Lars Brändström's lovely Sd.Kfz 251/22 over in the Constructive Comments DG and the recent links to 11.Pz Div posted below by Lennard reminded me of this familiar 251/22 which appears in Tech Intell Vol 1, Sturm und Drang, etc

Looking closely at the pics of the 11 Pz Div 251/22 I suspect there is another Gespenster emblem on the forward LHS, besides the one on the RH rear:





The rear view is strangely the least published and shows clearly the rear emblem. It differs somewhat from other types seen a bit earlier, such as shown in the inset - for instance the face and the tail are altered. This would account for the sword looking so thick in the small portion visible in the frontal view above, compared to the inset:


Baz

Another ghostly gespenster. I was thinking about making some lame joke about ghost busting but I won't.

Does this help to ID other vehicles in the dump?

Manus

Did you notice the 234/3 Stummel visible beside the 251/22?
That raises the question about the dump´s location: Any guesses?

Georg

Missed that one. I just don't get it. How do you guys do it?
I've been staring at that picture for hours and hours but did a see it. Oh no.
By the way, does anyone know what the "NG"
mean? I guess it was made by the capturers.


Lars

Hi guys

Some time ago there was a thread here which delved into the location of this equally well known Aufklaerungs Panzer 38(t):



I think it was Tomas Jakyl who indicated the strong probability this photo was taken in a dump in south western Czechoslovakia nearest the German frontier, in other words Bohemia. IIRC 3. Pz Div was a strong option for its unit of origin.

The US Army Tech Intell report on this vehicle, reproduced in Darlington's Tech Intell Vol. 1, states the report was no. 313, of the 14th June 1945, conducted by Capt Gilles, Ord. Tech. Intell. Hq. Com.Z. ETOUSA.

The US Army Tech Intell report for the 11. Pz Div 251/22 shown earlier, also reproduced in Tech Intell Vol. 1, states the same Capt. Gilles conducted the examination three days previously on the 11th of June, that being report no. 308 (one drools over what reports 309-312 are, as they surely were all conducted in the same dump).

Interestingly, in Tech Intell Vol. 2 another report by Capt. Gilles is published, concerning a Sd.Kfz 234 mit 2.cm schwebelafette, which was conducted on the 8th June 1945, report no. 307 - ie just previous to the 251/22:



I don't have much to go on, but my suspicion is this 234/Schwebe and the Puma seen behind may well have belonged to 20. Pz Div, loosely going by the WH registration on the 234/Schwebe and the numbering style on the Puma, but that's just a hunch.

If indeed there is any correlation between all these documented vehicles, it indicates there was quite a mixture if units in the area Capt. Gilles was working in. For instance clearly the 251/22 was from 11. Pz Div. not sure about the Hetzer beside it (numbered "3" or "13"), but the 234/3 also seen may have also been from 11. Pz Div. Thomas Jentz has pointed out in Darlington's 234 booklet this unit received three such vehicles. He also indicates 20. Pz Div received 3 examples however.



Please correct me if this isn't adding up!

Baz

..if you look along the line of the wheel hubs on the 234, the last tyre is either flat, or missing, which would correspond with the last pic.

Darren.

I see what you mean Darren, but while the 234/Schwebe is based on a 234/3 vehicle, the 234 shown near the 251/22 is definitely a stock 234/3, with its 7.5cm L/24 still in place (you can see the guard), so they are two different egs.

I don't have the report on this modified French AMR 34, mounting a 8.cm Granatwerfer, but something tells me it is another eg examined by Capt. Gilles. Indeed could that be him appearing in cameo in this first shot?



The same chap is seen writing some notes in this next shot. I think he had one of the best jobs in the US Army



This vehicle was also discussed previously here some time back and Tomas I think indicated it was a survivor of a Prague defence unit which managed to escape.



Note the 251 at right has a very thin black outline cross. Another 251 behind it (not in these shots) has a multi-outlined cross, commonly seen on Das Reich 251s, but not unique to that unit necessarily.

The Puma at left has a tac number also likely starting with "0" (is the same eg as seen beside the 234/Schwebe, or another?).

Now that I think about it, there was also some mention here of a few surviving 1.SS Pumas being attached to 20. Pz Div's Puma equipped Aufklaerungs Abteilung right in this final phase. 1.SS is known to have used numbering starting with "0", as did 20. Pz Div, going by photos posted previously by Tomas Jakyl (eg a 234/3 numbered "053"). So maybe the various 234 variants seen in this dump could have originated from at least three units.

BTW, not visible in these shots is a 251/9 Ausf C directly behind the AMR.

Baz

I would be remiss not to also recall it was also previously pointed out there is a tres rares Hetzer Starr prototype lurking behind the Aufklaerungspanzer 38(t) to the right, identified by the distinctive lifting hoops. Perhaps this was also subject to a report by Capt. Gilles?



Tomas Jakl (sorry Tomas for previously misspelling your surname!) points out in MBI's Hetzer book, that two units used the Starr in the final moments of the war, one being KG Milowitz. Another four Starrs were used by the same Prague defence unit mentioned earlier which also operated several French AMR 35s, of which the dump eg is likely one. The unit ultimately fled to Rokycany, east of Plzen (Pilsen), where it surrendered to US Forces. I guess the dump could have been located on its outskirts:





Yet another interesting vehicle sits beside the Starr at far right, apparently mounting a frame antenna as well as an armoured Sternantenna fixture. Not exactly sure what it is, the Sternantenna is set rather high compared to the frame antenna, so maybe we are seeing two vehicles here?



It's a pity Darlington never produced more volumes in their brilliant little Tech Intell series. Indeed, I'm not sure if Darlington is even publishing these days, so perhaps this could leave the door open for another publisher to take up the torch...

Baz