Description
Object description
German cadet served with Wehrmacht Tank Reserve and 2nd Bn, 2nd Panzer Regt in Germany and France, 1943-1944; gunner served with 1st Bn, 2nd Panzer Regt in Poland and Germany, 1944-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as civilian with Labour Service in Germany, 1943: family's military service; joining Labour Service, 5/1943; physical training and labour; idealogical indoctrination; parent's political attitudes and their attitude to recruiting presentation by Waffen SS. Recollections of period with Wehrmacht Tank Reserve in Germany and France, 1943- 1944: basic training at Erfurt; posting to Brittany, France; problems of uniforms and discipline; character of recruits; infantry training in Brittany; training with Mark III tanks; degree of contact with French civilians; amount and quality of rations; climate in Brittany; shooting on ranges; qualifying for officer training; tank driving course.
REEL 2 Continues: problems encountered driving tank; orders to leave France; initial move to Dieppe; return to Erfurt. Aspects of period of training as officer with 2 Panzer Regt in Germany and Poland, 1944: role training recruits; morale and lack of thoughts on progress of war; singing of British sailor song; origins and character of unit; lack of tanks in unit; officer cross posting between 1st and 2nd battalions; posting to 16 Panzer Div in Poland; unit's attempt to recover tanks from Bulgarians; work aiding Polish farmers. Recollections of operations as gunner with 1st Bn 2 Panzer Regt in Poland and Germany, 1944-1945: posting to unit in Poland, 16/12/1944; living in Polish houses; crew of Panther Tank; training as loader; tanks armament and types of shells used; character of tank commander; tank positions in woods.
REEL 3 Continues: warning against making 'defeatist' remarks; late Christmas celebrations, 11/1/1945; tank crew feeding and cooking arrangements; aware of close proximity of Russian forces; coping with cold weather; meeting with uncle in Feldgendammerie; start of Russian attack, 12/1/1945; stowage of personal equipment in tank; preparations for making tank ready; position of tanks in wood; attack by Russian aircraft; role in bunker collecting codenames; sight of German infantry retreat westwards; moving forward to front- line; decision to attack at night; reaction to sight of burning Russian T34s; taking up hull down position after night attack; reasons why his crew had obscured his periscope with oil; sight of Russians advancing across open fields.
REEL 4 Continues: opening fire on Russians; orders to withdraw to refuel and rearm; destruction of one Panther by artillery fire; refuelling by tanker; officer keen to conserve ammunition; rearming and sleeping in tank; in action against Russian tanks in wood; orders to bale out of his disabled tank; wounding of his wireless operator; joining officer's tank crew ordered to breakout westwards from encirclement by Russians; hit on front of tank; general retreat westwards; orders to take damage tank to workshops; preference for staying with company; damage to tank; obtaining rations; Russian capture of Kronstein; destruction of tank after it ran out of fuel; obtaining place on second tank; move westwards into Germany and breakdown of second tank; arrival at headquarters; advised to go to barracks to sleep; advised to avoid conscription for fortress defence; moving west in truck.
REEL 5 Continues: discovery of three Panther Tanks from his unit on skyline; discovery of unit beyond River Neisse; loss of all tanks. Period of training in Germany and Czechoslovakia, 1945: awards and promotion to corporal; home leave; posting to officers school at Vischar; orders to man training tanks; tank breaking down; orders to go to War School of 4th Tank Army in Sudentenland, 4/1945; dissolving of German Army; moving west in trucks; attempts of Czechs to block road; becoming POW of Czechs; crossing into Germany on foot; Russians stopping group; evading contact with US forces. Period as ex-serviceman in Germany, 1945: arrival at parent's home; obtaining discharge papers from British forces; question of lessons learnt from military service. Story of officer who visited Hitler's bunker in Berlin in the last days prior to its capture.