Knights Cross Recipients Who Are Still Living

Merry Christmas to my friends at WW2 forum

 

Erich: I can't see the photo of Sametreiter. Did you take it down?

 

vonK it is still there............black panzer wrap used by both W-SS and Heer Pz-Jagd units especially on Stug III's and Pz Jagd IV's but also the famous Hetzers

 

I received a letter from Siegfried Freyer yesterday. He signed all the pictures I sent him. Great color shots of him and 2 of he and his crew and thier Panzer 4. Love it.

Erich,
I was wondering why the pic you posted had Sametreiter in a black panzer wrap. I was under the impression that Stug crew wore artillery grey. But i am aware that as the war progressed, the Assault Guns and Tank Destroyers replaced the tanks in Panzer Divisions as the Panzers were in short supply so it makes sense that Panzer crews assigned to those vehicles would retain the black uniforms.

 

some explanation and it is not a good one but several Heer STug Brigaden had members wearing both grey as well as black wrappers at the same time, RK winner Alfred Regeniter's unit Stug-Brig. 276 as an example the pics in his Knight gunner book show this plainly enough. what is very odd on one pic is the collar insignia of the black uni within this formation. Collar patches elongated like the Stug grey wrapper but also truppen wearing the skull collar patches as well on the same photograph. there is also mention in the book that in October of 44 Alfred was issued a new grey wrapper the black one originally worn being called "old".

as for Panzer units both W-Ss and Herr yes it is logical if Black for panzer is the true carry over that any Abteilung equipped with the STug III as the replacement machine the crew members would also wear black as the unit would be separate it was hoped from the Stug III or Jgd_pz IV AT battalion's membership.

 

Nice presentation !!

 

Re the Black and Grey Wrappers it was common for the Crews of Self Propelled Artillery and Aufklarungs Abt particulary in Waffen SS Units to wear the wrappers !! One of the best photos from Fleischers Stug Brigade 276 and Alfreds Knight Gunner is the one showing the crew wearing the FSJ helmets !!

 

Thanks for the compliment on the picture. I have more to post as this is how we do all the signed pictures that we receive

 

you need a couple of German awards to go with the signed pics to make it that much more special, even if they are fake it really adds, this is what I have done with KM contacts the last 15 years that are placed in a corner of my office.

also for the Stug Brig. 276 as Paul says it was the only Heer unit to use the Fallshirm helmets thus the confusion on the unknowing thinking the Stugs and members were from LW Feld or the LW Stug Brigades 1 and 2. another interesting tid-bit is with the black wrappers as well as the grey the unis at times for concealment reason had a blank collar patch instead of the usual insignia applied and even removed altogether.........

 

I was wondering about that! Herr Regeniter sent me some photos of him with his crew and they were wearing the Fallschirmjaeger helmets. It all makes sense now...

 

vonK still one needs to be careful as the LW Stug Brigaden used them as well besides the typical later war Feldmütze. One must pay particular attention if possible to look closer at the uni's.

 

Well, the start of a good new year. I received a package today from Herr Ahrend Höper













. He didnt sign the pictures that I sent but he enclosed three pictures of his own that he signed. Great pics from a great Stug commander.
Unfortunatly, this is tempered by the recent deaths of so many RKT winners in the last 30 days. may they all rest in peace

 

Yesterday I received a reply from Gunter Halm! He signed all three photos i sent him, plus signed a biography sheet with an image of him, Erwin Rommel, and a war correspondent.

 

Wonderful additions to your growing collection gentlemen! good luck with your signature hunt.

 

We received a response today from Herr Max Zastrow. He sent the three pictures that we went signed as well as a Christmas card. Fantastic!!

 

View attachment 15408


This is our framed picture of Herr Walter Bohm

 

View attachment 15409

Our Soren Kam photos

 

View attachment 15410

Karl Heinz Euling. Love the picture of him with Harmel. I know the 88/Pak 43 is not historically accurate but I was ok with it when my son made the mistake. This is a personal favorite as I have been freinds with a vet of the 10th SS since I was 18.

 

View attachment 15411

Alfred Rubbel. A Tiger commande,r so this is one of my gems

 

View attachment 15412

Herr Alfred Regeniter. He sent so many pictures with signatures and explantions of the circumstances on the pictures that I could only choose a few. I think these are good representations of his career