armoredcar

Looks like a German half-track...

Yes, the SPW on the left is a Sd.Kfz.251. In the middle a destroyed Sd.Kfz.251/9 and on the right what appears to be a Sd.Kfz.251/3 radio vehicle. These SPW most likely of 10.SS Panzer-Division's Kampfverband Schulze, not far from 29th Troop Carrier Squadron's Achiet airbase (between 4 km west of Bapaume). Related and more info: www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/44854626835/in/faves-...

related: www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/44854636795/ www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/30828143537/

Great shots. Thanks for posting these up SDASM and also helping tagging them Kai Heinrich The one up the top shows a Sd.Kfz.250/9 Ausf.B of 4./SS-Pz.A.A.10 (a German SS reconnaissance unit). The unit was quite distinctive by the way it marked the tactical number on the bow plate. Also just visible is a 10.SS Frundsberg 'F' insignia on the upper bow. There's a couple of other shots which are also connected: www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/31896692018/in/faves-... Elements of SS-Pz.A.A.10 were in the vicinity of Achiet airbase (4km west of Bapaume) on the night of 1-2 September 1944, whilst attempting to retreat N-W from Albert. The remains of 10.SS had retreated from Normandy and at this time its surviving combat forces were split into two task forces, Kampfverband Schulze and Kampfverband Paetsch. There's an account in Dieter Stenger's book Panzers East & West on page 152-153 which variously describes a column of 15 SPW of Kampfverband Schulze (elements of the reconnaissance, Panzergrenadier and artillery units of 10.SS) being hit by allied forces north of Albert and eventually cornered and blown up by their crews in Pys. This small village was close to the S-W perimeter of the Achiet airbase, while Grévillers was on the N-E perimeter: www.google.com.au/maps/@50.0946949,2.7796378,4047m/data=!... At the moment I can't seem to find a matching location for these photos in Pys, but if not there these scenes must surely be somewhere nearby. This Sd.Kfz.251/9 below also carries a 10.SS Frundsberg 'F' insignia: www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/44854686995/in/faves-...

Research montages: www.flickr.com/photos/82596826@N03/48042815191/in/photost... www.flickr.com/photos/82596826@N03/48066168096/in/photost... www.flickr.com/photos/82596826@N03/48066218483/in/photost...

I am impressed. Especially that you found the wreck of that damaged SdKfz in Falaise.

Kai Heinrich glad you appreciate it. As mentioned in the montage, its thanks to the Leloups who rescued and matched that piece of Falaise Sd.Kfz.251/9 wreckage (they also had a complete 7,5cm Stummel gun for it). Here is where it was first mentioned online 7 years ago: www.panzerwrecks.com/real-life-panzerwrecks-sd-kfz-2519-f...

The account of the several 1916 Memorial Day parades in New York notes that the New York National Guard's First Armored Motor Battery would march in the Manhattan parade. query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=FB0A16F93A5B17... Another picture of this armored car appears elsewhere on the web with this caption: "Mack armored car built for the New York National Guard in 1916. Three vehicles were completed, all on different chassis, but with similar armored body." www.warwheels.net/USAArmoredCarThesisHAUGHto1940.html www.warwheels.net/images/mack1916haugh.jpg The NGNY on the side of the car indicates it is from the National Guard of New York. Another photo from a 1916 parade, perhaps this one, shows 3 different NGNY armored cars: armoredcars-ww-one.blogspot.com/2011/11/new-york-national... www.macktrucks.com/default.aspx?pageid=481 (Identified as Mack Model AB armored car) Motor Age magazine from April, 1916, contains a complete description and photos of this vehicle. books.google.com/books?id=s1UfAQAAMAAJ&dq=mack%20Mode...

Note that this armored car has an unprotected crank starter in front. I guess if it stalled in the face of the enemy you were SOL.

Another photo with description of the car is in the Evening public ledger., May 01, 1916, Night Extra, Image 18.

The Université de Caen Basse-Normandie collection has just been added to The Commons. Here are two photos from the Université de Caen Basse-Normandie collection of the very same vehicle ("B-1") apparently made part of a feature about US troops as they deployed to France during the First World War. See: Université de Caen Basse-Normandie Photo 1A1182101_283348XI067 [http://www.flickr.com/photos/universite_caen/15244298981/]and Université de Caen Basse-Normandie Photo 1A1182101_283348XI068

Another appearance in the Commons by the New York National Guard's (NYNG) Mack AB Armored Car B-1, this time in the SMU Central University Libraries' photostream: