anti-tank ops. any mention in the many U-booten books in the last weeks of the war when submarine and other KM crews were involved in anti-tank hunts of Soviet armor ? Kommandeurs: Peter Cramer Robert Gysae Reinhard Hardegan Carl Emmermann Werner Hartmann just to name several and pardon my spelling..... would be interested in any information Erich ~
Sadly, this is an area that has been ignored and forgotten. In my research, I have desperately tried to find the successes and failures of these hastely formed KM units. Hopefully, someone here knows of a long lost tome with this information. Only a brief mention on Hardegen's land service is mentioned in Michael Gannon's "Operation Drumbeat". Hardegen fought against the British just south of Bremen. Hardegen says that having diptheria saved his life since he was sent to a hopsital to recover. This happened before the major fighting began. Hardegen was captured and was thought to be Paul Hardegen of the SS. His statements to the contrary were not believed since he was wearing a field grey uniform. (Also papers on his person indicating that he was a Korvettenkapitän in the KM where also ignored.) He was held in a prison camp for SS. Upon learning that his wife was found alive in Soviet controlled Germany in November 1945, Hardegen convinced a Dutch interrogator to write a letter to her. She sent back photos and press clipping to prove that he was a naval officer. Finally in November 1946 , Hardegen was released, but he still had to continue weekly "de-nazification" appointments with the local occupation officer for the next six months. No apology was ever given to Herr Hardegen for the mistaken identity.
I just recently read an interview with a German submariner (Chief Engineer I believe) who talks of leaving the U boats toward the end of the war and being assigned to a tank destroyer unit I think. I will look for this article again and at the very least get you the magazine name and issue.
Bill, I think you are referring to the March 2005 issue of World War II magazine. That issue included an article entitled "Toepfer's Odyssey" which discussed Rudi Toepfer's service aboard the U-406, the Lutzow and with a panzer brigade. The article was the sequel to an earlier article entitled "The Wartime Odyssey of Rudi Toepfer" which was published in the January / February 2005 issue of World War II magazine. [ 25. February 2005, 06:50 AM: Message edited by: Deep Web Diver ]
Bill, I think you are referring to the March 2005 issue of World War II magazine. That issue included an article entitled "Toepfer's Odyssey" which discussed Rudi Toepfer's service aboard the U-406, the Lutzow and with a panzer brigade. The article was the sequel to an earlier article entitled "The Wartime Odyssey of Rudi Toepfer" which was published in the January / February 2005 issue of World War II magazine. [/qb][/QUOTE] That is it Deep, I remembered seeing it recently but just could quite recall where.
