Feldgrau.net

I'm sure DCC will be along shortly to clarify further, but I recall 4th Panzer Division took delivery of Luchs as late as 1944, though these would have been transfers from other divisions. They were amongst the last vehicles still running in the division in April 1945.

Dear Zaracro

Here is the organisation chart for 5 Panzer Division for August 1939. I have the chart for 4 Panzer Division somewhere, and will try to find it.

Hope this helps.

Prit

It's a wonderful piece, written in exactly the manner you would expect from a grizzled NCO who had led his division to the gates of Moscow, and had fought every inch of the way across the long retreat on the Ostfront. Two things stand out. Firstly, like all tankers, he has an interesting attitude to...

Here you are, then! This is the account by Bix, from Hans Schäufler's outstanding book Panzer an der Weichsel . The translation, and therefore any mistakes, are my own. Prit We were damned cross, that instead of our promised and familiar Panthers, we now had to take possession of ‘Jagdpanthers,’ whi...

Indeed he did, at the southern approaches to Preussisch Stargard. The incident forms part of my (hopefully soon) forthcoming book, Prussian Twilight. If people are interested, I will be happy to post a translation of Bix's personal account of the battle.

Prit

Intriguing!

The expression in the army during my time for such occasions was 'BOHICA', an acronym for 'bend over, here it comes again' - perhaps this is a similar sentiment!

Thank you Matthias!

Further research shows that French Senegalese troops were present, so I think that wraps it all up.

Thanks to all for the help

Prit

Thank you all for your comments. The context is that this is the fighting during Operation Dynamo, with the mainly French rearguard struggling to hold back the panzer divisions. The excerpt comes from Plato's history of 5 Panzer Division. I am still not sure whether the author refers to French colon...

Thanks, Pak. Again, context is everything. This is a panzer division temporarily holding a defensive position near Lille. Would it be reasonable that the author is referring to black-uniformed panzer troops rather than French colonial troops? Were panzer troops referred to in this way?

Prit

Thanks, chaps.

The context is, this is the drive towards Dunkirk in May 1940. I'm fairly happy with the last sentence - 'But there were no longer organised units deployed against us' or something to that effect. Can you help me with 'Die Schwarzen sind nicht zu werfen'?

...from a war diary.

Am Vormittag Angriff. Die Schwarzen sind nicht zu werfen. Aber längst liegt uns nicht mehr ein einheitliche Truppe gegenueber.

The words pose no problem, but it's the combination that I can't get my head around!

There are no superlatives that can do justice to your efforts, David.

Thank you for a truly remarkable effort.

Prit

We are all long past singing your praises, David. As the story reaches its closing stages, your writing has risen to new levels. All we can do is read on with awe and admiration.

Prit

Compulsive reading, D! Keep 'em coming!

Welcome to the family, bil! Be careful when you praise the commissar - before you know it, you'll be a character in a desperate situation!

Prit