3rd Cumulative WW2 History Quiz

[cidknee]

well first off isnt that is not a german gun, looks like a browning to me. that and there is a plug on the barrell of the gun.

 

[Asclepius]

well first off isnt that is not a german gun, looks like a browning to me. that and there is a plug on the barrell of the gun.

Nope, that's an MG34 with a drum ammunition cassette, normally used in the AA role. You can ignore the condom on the end of the barrell He obviously forgot to take it off before posing for the camera!

 

[privatehudson]

Probably his nationality, it looks a little like an SS capbadge. Too small to determine what though.

 

[Asclepius]

Probably his nationality, it looks a little like an SS capbadge. Too small to determine what though.

You're getting warm but no cigar yet.

 

[privatehudson]

Well that's about as much as I can tell, other than the other giveaway that it's posed would be the fact that he's exposing himself way too much for a combat situation. Oh and the sideskirts are missing from the vehicle.

Unless I'm missing something entirely, I can't see a single badge or sign of what is so unusual about him. The uniform could be anywhere warm and the capbadge is too indistinct to pick out what it is. There could be a sort of thing above his forhead on the cap which looks like a diagonal stripe, but it could just be a trick of the light too.

 

[Asclepius]

The cap badge isn't that indistinct but its location should give away that he is doing something he ordinarily shouldn't.

 

[privatehudson]

All I can make out are two vertical lines with possibly something crossing them diagonally. Depending on how good my eyesight is that could fit a number of units. Rough guess I'm gonna say Hohestaufen at Arnhem, though that should have a sword which I can't pick out.

 

[dgfred]

Is he a Luftwaffe soldier or a tankman, not in a tank .

 

[Asclepius]

All I can make out are two vertical lines with possibly something crossing them diagonally. Depending on how good my eyesight is that could fit a number of units. Rough guess I'm gonna say Hohestaufen at Arnhem, though that should have a sword which I can't pick out.

That's a pretty accurate description of the badge...but W-SS and most Wehrmacht didn't wear any badges on their feldmützen...and there wouldn't be much unusual about a Wehrmacht or SS soldier being attached to an armoured unit...

 

[Asclepius]

Is he a Luftwaffe soldier or a tankman, not in a tank .

...now you're so hot you're on fire!

 

[privatehudson]

Good point my friend, there might just be an eagle on the front of the cap, and that H I guess could be the Herman Goering panzer symbol (never seen it so wouldn't know myself). I'll say Herman Goering division then.

 

[Asclepius]

Good point my friend, there might just be an eagle on the front of the cap, and that H I guess could be the Herman Goering panzer symbol (never seen it so wouldn't know myself). I'll say Herman Goering division then.

Nope! You were very close once before in this thread before I even asked the question!

 

[privatehudson]

Only other thing it could be is a FJ or LWFD then, I don't recall any other luftwaffe based formations that used armour, and I'm not sure how many LWFD used them. Not sure of which as I haven't got a clue what symbols they used either.

 

[Asclepius]

Only other thing it could be is a FJ or LWFD then, I don't recall any other luftwaffe based formations that used armour, and I'm not sure how many LWFD used them. Not sure of which as I haven't got a clue what symbols they used either.

You've gone cold again! He's not Luftwaffe. Remember, what would be unusual about seeing this particular soldier fighting in an assault gun (or any other tank for that matter)?

 

[privatehudson]

Sorry, but I can't see a damned thing that would make me think it was so unusual if it's not those.

 

[Asclepius]

Well you've got so close... He's not W-SS, he's not Wehrmacht and he's not Luftwaffe, you mentioned it... ooh, about five days ago, I wonder what it could be? I'll leave it until later this evening or tommorow morning (Euro time) before I put you out of your misery

 

[privatehudson]

AFAIK U-Boat crews never manned vehicles, and he doesn't look Korean either. Closest to u-boats I know of was 12th SS who used to use u-boat leather jackets for tank commanders.

 

[Asclepius]

AFAIK U-Boat crews never manned vehicles, and he doesn't look Korean either. Closest to u-boats I know of was 12th SS who used to use u-boat leather jackets for tank commanders.

Bing! After all that hard work, we have a winner (sort of!). I'm going to have to let you have this one by default!

He is in fact a U-boat sailor somehow finding time to pose in one of the few StuG's used to defend Festung Brest in 1944. You half mentioned this fact in post 202

It is possible to identify him as Kriegsmarine - Uboot as, apart from Wehrmacht mountain divisions, only the U boat sailors wore badges on the side of their fieldhats, so it didn't matter whether you could not see that it was in fact the 1st Flotilla badge as shown below.

This is in fact a very rare photo from a private collection!

Congrats, over to you!

 

[dgfred]

Nice question and pic! You had us going pretty good there

 

[privatehudson]

I have seen rare pictures of SS soldiers with various emblems and insignia in that postion, IIRC one was from 7th SS Prinz Eugen, but I can't be certain. That's why it wouldn't have occured to me, especially since the SS wore SS runes on the side of their helmets, so without that specialist knowledge it could have been a badge of that. Interesting nonetheless.

Ok, let us try this question, with luck someone might get one of mine for a change.

Why did 1st SS Panzer choose the divisional symbol they did?