Weighed down by the bulk of the MG - 42 and ammunition belts he is carrying, an infantryman of the Grossdeutschland Division struggles forward in the initial German advance at Kursk. Of note is the distinctive 'GD' cuff band on the right sleeve and the monogrammed insignia on the shoulder boards. Responsible for the destruction of many German Panzers in the entrenched defences of the Kursk salient were Soviet infantry platoons employing the PTRD or PTRS anti-tank rifles. The figure shown here is wearing the new 1943 regulation Gyymnastiorka and shoulder boards.
That is cool. I would want the least amount of weight as possible when in battle. What is the lightest possible to carry and still fight hard?
Most of the time, you didn't have the luxury of deciding on your prefered kit to carry into battle. Only very rarely would you be out and then back in to camp to any semblance of normality. It's a case of what you carry gets you through to the next day, and it begins again.....:thumb:
Damn right Kelly, towards the end of the War most German soldiers used what ever they could get their hands on as their own supplies were very scarce.. :thumb:
And (remember it from 'The Forgotten Soldier' Jim?) the Germans even turned to Cannibalism in the extreme colds of Russia while fleeing The Red Army.
I have never heard about this? Do you have any links to specifics on this? I know that Russia burnt down all towns so that the Germans could not use their supplies or have any place to stay but I have never heard of cannibalism being committed.
There definitely was cannibalism when the Germans were trying to survive at this point in the war. Most books about Russian/German conflict will discuss this and there are entire works written about the Battle of Kursk that I'm sure will go into great detail regarding this.
During the final throes of the Stalingrad battle the Germans turned to Canibalism. They had virtually nothing left by the time it all ended in Feb '43.
To kick start this thread--here are my Kursk photos including the repo fake: First-the repo: HH PK press photo of Panzergrenadiers about "to hitch a ride" PZIIIS and IVs and heading into battle on the first day of the attack:
With the Grossdeutschland Division during Kursk: Relaxing during a pause in the fighting: An American Lend lease Lee/Grant tank (aka) Grave for seven brothers) koed by the G.D:
