Allied use of captured Axis AFVs and Tanks - Page 3

JCFalkenbergIII · #51 (**permalink**) March 19th, 2008, 04:58 PM

"In the 'Then and Now' series of books, the one on Market Garden shows a photo of a captured Stug III being used as an FO by a British artillery regiment."

JCFalkenbergIII · #52 (**permalink**) March 22nd, 2008, 08:25 PM

The first of REME's accolades in the campaign was for perfecting vehicle waterproofing techniques. Failures were less than 1 percent. As the major battles moved forward, REME workshops were established quickly to recover damaged equipment and repair it for reissue. Improvisation was necessary to get this equipment back to the units as quickly as possible. Other significant REME contributions included creation of the tracked armored personnel carrier, the Kangaroo; the conversion of tank transporters to carry bulk supplies and stores; and the use of captured German tanks to overcome the shortage of armored recovery vehicles.

I had the privilege of serving with the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) of the British Army as an American exchange officer from June 1992 until July 1994. I was a company commander in the School of Electronic Engineering. D

JCFalkenbergIII · #53 (**permalink**) March 22nd, 2008, 08:43 PM

The weapons and equipment of the FFI were highly varied. Because they were not units that the United States had formally agreed to logistically support, they were not eligible to receive the standard U.S. equipment that was provided to French regular army units. Thus, the FFI units often clothed themselves in nonstandard uniforms or uniforms of 1940 vintage. The same condition existed with weapons, with the use of captured German infantry weapons a common practice. Because of the mix of American, British, French, German, and other weapons, the supply of ammunition and spare parts was complicated and often difficult to accomplish. Some heavy armored fighting vehicles were obtained, notably British Cromwell tanks (150 provided by Great Britain) and captured German tanks (44, of which 12 were Panthers).[7] The 12th Regiment of Dragoons received 12 Cavalier tanks among other British equipment in April 1945.[8] In other cases, FFI units used vehicles no longer favored by Allied forces, such as the U.S. M6 Fargo, a light truck with a portee 37-mm antitank gun. Finally, civilian vehicles and practically anything else in running condition were pressed into service and used until they could no longer be maintained.

French Forces of the Interior - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

JCFalkenbergIII · #54 (**permalink**) March 24th, 2008, 07:25 PM

"Because they were not units that the United States had formally agreed to logistically support, they were not eligible to receive the standard U.S. equipment that was provided to French regular army units."

Seems a little nit picky doesn't it? I wonder if the British felt the same?

JCFalkenbergIII · #55 (**permalink**) March 25th, 2008, 01:45 AM

Za Rodinu · #56 (**permalink**) March 26th, 2008, 11:18 AM

That Pz IV is missing the last roadwheel (count'em, 87 only) !! Perhaps it evaded capture and rolled its way back to its own lines

JCFalkenbergIII · #57 (**permalink**) March 26th, 2008, 06:13 PM

Whoa!! Nice eye there Za

. I had to take a second look

.

JCFalkenbergIII · #58 (**permalink**) March 31st, 2008, 04:14 AM

What the heck is on the rear of the the PZ IV?

Tomcat · #59 (**permalink**) March 31st, 2008, 04:18 AM

She certainly looks like she has been in a bit of a scrap with someone else, wonder what the other one looks likeL

JCFalkenbergIII · #60 (**permalink**) March 31st, 2008, 05:43 AM

Italian Lancia 3RO

JCFalkenbergIII · #61 (**permalink**) March 31st, 2008, 06:20 AM

JCFalkenbergIII · #62 (**permalink**) April 10th, 2008, 12:10 AM

I forgot to mention that the previous pics are vehicles that were used by the LRDG.

JCFalkenbergIII · #63 (**permalink**) April 19th, 2008, 05:00 PM

Does anyone have anymore info on vehicles used by the Allies for missions other then those of the LRDG?

Tomcat · #64 (**permalink**) April 19th, 2008, 10:48 PM

JCFalkenbergIII · #65 (**permalink**) April 25th, 2008, 09:50 PM

Hetzer captured by the Poles and used as a barricade during the Warsaw Uprising 1944.

John Dudek · #66 (**permalink**) April 27th, 2008, 01:03 AM

I recall reading that after the cessation of hostilities in the ETO in 1945, General Eisenhower asked for a complete tally of every wheeled vehicle in every US Infantry and Armored Division in Europe. Given the high degree of "GI Shade-Tree Mechanics" in every Division, the recorded TOE of every unit was upwards of over 1/3rd of what was called for, because of the incorporation of so many abandoned German Trucks, half tracks, and other vehicles.

JCFalkenbergIII · #67 (**permalink**) April 28th, 2008, 08:19 PM

I wouldn't have been suprised in the least. With the amount of lost,abandoned and captured equipment left behind by the Germans the opportunities would abound LOL!

JCFalkenbergIII · #68 (**permalink**) May 6th, 2008, 01:59 AM

Does anyone know of any instances where foriegn eqiuptment were recaptured from the Germans and used against them again?

TheRedBaron · #69 (**permalink**) May 6th, 2008, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCFalkenbergIII

"Just before crossing the Rhine, the US Army took a bunch of captured 251's and mounted "Screamin Mimi" rocket launchers on them. They were then driven or towed into position to launch a huge barrage – and then abandoned afterwards."

I saw this statement on another site. Has anyone else heard about this? Any more info?

Yup... I have a pic of one of them somewhere...

JCFalkenbergIII · #70 (**permalink**) May 15th, 2008, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRedBaron

Yup... I have a pic of one of them somewhere...

I would love to see it if you can find it?

Za Rodinu · #71 (**permalink**) May 15th, 2008, 09:52 AM

Here's one. Too complicated to be abandoned, somebody must have had too much time on his hands.
Panzers

They even made a film of it