2eGM 1939 Pionnier Charge démolition Ouistreham
English Translation
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Historique Voir ICI
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| Drapeau des Pionere (1935 1945) |
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| Zunderwerkzeugtasche |
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| Osprey |
This pioneer Unterfeldwebel wears a uniform and equipment typical of the mid-war period (1 and 2). Prior to and early in the war only the company commander could grant permission to unbutton the tunic’s top button on a hot day. Such formality disappeared during the war. A bread bag shoulder strap has been rigged as a means of breaking up the helmet silhouette and attaching camouflage. His equipment includes belt, support straps, two 30-round cartridge pouches, bread bag, water bottle with drinking cup, gasmask carrier with gas protection sheet strapped to it, and bayonet. He is armed with a Kar.98k carbine. He also carries special items issued to NCOs and officers: report/map case (Meldekartentasche 35), 6 x 30 universal binoculars {Einheits-Doppelfernrohr), march compass (MarschkompaB), field pocket lamp (Felftaschen Lampe), and army whistle (HeerPfeife) (3) said to have a harsher sound than US and British whistles.
Pioneer NCO shoulder straps (left to right) (4): Unteroffizier, Unterfeldwebel, Feldwebel, Oberfeldwebel, and Stobsfeldwebel. In the field the metal devices worn by Feldwebel and up were required to be removed for security reasons and lower rankers were to wear straps without embroidered devices.
Pioneer hand tools issued to squads were the small wire-cutters (5), large wire-cutters (6), handsaw (7), pioneer spade with detachable handle (there was a similar pickaxe) (8), Gltihzundapparat 37 exploder (9), and ignition tool kit (,Zunderwerkzeugtasche) (10). Screening smoke was provided by the smoke hand grenade (Nebelhandgranaten 39) (11), smoke egg hand grenade (Nebeleihandgranate 42) (12), smoke fume cylinder (Rauchrohr Nebel 39) (13), and smoke candle (Nebelkerzen 39) (14).
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