Volkgrenadiers and Grenadiers

[Josh_HLB]

Im gonna be doing some reskining/recoloring the units in COH for my mod.
I need color pictures of Volkgrenadiers and Grenadiers. In uniforms that where in france during June to October. Any help would be good.

I would look in WWII in color, but i dont know how to distinguish them.

Thanks.

[enigma]

I think if you scan this this topic: link you will see panzergrenadiers (re-actors)


as far as i can remember just plain old grenadiers are regular footsoldiers, given the title of grenadiers as a morale boost after some point in the war... or something to that effect and i think they stuck on the most part with the regular field grey uniforms.

As for the volksgrenadiers, as far as am aware, the only differance i know of is an order of battle differance. They had 6 line battalions instead of 9 ... well on paper at least.
Not too sure but i would image them being issued with the regular "grey" uniforms, since they where basically, from what ive read, wrong together from whoever was available.

[Josh_HLB]

Originally Posted by enigma

I think if you scan this this topic: link you will see panzergrenadiers (re-actors)

Thanks, i wonder if those halftracks are street legal....
That helped for the Grenadiers and the various stances that i could make.

You wouldnt happen to know the color code of the soild color uniform in pic 8 in this link, would you?


http://www.afra.org.uk/gallery.aspx?...=Normandy+camp

[OliverMarshall]

I belive it was the other way around with the Volksgrenadiers as the temporary name. Grenadiers were originally one company of the biggest men attached to each line battalion.

[ThomasStewart]

Volksgrenadiers and panzergrenadiers/grenadiers are slightly different dependant upon the scenario. Mere infantry were re-named as grenadiers to fit into line with the whole motorised direction of the German forces, whilst they retained names such as infanterie-division to reduce confusion. Panzergrenadiers were (supposed to be) fully motorised and accompanied panzer divisions; whilst volksgrenadier divisions were a late war invention made up of the dregs of the barrel. Those that were classified unfit for duty, the aged and some sections of active personnel - I.E. NCO's/officers etc transfered from other units. These units were out-fitted with all the usual kit and uniforms you would see grenadiers with. They were also given random weapons, Russian, British, WWI weapons etc but a few were given specialist weapons such as the MP44's.

However, Volksturm groups I.E. the ones seen in Berlin, were really scraping the barrel, the consistancy was of civilians, hitler youth, crippled, wounded, retired, the aged in their 70's etc. These units marched to war wearing whatever they could get their hands on, some were issued uniforms, others wore their working clothes and coats. Each man was given an armband designating their attachement to the volksturm.

[ThomasStewart]

This model box shows typical Volksturm division men circa Ardennes I believe.

[enigma]

Originally Posted by Sani

This model box shows typical Volksturm division men circa Ardennes I believe.

Nice info Sani ... but am confused ... i didnt think the Volksturm left German terrtory

[Sgt So and So]

Originally Posted by enigma

Nice info Sani ... but am confused ... i didnt think the Volksturm left German terrtory

Oh, they did- they played an important role in supporting the Panzer divisions in the Battle of the Bulge. It was some of the first I believe that helped out there.

[enigma]

Originally Posted by Sgt So and So

Oh, they did- they played an important role in supporting the Panzer divisions in the Battle of the Bulge. It was some of the first I believe that helped out there.

i thought that was the volksgrenadiers

[ThomasStewart]

My bad, I labled the diagram as volksturm, not volksgrenadiers.

[Hamilkar]

ALso Volksgrenadier divisons were created from various remnants of Luftwaffe Field Division, such as the 17.th

[Josh_HLB]

How accurate are the german uniforms in The mini series of BOB?


Can someone tell me what german units they fight in what episode?

ex.

Carentan - Fallschrimjager,
etc...

[NicholasJohnson]

In the Carentan episode they fight the 6th Parachute Regiment and the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division 'Götz von Berlichingen'.

[ThomasStewart]

Originally Posted by Hamilkar

ALso Volksgrenadier divisons were created from various remnants of Luftwaffe Field Division, such as the 17.th

And were also made up with political branches such as members of the SA, who wore the Swastika armband rather than that of the VS.

The BoB TV series utilised a mixture of high and low quality reproduction uniforms. The high quality uniforms are pretty much spot on with minor non-visible mistakes, whilst the low quality uniforms were (mainly) swedish conversions which have IMHO visible mistakes such as colour. There was a big argument a while back on this forum, for more information on the reliability of BoB uniforms please do a forum search.

[enigma]

looked on the Wiki before about Band of Brothers and surprised to see several mistakes which had been made,

for example: In the last episode where they say hwo got up to what after the war, the wiki cites people as stating one of them whom was stated became a cabby infact was a barber.
Another one ... Blyth iirc, they stated died from his wounds, the wiki states he in fact survived, went on to fight in Korea, had a family and died sometime in the 60s


As for what divisions the 101st would have been fighting in the 2nd episode, either:
709th Infantry division (static) or
243rd Infantry Division (static)

The first was spread all over the Cotentin Peninsula and was also covering Utah, the latter was protecting the western side of the peninsula.

[css2d]

Originally Posted by enigma

Blyth iirc, they stated died from his wounds, the wiki states he in fact survived, went on to fight in Korea, had a family and died sometime in the 60s

I belive that that is also stated in the last episode or after the episode where blyth was put out of action. Blyth's family saw the movie and informed the makers of it or sth along that line iirc

[Hamilkar]

Enigma the 6th Fallschrimjager Rgt. did fight in the 101st sector.

In fact they moved towards the beach and got cut off.
La Barquet, Vierville, St-Come-du-Mont

Also the 17thSS was there in the Carentan region.

(If I am not mistaken when Winters took the 105's they were guarded by a Fallschirmjager platoon not heer)

[Oberschutze]

do you know what i just realized?

one of the 18 original easy company survivors lives in the city i live in, Joe Lesniewski, and he is coming to my school to talk to us, which i find interesting. im pretty sure he was a corporal by the end of the war.

[Fallschirmjäger]

Originally Posted by Hamilkar

Enigma the 6th Fallschrimjager Rgt. did fight in the 101st sector.

In fact they moved towards the beach and got cut off.
La Barquet, Vierville, St-Come-du-Mont

Also the 17thSS was there in the Carentan region.

(If I am not mistaken when Winters took the 105's they were guarded by a Fallschirmjager platoon not heer)

So the tv show got it wrong or not,as they should of had FJ with the guns,that would have been cool,more FJ in it,not that they did not get shown a little,more would have been better to me.

[NicholasJohnson]

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjäger

So the tv show got it wrong or not,as they should of had FJ with the guns,that would have been cool,more FJ in it,not that they did not get shown a little,more would have been better to me.

They did have a few during that battle (you see one when Winters jumps out of the trench as Easy is withdrawing) , but most of the soldiers you see in that scene are part of the actual gun crew.

[ThomasStewart]

This has gone waaaaay off topic.

[Fallschirmjäger]

Thanks -=OTR=-Pfc.Jackson,i think i still have the show on tape?,may check it if its there again.

[enigma]

Originally Posted by Hamilkar

Enigma the 6th Fallschrimjager Rgt. did fight in the 101st sector.

In fact they moved towards the beach and got cut off.
La Barquet, Vierville, St-Come-du-Mont

Also the 17thSS was there in the Carentan region.

(If I am not mistaken when Winters took the 105's they were guarded by a Fallschirmjager platoon not heer)

Dude never said they didnt , however in that episode they not only take the guns but come across German patrol iirc which i would have imaged would have belonged to one of those above named units, probably the first, as well as luftwaffe units (although i dont recall directly) manning flak guns.

[Fallschirmjäger]

In the tv show the first germans they fought,that ambush near the tunnel or something,they where or looked like regular whermacht to me.

[enigma]

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjäger

In the tv show the first germans they fought,that ambush near the tunnel or something,they where or looked like regular whermacht to me.

Heer

Which one could make the assumption on that they would be part of the 709th Infantry division, depending where abouts they dropped.

[ThomasStewart]

Come on guys, lets keep the BoB talk to the BoB threads!

Cheers
Tom.

[Fallschirmjäger]

OK sorry went off topic,will keep the BOB stuff out.