granatwerfer
Machine Gunner
Schwere Panzer! !
Stonne, France 1940
After smashing through the French lines at Sedan on May 13, Guderian’s XIX Army Corps spent the 14th enlarging his bridgehead. On May 15th, with the Sedan bridgehead across the Meuse was still in peril from the French 2nd Army, he split his force- sending the 1st and 2nd Panzer divisions at speed into the undefended French rear areas to the west and diverting the 10th Panzer Division and Infantry Regiment Grossdeutschland to the south to secure his southern flank from the anticipated French counterattack. These two units, already exhausted from 2 days of intense combat, were ordered to seize the high ground of the Stonne sector and hold it until relieved by the infantry divisions of the following XIV Army Corps. This small town, of vital importance to both sides, occupied the high ground overlooking the Sedan bridgehead and was the scene of a brutal 2 day battle.
The battle began at dawn on the 15th with the Grossdeutschland Regiment, assisted by 60 panzers of II/PzR 8 assaulting the village after an artillery and Stuka bombardment. The defending French 67th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Motorized Infantry Division put up a stiff fight that destroyed 5 panzers but were forced back to their defensive positions outside of town. This was just a precursor of an action that lasted over 4 days with hand to hand combat, armored assaults, heavy artillery barrages, and stuka missions… attack and counter attack changing control of this small town over 20 times leaving it in ruins.
On May 15th alone Stonne changed hands 8 times, the forces of the Grossdeutschland Infantry Regiment and Pz Rgt 8 locked in combat with the French 3rd Motorized Division and elements of their 3rd Armored division. It was here that the Germans came face to face with the premier French tank, the Char B1-Bis. One of these tanks, # 337 “Eure”commanded by Captian Pierre Billotte, proved invulnerable to German anti-tank fire and took 140 hits, and knocked out 13 German tanks (two PzKpfw IV and eleven PzKpfw III) and a number of anti-tank guns. After 2 Days, the Grossdeutschland Rgt had lost over 570 men and the 8th Pz Rgt sustained losses of over 25 tanks. These two depleted units were pulled from the line and replaced by the 16th, 24th, and 26th Infantry divisions late on the 16th. That day ended with the French 3rd Motorized Div in command of the town but they were down 20 percent and were facing 3 fresh divisions.
In a massive attack the morning of the 17th, the German 16 and 24 Infantry divisions sought to overpower Stonne and the surrounding areas. In one of the bloodiest days of fighting yet the two fresh German divisions suffered a bloodbath as the French held their positions and Stonne for most of the day. General Bertin- Boussu’s 3rd Motorized Division attempted to regain the village one final time on the 18th with both infantry and tanks but German airpower and artillery were too great and he was forced back to his starting positions after suffering heavy causalities. For the next week a stalemate existed but in the end the German forces had disrupted the French mission.
Ultimately, this action can be considered a strategic success for the Germans as they had prevented the French counter attack against the vulnerable Sedan bridgehead. Tactically however, the French, outnumbered on the ground and overwhelmed by the Luftwaffe managed to maintain an upper hand and would have to be a winner, certainly not the surrendering failures too often portrayed by history.
My diorama shows infantry of the I/ Grossdeutschland Infantry Regiment fighting one of the many French armored counterattacks May 15, 1940. All of my research, up to this point indicates that GD units were issued Y straps prior to the French campaign and that the shoulderboard ciphers and cufftitles were not issued until after the campaign was finished.
Thanks for looking,
Phil
The figures:
Unteroffizier Sattler ;
Headsculpt…… UFC fighter Tito Ortiz
Helmet ………..Monroe Perdu
Tunic……………..DID modified
Boots…………….Newline
Y – straps………Battlegear modified
Canteen ……….Soldier Story modified
Zeltbahn……….Dragon modified
Breadbag…… Dragon modified
Rifle ……………. Soldier Story modified and painted
Smoke grenade… Dragon modified ( early war smoke grenades had no knurling on the handle, just a white stripe)
Gefreiter Zimmermann;
Headsculpt…………………UFC fighter Shane Carwin
Helmet……………….Troitskaya 28
PzB 39 pouches…… Custom
PzP 39…………………Dragon kit heavily accurized and modified
Oberschutz Heimlich
Headsculpt………………….UFC fighter Jason Miller
Stonne, France 1940
After smashing through the French lines at Sedan on May 13, Guderian’s XIX Army Corps spent the 14th enlarging his bridgehead. On May 15th, with the Sedan bridgehead across the Meuse was still in peril from the French 2nd Army, he split his force- sending the 1st and 2nd Panzer divisions at speed into the undefended French rear areas to the west and diverting the 10th Panzer Division and Infantry Regiment Grossdeutschland to the south to secure his southern flank from the anticipated French counterattack. These two units, already exhausted from 2 days of intense combat, were ordered to seize the high ground of the Stonne sector and hold it until relieved by the infantry divisions of the following XIV Army Corps. This small town, of vital importance to both sides, occupied the high ground overlooking the Sedan bridgehead and was the scene of a brutal 2 day battle.
The battle began at dawn on the 15th with the Grossdeutschland Regiment, assisted by 60 panzers of II/PzR 8 assaulting the village after an artillery and Stuka bombardment. The defending French 67th Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Motorized Infantry Division put up a stiff fight that destroyed 5 panzers but were forced back to their defensive positions outside of town. This was just a precursor of an action that lasted over 4 days with hand to hand combat, armored assaults, heavy artillery barrages, and stuka missions… attack and counter attack changing control of this small town over 20 times leaving it in ruins.
On May 15th alone Stonne changed hands 8 times, the forces of the Grossdeutschland Infantry Regiment and Pz Rgt 8 locked in combat with the French 3rd Motorized Division and elements of their 3rd Armored division. It was here that the Germans came face to face with the premier French tank, the Char B1-Bis. One of these tanks, # 337 “Eure”commanded by Captian Pierre Billotte, proved invulnerable to German anti-tank fire and took 140 hits, and knocked out 13 German tanks (two PzKpfw IV and eleven PzKpfw III) and a number of anti-tank guns. After 2 Days, the Grossdeutschland Rgt had lost over 570 men and the 8th Pz Rgt sustained losses of over 25 tanks. These two depleted units were pulled from the line and replaced by the 16th, 24th, and 26th Infantry divisions late on the 16th. That day ended with the French 3rd Motorized Div in command of the town but they were down 20 percent and were facing 3 fresh divisions.
In a massive attack the morning of the 17th, the German 16 and 24 Infantry divisions sought to overpower Stonne and the surrounding areas. In one of the bloodiest days of fighting yet the two fresh German divisions suffered a bloodbath as the French held their positions and Stonne for most of the day. General Bertin- Boussu’s 3rd Motorized Division attempted to regain the village one final time on the 18th with both infantry and tanks but German airpower and artillery were too great and he was forced back to his starting positions after suffering heavy causalities. For the next week a stalemate existed but in the end the German forces had disrupted the French mission.
Ultimately, this action can be considered a strategic success for the Germans as they had prevented the French counter attack against the vulnerable Sedan bridgehead. Tactically however, the French, outnumbered on the ground and overwhelmed by the Luftwaffe managed to maintain an upper hand and would have to be a winner, certainly not the surrendering failures too often portrayed by history.
My diorama shows infantry of the I/ Grossdeutschland Infantry Regiment fighting one of the many French armored counterattacks May 15, 1940. All of my research, up to this point indicates that GD units were issued Y straps prior to the French campaign and that the shoulderboard ciphers and cufftitles were not issued until after the campaign was finished.
Thanks for looking,
Phil
The figures:
Unteroffizier Sattler ;
Headsculpt…… UFC fighter Tito Ortiz
Helmet ………..Monroe Perdu
Tunic……………..DID modified
Boots…………….Newline
Y – straps………Battlegear modified
Canteen ……….Soldier Story modified
Zeltbahn……….Dragon modified
Breadbag…… Dragon modified
Rifle ……………. Soldier Story modified and painted
Smoke grenade… Dragon modified ( early war smoke grenades had no knurling on the handle, just a white stripe)
Gefreiter Zimmermann;
Headsculpt…………………UFC fighter Shane Carwin
Helmet……………….Troitskaya 28
PzB 39 pouches…… Custom
PzP 39…………………Dragon kit heavily accurized and modified
Oberschutz Heimlich
Headsculpt………………….UFC fighter Jason Miller
and their tanks don't look much better :: German everyday for me. 