This bit on You Tube mentions Nijmegen at 36 seconds. I'm sure he says "acht und zwanzig september" (28th) and Waal and Nijmegen. YouTube - WW2 - German frogmen blow up a bridge (Nov 1944)
This bit on You Tube mentions Nijmegen at 36 seconds. I'm sure he says "acht und zwanzig september" (28th) and Waal and Nijmegen. YouTube - WW2 - German frogmen blow up a bridge (Nov 1944) Hi Owen, Yes, exactly what it says on the tin, or info blurb in this case. You understood correctly, "acht und zwanzigsten September ... die Waal Brücke bei Nimwegen"; the usual propaganda intro ...doesn't he have big lungs! ... all shot in real time I'm sure. Was it a moonlit night then? That's mentioned in the film. D
Ah yes, silly me, I didn't think to read the "more info" blurb, Oops! Thanks Diane. Navy frogmen get medical check-up before mission. On night of September 28th, frogmen prepare to blow up a bridge over the Waal near Nijmegen, suiting-up step-by-step, leaving shore, and returning after mission (distant explosion shown).
Many a German agent was dropped in Allied territory by this unit, what better disguise than a B-17? These aircraft were also used to shadow 8th Air Force bomber formations sending out a constant stream of radio updates of the air battle with up to the minute altitude and heading of the big bomber boxes; and this, without fear of attack from Allied fighters.. First time ive heard this, Ive found no evidence that the aircraft broke the rules. the B17's doing the agent drops where from what Ive found all marked up in Luftwaffe markings. Never heard the shadowing thing before, if true these aircraft would have to be in Eighth Air force colours... Kev
Just bought James Lucas's 'Kommando - German Special Forces of Wprld war two' for a quid in a museum shop's secondhand section (I wish they all had such sections). Any good? I've been mildly irritated by his books in the past, but can't really say exactly why, just not that keen. ~A
I still came away with the same feeling on this one , I feel it is still a good book waiting to be written - sadly J.L. didn't write it.
Don't forget the Gebirgsjager. German Ski Troops The Gebirgsjager, were elite mountain infantry. This unit can trace its origins back to 1915, to a time when a young Erwin Rommel was an officer commanding one of the units. The Gebirgsjager were deployed in all the theatres of the Second World War (Williamson & Andrew, 1996).
It appears a chap I have be-friended captured a few of these chaps.... Talking to a WW2 vet today who was badged Royal Signals and attached to the Recce Reg was on a foot patrol near near Nijmegen Bridge when they saw some some black silhouettes coming out of the river. After a closer inspection it turned out they were German frogmen and they were taken away. My friend went on to say that the German officer in charge of the divers rolled back his wet suit sleeve to inspect his watch and invited his captors to look at the bridge. As they turned to look at Nijmegen Bridge it blew up and he said to the section commander our job is done. They were handed over to HQ and General Thomas (He refers to him as 'peg leg Thomas') came to visit the divers. The German officer saluted the General and told him that his units work was done and he could ask him anything he wanted and he would be happy to tell him. The General told them to be clothed and fed and that was the last my 'chap' saw of them. I though this was quite a significant story worth telling. You may have sussed he was the same chap who spotted a midget submarine near the bridge too. Cheers Andy
Ref the above post I've promised him I would give him a photocopy of an article from my 'Operation Market Garden' book for him to look at...Having just scanned the pages I thought he maybe interested in regarding the bridge I came across this piece in amongst the pages. I wonder which one is him?
Andy, Well posted. It must have been a shock to walk into a bunch of well armed Recce soldiers. Regards Tom
I've merged two threads both about the same topic. Nice pic andy, see my post #59 for the full list of names of the frogmen.
The chap on the TV Prog 'Flog it' highlighted a German Frogman's watch, it made over £19.000 at auction.
Just bought James Lucas's 'Kommando - German Special Forces of Wprld war two' for a quid in a museum shop's secondhand section (I wish they all had such sections). Any good? I've been mildly irritated by his books in the past, but can't really say exactly why, just not that keen. ~A I believe that I also have that Lucas book and I don't think I liked it. I find his style very repetitive and rambling. Besides that, the pro German bias in just about everything he writes is so boring. I think he must live next door to Irving.
I gave it a go, discarding my general disappointment at other stuff I'd read from him. And never finished it .
http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/ww2-battlefields-today/16839-walking-footsteps-british-expeditionary-force-2008-2009-a.html
One of the interesting points about the Waffen SS Jagdkommandos was that from their inception to the end of the war the Chief of Staff to Skorzeny was always a very experienced Brandenburger - the first was Adrian von Foelkersam and then he was replaced by Oberleutnant Wilhelm Walther - (also a Knight Cross Holder) - a way of OKW keeping the SS in check?
Hello. New member here. I am a watch collector who has a watch that was of the type issued to the Kampfschwimmers. It dates to 1944 and is engraved appropriately for the style that known KS used. I would like any information someone could provide. While history of the KS is somewhat findable, individual names are not. Mine is engraved Hauenstein. He is known to have been in the Kriegsmarine by age 21 but I can't track him further. Thank you. Bill
Just reading 'Britain at War' issue 115, Nov '16 page 75, article on sinking of HMS Barham. It says U-331 left Salamis on 12 November to land special forces on the Egyptian coast. What would those special forces have been & what would they have got up to ?
Patrol of German U-boat U-331 from 12 Nov 1941 to 3 Dec 1941 - Kriegsmarine U-boat patrols - uboat.net 1941 12 Nov 1941. U-331 left Salamis with eight commandos aboard bound for the front at Tobruk , Libya. 17 Nov 1941. On 17 November, at the start of her third patrol, U-331 landed eight commandos on the Egyptian coast east of Ras Gibeisa. Their mission was to blow up a railway line, in which they failed. U-331 went on to sink the British battleship HMS Barham on 25 Nov. TD
