2005 Photos
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2005 Photos |
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GD F I G - March (Awesome Pics!)
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| The communications display or "Funker" display. | The '44 Kubel looks awesome. |
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| The staff car is a huge success with the public. She gets lots and lots of attention. | Nice shovel |
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| The Schuster or Aufladungshersteller. How the heck do you say "cobbler" in German? | The Schuster plying his trade. |
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| The SS soldat on display | What? No Shovel? |
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| The 222 looking fine in her new paint. It is amazing how many moms said to their kids "Oooooo, look at the tank" Ha! | Early war tank killer, late vehicle nuisance |
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| Bristol better meet our demands of "more bier!" | Ready, aim, Feuer! |
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| It's amazing what a LOT of elbow grease can accomplish! | Der Haptsturmfurer with a mortar |
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| "So I drop this in here and...." | Escort duty has never been so enjoyable! As the french would say: Ooh La La! |
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| Firepower. Pure and simple. I love it! | (Read the following with an Indian Accent) "If my veemen are not back in forty five minutes, Milt come and cut off balls. This being Milt." |
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We march off in search of sustenance for both body and soul.... |
We find a quaint French Cafe that we immediately take over to the joy of the other patrons. We even manage to take a ranking Allied prisoner! "Talk or we will make you drink... ANOTHER BEER!!!" |
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Beer is consumed. Plans are made. Orders are reviewed. |
Many songs are sung. It's the end of a great day! |
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| Some can't handle the pressure and start to show signs of madness, or maybe he is just deep into the suds... | "Cheers!" from the 9th SS to you and yours. See you soon. |
The photos is this section showcasing the events at Odessa come from a variety of sources. The 9th would like to personally thank the following for their donations to this site:
17th Waffen SS Panzergrenadier Division
7th Battery, Mot. Gross Deutschland
Kampfgruppe Hasse, D. Maynard
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July 14, 1944, Normandy, France. The 9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen is waking to great the day. What will this day bring? Another fight against the Tommies near Caen would be a safe bet. |
The Funker (Radioman) operating the communications center has just gotten news! Allied armored units are heard warming up their engines, and a preliminary bombardment has begun near the front. The 9th is ordered to repel the attack! Quickly, he rushes off to tell the unit commander the news. |
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Quickly, everyone is roused and prepared for battle, even the female auxiliaries. |
Everyone will have to help cut down tree branches to help cover the vehicles with. Moving around in daylight in Normandy is very dangerous with so many Allied fighter-bombers roaming about, looking for something to bomb or strafe. |
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That should help improve the odds of survivability a bit... |
All vehicles get covered in foliage (This 251/1 is property of Gross Deutschland) |
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The troops assemble, waiting for the vehicles to arrive and form up. Rumors are already circulating that this will be another "hurry up and wait" situation. Soldiers grumbling is a timeless tradition. |
Preparing... |
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To move out. |
Camo'ed up and with engines warm, the vehicles emerge from the woods and the armored column begins to form. |
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Surrounded by the finest armaments and Krupp steel that Germany can provide, the fighting spirit of the 9th SS is bolstered by the impressive site of power and might before them. |
Meeting behind the commander's personal vehicle, the battle plans are being formed. The motorcycle courier departs after having delivered the latest intelligence and communication paperwork. |
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The PAK crew is being told that they are going to remain here to hold this position. An unenviable task at best, but such is the lot of a soldier, who has only order to obey, not to question. |
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Despite the danger that lies ahead, spirits remain high. |
"Come on, there is room for one more as we ride into the jaws of hell....There's even a seat with your name on it right here on the end...You know, last one on, first one off. They don't call it the hero's seat for nothing." |
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The "thrill" of combat has long since vanished. Grim faces don't mask the tension under the surface. |
Orders are shouted out: "VORWARD!!" The truck lurches forward. |
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Recon units lead the way. |
The life of a soldier in a recon unit is usually short, but eventful. (SdKfz Rad 233 property of Gross Deutschland) |
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An experienced squad is left behind to assist the PAK crew in holding the position. |
The commander, knowing the sacrificial nature of the command he has given, bids an old friend and trusted comrade well wishes before roaring off into position. |
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The commander's vehicle is last to leave, and hurries to join the column. Timing is crucial if the plan is to work and the lives of the men left behind have any chance at survival. |
Resigned to their duty and committed to do their best to not let their comrades down, the PAK crew morbidly takes a final photo in the hope that it will find its way to loved ones back home. |
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The enemies' push has begun! The crew springs into action, desperately trying to hold off the numerically superior enemy forces. Out-gunned and out-numbered, the put up a fierce defense, making the enemy forces pay for their advances with blood and death. |
The enemy shoots back, too, and here we see the results of a high explosive shell fired in close proximity to an anti-tank gun position. While the crew is no more, they fulfilled their mission of drawing the enemy forces towards them, buying time for their comrades. |
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From their exposed flank, the roar of engines is heard, and the enemy forces realize that they have been sucked into a trap. From the right and left, forces of the 9th SS advance in a classic pincer movement, and carry the day. |
Having cut their teeth in Russia, where handling armored formations was a daily occurrence, the 9th SS slices deep into the flanks of the enemy thrust, and the two pincers link up, causing the enemy forces to flee. (Halftrack above is property of Gross Deutschland) |
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As the excitement and clamor of battle ebb away with the day, night falls, and for some, a good game of chess against a comrade helps to forget the horrors of the day, the names of good comrades who are no more, and the foreboding sense that the war is not going well... |
For others, they lose themselves in wine and drink, knowing that tomorrow may be the day they enter the next world for eternity. Temporary victories seem to only slow, not stop, the Allied war machine, which advances with crushing power, grinding down German formations and spirits. Normandy is truly the grave of the German armored formations in WWII. |
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The PAK crew keep an eye on the ridge line, waiting for a possible allied attack. |
A machine gunner mans his MG42, inspecting her for dependable operation. Visions of hurling 20 rounds per SECOND at the allies dancing in his head... |
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The watch is intensified as the rumors of an Allied advance reach the CP |
It's all eyes on the horizon as the rumors become truth over the comm link with command. |
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The kampfgruppe poses for a pre-battle picture. For some, it will be the last picture taken of them alive. |
Orders are given and received. |
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The halftrack radio crackles to life... Time to mount up. |
The boys organize and prepare to move out to their new positions. |
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There is a last chuckle to ease the tension before the soldaten board the track. |
Similar last minute pictures are snapped. Hopefully most if us will be able to see them when they come out. |
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Enemy spotted on the ridge! Feuer!!!!! |
As the PAK fires defensively, a halftrack roars up to ferry Soldaten into a surprise counter offensive... |
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The push is on. The track leads the way, it's armor protecting the lives of those behind it. Ricochets are heard all around. |
The Allied CP is taken with the machine gunner cleaning up the Allied straggles. Both sides have suffered heavy losses. |
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Those that survive make their way back to their previous positions. Having pushed the Allies back it is time to plan a major counter attack. |
And for the average landser, it is back to guard duty. |
All pictures in this section are used with permission of "DoctorDirt", the AWESOME photographer, and the Military Transport Association of North Jersey
Pic above only one in this section NOT by Doctordirt. Can you tell? ;)
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All text and images ©1998 - 2008 by The 9th Reenactment Society, except where noted*
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