.jpg)
The Sturmartillerie Uniform, commonly known as the StuG-Wrap or Feldgrau Panzer Wrap, was a specialized field-grey double-breasted jacket introduced in May 1940 for crews of German Sturmgeschütz (StuG) assault guns, reflecting their organizational placement under the artillery branch of the Wehrmacht rather than the Panzer troops. Designed in the same distinctive wrap-over style as the black Panzerjacke worn by tank crews—with wide lapels, a short cut to facilitate movement inside the confined fighting compartment of the vehicle, and large pockets—but produced in field-grey (Feldgrau) wool for better camouflage against the StuG's grey-painted exterior and the battlefield environment, it featured shoulder boards or straps displaying the artillery's red Waffenfarbe (branch color) piping, along with standard Heer insignia such as the national eagle on the right breast and collar Litzen. Sturmartillerie personnel, who operated the highly successful StuG III and StuG IV series self-propelled guns in close infantry support roles, often faced intense exposure to enemy fire while serving as mobile artillery, making the grey uniform's practicality and camouflage value essential; variants included early patterns with simpler collars and later war versions incorporating simplified production features like reduced lining or different button configurations due to material shortages. While primarily issued to Heer units, similar field-grey wraps were used by Waffen-SS Sturmartillerie formations, and crews sometimes mixed in black Panzer items or camouflage smocks, but the StuG-Wrap remained the iconic and regulation uniform that distinguished assault gun crews from both standard infantry and black-clad Panzertruppen throughout the war on all fronts.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HEER
Generalmajor Günther Hoffmann-Schönborn (1905-1970) was a German officer who rose to the rank of Generalmajor in the Wehrmacht during World War II, serving initially in artillery units before becoming a pioneering commander of assault gun formations. Born in Posen, he joined the Reichswehr in 1924 as a volunteer in the 3. (Preuß.) Artillerie-Regiment and was commissioned Leutnant in 1928, steadily advancing through the ranks while gaining expertise in mobile artillery support. By late 1940 he was promoted to Major and appointed Kommandeur of Sturm-Geschütz-Abteilung 191 “Büffel,” equipped with Sturmgeschütze III vehicles that provided direct fire support to infantry. His leadership earned him the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 14 May 1941 as Major and commander of Sturm-Geschütz-Abteilung 191 attached to 5. Gebirgs-Division within XVIII. Gebirgs-Korps and 12. Armee, for his critical role in the Balkans Campaign: during the breakthrough of the Metaxas Line in Greece, despite intense enemy defensive fire and extremely difficult mountainous terrain, he skillfully maneuvered his Sturmgeschütze into effective firing positions to cover the advance of Gruppe Ens, delivering devastating close support that enabled the Gruppe to pierce the fortified Greek positions and contributed decisively to the rapid collapse of the enemy front. Later, on the Eastern Front with 111. Infanterie-Division under LI. Armeekorps and 6. Armee of Heeresgruppe Süd, his Abteilung distinguished itself during the advance to the Dnieper River, the river crossing, and the subsequent encirclement battles around Kiev in 1941, where aggressive leadership and coordinated fire support helped maintain momentum and inflict heavy losses on Soviet forces, leading to the award of the 49th Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 31 December 1941 while still a Major commanding Sturm-Geschütz-Abteilung 191. Hoffmann-Schönborn continued to command various units, including later the 18. Volksgrenadier-Division and 5. Panzer-Division, until the end of the war, embodying the tactical evolution of Sturmgeschütz operations from defensive fire support to offensive breakthroughs in some of the Wehrmacht’s most demanding campaigns.
Major im Generalstab Peter Frantz (24 July 1917 - 11 March 2001).
Hauptmann Ludwig Bertram (1917-2006), born on 8 January 1917 in Schifferstadt, Germany, and who died on 30 June 2006 in Eppstein im Taunus, was a decorated officer of the Heer who earned the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes for his determined defense during the intense fighting on the Eastern Front in the summer of 1944. After joining the Wehrmacht in 1939 and serving initially with artillery observation units such as the 2. / Beobachtungs-Abteilung 33 and later as Zugfuhrer in the 2. / Beobachtungs-Abteilung 29 through the campaigns in France, the Balkans, and Russia - where he was promoted to Leutnant in July 1940 and wounded in combat in 1942 - Bertram assumed command of the 1. Kompanie, Sturmgeschutz-Brigade 237 in October 1943. On 23 July 1944 the unit was tasked with securing the vital road junction at Miedzyrzec southeast of Siedlce; after being diverted overnight on 25/26 July to counter a Soviet penetration east of the position, the Batterie returned on 27 July to discover that supporting infantry had withdrawn, leaving Oberleutnant Bertram and his men as the primary defenders against an advancing Soviet spearhead. Despite having only four operational Sturmgeschutzen remaining, Bertram chose to engage immediately and, through skillful and tenacious action, his small force repelled repeated attacks throughout the day, destroying multiple enemy tanks to reach a personal total of twelve while denying the Soviets access to the city and crossroads until evening; this stand bought critical time for German forces to establish a new defensive line southeast of Siedlce, preventing a major breakthrough toward Warsaw. For this leadership and combat success he was awarded the Ritterkreuz on 12 August 1944 (later promoted to Hauptmann), having earlier received the Eisernes Kreuz II. Klasse, Eisernes Kreuz I. Klasse, Allgemeines-Sturmabzeichen, Krimschild, Ostmedaille, and Verwundetenabzeichen in Schwarz; near the war's end he briefly commanded the I. / Panzer-Jagd-Brigade 219 before evading captivity and living quietly in postwar Germany.
Hauptmann Erich Geppert (31 December 1912 - 8 February 1966).
Hauptmann Bodo Spranz (1 January 1920 - 1 September 2007).
Oberleutnant Hugo Primozic (16 February 1914 - 18 March 1996).
Oberleutnant Rolf Truxa (1921-1983), born on 6 June 1921 in Berlin-Schöneberg, Germany, served as an officer in the Heer during the Second World War and rose to the rank of Oberleutnant as Führer of the 2. Batterie, Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 190. He was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 17 December 1943 for his leadership during the German attempt to recapture the city of Nevel, where he and his Sturmgeschütze supported the infantry of the 252. Infanterie-Division. After overcoming Soviet minefields, the attacking infantry became pinned down while trying to seize the high ground at Sui Shmotki; at this critical moment, Oberleutnant Truxa rallied the stalled forces and led a sharp, aggressive assault with his assault guns that captured the heights, allowing the German advance to resume and pushing the Soviets back some 6 km by evening, despite the overall operation ultimately failing. Earlier in 1943 he had also received the Ehrenblattspange des Heeres und Waffen-SS while serving with the 1. Batterie of the same unit and the Deutsches Kreuz in Gold. Truxa survived the war and died on 3 February 1983 in Merzig an der Saar, Saarland, Germany.
Feldwebel Rudolf Bittner (18 December 1921 - 21 January 1945).
Generalmajor Gottfried Frölich (3 June 1894 - 30 July 1959).
Oberstleutnant Hans-Peter Knaust (7 August 1906 - 22 October 1983).
Major Martin Lenz (26 July 1908 - 8 May 2001).
Major im Generalstab Gottfried Geißler (17 October 1914 - 21 July 2006).
Hauptmann Albert Ernst (15 November 1912 - 21 February 1986).
Hauptmann Rolf Truxa (6 June 1921 - 3 February 1983).
Hauptmann Klaus Wagner (30 October 1917 - 24 April 2002).
Oberleutnant Johannes "Hans" Lutz (11 March 1920 - 26 August 2005).
Oberleutnant der Reserve Horst Haase (29 January 1910 - 7 March 1991).
Oberleutnant der Reserve Dr.med. Alfred Regeniter (13 January 1922 - 20 July 2016).
Leutnant Georg Bose (20 October 1921 - 26 September 2011).
Leutnant Johann Straub (6 June 1912 - 12 July 1996).
Oberwachtmeister Josef Rohrbacher (24 May 1920 - 25 February 1982).
Oberwachtmeister Richard Schramm (8 July 1913 - 17 June 1944).
Oberfeldwebel Christoph Krämer (21 August 1913 - 6 October 1990).
Oberfeldwebel Walter Rappholz (4 June 1912 - 30 September 1991).
Wachtmeister Fritz Amling (17 January 1916 - 6 March 1994).
WAFFEN-SS
SS-Sturmbannführer Ernst-August Krag (20 February 1915 - 24 May 1994).
SS-Sturmbannführer Erwin Meierdrees (11 December 1916 - 2 January 1945).
SS-Sturmbannführer Adolf Pittschellis (28 October 1914 - 26 January 1945).
SS-Sturmbannführer Wilfried Richter (9 May 1916 - 18 April 1981).
SS-Hauptsturmführer Wolfgang Gast (14 February 1919 - 8 May 1988).
SS-Hauptscharführer Willi Eßlinger (2 June 1916 - 25 August 1944).
Source :
Bundesarchiv photo archive
ECPAD photo archive
NARA photo archive
Jim Haley photo collection
Akira Takiguchi photo collection
Mark C. Yerger photo collection
https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=187430
http://www.history.jp/wehrmacht/008b.htm
https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/german-photographs-postcards/show-your-signed-photos-284539-83/
No comments:
Post a Comment