foothold. In the afternoon another mixed force f.shion it m.ay possibly be a genuine piece. (Author'. another drop west of Maleme. Despite heavy December 1944. The first two drops were success-
collection) casualties they eventually secured the airfield, and
was to drop on Retimo and Heraklion, and the ful, the last a failure.
two waves would link up while more reinforce- at once the Ju 52S began to land reinforcements, In addition to these operations, an obscure and
ments and supplies were flown in. The following on Maleme, Canea and Suda Bay were followed supplies and heavy weapons. The defenders were rather sinister battalion of disgraced Waffen-SS
day the balance of the Mountain Divisions would by the planned drops over the two former objec-
land at the eastern end of the island from the sea. tives - led, it is said, by one Staff Bugler Ernst
Early-morning attacks by the air support forces Springer, blowing his bugle as he fell. The para-
troopers were met by a hail of fire from the ew
Zealand and Australian defenders, and many died
while still in the air, or as they struggled to free
themselves from their parachutes. There were
several instances of gliders and sticks of para-
troopers dsifting helplessly out to sea. Other
gliders smashed themselves on rough ground, or
were riddled as they came in to land. Several
surviving photographs capture the scene vividly:
c
blazing Ju 52S careering across the sky, para-
troopers falling in scattered and ineffective Luftwalfe airborne di'\lisional insignia, used on vehicles, tactical dps, etc. (A) A P'ft'Jl devil riclin&
patterns, corpses strewn in the rocks amid the a red pttchfork on a white backcround: r. Falilchirmjiiger Diubion. (B) A black solid or outJ.ine
kite&shaped D10tif and letter (R' (for Ra.m.cke, divisional com..m.a.D.der) on white backcround: z. Falll&
splintered remains of gliders. Almost immediately chirmjager Diuilion. (C) A white COD1et with a blue.red.blue tail: 4. Falllchirmjiiger Diuision
The Parabellwn (ll.uger') P.oS 9 m.Dl autoJDadc pistol and the commander of the Maleme force, General
holster; iaJdaUy this was the only weapon carried by the
paratroopers Oil the drop Meindl, was badly wounded, and General Suess-

10 II
of Alam Haifa the brigade carried out a limited Oberst Walther Barenthin and made up of drafts
attack but was basically static. They played from many units of the airborne corps. Yet
an honourable part in the fighting at Alamein another name from the past appeared with the
in October, and during the first desperate Fallschirm-Pianier-Abteilung, now commanded by
days of the retreat pulled off an impressive caup. the hero of Eben Emael, Oberstleutnant Witzig.
After fighting a holding action on 4 November, in Barenthin's three battalions took up screening
company with the Italian Trenta Division at the positions at Mateur, before Bizerta. The main
southern end of the line, they were, to all intents centres of fighting for the paratroopers were
and purposes, written off by the German staff: Medjez-el-Bab and Tebourba, and all units won
the retreat had speeded up, and without vehicles the ungrudging respect of their British and
they were thought to be doomed to British American enemies. But the Tunisian campaign,
captivity. Ramcke somehow led his 600 surviving though bloody, had an inevitable conclusion; the
paratroopers back to Faka, capturing British paratroopers' last stand came on 7 May 1943, on
vehicles and supplies on the way. He is said to have the Miliane River.
been extremely bitter that his unit had been
abandoned to its fate; but it must be acknowledged
that his was by no means the only command
crippled by lack of vehicles, and it was a sauve qui
peut situation. Prominent among the officers of the
brigade was Major Burckhardt, who commanded
the rearguard with great dash during the retreat.
By November 1942 the remains of the Afrika
Karps were being reinforced with a number of
units of varying quality (from the famous 10th
Panzer Division, to a penal division of infantry)
in preparation for the last great battles in Tunisia.
Sidecap of Luftwaffe non--eo.lD.lD.issioned personnel.
The origin of this photograph is unknown, as is the The early ollve·green smocks, the baggy trousers and the Among the troops flown into EI Aouina airport (Author's collection)
significance of the shaved heads - probably simply a high jump-boots are all well illustrated here. (Imperial
feroelous (fashion' among personnel of a parachute unit. War MU&ewn) that month was the crack Fallschirmjiiger Regiment 5,
a unit of keen young volunteers built around the The spring of 1943 saw the first great expansion
surviving hard core, and many of the officers and of the airborne arm, which was to dilute its special
men, designated SS-Fallschirmjiiger Bataillan 500 began to show signs of bogging down. By the time NCOs, of Meindl's Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment; it qualities over the next two years. While a large
(later, 600) dropped around Drvar in Yugoslavia the winter, the worst in 140 years, clamped down was now commanded by Oberstleutnant Koch. enough number of veterans remained in the
later in [944 in an attempt to trap the partisan on the exhausted armies, the entire combat Another paratroop unit thrown into the Tunisian Fallschirm regiments to ensure their continued
leader Tito. The attempt failed, but Himmler was strength of the division was committed to infantry fighting was the ad hoc Barenthin Regiment, led by excellence in the Italian campaigns, a policy of
apparently impressed with the fighting qualities fighting at the northern end of the front, around unselective expansion was increasingly followed,
displayed by the unit and removed the stigma of a stubborn Leningrad. The casualties, and the and many divisions of men went into the line as
penal battalion. sufferings, of the paratroopers were severe. 'paratroopers' in name only. Their unique uni-
The men of Flieger Divisian 7 were obviously not 1942 was a year of piecemeal expansion of the forms and equipment remained, to be worn by
ready to take part in the initial attack on Russia airborne forces. While strong elements of the tens of thousands of soldiers who had never made
in June 194[; after suffering 30 per cent casualties Flieger-Divisian continued to fight in Russia, a single parachute jump. There was no logic in
and losing much of their equipment they were Ramcke, now a General, led a brigade mustering this, merely desperation; as the Third Reich's
entitled to enjoy the beaches of Crete for a while. three rifle battalions and supporting units to resources of manpower became more and more
But their respite did not last long. Replacements Egypt, to bolster Rommel's thin-stretched lines limited, so the political leaders wilfully blinded
were constantly drafted into the thinned ranks, before EI Alamein. Arriving in August 1942, the themselves to reality by bringing into existence
and in September the first unit of paratroopers - Ramcke Brigade, which, like all units of the 'divisions' of weak brigade strength, with grandiose
II. BatailianfLuftlande-Sturm-Regiment - was trans- Panzerarmee Afrika, suffered from a shortage of titles quite out of keeping with the actual combat
ferred to the Eastern Front. The need for reliable vehicles and fuel, went into position on the coast potential of the units. The men who had followed
and self-sufficient infantry was pressing, as the road norih of Ruweisat Ridge, attached to the Service cap of a Luftwaffe NCO; the piping Is yellow Meindl and Ramcke out into the scorching sun-
Waffenfaybe, and the badges are pressed in grey alloy.
German advance on Moscow and Leningrad famous [64th Light Africa Division. At the battle (Author's collecdon) light above Crete were a genuine elite; there were

12 13
would be called a Paratroop Division. The extra-
ordinary thing is that some of these ad hoc units
fought so well.
The [st Paratroop Division, commanded by
General Richard Heidrich who had led the old
Fallschirm-Infanterie-Bataillon as an Army officer in
the pre-war years, fought in Sicily in August 1943, .. • . .

then slowly moved back up the Adriactic coast of
Italy, winning itself an increasing reputation
which culminated, in the winter of 1943 and the

..
spring of 1944, in the epic defence of Cassino. This
classic defensive battle shares with Crete the place
of honour in the record of the Fallschirmjiiger. To
-
discuss the participants, course and significance of
the battle in any but the baldest outline would
,

take far more space than is available here.
Very briefly, the Cassino sector lay on the Ger-

The '£I.ying blo\de' worn by Lujtwajf~ personnel of all


ranks, Dluch in the DlaDDer of British battledress, as an
everyday worldng gannent. This exaJnple bean the rank
disdncdons or a FeldwebeI., an NCO grade roughly
equivalent to FUght Sergeant. (Battle of Britain Museum,
Langley) Crete - the first drop over Herakllon fills the sky with
scattered parachutes and blUDing transports. The three
linked parachutes at the left probably support a light
to be precious few of them left in the ranks of the 75 JDD1 gun. (Lnperlal War MUlIewn)
Fallschirmjiiger by the close of [943.
The old Flieger-Division 7 was renamed /. man defensive line across Italy stretching from the Canadian, New Zealand and Polish infantry; yet
Fallschirmjiiger Division at the turn of [942/43; in Gulf of Gaeta on the west coast to Ortona on always the paratroopers of FJR I, 3 and 4 would
March [943 it was withdrawn from the East and the Adriatic - the 'Gustav Line'. It also marked the emerge from their shelters and drive the attackers
rebuilt in southern France. Its main combat units junction between the 'Gustav Line' and a back. Not until May 1944 did the Allies finally
were FJR I, 3 and 4. At the same time the secondary system, the 'Hitler-Senger Line', which turn the flanks of the Cassino position, and most
2. Fallschirmjiiger Division was also formed in passed from Terracina, on the west coast some of Heidrich's men managed to slip away under
France, around a nucleus of the old FJR 2; the ten miles behind Gaeta, through the Aurunci the very guns of the victorious but exhausted
new FJR 6 was formed from elements of a Luft- Mountains and across the Liri Valley to the Polish Corps, retreating in good order to positions
waffe Field Battalion and the 4th Battalion of the shoulders of the Mt Cassino--Mt Cairo massif. further back.
Luftlande-Sturm-Regiment; FJR 7 was raised from Before Cassino the Gustav Line followed the The expansion of the airborne arm had con_
training units. course of the aptly named Rapido River. The tinued in the meantime. The 2nd Paratroop
From this point on the pattern would be con- main highway from the south ran through Division had been based around Rome in the
sistent. A nucleus would be taken from an estab- Cassino town, around the shoulder of the moun- second half of [943, and was transferred to the
lished division which could ill afford to lose tain, and back via Valmontone to Rome itself. East in December, but left certain elements
experienced soldiers, usually in the form of one This road, R6, was the prize for which the armies around which the new 4. Fallschirmjiiger Division
battalion from each of two or three regiments; this fought. In mountainous country apparently was formed in the Perugia area. Among the com-
would be fleshed out with youngsters straight created expressly for the convenience of defending ponents of this division were former members of
from basic training, odds and ends of Luftwaffe armies, four great battles were fought for the the Italian Xembo and Folgore Airborne Divisions.
field troops or Flak regiments who had lost their, Detail or the blouse, showing rank dlsdncdon..s at shoulder
Cassino sector. The monastery on the mountain The main combat units were FJR [0, [I and 12.
guns, bomber crews for whom there were no and collar, and the wbite.oOn-blue breast eagle worn by and the ruined town were battered again and The 3. Fallschirmjiiger Division had been formed in
non--eonun1ssioned ra.nks. The yellow Wolfenjarb. collar
bombers, fighter pilots for whom there was no patches bear three styllzed Dletal wings, and the Woffen- again by the Allied artillery and bombers; the France in October 1943, comprising FJR 5, 8, and
forb. i. repeated in the edging or collar and shoulder- cruel mazes of rubble, punishing hillsides, razor- 9; it remained in France, while the 4th Division
fuel, ground crews for whom there was no work, straps. The 9 JDD1-wide sUver braid or Trene around the
even foreign troops lost in the maze of defeat and collar was worn by all senior NCOs; that on the shoulder- back ridges and concealed sangars were probed played a prominent part in penning the AUies
strap, combined with the single s-rey Uleta! pip, identifies
political contradiction - and the resulting mess the eu.ct rank. (Battle or Britain Museum.., Langley) and rushed again and again by British, Indian, inside the Anzio beachhead.

14 IS
at Falaise. Late in '944 the division was re- Grossmehl, Laytved-Hardegg, Greve, Schaefer,
formed in Belgium with personnel from various Schluckebier and Grunwald. The division fought
Luftwaffe Field Regiments, and fought in the around Arnhem, and finally went into British
, Ardennes in January '945 as part of '5th Army.
It was overcome finally in the Ruhr in April 1945.
captivity near Oldenburg.

8. FALLSCHIRMJAGER DIVISION
4. FALLSCHIRMJAGER DIVISION Formed in early '945 around FJR 22 and 24, this
FJR '0, I' and [2 continued to fight in Italy after formation operated in the Ems-Weser area until
the Anzio break-out. In '944 they saw action the collapse of April '945.
around Nettuno, Florence, Rimini and Bologna,
and surrendered in April '945 near Vicenza.

5. FALLSCHIRMJAGER DIVISION
This division was formed near Rheims in France
in March [944, from a parachute training unit
and strong drafts from FJR 3 and 4 of the 1St
Division. It comprised FJR '3, '4 and '5; heavy
fighting with 7th Army in Normandy was
followed by a period of reorganization, some sur-
viving units being drafted out as a nucleus for the
new 7th Division (q.v.) and others being recon-
stituted from various Air Force personnel in

·'-
. ,.
Dapper under fire, Colonel Brauer, the one~tbne com-
France and the Low Countries. It went into
American captivity in March '945, near Ntir-
burgring.
mander of Ger:m.any's first parachute battaUon, issues
orders on Crete to a paratroop Unteroffizier. (Imperial A paratroop Obergefreiter uses a field telephone.
War Museum) 6. FALLSCHIRMJAGER DIVISION (Imperial War MuseUlll)
Formed in France inJune '944, and never larger
The paratroopers of the swollen Luftwaffe Rimini, and finally surrendered In April '945 than a scratch Kampfgruppe in strength, this 9. FALLSCHIRMJAGER DIVISION
ground forces fought with tenacity on the Nor- around Imola. division effectively comprised FJR [7 and ,8. Units of all branches of the Air Force were
mandy Front and in the Low Countries during It was wiped out in Normandy as an independent 'combed out' to form this division in December
the Allied advances of [944; British troops who 2. FALLSCHIRMJAGER DIVISION unit, and the remnants were drafted into the 7th [944. The main regiments were named FJR 25,
encountered them in Holland speak well of them. FJR 2, 6 and 7 fought in Russia between Decem- Division. A second '6th Division' was formed in 26, and 27; they fought exclusively on the Eastern
Less is known about the quality and exploits of ber '943 and April '944. At one time or another Holland, and was captured by British forces near Front, in Breslau, Stargard, and on the Oder
the higher-numbered divisions which fought in the they operated under 4th Panzer, 6th and 8th Zutphen in '945. line, and the last survivors disappeared in the
East during the final stages of the war; certainly Armies, and saw action at Zhitomir, Krivoi Rog, final defence of Berlin.
those who held a sector of the Vistula Front during Korsun, and Kishinev in the southern Uksaine. 7. FALLSCHIRMJAGER DIVISION
the last Russian assault on Berlin were not equal They returned to Germany and refitted at Wahn, This formation was brought into being, as a [0. FALLSCHIRMJAGER DIVISION
to their task, being largely drafts from now useless moving to Brittany in May 1944. FJR 6 was 'going concern', in October '944. Various odds Units from the 1St and 4th Divisions were pulled
Luftwaffe service and rear area echelons - but they attached to the 91. Lufllantle-Division during the and ends of the Luftwaffe's ground forces were back from Italy to the Krems-Melk area of
were so heavily outnumbered that their quality is Normandy fighting of June [944, and the other re-designated as parts of the division while actually Austria in March '945, and re-designated as
probably irrelevant. The complex story of the last two regiments were encircled in Brest. They were at the front and fighting. These included parts of FJR 28, 29 and 30. They fought in Moravia
year of the Fallschirmjiiger is best conveyed by finally overcome in mid-September '944. The the short-lived 6th Division, training unit per- against the Red Army, and most of the division
adopting a tabular form: division was re-formed in Holland in December sonnel from Germany, and various of the ad hoc was captured.
'944 with a new FJR 2 and 7 and FJR 21. It was combat groups, known only by their commanders'
I. FALLSCHIRMJAGER DIVISION destroyed in the Ruhr early in '945· names, which represented the disintegration of [,. FALLSCHIRMJAGER DIVISION
FJR " 3, and 4 continued to fight in Italy after the Wehrmacht at that time. In this case the units Probably never existed except as a 'paper' re-
the fall of Cassino, as part of the German [oth 3. FALLSCHIRMJAGER DIVISION concerned - of very uncertain strength and com- designation ofvarious dispersed forces which never
Army. In the autumn of '944 they were at FJR 5, 8 and 9 were destroyed in Normandy and position - were the Battle Groups Menzel, operated together.

16 17
confined to flying targets, but he was certainly a within range of the trap. Once they were com-
soldier of some vision; that battlefield use of the fortably lined up the Flak would methodically
gun played a part in staff thinking from an early decimate them; their own short-range guns were
Ylakartillerie stage is confirmed by the fact that from 1940
onwards armoured shields to protect the crew
useless, their attackers were virtually invisible, and
their casualties were frequently appalling. At its
during ground combat were fitted to new guns, anti-tank debut in the Battle of Sollum in June
and fitted retrospectively to many Flak 18s. 1941 the 'eighty-eight' is claimed to have
The Luftwaffe Flak regiments and batteries destroyed 123 out of 238 British tanks attacking
operated in great numbers throughout the war, the Afrika Korps position in Halfaya ('Hellfire')
and with enormous success. To detail all these Pass); according to German sources this repre-
units is frankly beyond the author's competence sented one 'brewed' tank for every twenty rounds
and would serve little purpose; but perhaps it is fired by the Flak batteries.
The appearance of Luftwaffe anti-aircraft units on valid to consider one isolated campaign - that in Another battle in which the 'eighty-eights'
the battlefields of Europe and Africa in a con- North Africa. Early version or the FaUschirmgeweh,. FG.~/44 Ugbt distinguished themselves and their Luftwaffe crews
automatic. (Imperial War Museum)
ventional artillery role was not due to any In the mobile desert warfare of which the was the series of actions near Agedabia inJanuary
personal ambition of the Reichsmarschall, but rather Germans of Rommel's Panzerarmee soon showed 1942. Prominent was a crack Air Force unit,
to a sound and admirable flexibility of thought on themselves to be masters, the Flak played a vital forward with the advanced armoured squadrons. Major Hecht's Flak Regiment 135; the 18th, 33rd
the part of the German staff. So often ignorantly part. Supply and repla<::ement problems haunted I t was normally towed by the heavy SdKfz 7 half- and 35th Regiments also did well, as did Major
criticized for rigidness, the Germans, in their Rommel almost from the first - his uniquely track; this powerful vehicle could accommodate Hartmann's Reserve Flak Abteilung 114. The
willingness to experiment with combat techniques, vulnerable lines of communication lay across a the entire crew of eleven (layer, trainer, breech- 135th, now led by Oberst Wolz, also figures
compare very favourably with certain episodes in Mediterranean ranged by Allied aircraft from worker, fuse-setter, five am.munition numbers,
the record of the Allied command. commander and driver) and their personal equip-
The superb 8·8 cm anti-aircraft gun developed ment, a good supply of ammunition for immediate
by Krupps in the early 1930S first appeared at the use, and reserves of fuel. Thus, once a target was
front line in Spain during 1936, equipping Flak sighted, the gun could be got into action very
batteries of the German expeditionary force. (It quickly. Its impressive rate of fire - between
was entirely logical that anti-aircraft artillery fifteen and twenty rounds a minute - was com-
should fall under Luftwaffe control, not least bined with great range and accuracy. Maximum
because of the importance of close technical low-trajectory range was 16,500 yards, and the
liaison.) 'Flak' has come into common English The yellow and white 21-lb armour-piercing round could kill a tank at
usage, and will be used throughout this text; it is a 'KRETA' cufI'.dtle, up to 3,000 yards - three times the range of the
awarded. to personnel of
contraction of Flieger-Abwehr-KanoTU!, 'anti-aircraft unit. which took part in best Allied equipment. Its air-burst high-explosive
the invasion of Crete.
cannon'. The version used in Spain, properly (Author'. collection) round was notably effective against infantry. In
termed the 8·8 cm Flak 18, was followed in 1937 the 'eighty-eight', Rommel had a deadly anti-
by the improved Flak 36 model, which had tank weapon, a fine anti-aircraft gun, and a field-
provision for the speedy changing of barrels, and a piece capable of augmenting conventional bar-
new and significant wheeled carriage designated Malta and submarines from Malta and Gibraltar rages with great speed and accuracy, all rolled
Sonderanhiinger 201. The normal ground mounting - and although his precious tanks were superior in into one supremely functional piece of metal.
was of cruciform design; for travelling the side quality to all Allied equipment until the very end The most frightening and effective use of the
arms were folded upwards and wheeled bogies of the campaign, their numbers were never as gun was in Rommel's famous 'Flak front'. In the
fitted to the long arms. The 20r mounting high as he could have wished. To conserve the face of advancing enemy armour the Luftwaffe
allowed the gun to fire on ground targets without PzKpfw Ills and IVs of 15th and 21St Panzer regiments would be sent right forward and dug in
being freed from the bogies and winched down to Divisions, he evolved a deadly technique. to ground level; the gun was easy to conceal, as is
ground level; the brakes were applied, the wheels It. has been said that despite the glamorous any relatively small piece of equipment at ground
chocked, the side arms of the cruciform mounting image of the tank columns which churned across level under the peculiar light conditions of the Thi. croup of paratroopers atudyinc • m..ap display clear
folded down and the 'feet' at their extremities the Western Desert, the real kings of the African desert, and its rounds used a flashless propellant. deta.Us of the angular cam.ouftase pattern on the jump-
smock, and the rUnles. helmet. There appears to be snow
winched down to brace against the ground - and battlefields were the landmine and the anti-tank A few troops of tanks would probe forward, in the lelt foreground and on the muzzle of the lelt-hand
the gun was ready for action. It is not known who gun. The greatest of these was the 'eighty-eight'; making contact with the British armour and then anan'• .MP.-40, &0 this phot0lTaph could have been taken
in Russia, where the Fallschirmjiigt!r operated a. infantry
first suggested that the gun was too versatile to be it was extremely mobile and could operate well withdrawing, luring the Grants and Crusaders at the turD. of 1941/42- (hnperiaJ War Musewn)

18 19
honourably in the records of Bir Hakeim in June as the main fighting units of the '9th Flak
[942; in this hard-fought action he also had under Division, under direct army command and led by
command various detached battalions, notably Generalleutnant Burckhardt; these units, together
1I./Flak 25, I./Flak 18, I.fFlak 6 and I./Flak 43· with the 109th Flak Battalion attached to Graf
The last-named unit won no fewer than three von Sponeck's famous 90th Light Division, and
awards of the Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross) during various army Flak battalions, had a total strength
the desert fighting; they were awarded to Ober- of eighty-six 8·8 cm guns at the opening of the
leutnant Gellert, Major GOrcke (the commanding battle. So seriously did the British take these
officer) and Oberfeldwebel Bose!. At El Alamein weapons that Montgomery issued explicit instruc-
the [02nd and [35th Regiments were organized tions to his armoured brigade commanders con-
cerning the absolute necessity of avoiding the
'Flak front' and saving their strength for the final
battle with the panzers. Even so, it is said that the
'eighty-eights' were largely responsible for the
massacre of the first wave of British armour at
Alamein.
The Flak fought their way back along the coast
with the other survivors of the Pan.<.erarmee, and
were still scourging Allied armour as the last stores
were burned in Tunis in May '943. The remains
of the '9th Flak Division took up their last firing
positions along the Miliane line, in company with
the survivors of the' Hermann Goring' Division and
Koch's and Ramcke's paratroopers. The 20th
Flak Division, or what was left of it, was at
Tebourba; the 3/52 Battery distinguished itself in
the last few days of the fighting when Leutnant
Happach and Oberfeldwebel Wilhelm Voight Captured paratroopers, probably men of the 4th Division fernJeaf insignia OD the nar bull as belonging to the 2nd
turned their 'eighty-eights' on the American 2nd taken prisoner on the Anz.lo front, are marched past a New Zealand Division. Note netting and hessian behnet
Shennan tank. The tank may be identified by the white covers. (Imperial War MUSf:Unl)
Armoured Battalion, and killed twenty tanks in as
many minutes.
the premier Air Force formation; it took part in ments were filled. It is stated that by October '941
the parade in Vienna for Adolf Hitler following the regiment had accounted for ',61 aircraft, 324
the Anschluss of '938, in the occupation of the tanks, [67 artillery pieces, 45 bunkers, 530

Vivision Sudetenland and of Prague, and in many cere-


monial occasions in the Reich itself. Paul Conrath
machine-gun emplacements, and had taken" ,000
prisoners' .
took over command in '939; the regiment played In the summer of '942 the regiment was re-
';;}{(;rmann (ioring" no part in the Polish campaign, but in '940
advanced westwards with the rest of the Wehr-
designated and expanded, becoming the Brigade
'Hermann Goring'; it then comprised a Grenadier
macht, and finished up outside Paris in an anti- Regiment, a Jager Regiment, a Flak Regiment,
aircraft role - it had a strong Flak element under and strong supporting units. Conrath, now an Air
command. Force Generalmajor, continued in command.
In '94[ this Flak unit - Flak Detachment 103 Mter a few months it was further enlarged to
'General Goring' - again saw action under army divisional strength. Goring's ambitions demanded
command, distinguishing itself in the early months that he increase his influence 'at court' vis-a-vis
of the Russian campaign, as did the infantry units his arch-rival Himmler. The latter had improved
Italy I943 - a F4l1.chirmjiige,. poSH in helmet, .m.ock
and jum,p.boots. The painted pastoral scene on the back· Mter the removal of the paratroop battalion from of the regiment. They were aided by their high his own position owing to the remarkable fighting
drop suggests that this picture was taken in saine pro- the Regiment 'General Goring' (formed from the priority rating, and the Reichsmarschall saw to it qualities of his Waffen-SS divisions in Russia, com-
vincial Italian photographer'. studio. (hnpe:rial War
Museu.m.) regiment's I. Jiigerbataillon) the unit continued as that their equipment and replacement require- bined with a mood of disenchantment with the

20 21
The deadly 8·8 CID gun, rigged for towing by it. heavy 'AnununitiOD nwnbers' of an 8·8 CID gun crew - Dote
half-track SdKfz 7 prime !Dover. (lrnperia.l War MU8ewn) LuftwtJ./fe decal. On hebnets

professional army command which was sweeping years seems to have been the preparation of a high casualties. It may be significant, however, to withdraw nearly all the way back to their
Hitler's 'Wolf's Lair' H.Q. at Rastenburg. In wildly inaccurate intelligence report on the that following the virtual annihilation of the previous dispositions, shattered and weakened
view of the threatening military position in which strength, structure, capabilities and weaknesses of division in May 1943 Schmid was given a Knight's even further, and with very little to show for their
Germany found itself as 1942 drew to a close, the the Royal Air Force, which played a not incon- Cross and removed from command. His return to exertions. This was the last general offensive
best way for a 'courtier' to secure favour was to siderable part in the British victory in the Battle the calmer atmosphere of the staff does not mounted by von Arnim's Pan<.erarmee, and the
make available to the hard-pressed Oberkom- of Brilain. This Studie Biau was accepted by suggest that a taste of the actual battlefield had battles which followed were bitter, fundamentally
mando Wehrmacht (OKW) substantial numbers Goring, who planned his tactics accordingly; when called forth in him any latent Wagnerian talents. defensive - and doomed. When the end came in
of battlefield troops; and in January 1943 the events belied the predictions of the intelligence As early as the last week of February 1943 the Tunisia the survivors of the 'Hermann Goring' went
Panzergrenadier Diuision 'Hermann Goring' was born. appreciation, the preposterous Schmid calmed his Panzer Diuision 'Hermann Goring' was reported to be into the bag with the rest of the German armies in
Shortly thereafler it was re-designated as a Reil:hsmarschall by regular doses of unconfirmed in a bad way. On that day it took part, under the Africa. On 7 May the division - by now, in effect,
Panzer Division. Based in Belgium initially, the unit reports of massive air victories, thereby luring the command of 5. Panzerarmee, in Operation 'Ox- a weak regiment - was on the Miliane River line
was later transferred to the south of France, and Luftwaffe command on to further disaster. At least head'; this was a limited offensive intended to with the remnants of Koch's and Ramcke's para-
'worked up' with its new personnel and equipment one high-ranking combat officer of the Luftwaffe improve the German dispositions in Tunisia, troopers and General Franz's 19th Flak Division.
until the early spring. Although not all the units has published the opinion that Schmid's true strengthening their hand in preparation for the On the night of I I 112 May the 'Hermann Goring'
were ready for service, the bulk of the division was metier was that of court jester and yes-man in battles to come - battles which were inevitable in provided covering forces at Jebel Zaghouan; in
shipped to Tunisia to take part in the last desperate chief. How he handled the responsible command view of the inexorable advance of the British 8th almost the last actual clash of infantry in the
attempt to maintain a foothold on the African of the Luftwaffe's premier ground combat unit Army from the east and the British 1st Army and African campaigns, these were wiped out by a
continent. when he found himself involved in the merciless American forces from the west. The division's Free French force in bitter hand-to-hand fighting.
The division was commanded from November arena of Tunis is not known in any great detail; objectives, certain features of high ground to the While the last shots of the Tunisian campaign
1942 until May 1943 by Generalleutnant Josef his troops fought well in a series of difficul t actions south of the German perimeter, proved beyond were still being fired, and for two months there-
'Beppo' Schmid, a Luftwaffe staff officer whose against great odds, and casualties, though very their compass; already worn out, they were unable after, an extremely rapid revival of the 'Hermann
previous career had been rather undistinguished. high, were not particularly surprising under the to gain any significant ground despite genuinely Goring' Division was carried out in southern Italy
Indeed, his main contribution to the early war circumstances. AIl German units in Tunis suffered impressive spirit. After three days they were forced and Sicily, based on those divisional units which

22 23
J: Oberleutnant of parachute troops, 1940

2 Paratrooper in jUDlp kit, 1939


3 Feldwebel of parachute troops, 1940

IF;ighty-eight' in acd.on, firlDg &om. it. wheeled carriage;


Dote a.m.m..unitiOD ba.kets in foreground. (lm.peria1 War
MU8euzn)

had not been shipped to Mrica in February. By mander, General Paul Conrath, soon steadied
the time the Allies mounted their invasion of them down, and for the rest of the brief Sicilian
Sicily in early July two strong units of the division campaign they fought well.
were deployed in the eastern part of the island, Late on IO July another, better planned attack
under XVI. Korps: the Panzerregiment 'Hermann was mounted, but was halted after some initial
Goring', with about 100 (mainly PzKpfw IV) successes by naval gunfire. A determined attack
tanks, and a regimental combat group com- on the American 1st Division followed on I I July,
manded by, and named after, Oberst Wilhelm and some Tigers got within 500 yards of the sea I

Schmalz. Together with parts of the 15. Panzer- and actually exchanged shots with U.S. destroyers
grenadier Division and 4th and 54th (Livomo and lying offshore; but again, in the end, Conrath
Napoli) Italian Infantry Divisions, the Luftwaife was forced to withdraw, leaving about one-third
tank crews and infantry were deployed along a of his tank strength smoking and gutted on the
line between Catania and Caltanissetta, directly in coastal plain.
the path of the British 8th Army, and well placed By 15 July 0 K W had accepted that the island
to strike west and south at the American beach- could not be held, but intended to exact a heavy
heads. Elements of the tank regiment made rather price in time and men for the inevitable Allied
unco-ordinated attacks on the Americans east of victory. 'Hermann Goring', flanked by reinforce-
Gela within hours of the first landings on IO July; ments from the 1. Fallschirmjiiger Division, posi-
one squadron of PzKpfw VI 'Tiger' tanks is tioned itself on the commanding heights of the
believed to have been among the units committed. Etna massif, and fought tenaciously as the 8th
The attacks achieved little, and for the first day or Army slowly dragged its way up the east coast of
so of the fighting the mainly inexperienced troops the island. They withdrew in good order, making
of the' Hermann Goring' displayed signs of panic; a the Allies pay for every bridge and crest, and when
vigorous lead, however, by the divisional com- the German forces finally retreated across the
MICHAEL ROFFE
A
24
I Major of parachute troops,
Runcke Brigade, Egypt, 1942
2 Paratrooper, RaItlcke Brigade,
Tunisia, 1943
3 Paratrooper, Italy, 1944

I Gefreitrr of parachute troops, 1941


2 Unteroffizier of parachute troops,
Narvik, 1940
3 Paratrooper, Crete, 1941

I 3

B • c
1 Unteroflizier bandsman of
Flakartillerie troops
2 Leutnant of Flakartillerie
troops, evening mess dress
3 Obergefreiter of Flakartillerie
troops, 1943

1 Generalm.ajor of parachute troops, 11}44


2 Unterfddwebd standard-bearer of
fl.aka.rti.lJerie troops
3 HauptInann of Flakartillerie troops, 1943

o MICHAEL IIOfFE MIOIA.£L ROFFE


E
1 Leutnant of Panzer troops, Division
IHermann Goring', Italy, 1944
2 Feldwebel of Panzerjager troops,
Luftwafl'en Feld-Division
3 Schiitze, Luftwaffen Feld-Division, 1943

1 Kanonier, FlakartiUerie troops, Libya, 1942


2 Schiitze, Jager Reginlent, Brigade Cffermann Goring',
1942
3 HauptDlann of Panzergrenadier troops, Division
'Hermann Goring', Sicily, 1943

MICH..n ROffE
F MICHAEL ROffE
G
Straits of Messina in the third week of August, Italy; 'Hermann Goring', now commanded by the
Conrath's men went calmly, and with confidence able General Wilhelm Schmalz, was based, in
based solidly on achievement, towards their next the early spring of '944, at Livorno (Leghorn) on
battlefield. The division crossed to the mainland the west coast to guard against any further Allied
virtually intact, with most of its vehicles and landing which might seek to 'leapfrog' the Caesar
heavy equipment. Line, the most northerly section of the defence
The Salerno landings followed in September, system. The division was also earmarked as a
but the 'Hermann Goring' was not heavily com- reserve in case of landings in France, and could
mitted to action until the Anzio landings of not be used by Kesselring without OKW sanction.
January '944, designed to 'get the invasion Between '9 and 25 May 1944 Field-Marshal
moving' again. The German forces, under the Air Alexander launched his masterly 'Operation
Force General Kesselring, were carrying out a Diadem' - the combined break-out from the
masterly delaying action, penning the Allies as far Anzio beachhead and final assault on the Gustav
south as possible behind a series of well-sited Line around Cassino. The 'Hermann Goring', since
defensive lines. The Anzio landings were success- January honoured with the pointless, in fact
fully contained until the spring; conditions inside totally meaningless, title of 'Paratroop Armoured
the tiny beachhead rapidly deteriorated into a fair Division', was released to Kesselring by the OKW
imitation of the Flanders trench warfare of the on 23 May. The Canadians had battered the first
First World War, with the added refinement of breach in the Gustav Line, the Anzio break-out
large areas of swamp. The OKW planning staff by Truscott's Americans was making fast pro-
were well aware that the invasion of France was gress, and Kesselring's available reserves had
coming, and wished to maintain the stalemate in dwindled to the Luftwaffe unit and the veteran

I Funker, LuftwaH'en Feld.Division,


1944
2 Leutnant, Luftwafl'en Feld-Division,
winter dress
3 Schutze, LuftwaH'en Fetd-Division,
1945

Four Luftuxli/e service badges, worn pinned to teEt breast of tunic. (A) Fl4lw.rtillerie personnel, for
distinguished co.m.bat service, in silver. (B) Paratrooper qua..li6.cation badge, for six ju..m.ps, in silver
with gold eagle. (e) Ground co.m.bat badge, for dist::inguisbed service in ground battles (e.g. close
co.m.bat on at least three difl'erent days), in silver. (D) Air Force a.n:noured personnel assault badge,
si..m..Uar qua..li6.cations to Anny version, in silver

MICHAEL ROffE
H 25
29. Pan;;ergrenadier Division of General Walter Fries Pan;;ergrenadier Regiment 'Hermann Goring'. On 3[ PANZERGRENADIERREGIMENT 'HERMANN CORlNC ' I company, one armoured radio company, and one
from Civitavecchia. By 24 May his reserves May the attack was beaten back, with bloody Staff company, signals section, motor-cycle light signals column.
had dwindled still further -the 29th, thrown in at emphasis. The division's military potential was for messenger section, medium anti-tank company, Supporting echelons within the divisional estab-
Terracina to prevent a link-up between the forces the time being exhausted. combat engineer section. lishment also included eight motor vehicle com-
advancing from the south and the Anzio peri- In July 1944 the division, rebuilt to some extent I. Bataillon with three Panzergrenadier companies panies and one supply company; three workshop
meter, had been massacred by Keyes's II (U.S.) but still weaker than its official establishment and one Heavy Panzergrenadier company, all companies; one ordnance and one replacement
Corps. Schmalz was ordered south to Valmontone, might indicate, was moved via Germany to the with armoured half-track transporters; and one transport companies; A-A repair, A-A special
to form, with von Mackensen's divisions, a strong central sector of the Eastern Front, and thrown light anti-tank company. equipment workshop, and equipment platoons;
blocking position in the Alban Hills while von into the line to help counter the Soviet summer II. Bataillon with three Panzergrenadier and one administration, bakery and butcher companies;
Vietinghoff's battered loth Army withdrew to offensive. The attempt failed, and in the follow- Heavy Panzergrenadier companies, all motorized; three medical companies, three ambulance
the Caesar Line. So fast were events moving, and ing month the division is known to have been combat engineer section; heavy anti-tank com- platoons and one decontamination platoon; a
so urgent was the need for reinforcements, that the fighting around Warsaw. pany; two light infantry howitzer companies. motorized military police unit, and a field post
division was ordered to move by daylight. The In October 1944 the surviving elements were Infantry Howit;;er Company office.
inevitable happened: on the 25th the 'Hermann pulled back to East Prussia, where an expansion Heauy Anti- Tank Company
Goring' was caught on the road between the Alban and reorganization took place. A second division, PANZERGRENADIERREGlMENT 'HERMANN GORING' 2
designated a Pan;;ergrenadier formation, was raised, Establishment exactly as I st Regiment above.
and together with the existing unit formed the
Fallschirm-Pan;;er-Korps 'Hermann Goring'. General-
PANZER-AUFKLARUNGS-ABTEILUNG (HERMANN
GORING'
L:uftwaffin
leutnant Schmalz commanded the corps, with
Generalmajor von Necker and Generalmajor
Walther as his divisional commanders. The corps
Reconnaissance detachment, with light and heavy
armoured recce companies, light and heavy recce
companies, heavy weapons company, and combat
fild-Vivisionen
returned to the frontline - which was in any case engineer, heavy anti-tank and light infantry
moving back into East Prussia with alarming howitzer platoons.
speed - and disappeared into the chaos of the PANZERARTILLERlEREGIMENT 'HERMANN CORING'
dying Third Reich. It is known to have been Staff battery and armoured observation battery.
encircled near Elbing; some elements managed to I. Abteilung with staff battery, and three motorized
break out of the trap and fight their way west, but batteries each with four light field howitzers.
Tropical pattern Luftwaffe sidecap, the badge woven in
pale blue-grey on a tan background. (Author's collecdon) losses are known to have been astronomical. It II. Abteilung with staff battery, one battery of four
cannot be stated with certainty exactly which [0 em guns and two batteries each with four heavy In [942 the first of the numbered Lvftwaffe Field
and Lepini Hills by roving Allied fighter-bombers. units preserved some sort of identity or cohesion; field howitzers, all motorized. Divisions is believed to have gone in to the line.
Enjoying complete command of the air, the in any practical sense, the 'Hermann Goring' ceased III. Abteilung exactly as II. Abt. above. These rather obscure formations owed their
Thunderbolts worked the column over at their to exist. IV. Abteilung with staff battery, two batteries each existence to Goring's determination to increase his
leisure, and by the time Schmalz led his command with six light field howitzers, and one battery of influence by making field troops available to
into Valmontone on the 26th it was in a badly Order of Battle, 1944 six heavy field howitzers. OKW. They were not a happy conception, and
weakened condition. FLAKREGIMENT 'HERMANN GORING' failed to earn a high reputation for reliability.
Gaps were appearing in the German lines, one FALLSCHIRM-PANZERDIVISION Staff, signals platoon, data computing platoon, Their personnel were drawn from a number of
of them a two-mile hiatus around Mt Artemisio, 'HERMAN GORING' sound ranging section, and one light Flak column. different sources, and were united only in their
south-wesl of Valmontone, where 76. Pan;;er Korps Three heavy Flak batteries, each with four 8·8 em inexperience of and lack of aptitude for battlefield
and I. Fallschirm Korps had failed to meet up. DIVIS[ONAL STAFF including HQDefence Company, guns and three 20 mm guns, motorized through- duties. They can hardly be blamed for this - for
Schmalz, holding Valmontone for 76. Korps, saw map section, band, provost court, etc. out. the most part they had joined up to service
the danger but had no reserves to guard against it. PANZERREGIMENT 'HERMANN GORING' Two medium Flak batteries each with nine 37 mm Heinkels, not to shoot Russians. As the war pro-
His force was much reduced by hard fighting, and I. Abteilung with four companies each with 22 guns, and three quadruple 20 mm mountings. gressed, and the Luftwaffe's primary role as the
the best he could do was place a few small units PzKpfw V 'Panther' tanks. PA.IIlZERPIONIERBATAlLLON 'HER.MAl'lN CORING' national air arm was increasingly curtailed by
on the plateau as 'watchmen'. On the night of II. Abteilung with four companies each with 22 Combat engineer battalion with two motorized shortage of most types of aircraft (though not
30/31 May two American infantry regiments PzKpfw IV tanks; one armoured flamethrower and one armoured engineer companies, one light fighters, which retained a high priority as the
managed to infiltrate the gap and were well section; and one tank workshop. and one heavy bridging columns. German air operations took on an increasingly
established on the plateau before the move was III. Abteilung with staff company (including two PANZER-NACHRICHTEN·ABTEILUNG 'HERMANN defensive posture) and by the want of fuel which
reported 10 Schmalz. He commilted his last armoured assault guns); two armoured assault gun GORING' was eventually to cripple it entirely, its under-
reserve to an assault - a single baltalion of the companies; and one heavy anti-tank company. Signals detachment with one armoured telephone employed personnel were made available for other

26 27
class ofopposition against which they were thrown, design, with curved quillons and no knucklebow,
the appalling conditions of winter fighting in rather in the style of a broadsword. Quillons and
Russia, and the sketchy training they had received.
In all, twenty-two Field Divisions were raised,
numbered in sequence from 1 to 22. The 21st is
C]he 'Plates pommel were silver, with a gold swastika set in the
pommel; the grip was of Luftwaffe blue leather,
bound with silver wire. The scabbard, invisible
believed to have carried the title 'Adler Division' here as tills drill movement involved holding it
('Eagle Division'). They served in Luftwaffen Feld- tight to the left side, was covered with blue
Korps numbered from I to IV, and in addition the leather, with silver furniture at mouth and chape.
9th and loth Feld-Divisionen are known to have
served in Steiner's III. Germanisches SS Pan{er
Korps on the Baltic Coast in 1944. It is unlikely A2 Paratrooper in jump kit, 1939
that the majority of the divisions served under This soldier, equipped as he might be immediately
higher Luftwaffe command; they were probably A I. Oberleutnant of parachute troops, 1940 before entering the ajrcraft, wears the rather
used under local Army or Waffen-SS command as Tills young first ljeutenant is in full parade dsess, subtly shaped helmet issued only to paratroopers;
stop-gap formations. with sword at the 'present arms' position. He painted Luftwaffe blue-grey and bearing the same
The size of the divisions varied considerably, wears the standard German steel helmet painted a decals as the helmet in plate AI, it is held firmly
between 4)000 and 12,000 men; and the surviving dark Air Force blue, with a national tricolour in place by forked leather chin-straps. The step-in
establishment details imply that a low figure was shield decal on the righ t side; this is balanced on smock is an Army item, and still bears the Army
the more common. For instance, the 17. Luft- the left side by a silver decal in the shape of a eagle badge on the right breast; large numbers of
waffen Feld-Diuision comprised the 33. Lw. Feld- reversed Luftwaffe eagle - reversed, so that it these smocks were passed over to the Luftwaffe
Regt.; 34. Lw Feld-Regt.; 17. Lw. Artilierie-Regt.; and should not appear to be 'flying backwards'! The when that service gajned control of all airborne
'detachments' of Flak, reconnaissance and anti- tunic collar is worn open, with a white shirt and troops, and photographs taken in combat in 1940
tank troops. The main fighting strength was thus black tie. The silver cord around the upper lapels show that the Army badge was frequently left as
only two rifle regiments, and the 'division' and collar indicates commissioned rank. The it was. The smock fastens with two long diagonal
Fl4kGrtiUerif! personnel posing with &even 'kill' rings probably represented, reaHstically speaking, no collar patches are in his branch of service colour, zips from thigh to throat, rather in the manner of
painted OD the barrel of their gun. Note the Flak arm.
patch WOrD on the left foreann by the NCO in the centre, more than a brigade. All the infantry regiments or Waffenfarbe - in this case the yellow of the a modern commercial jump-suit; this is in con-
denoting nine month.' service with aD operadonal unit. trast to the Air Force pattern smock.
seem to have been numbered consecutively with- flying branch and the paratroops. They are also
out reference to their divisional allocation, in the edged in silver cord to jndicate officer's rank, and The Luftwqlfe blue trousers are a special para-
tasks. By mid-1944 many thousands of airmen manner of Waffen-SS regiments late in the war. It bear an oak spray and two stylized wings in silver troop issue; their unique thigh-pocket is not clear
without planes and sailors without ships were also seems that all were classed as Jager, or Rifle, thread to indjcate Oberleutnant's rank. The silver here but is illustrated in a later plate. They are
carrying rifles on the shrinking frontiers of the regiments. cord shoulder-straps have an underlay of yellow tucked into a pair of the excellent black leather
Reich. The Air Force field unjts also embraced Waffenfarbe, and bear the single gold pip of Ober- jump-boots issued to the Falischirmjager; fitted with
men from airfield construction units, service police leutnant. heavy cleated rubber soles, these lace up the out-
battalions, trainjng establishments, the bureaux The massive silver aiguillettes are worn on side of the ankle, in a 'three-quarter front'
of the vast aviation adminjstration service, the parade by all officers. The silver Air Force pattern position. The rubber pads on arm and knee were
civilian air traffic departments, and even such eagle and swastika badge is worn above the right mainly used in training, but occasional photo-
arcana as the Luftwaffe Forestry Servjce. The breast pocket; the medal on the left breast is the graphs of paratroopers in combat show them being
bomber arm had virtually ceased to exist by mid- four years' service medal of the Luftwaffe. Below worn as late as the Cretan campaign of 1941.
1944, and its personnel were, in many cases, it is worn the silver wreath and gold diving eagle The bulky appearance of the paratrooper is due
remustered as infantry. of the paratrooper's quaHfication badge. The not only to the extremely tight grip of the harness
The first major action involving the Field brocade parade belt with decorated silver and itself, but also to the fact that his personal equip-
Divisions is believed to have been the attempt by gold buckle was worn less frequently as the war ment - belt, shoulder braces, holster, waterbottle,
von Mannstein's forces to support a break-out progressed. The cuff-title, in grass green with bread-bag, pouches, etc. - is worn under the smock
from StaHngrad by striking towards the perimeter (for officers) silver lettering and edges, bears the during the jump. On landing he removes the
from the Eastern Donets Basin in the winter of words Falischirm-Jager Rgt. I; the second regiment harness and the smock, and puts the equipment on
1942-3. For a number of reasons the attempt was wore a similar cuff-title. Grey kid gloves and again over the smock. (This practice, though
unsuccessful; and it is reported that the Luftwaffe black top-boots were worn by officers of all the time-wasting, was sound in theory; projections
Field Divisions broke and retreated under the services. which might snag the parachute shroud lines
pressure. This is hardly surprising, considering the The Luftwaffe officer's sword was of unique should be reduced to a mjnimum, and for the same

28 29
all round it. The paratrooper's qualification badge B2 Untero./fi<.ier ofparachute troops, Naruik, 1940
in silver and gold finish metal is worn on the left This NCO has removed his harness and replaced
breast. The belt is the normal black leather his equipment over his smock; armed with one of
service model with a dull silver buckle plate the sniper-scope Mauser K.98 rifles from the
embossed with a wreath and the Lriftwaffe eagle. provision canister, he is now rallying his squad to
In action these were often painted over with a move off the drop-zone. His helmet bears the
blue-grey finish. For walking-out order the reversed eagle decal on the right side. He wears an
trousers hang loose over black laced shoes. The old civilian scarf against the cold of Norway in the
Air Force second model sidearm (the first, super- very early spring, and has had to take off his
seded in '938, resembled the Luftwaffe officer's right glove to get his hand comfortably into the
sword in design) hangs on decorative suspender trigger-guard of the rifle - later models had an
straps which pass under the tunic to an internal enlarged 'winter' trigger-guard. His smock is the
attachment. The ranks ofUnteroffizier and Unter- Luftwaffe first pattern; it has a central fastening
.. feldwebel wore the sidearm without the silver
porte-epee or hanging knot.
concealed in a fly front, two zipped pockets in the
thighs, and permanently tailored legs. Trousers,
boots and gloves are standard issue. His leather
belt and shoulder braces - the latter concealed
B1 Gifreiter ofparachute troops, 1941 here by the bandoliers - are pre-war dark-brown
A lance-corporal or private first class, as he might items. The stiff leather holster holds his P.08
appear during his free time on his home base. He automatic, with two magazines. The cloth bando-
wears the sidecap or 'SchijJ' of the Luftwaffe's non- lier holds 105 rounds for the rifle; it hangs loose
commissioned personnel; a white woven Luftwaffe round the neck, and the ends were sometimes
eagle and swastika badge surmounts the black- tucked under the bel t. The only insignia on the
white-red national cockade on the front of the cap. smock are the Luftwaffe eagle on the right breast,
Normal field service wear for all ranks was the here invisible, and the rank patch on the left upper
'flying blouse', a short, shaped garment with a fly arm. The normal Luftwaffe belt buckle is painted
front, which paralleled British battle-dress in blue-grey. As a squad leader this NCO has a pair
function. The upper lapel is piped in the yellow of field-glasses.
Waffenfarbe of the paratroops, and the yellow collar
In blinding desert sunlight, a Flahrtillerie crew clean rings, and the variety of the crew's clothing. (Imperial
their pn, which f. dug in and protected by a dry-stone War MuseUD1) patches carry the two silver metal stylized wings
aanpr. Note dazzle ca.D1oullage on the gunsbJeld, 'kill' of his rank. His plain blue shoulder-straps are also B3 Paratrooper, Crete, 1941
piped in Waffenfarbe yellow. This soldier is armed with the 9 mm Schmeisser
The usual Air Force eagle badge is sewn to the MP.40 and a Stielhandgranate 24 - the famous
reason it has even become usual since the war for black tie. The collar patches are in Waffenfarbe right breast, in white thread on a dark-blue 'potato-masher grenade'. His blue-grey helmet
jump-boots to be manufactured without a separate yellow, and bear the three silver-grey metal ground. A woven version of his paratrooper's has been roughly camouflaged 'on the site', as it
hee1.) In his hand the paratrooper holds his long stylized wings of his rank. The edge of the upper qualification badge, in white and yellow thread, is were, by rubbing with earth. The smock is a new
black leather gauntlets with elasticated wrists. lapel is piped in yellow, and inside this is a 9 mm- sewn low on the left breast, and he wears the black pattern; the legs are no longer permanently
wide strip of silver braid or Tresse; this was worn wound badge awarded for either one or two tailored in, but formed by buttoning the long
on the collars of all non-commissioned personnel wounds in action. The green and white cuff-title of skirts of the smock between the thighs. Photo-
A3 Feldwebel ofparachute troops, 1940 from the rank of Unteroffizier upward. The the 2nd Paratroop Regiment is worn on the right graphs show that many of the Fallschirmjiiger pre-
This CO is in walking-out dress. His service cap shoulder-straps are basically of the same blue as forearm. His jump-trousers have a vertically ferred to wear the smock loose, for ease of move-
is smaller in the crown than that worn by officers. the uniform; they have an outer piping of Waffen- buttoned pocket in the seam of the right thigh, in ment, once they had landed and arranged their
In place of silver, the crown seam and the top and farbe yellow, an inner trim of silver Tresse and a which the gravity-knife is carried. The single eqwpment. The camouflage pattern is a fairly
bottom of the black ribbed band are piped in single grey metal pip, the last two features silver-braid chevron on the left upper arm short-lived and transitional one, consisting of
Waffenfarbe yellow. The two badges on the capare indicating exact rank. indicates his rank. He is reading a copy of the rounded splotches and elongated streaks. It was
pressed in silver-grey alloy, while those on an The tunic buttons are silver-grey metal with a German armed forces magazine, Signal; one may used by some troops in Crete; but that campaign
officer's cap were woven in silver thread. The dimpled finish. A white eagle and swastika badge assume that the generously proportioned U.F.A. saw early slate-green smocks, transitional camou-
tunic, very similar to the officer's model except in is sewn above the right breast pocket, a narrow starlets are attracting more of his attention than flage and the later segment camouflage all in use
quality of cloth, is worn with a white shirt and edge of the dark blue backing patch being visible the pawkily worded exhortations of Dr Goebbels. together. The Luftwaffe eagle is sewn on the right

30 31
breast, and is the only insignia worn; note also the branch of service were looped and buttoned to the
four pockets in the smock, two across the thighs tunic. The usual breast badge is sewn above the
and two diagonally arranged on the chest, their right pocket, in this case an 'other ranks' pattern
zips covered by cloth flaps. in white on dark blue - no real distinction seems
Trousers and jump-boots are standard issue, to have been made with this uniform, and officers
as are the belt and shoulder braces and the wore the 'other ranks' badge as often as their own
webbing pouches for the Schmeisser magazines. silver pattern. The ribbon of the Iron Cross 2nd
This item appeared in many different styles Class is worn in the buttonhole. On the breast are
throughout the war - webbing with individual pinned the major's paratrooper qualification
covers, leather with individual covers, webbing badge, and the Luftwaffe Ground Combat badge,
and leather with single-piece covers - and there awarded from Malch '942 onwards to Ail Force
seems to be no significance in the use of one or personnel who distinguished themselves in close
another by any particular unit or at any particular combat on the battlefield. The boots are of a late
time. These are army pouches; blue-grey canvas pattern - brown rather than black, and lacing up
Air Force versions were also issued. the front.
The unusual cap, so reminiscent of a British
Army officer's hat, was worn by paratroop officers
- and presumably by other Air Force ground
troops - in the tropical theatre of operations. The
whole hat, including the peak, is covered with
brown cloth. The peak is rather larger than on the
conventional Air Force peaked caps. The badges
are metal pin-on items identical with those worn
on the normal blue peaked cap of the non-
commissioned ranks. Alternative wear was the
conventional blue officer's cap with a white cloth
Luftwaffe peaked field cap (EinheitsJeldmuue) which cover over the crown.
replaced the sldecap from. 1943 onwards. Several versions
existed of both officers' and other ranks' patterns, differ-
ing slightly in detaU. of piping and buttons. (Author'. An fejghty-eight' firing during. desert battle. (lmperial
collection) War Museu.rn)
C2 Paratrooper, Ramcke Brigade, Tunisia, 1943
The sidecap worn by this soldier is a lightweight
Cl Major of parachute troops, Ramcke Brigade, Egypt, tropical issue, manufactured in a thin sandy twill
1942 material and lacking the separate 'turn-up' of the twill trousers of the standard tropical Air Force fittings on the left side of the butt and barrel
The officer shown here, apparently the successful normal sidecap. A woven badge in the form of the uniform. They are gathered by buttons and tapes housing, allowing it to be carried in this way for
party in some transaction involving one of his Luftwaffe eagle on a triangular patch of tan cloth at the ankle; and in place ofjump-boots, he wears immediate access.
Italian allies, wears the standald Luftwaffe tropical is sewn to the front of the cap, the eagle being the canvas and leather 'desert creepers', rather The paratrooper is carrying ammunition boxes
issue uniform. The tunic, with four pleated woven in pale blue thread. A woven cockade is like hockey boots without cleats, which were with belts for the squad's MG.42 light machine-
pockets, and the loose, baggy trousers with a deep fixed below it. White scarves or sweat rags were populal with all branches of the forces in the gun. Field equipment is reduced to the minimum;
pocket in the left thigh, were issued to officers and populal in the Mediterranean theatre of opera- desert and Mediterranean theatre. His paratroop on the back of his belt he would be carrying his
other ranks alike. The outfit was widely used not tions. The smock, worn here with the skirt helmet is slung from his belt, and is painted in a canvas bread-bag, with rations and immediate
only in the desert, but also in Sicily, Italy, the buttoned into legs, is of a cut identical with the pale stone shade. He wealS the normal leather personal necessities, his water canteen, his bayonet
Balkans and southern Russia in the summer smock worn by the figure Bg, but is in the later ammunition pouches for riAe rounds, three and perhaps an entrenching tool.
months, and by all branches of the Ail Force. Its camouflage pattern - a scheme of angulal segments pouches on each side of the belt, and additional
colour, a light tan which quickly washed and or splinters in three colours, identical with that ammunition is carried in the cloth bandolier,
bleached to an almost off-white shade, differed used by the Army for camouflaged shelter- manufactured in sand-coloured canvas for tropical C3 Paratrooper, Italy, 1944
from the usually green-tinged tropical dIess of the quarters, smocks and helmet covers. I t has the four use. The K.g8 rifle was often calried in the One of HeidIich's men from 1. Fallschirmjiiger
Army. pockets with concealed zips, and the Luftwaffe manner illustrated; unlike British and American Division, making use of a short spell out of the line
No collar insignia were worn with this uniform, eagle is sewn to the right breast. riAes, which had the sling-swivels mounted on the in Cassino town to clean the bore of his FG.42/44
but the shoulder-straps indicating rank and This soldier wears the baggy pale sand-coloured bottom face of the weapon, the K.g8 had sling assault gun; this is the second pattern weapon,

32 33
again, photographs confirm that they were often for the loss of one eye, one hand, one foot, or
allowed to hang loose over the tops of the boots. deafness; the paratrooper's qualification badge;
Now fighting exclusively as elite infantry, the and the Air Force Ground Combat badge. Other
paratroopers were often issued with the Army campaign and service medals appear as ribbons,
boot of the period in place of the jump-boot; this with applied swords and other motifs, above the
was the 'high shoe', a conventional front-lacing breast pocket.
ankle boot very similar to the British Army boot,
though of inferior material.
D2 Unterfeldwebel standard-bearer of Flakartillerie
troops
D 1 Generalmajor ofparachute troops, 191-1- This NCO carries the Fahne or standard of a
One of the relatively youthful generals who three Flakartillerie regiment. The red ground of the
years before jumped over Crete as colonels com- standard reflects the Wafferifarbe of the Flak troops;
manding paratroop regiments, in the uniform he a paratroop regiment's standard, for instance,
might wear for a parade or review; it may be would be of identical design but with a golden
presumed that he would wait until the last minute yellow ground. The obverse bears a Luftwaffe
before exchanging his peaked cap for the steel eagle and swastika within a laurel wreath, both in
helmet usually worn on such occasions. silver, on a white circle. Four rays taper in to this
The general wears normal service dress - open- central design from the corners, white stripes out-
collared tunic and pegged breeches in Luftwaffe lined with broad black trim. In each corner, on
blue, with peaked cap. The piping, cords, and the white central stripe of the ray, is a black static
insignia on the cap are in gold rather than silver swastika. On the reverse the design differs only
as an indication of his rank. His collar is piped in that a black Iron Cross with a silver border
with gold cord, and his breast eagle is woven in replaces the eagle, and the laurel wreath gives
gold metallic thread, for the same reason. Under place to one of oak leaves. The metal capital on
his shirt collar is passed the ribbon of his Ritter- the pole is in the form of a silver eagle with out-
kreuz - the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. His stretched wings, the fringe is silver, and the Luftwaffe field troops in Italy; they wear the sandy yellow
C&ppo' SclmUd, brie8y the conunander of the 'HeJ'n'Ulnn tropical uniform., with convendonal insipia and equip-
collar patches feature small gold eagles within a hanging cords and knots are silver, the former with alent, and light-painted helm.ets.. (hnperial War Ml18ewn}
Goring' Division in the Mediterranean theatre of opera-
dons. (GemeinscluJft der Jagdjlieger E.V.) gold wreath on a white ground, and his shoulder- a black edge.
straps are of triple-twist gold/silver/gold cord on a The standard-bearer wears the normal Luft-
with telescope sight, wooden butt and improved white underlay; the Waffenfarbe gives way to white waffe open-necked tunic with a black tie and white lapels. The gorget itself is in white metal, with a
action. Bipod and bayonet are folded beneath the from the rank of Generalmajor upwards. The shirt. His shoulder-straps are edged all round with yellow-metal motif in high relief, showing a Luft-
barrel. The trooper has locked the receiver back brocade parade belt, in silver with shot threads of the silver braid of his rank, with an outer piping waffe eagle above a wreathed swastika and a
and passed the weighted chain of his Reinigungsgeriit black and red, has a gold general officer's buckle in red Waffenfarbe. The tunic collar is similarly trophy of banners.
31- kit down the barrel from chamber to muzzle with a silver eagle motif. The sword illustrated is edged with the 9 mm-wide silver Tresse worn by
before pulling through with a brass-wire brush. the general officer's pattern, its scabbard hooked all ranks from Unteroffizier upwards, and with an
The provision of comprehensive kits of spares and through a ring on a suspension strap which passes outer piping of red. The red collar patches bear D3 Hauptmann of Flakartillerie troops, 191-3
tools with all types of equipment was characteristic under the tunic pocket flap, through a slit in the the two' stylized wings of his rank. A standard' A captain commanding a gun-site somewhere in
of the German forces. lining of the tunic, to an interior belt. On his left bearer's arm patch, in the form of a shield in Germany or the OCCupied territories, blinded in
The helmet has a cloth cover in the same cuff the general wears the 'KRETA' cuff-title, Luftwaffe blue charged with two crossed banners, one eye in some rearguard action in Tunisia and
camouflage material as the smock, with a looped proud mark of the men who fought during the one showing the obverse and one the reverse, is perhaps relegated to second-line duties. He wears
fabric band around it for the attachment offoliage. invasion of Crete in 1941; the band was authorized worn just above the elbow on the right arm of the normal field service dress, with the sidecap piped
The smock is the same pattern as illustrated in the in October 1942. His breeches bear general's tunic. Other insignia, and the trousers and field in silver around the turn-up to indicate com-
previous figure; field equipment has been re- stripes. boots, are standard. The metal gorget, which was missioned rank. The 'flying blouse' is his usual
moved, and it is worn hanging half-open - an His insignia include the 1939 Bar to the 1914-18 worn throughout the German forces as a distin- everyday working dress, with pegged breeches and
unsoldierly and sloppy appearance confirmed by Iron Cross - the small silver eagle high on the guishing mark of standard-bearers (and military top-boots. The plain leather belt with a double-
wartime photographs. For winter fighting in the pocket - and below it the 1939 Iron Cross 1St police when on duty), hangs around the neck on a claw buckle was the prescribed field service wear
miserable conditions of the Italian mountains the Class. Pinned clockwise beneath these are the chain of square, masked links; this passes under for officers of all services. The blouse bears the
heavy serge trousers of Luftwaffe blue are worn; silver wound badge, for three or four wounds, or the collar and emerges in the notch between the usual silver breast eagle; the shoulder straps, with

34 35
single panel of Waifenfarbe, the other four panels with Army tropical uniforms instead of Luftwaife
being in Air Force blue. The medals are the First dress.
World War Iron Cross, the Luftwaife twelve years' The Army tunic and trousers are in the normal
service medal, and the Austrian Anschluss medal. pale olive drab shade used by the troops of the
Bandsmen of the rank of Oberfeldwebel Afrika Korps. The Luftwaife helmet has been
(Musikleiter) and upwards wore special rank painted sand yellow, rather roughly, and a narrow
insignia on Waifenfarbe collar patches; a lyre device edge of the original colour shows around the edges
replaced the wings, and was used in conjunction of the decal. The scarf is a civilian item. The long
with wings on officers' patches. It also appeared desert boots, of mixed canvas and leather con-
on the shoulder-straps, which for commissioned struction and lacing from instep to knee, are
ranks were of alternated silver and Waifenfarbe identical, except in length, with the desert
cord. 'creepers' illustrated in an earlier figure. Their
tight lacing gives the loose Irousers rather the
effect of pegged breeches. The blue-on-tan Army
E2 Leutnant of Flakartillerie troops, evening mess dress breast eagle insignia has been retained, but Luft-
This uniform is self-explanatory. waife shoulder-straps (blue with red Waifenfarbe
piping) and collar patches (red, with rank
insignia) have been applied. The Flak badge is
£3. Obergifreiter of Flakartillerie troops, 1943 worn on the left breast, and standard issue dust
The range-finder operator in a light Flak battery. goggles hang round the neck.
His working uniform is simple. The standard
helmet is weathered to the point at which it gives
no real indication of his service. The fly-fronted F2 Schiltze, Jager Regiment, Brigade 'Hermann
'flying blouse' is the preferred working dress, with Goring', 1942
standard issue trousers and field boots. No A private soldier in parade dress, in the 'present
pouches or braces are worn with the belt; a arms' drill position. His helmet, shirt, tie, tunic,
Two Luftwaffe Oberleutnante palliS through a London Goring' Division. The sa.m.e officer wears, on his field bayonet, canteen and bread bag slung on the back trousers and boots are all standard issue, as are the
stadOD on their way to the l cage', July 1943. Both wear the cap, the pin_back reversed metal badge from a Luftwaffe would probably be the only items of equipment belt and black ammunition pouches. The rifle is
tropical unifonn, and one the culI'-dtle of the 'HermAnn sun hebnet
worn. The blouse collar is piped in red Waifen- the Mauser K.98. The main interest in this plate
farbe, and the patches bearing the three wings of centres on the collar patches. The Regiment
his rank are red; plain blue shoulder-straps are 'General Goring' originally wore collar patches with
red Flakartillerie underlay, have the two yellow- officers wore the band with silver-grey edges and edged with the same colour. The rank chevrons a white backing and a red piping edge, the rank
metal pips of captain's rank, and the red collar palm-heads; other ranks had a title with simply are worn on the left arm only, and below them is a devices being applied in the normal way. The
patches with silver cord officer's edging bear the the word 'AFRIKA'. white thread trade badge identifying the soldier piping and underlay of the shoulder-straps was in
three stylized wings and oak spray which identify as a range-finder operator. The Flak badge, white. The enlargement of the unit to include both
this rank. A touch of neatness is added by the awarded from February 1941 for outstanding Jager and Grenadier regiments led to the adoption
collar and tie. E 1 Unteroffizier bandsmanof Flakartillerie troops service in action, is worn on the left breast, and of green-edged patches in the former unit - green
The fly-fronted blouse has been specially The basic uniform is the standard open-necked above it are the ribbons of the War Service Cross being the traditional colour for rifle regiments. It
pierced in the normal position to accommodate four-pocket tunic, standard trousers and field with swords, and the medal awarded for service is believed that after February '943 the convention
the ribbon of the Iron Cross 2nd Class. On the boots; as remarked above, helmets were normally on the Westwall in 1939/40. was changed, coinciding with the expansion of the
left breast are the Iron Cross 'st Class, the silver worn on parade occasions. The shoulder-straps ,. unit to clivisional establishment. Thereafter all
wound badge appropriate to his handicap, the and collar patches indicate rank in the con- branches within the unit wore shoulder-straps
Flak badge and the Ground Combat badge. The ventional way with silver-braid Tresse and stylized FI Kanonier, Flakartillerie troops, Libya, 1942 piped with the appropriate Waifenfarbe. Officers
ribbon of the Winter 1941/42 medal indicates wings, and red Flak Waifenfarbe appears as piping This gunner, 'taking five' for a smoke on the wore white patches with the normal silver rank
service in the first winter campaign in Russia. round straps and collar and backing for the rank march, is interesting mainly for the mixture of devices and silver cord edging, and shoulder-
Around the left forearm is sewn the Air Force devices. It is also used, alternated with silver, in insignia he wears. The plate was prepared from straps with the relevant underlying Waifenfarbe.
version of the 'AFRIKA' cuff-title, awarded for the bandsman's 'wings' on the shoulders; buglers a photograph showing a group of these soldiers, The unit cuff-title is an intermediate pattern.
six months' service in that area. Blue replaced the wore wings with a hanging fringe of silver tassels. all wearing the same type of uniform. Presumably The original title was dark blue with a silver-grey
Army's brown, and in further contrast, only The drum hangings bear the Ltiftwaife eagle on a owing to local shortages, the unit had been issued edge and the words 'General Goring' in Gothic

36 37
lettering. This type has no edge for non-com- given place to the standard front-lacing 'high Luftwaffe Field Divisions; the contradictions of his
missioned ranks, and carries the name f Hermann shoe'. A variety of headgear was worn by the tank position are reRected in the weird mixture of
Goring' in Gothic letters. The final pattern, which troops of the division; this officer follows a popular insignia features. The cap is the standard Army
soon superseded this, carried the legend 'Hermann practice in wearing his ordinary blue peaked M43, with Luftwaffe insignia. Like the cap, the
Goring' in block capitals, edged, in the case of service cap, piped in silver around crown seam short jacket and loose trousers are in Army field
officers, with strips of silver braid. The shoulder and both edges of the band to indicate com- grey; no example is known of a special Luftwaffe
cord is a marksmanship award; this was issued in missioned rank. Other hats worn with this uni- armoured vehicle uniform, and the crews of self-
twelve different grades, each being indicated by a form included the Army-pattern black sidecap, propelled guns in the Air Force battlefield units
specific combination of colouring in the weave of with or without Luftwaffe eagles replacing the therefore had to wear the uniform prescribed for
the cord and the design of the eagle-and-wreath Army insignia; and, increasingly in the last year Army artillery personnel in self-propelled units.
plaque, and in the number of 'acorns'. This is the of the war, the black M43 field cap, with silver The breast eagle is standard Luftw~ffe pattern.
seventh grade. crown-seam piping in the case of officers, and The shoulder-straps are ordinary Luftwaffe items
Luftwaffe insignia. with conventional rank distinctions, but are piped
The black double-breasted jacket is piped in in Panzer pink Wafferifarbe. The collar patches are
F3 Hauplmann of Panzergrenadier Iroops, Division
Panzer rose-pink Waffenfarbe around the collar particularly interesting. Field Division personnel,
'Hermann Goring', Sicily, 1943
and upper lapel, in accordance with Army whatever their branch of service, wore patches in
This trim and much-decorated captain wears one
practice for all ranks, although this piping was Jager green with conventional rank devices added.
of the many combinations of uniform items
less often seen in the last two years of the war. His Non-commissioned ranks had the edges of the
observed in the rather relaxed atmosphere of the
shoulder-straps are identical with those ofan Army patches piped in the appropriate Waffenfarbe - in
Mediterranean theatre. His pale sand-yellow field
tank lieutenant, and have normal rose-pink under- this case, Panzer rose-pink. Earphones, throat
cap, of the type immortalized by the Afrika Korps,
lay. The collar patches worn by Air Force tank microphones, Rashlight and Walther automatic
has woven insignia applied - the usual Luftwaffe
crews are in some dispute. One respected source are all standard issue items.
eagle and cockade, of the size and pattern used on An exha1l&ted LuftwaJf~ soldier sleeps in a hedgerow on
sidecaps. His shiTt is buttoned to the throat, and holds that these were white, following the practice the way to a prison cunp - North·West Europe, 1945. He
in the rest of the Division, with the normal silver G3 SchUlze, Luftwaffen Feld-Division, 1943 wears the cam.ouBaged field jacket peculiar to Air Force
he wears the Knight's Gross. The standard Air troops, ankle boots, and blue-grey canvas gaiters.
death's-head insignia for all ranks; officers' patches As the Air Force infantry regiments were classed (Inlperial War Museum)
Force pale sandy twill tunic carries no collar
were edged with silver cord, and those of other as Jager, or RiRe, units the private soldiers
patches - they seem to have been omitted from
ranks with rose-pink. This source states that carried the rank of 'RiReman'. This soldier, carry-
this tunic almost without exception- but the white-
ordinary Army patches - black with rose piping ing an anti-vehicle device made by taping the HI Funker, Luftwaffen Feld-Division, 1944
underlaid shoulder-straps of his branch and rank
for all ranks - were worn only when the correct heads of a cluster of stick grenades around one This less than martial figure is a signaller, and is
are looped and buttoned to the shoulders. The
pattern was unavailable. However, another expert complete grenade, is armed with the usual K.98 illustrated with line-laying pole and cable reel.
breast eagle insignia is conventional; the ribbon
in the field is of the opinion that the black Army riRe and Mauser bayonet. He wears the issue steel His Luftwaffe blue M43 cap, with eagle and
of the Iron Gross 2nd Glass is worn in the button-
patches were worn by all ranks, and that white helmet with a foliage framework of canvas straps cockade badges sewn to the front on a single
hole, and the Iron Gross 1St Class is pinned to the
Panzer patches were never issued. The author has hooked to it, and the Luftwaffe greatcoat; the triangle of cloth, was worn increasingly from 1943
pocket. (Only holders of both lower grades were
been shown some dozen photographs of tank shoulder-straps of this are piped in Jager green. onwards by all ranks, as stocks of the sidecap
eligible for awards of the Knight's Cross.) A
personnel of the Division, drawn from different His leather belt and shoulder braces are black, were allowed to run down. His scarf is a civilian
wound badge and the Luftwaffe Ground Combat
wartime sources, and all wear the standard black and the D-rings on the backs of his shoulders are item. He wears the normal Fliegerbluse (Rying
badge are pinned below it. A divisional cuff-title
Army patches; although in one case no patch at used to attach a grey-blue canvas carrying frame blouse), the upper lapels piped in the brown
with silver officer's edging is sewn to the right
all was worn, and the silver death's-head badges (here, perforce, almost invisible) for the reduced Waffenfarbe of the signals units, and the dark-green
sleeve. Plain leather belt with double-claw buckle,
were pinned directly to the collar itself. equipment of his 'assault pack'. The mess-tins are collar patch bearing the single wing of his rank is
map case, and stiffened Luger holster are con-
The breast eagle is the Air Force pattern, In strapped across the top, and below them the rolled outlined in the same shade. His trousers are
ventional. This officer wears, for comfort, a pair
silver on black; for other ranks it was woven in shelter-quarter in camouflage material. On the tucked into the blue-grey canvas anklets, with
of Army-issue shorts, grey-green Army socks, and
white on black. A divisional cuff-title is worn, as belt are his grey-blue canvas bread bag, for rations leather straps, which were issued in conjunction
desert (creepers'.
is the ribbon of the Iron Cross 2nd Class and an and small personal effects, a water canteen, and with lace-up ankle boots from 1943 onwards; this
Air Force Tank Assault badge. his gas-mask canister. The leather carrying case was an economy measure, as the amounts of
Gl Leulnanl of Panzer Iroops, Division 'Hermann for the entrenching spade, and the bayonet leather required to make the high marching boots
Goring', Iialy, 1944 G2 Feldwebel of Panzerjiiger Iroops, Luftwaffen Feld- scabbard, are slung beneath this. Invisible here, were causing serious concern.
This tank troop commander wears the standard Division but attached to the carrying frame under the The reversible reinforced jacket, an item worn
issue Army armoured vehicle uniform of black A senior CO in the uniform of the commander rolled camouRage quarter, would be a cloth bag by both Army and Air Force troops, had white
Feldjacke and Feldhosen. The field boots have long of a self-propelled 'tank destroyer' in one of the of tent-pegs. snow-camouflage material on one side and either

38 39
plain grey or camouflaged material on the other. For recognition purposes, strips of coloured cloth,
Both the splinter pattern, and the 'water' pattern the colour changed frequently in the manner of a
illustrated here, were used. The jacket had an password, were often buttoned around the upper
attached hood. It was double-breasted, with a arms of white winter clothing.
flap to cover the front join and drawstrings at
neck, waist and bottom. Another over-garment H3 Schiilze, LuftwajJen Feld-Diuision, 1945
which would be consistent with this period was the A rather forlorn soldier, perhaps an aircraft
long camouflaged field-jacket, non-reversible and mechanic drafted into a hastily raised field
of lighter material, illustrated in some of the formation at short notice, and thrown into the line
photographs in this book. with only the sketchiest training or equipment.
His helmet has been fitted with a cover for the.
H2 Leutnanl, LuftwajJen Feld-Division, winter dress attachment of camouflage, roughly fashioned from
The fleece-flapped and fleece-lined version of the chicken-wire and a strip of rubber cut from an old
peaked field cap was worn mainly (but obviously inner tube. Over his uniform he wears the .(ell-
not exclusively) by officers. This company com- hahn or camouflaged shelter-quarter, common to
mander has replaced shirt and tie with a privately both Army and Air Force troops. It could be
owned roll-neck sweater under his flying blouse. arranged in various ways to offer protection from
He is pulling on the white, fleece-lined officer's rain and the enemy's sight. He is armed only with
parka, and wears the thick Army reversible over- a pair of Panzerfausl anti-tank projectiles - one-
trousers turned white side out. Rather short in the shot weapons of simple design, uncertain aim and
leg, these are fastened at the bottom with draw- only occasional effectiveness. They were mass-
strings. The boots are covered with overshoes of produced in the last months of the war and issued
waterproofed material, also fastened with draw- to troops and Home Guard units in tens of
strings. thousands; they had the advantage of being
The collar of the blouse is piped in silver, and relatively cheap, and so simple to use that ten
the green collar patches with silver woven rank minutes' training gave an old-age pensioner as
devices are outlined in silver; green underlay on good a chance as a veteran soldier of 'brewing up'
the shoulder-straps identifies an infantry officer. a T-34.

40
Men-at-Arms Series

THE SEVEN YEARS WAR BRITISH REGIMENTS


MONTCALM'S ARMY THE BLACK WATCH
WOLFE' AR~1Y· THE COLDSTREA~I GUARDS
THE AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN ARMY OF THE THE ROYAL SCOTS GREYS
SEVEN YEARS WAR THE ARGYLL & SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS
FREDERICK THE GREAT'S ARMY THE CONNAUGHT RA. 'GERS
THE BUFFS
THE ROYAL ARTILLERY
NAPOLEONIC W,l.RS THE KI IG'S REGIMENT
FOOT'GRENADIERS OF THE IMPERIAL GUARD THE GURKHA RIFLES"
CHASSEURB-,P.F HE GUARD THE 30TH PUNJABIS
BL~1Y THE SOUTH WALES BORDERERS
RU&i.~R;l<n; THE NAPOL£O~IC WARS THE ROYAL CREE. JACKETS
TH~ WICKERS-
AUSTRO.I-i ARIAN AR..M ' .O~.rHE
NAPOLE'CiN
WELLII GTON' PENI~
.- - _ c'"
.. ' " ........ "."" AMERICAN SUBJECTS
THE STONEWALL BRIGADE
KING'S GERMA!'1ilE1i10~'> , " ..;>......
.... THE IRON BRIGADE
NAPOLEON'S POLl~ THE U.S. CAVALRY
NAPOLEON'S CER~tAN -,~ <..~~.!w GEORGE WASHINGTO~' AR\'IY
NAPOLEON'S GE~1\'N' L~I (2 ..-. ~ """r THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
SPANISH AR~HE '12F>.l~l' "A~i(il""'I...\X~~ THE AMERICAN PROVINCIAL CORPS
PORTUG ESE i\~~iS (jt-'~I{;i'\?ARS mE BRITISH ARMY IN ORTH AMERICA
NAPOLEO "5 AR.TILJ1.~R 1 -.. • THE AMERICAN WAR 1812- 14.
SCANDINAVIAN ,\1b'11 . :oIAllOLEOKlC WARS 1'E@.ARMY OF THE POTOMAC

•.
~ ~­
OTHER '9TH CENTURY ~AIGNS.
THE7tR:vlY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA
• Ftf.MEXICAN.A~"ERICAN WAR 1846-8
RUSSIAN ARMY OF THE CRIMEA "':'.- \\'OLFE' ARMY··
BRITISH ARMY OF THE CRIMEA" MONTCALM'S~ARMY
AR.\1Y OF THE GER..\1A.' E.\1PIR£ 18;0-88
THE S DA I CAMPAIGNS
THE BOER WAR MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS
THE ZULU WAR THE FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION
THE COSSACKS
ENGLISH CIVIL WAR ARMIES
WORLD WAR D THE RO~tAN ARMY FROM CAESAR TO TRAJAN"
THE WAFFE ' SS MEDIEVAL EUROPEAN ARMIES 1300-1500
L FTWAFFE AIRBORNE AND FIELD UNITS THE LANDSKNECHTS
THE PANZER DIVISIO 'S THE ARAB LEGION
THE JAPANESE ARMY OF WORLD WAR II
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