Snapshots from the Ostfront.

I've checked....Army Group South didn't get as far as Kansas.......

 

I believe the Azov sea shore villages were taken between September 26th and October 7th 1941 by Panzergruppe 1 .

 

Every account of Barbarossa describes the tremendous dust clouds thrown up from the unmetalled Russian roads ( often described as little more than farm tracks). Mens' parched throats were clogged, and engines wore out very quickly. Although unidentified (the reverse is simply handwritten with the word 'vormarschstrasse'), I like these two snapshots ; although a very commonplace view at the time, their 'point of view' is now historic.....

 

Great photo's !

 

Yes, excellent photos !

 

Bit of a chilly one, this....



'Winter 41' is the only i.d on this but I reckon it says it all...........

 

Recon unit or what´s left of the AGC?

 

Another wintry scene for the Christmas season. No idea where or who, but the big eight-wheeled armoured car with the radio aerial is interesting....



On the reverse is the developers' date so it's winter '41/'42....

 

Another one just arrived - this time fortunately with legible handwriting on the reverse which reads : 'Stukas in attack on the Crimean isthmus - Sept. 41'.....

 

I love this one because of all the small gear, including the large mess tin and and the wheat bag. I have many original bags, but never saw one on a picture

 

No updates for a while, so here is my latest e-bay acquisition.....



I like the reflection of the cap in the drivers' mirror......a staff car....?

 

It would be possible to identify the car with the ball on the hood and the double wipers (not all cars had synchronized wipers in the 40s )

 

There is a staggeringly eerie portent of doom which hangs over all these men and women, of both sides, caught in the crossfire of idiot politicians and their greedy, murderous aims. Truly sad that reason is discarded from the human condition during these awful conflagrations that continue to plague our species. Thanks for posting these Martin as we can all reflect on the imminent doom that surrounds the subjects of the photos. That's what I always think about when I see these young men smiling, sometimes even in the pit of despair, looking into hell's end, they can still manage one. This says a great deal about their fortitude and composition, there was a special strength in the warriors from this conflict that never ceases to astound me. Amazing!

 

Keep the photos coming Martin! Definitely some unique insight into what the whole business was about on the ground. It's always interesting to think of what happened right before and after each picture was taken...

 

Gunner, hand me that lucky strike please. What has Hitler gotten us into this time. Heck of a column and no dust must be early spring.


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Brrrrrrr ! Very nice sheepskin coat, though..............



Written in ink on the rear is 'Orel Winter 1941-42'.

 

Nice pic, Martin! But the train did not bring much food if that´s all in front of the train...

 

Зима Орла... очень холодно! Even the Russians don't like that kind of cold.