troop

This is the village of Irles, which was on the eastern perimeter of the Achiet airbase (4km west of Bapaume), where the 29th Troop Carrier Squadron was based from February 1945. Closest streetview: www.google.com.au/maps/@50.1023923,2.7578026,3a,60y,213.6...

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...

C-47A-80-DL, s/n 43-15217, coded 8Y-S. Assigned 98th TCS, 440th TCG, 50th TCW, 9th AF. Previously assigned 59th TCS, 61st TCG, 9th AF. Returned to US 1945. Sold surplus and registered NC63451. To Mexico and registered XA-GIW.