ae — THWLS Aad Ad 38 a1 sRovma By PETER STAHLAFRIKAKORPS AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY ‘ By PETER STAHL© COPYRIGHT 1972 by Peter Stahl Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 72-80299 International Standard Book Number 0-912370-05-X. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by. electronic of mechanical, any means, cluding photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior permission in weiting from the publisher ‘To my most severe critics, CBH and SLE without whose helpful proddings this would never have been completed, and to RIB for most helpful technical advice. Peter Stahl Box 3844 Stanford, California US.A. 94305 Die WehrmachtIntroduction During the course of the Second World war and in the years following, @ number of myths about the Afrika Korps sprang up. The first of these was the be- lief that this unit was a specially trained and equipped elite force. It was not. Hastily put together in Europe, the Afrika Korps was placed under the command of General Erwin Rommel, a pan- zer divisional commander, author of the famous book, "Infantry Attacks" and former commander of Hitler's Army body- guard. It was sent to Africa only par- tially equipped with tropical uniforms and the bulk of the men had to make do with heavy continental clothing. At the outset, vehicles were painted in standard Wehrmacht grey to be overpainted later as time permitted, Another myth is that Waffen-ss units served in Africa. At no time were any Waffen-SS units in Africa and in fact their use was strongly rejected by Rommel hinself. ‘The last major myth is that the African units of the Wehrmacht, the D.A.K., were beaten by the brilliant generalship of General Montgomery. ‘The Afrika Korps was defeated because Africa was no longer considered important by the German High Command) because supplies did not arrive neither did replacements and because Montgomery managed to secure a ten-to-one superiority in men before he would dare to mount an attack.Afrikakorps Organization = HEERESGRUPPE TUNIS (AFRIKA) (from February 1943) smmel, v. Arnim DEUTSCHE ARMEE IN AFRIKA (from February 1942) DEUTSCHAITAL. PZ. ARMEE PZ. ARMEE AFRIKA (from 9 December 1942) Sth PANZER ARMEE (from February 1943) Rommel, Stumme, v. Arnim, v. Vaerst SPERRVERBAND AFRIKA DEUTSCHES AFRIKA-KORPS (DAK) Rommel, Cruewell, Nehring, v. Thoma, Fehn, Ziegler, Cramer Feat. err eed 999th Division 10h Fallachiem 166th 900 15th sth ‘Afrika-Div Hermann Goering Panzer Division Lehr-Brigade Light Division Light Division Panzer Division Light Division 2ist Thomas Schmid Fischer Ramcke _Lungershausen Suemmermann . Prittwitr Panzer Division ¥. Broich v. Liebenstein Veith Neumann-Sitkow (from October, 1941) Kleemann, Vaerst Lungershausen Crasemann _v. Ravenstein Graf Sponeck V. Randow _¥. Bismarck Borowices . Randow HildebrandtUniforms When the Wehrmacht entered the African campaign, entirely new uniforms were prepared for issue to the troops. These followed the standard procedure of combining protect- ive coloration and serviceability with smart appearance and morale-raising insigni. The color shades were chosen after continual experimentation. Generally the uniform was made of cotton twill in a fairly dark olive drab color with an overcoat in standard Wehrmacht cut but in olive brown wool. Uniform braid including sleeve and collar NCO braiding, shoulder- board and chevron braiding was golden brown and shoulder insignia for enlisted ranks had a dark brown base in opposition to the dark blue-green of Continental uniforms. ‘The machine-woven National Enblem worn on the right breast by enlisted ranks was light blue on a golden-brown background. Speciality patches were on a brown or tan background instead of dark blue-green. ‘The black panzer uniform was only worn for the first few months of the campaign and was replaced with the standard open collared D.A.K. tunic. The panzer deathshead was worn on the collar lapels, below the collar insignia. ‘The pebbled buttons were painted a light blue. Officers could wear either the standard twill uniform with standard insignia or could wear special tropical cut uniforms of private manufacture but consistant with standard patterns. At the beginning of the campaign, some Luftwaffe units wore the distinctive Italian tropical uni- form which was soon replaced with a standard Luftwaffe cut jacket. Luftwaffe tunics were of a lighter yellowish-brown and the sleeves had a turnback cuff rather than the plain sleeve of the Army tunics. ‘the black leather boots, belts and similar gear of Continental uniforms were replaced by olive drab webbing. The primary issue boot con- sisted of a brown leather upper with olive drab cloth leggings attached, the entire boot laced up the front. These were worn with breeches matching the tunic. Later, these boots were dropped in favor of high brown leather shoes and long trousers with ties at the bottom. officers could wear either the standard Sam Browne leather belt (brown throughout) with grey pebbled buckles for all officers through the rank of Colonel and gilt for General officer, or a belt based on the Dress belt with olive drab webbing replacing the silver brocade and with the aluminum round buckle painted olive brown. The standard steel helmet was overpainted in brown with the National Enblem transfer and National Colors left on or overpainted entirely. A so-called “Afrika Korps" insignia consisting of the paln-and- swastika is a post war invention. ‘Two styles of pith helmets were issued to the Army and two for the Luftwaffe. One is shown in the illustration on the previous page and was in yellow brown cork while the other was in olive felt for the Army and bluish- grey for the Luftwaffe. Metal clip-on insignia consisting of the National Emblem and National Colors were worn.Caps consisted of the standard Wehrmacht field-grey billed cap with gold cording, gold metallic braiding and silver National Emblem and cockade worn by Generals, a ski-type cap piped in silver metallic braid for officers and the same style in cotton for other ranks. For the latter, the National Emblem matched the one worn on the tunic. ‘The Luftwaffe also had a yellow brown cloth cap with cloth bill and removable cloth neck guard. Luftwaffe National Emblems for enlisted and other ranks were machine embroidered in white thread on a dark brown background. Luftwaffe officers also used their white sunmer uniforms with clip-on metal breast National Emblem, shoulder insignia and collar patches. A shelter quarter was also issued with one side modified to rt colors, even to a pinkish hue, suitAbove: Convoy enroute to Tripoli with the first Afrikakorps ‘oops. Lett: Men of the Afrikakorps in Tripoli waiting to be reviewed by Lt. Gen. Erwin Rommel.Above: General Rommel still in continental uniform inspecting the Afrikakorps base camp. Left: Command post nearly invisible in a sand storm,Left: Rommel in his mobile head- quarters. Below: “Mammoth”, once the property of a British general, now the nerve-center of the Afrikakorps.‘An 8.Wheeled armored car in position outside an old Tunisian village. courier plane, on a Tunisian in the foregro militia armed with an Italian Careano.Engineers clearing mines for the armored Rommel in conference with his staff and units. Luftwaffe liason officers. Below: 88 mm antiaircraftanti-tank gun going into action near Marsa el Brega. This gun, brilliantly used by Rommel, was the mainstay of the Aftikakorps.Left: Rommel with staff officers. As a ‘commander, he was always in the front lines. Left Below: A house-toshouse search for British stragglers. Below: Burned out vehicles littered the route of a British retreatAbove: Crew members of a PzKw II take time off for a quick swim in the Medit- Below: A Fi 156 passing over a Command erranean. car.Below, Left: A desert water station. Left: Mail call at a fighter squadron. Left: Fresh bread from the field bakers. Below, Top: A cask of Italian wine, in Africa ‘cheaper than water. Below, Bottom: The camouflaged tent hides a headquarters and communications center.Below: An African Gecko, Below: Signal Troops repair a radio aerial Below Center: A wall in Derna, graffiti from five countries.‘The Jerrican: One of the most important ‘‘weapons”” in desert warfare Left: Empty Jerricans, marked with a White eross, indicating use for water. Right: First engagement: a field kitchen.Left, Top: By camel back to the front Left, Center: In the front lines. Left, Bottom: Water for a British prisoner. ‘Above: The last drop.Above: PrKw Ill and Volkswagen. Left: Captured Free French soldier. Below: South Aftican Prisoner of ‘War having his papers checked.i iAbove: Below. reward Observers watching battery fre. orcycle troops taking a break on their cycles and sidecars.“EL Agheil, 1 Kilometer” ‘The Party Flag used for Brieain's life lines front line recognition. ‘The Suex Canal3 i £ q 5German soldiers helping British wounded.An 88 in action.Rommel greeting Italian General Bastico. Below: co lizard. NoteTOBRUK‘The big antitank ditch at the perimeter of Tobruk. Below, a German ‘defense position near Gazala, British lank anchor-west of Tobruk.Panzer assault on Tobruk outer defenses. Laying telephone line under fire. An 88 unlimberingMotorcycle and sidecar with MG 34, Note divisional insignia for the 21st Panzer Division with the motorized below.‘An 88 being positioned. Note the “victory rings” around barrel.Rommel at Sollum. The flag was used for identification The 88 (previous page) in position, Self-propelied anti tank gun in action,“Mammoth” at Sollum. The harbor at Sollum,Advancing Afrikakorps units entering a Lybian town,Digging field fortifications. : i i 8 3 g zNCO with tan cloth helmet covering. Aftikakorps soldier inspecting 4 British underground position fobruk. Germans later made ‘own form of these called “Tobruk Pits.” The Aftikakorps at the Lybian-Egyptian border.Reconnaissance units, Bringing in the wounded.‘popunom ap ut Suu “syun sourssjeuu0994Sergeant Barlesius (left) who won the Iron Cross at Halfaya Pass. Italian signals units in a shelter at El Alamein. A British ammo dump at Marsa Matruk goes up after a direct hit by Stukas.‘sem £a ayy r2204p ¥ aaaye dn soo ynney ese 2e dump owwe ys ¥ “upURY 1 2e snypys © uy Sun seus wee ‘sve eXeyrey 3 $8029 uouy 249 wom oy (PI) sns>pzEG UESBIDS,German armor moving into position in heavy clouds of sand and dust. Ac the beginning of the African campaign, ‘Troops are still wear ing pith helmetA German officer in conversation A typical desere wadi or dry wash. oS eS with Arab militia Army and Luftwaffe officers as guests of the Arabs.Photos of a night attack. ‘Tops Armored cars firing tracers. ‘Center: British tank explodes. Bottom: Burning British Mark 11Italian signal troops.ipply columa, Italian susJoachim Marseille, born December 13th, 1919, was the son of a serving colonel of the army. He joined J.G. 27 late in 1940 while it was stationed in Prance. In 1941 hhe was transferred to Africa with the Ist f the Squadron. He won the Knight's 2and February, 1942, the Oakleaves fon 6th June, 1942, the Swords on the 18th of June, 1942, the Beilliants on the 4th of September, 1942. He was killed bailing out of his defective aireraft on 30th September, 1942, short of his 23rd birthday. His tou score was 158 confirmed victories, all of them British. Marseille was a phenom inal pilot in that he was able to automatic: ally compute in his head where his opponents would be in a confusing "dog fight”, fire 1 burst seemingly into the empty sky, only to have an enemy fighter connect squarely Although his total kill score was than passed by Erich Hartmann (352), no pilot has ever equalled his incredible sill and technical ability Marseille by a British bomber he shot down.A dip in the ocean after six victories. Left: A display of Marseille’s victory photos at his fighter squadron, JG 27. Left, Below: Marsille congratulated on his 100 and 101 victories. Below: In the office of his BE 109 (trop), the famous yellAnother view of Marseille in the cockpit of his aircraft. Below: Rommel visits Marsille's squadron to decorate him.Having been shot down over the Mediterrancan, two Luftwaffe pilots bail out and, harassed by British fighters, gain the shelter of a small island. On the following pages their ‘ordeal as they wait for rescue which finally appears in the form of a Fiesler-Storch,‘Another Storch being used as an ambulance aircraft. ‘The landing area marked out. Landing i small areas was a speciality of the Storch.Over the Mediterranean, Red Cross markings were no pro- tection against British fighters who, under orders from Churchill, shot down such air rescue ambu- lances. Rights On Crete where the Ju $2 transports were waiting. ‘The wounded made ready for the flight.Above: The Gotha 242 transport glider landing on a Mediterranean beach. Below: Unloading under the protection ‘of German light flak.Right: Men waiting to embark for Africa. Below: Loading supplies into a Gotha 242‘The crew of a Ju 88 bomber which made a forced ‘Sand was the greatest enemy the Luftwaffe landing in the desert. faced. Constant maintenance was required. Below: Flies, a constant scourge.Above: Knocked-out British self-propelled gun with deploying German armored units in background. Right: The “Goulash-Kanone”, field kitchen, Below: The crew of a Ju 88 reconnai- ssance siecraft in conference with Italian General Bonomi.Pe ir C am Vy 4Above: Paratroopers on the march across the sand. Below: ‘Their prime mover on a torpedoed ship, paratroopers tow their 37-mm AT gun.its Mediterranean base. z = <Lufwwaffe crews carrying out the maintenance in the blazing sun of the tropics.‘Above: Light flak in action against British aircraft. Right: In the wheelhouseHeaded for the training area, ‘Men in the water. Survival training. ‘A Luftwaffe aircrew member wearing a life jacket, fires a single flare.Using the sail for better speed. Finished with the instruction, the boat is deflated.Not only was the famed 88 mm gun used on tanks but also for its original purpose... aircraft. yatery emplaced inLeft: With no enemy in range, a Flak crew member peels an orange. Below: Mules and women (in that order) assist in constructing flak position. Left: The personnel quarters are open for the heat,Above: A Lend-Lease, P40 Warhawk shot down by a German fighter. Right: The wounded British pilot awaits transportation,Above: A Wellington-Vickers shot down by the Luftwaffe. Below: Supplies arrive at a forward positionAbove: A radio wagon sithouetted against the desert sky. Below: A paratrooper snatching a few minutes rest.Above: An AT battery at Sollum. This battery under Sgt. Melzer knocked out 13 British Mark 11 tanks. Below: German tanks in Tunis moving into defensive positions.‘Above: A mobile recon group bivouaced for the night. In the background a FeislerStorch. Below: Mark II tanks on the march.sis, Afrikakorps men watch an Arab riding exhibition,Above: Afrikakorps troops moving from the Tunis railroad station to Biserta. Left: Hands in pocket, a Vichy French soldier watches the Germans march past. Right: Columns on the march in Tunisia.Lett A column en route through the Atlas Mountains. The weather here was cool and wet. Rights Italian Bersagliere troops. First battles in Tunis with American troops.Ge El Alamein positio aLeft: Cliff position at El Alamein. An MG 34 with crew. Right: A British well overrun by the Germans23, then the largest landplane in the world. Used extensi frikakorps. Large enough to carry tanks and trucks. The Me 323Above: Used as a hospital plane. Below: Loading troops in Tunis for evacuation.Lu FT WAFFE 1 UNIFORMS, INSIGNIA, DAGGERS & MEDALS OF THE GERMAN AIR FORCE 1935 - 1945 The first complete coverage of the uniforms of the German Luftwaffe ever done, this work includes uniforms, headgear, insignia, medals and decorations as well as daggers and swords. Fiftcen pages of beiliant ‘olor show seventy five Luftwaffe uniforms, many never shown before. Part of a series on uniforms of the ‘German armed forces and the party, this book also has many original German line deawings of uniforms and equipment plus a special section on the uniforms, insignia and dagger of Reichsmarschall Hermann Cotee 3K 15 FULL COLOUR UNIFORM PLATES $ p95 rosrean dle. 6+ racts, anor ex” « 1" PoRMAT “CALIF. RESIDENTS ADD 5% (Great Beein £3.40) 3K NUMEROUS LINE DRAWINGS, PERFECT BOUND 3 gv = THE GERMAN INVASION OF CRETE 20541 2641 From the files of Adolf Hitler's personal photographers we bring you the combat photos of the daring German airborne attach on the British island fortress of Crete in 1940. These pictures, taken in the heat of battle, were intended for the Fuchrer's own library of historical photographs of the victorious Wehrmacht. Now, for the first time since the end of World War II, you can follow the elite paratroopers and mountain tunits step by step to their final hard-won victory in the heat and historic ruins of Crete. Also included are original Nazi artwork by the famed Luftwaffe artist Wilhelm Bietz of paratroopers in action. POSTPAID RMAT $ 95 = CALIF. RESIDENTS ADD 5% "ERFECT BOUND (Great Britain £2.35) 36 112 PAGES, LARGE 8%" x 11" 36 110 PHOTOGRAPHS, UNIFORMS, INSIGNIA, DAGGERS & MEDALS OF THE GERMAN NAVY 1935 - 1945 ‘The German Kriegsmarine, never before covered, here receives the full coverage given to iss 1 book filled with color ‘uniform plates and line drawings of uniforms, insignia, headgear, ceremonial daggers and swords and medals. One of the uniform book series, this work covers all aspects of the German [Naval uniforms from the pomp of pre-war days to the rakish uniforms of the U-Boat officers. A companion work to the book on uniforms of the German Luftwaffe, this will fill a much-needed gap in most serious ies. 36 10 FULL COLOUR UNIFORM PLATES $95 em 3 56 PAGES, LARGE 81" x 11" FORMAT CALIF, RESIDENTS ADD 5% (Great Britain £2.85) 3] NUMEROUS LINE DRAWINGS, PERFECT BOUND’ SEND YOUR ORDER TO ANY OF THESE MILITARY BOOK STORES MILITARY ARMS TECHNICAL BOOK COMPANY ALA. JOHNSTON SHIMADA & CO., INC.__INCO MILITARY BOOKS RESEARCH SERVICE 289-299 Swanston Suet Pieney, Langpor. 9:19 Minami Aoyama 0 Rox 3111 P.O. Box Melbourne, Vitoria, Somerset, England 5 Chome Minato Ke Burbank, California San Jone, California 95108 ‘Auta Tokyo 107 Japan ‘iso8 ACTION BOOKS GLOBE & ANCHOR CHRISTIAN SCHMIDT KG__-NORMAN FLAYDERMAN & CO. PALADIN PRESS . 0. Box $611 0. Box 345 1D 8000 Munchen $5 RFD 2 Squash Hollow P. 0. Box 1307 Iuena Park, California Mamaroneck, New York Stwerbrachatrae 10 New Milford, Connecticut Boulder Colorado ‘90622 Toss West Germany 676 ‘302‘The soldier on the left is wearing the standard German Army tropical uniform, often called the “Aftikakorps uniform” in error. The lace-up linen and leather boots were standard tropical issue as well. The original tropical helmet issued in 1941 was quickly abandoned in favor of the cap shown and the tropical overseas cap, ‘The soldice on the right is wearing the shorts, topical shirt and the short shoes also found extensively in Africa. Note the tan steel helmet. The weapon is the very popular MP 40 which, in Africa, was carried with a web sling.