Heer Transportation Troops:
Leutnant, Versorgungs-offizier, Stab.kp. Wehrkreis. XVIII:
I got the story, I found it! ….t was in one of our books for Pete’s sake!
Each Wehrkreis controlled a Wehrbezirk Hauptquartier, a military district headquarters, which corresponded with the civilian political districts In the case of XVIII both headquarters were in Salzburg. At its peak of operations, Wehrkers XVIII Command oversaw five major sub-commands, including seven POW Camps, seven medical facilities, five veterinary facilities, and thirteen training, replacement, supply, and administrative commands.
As part of the Versorgungstruppen, the Leutnant commands one of the Naschube (Transport or truck companies) that provides supplies and support to the Wehrkreis subcommand. A Reserve Officer, he’s been called back to active duty from his civilian life, to support this new Wehrkreis area. At this point of the war, 1940, he probably thinks let’s get through this, and soon be back home, back to his day job. He views his active duty tour more as an adventure, bonus money, and being an officer in Salzburg. But that was not to-be the case, and he would be needed for over four more years.
The Leutnant wears an officer’s bluse made of the feldgrau gabardine cloth. The shoulder insignia has a base layer of gray waffenfarbe showing that he is a Reserve Officer. Additionally, light blue piping has been added indicating Transport. Metal Roman XVIII Cyphers displays his command affiliation. He wears no awards on the uniform due to his short period of service, this is his first active posting since basic raining. His Reichsheer Schirmmutz retains the dark brown band on it, which was to be changed to dark green by his active-duty peers. By regulation, his old insignia on the cap was replaced by the National Eagle, Wreath & Cockade. He often wears breaches with tall Marchstiefel, along with a leather, double-claw officer belt.
Obergefreiter, Verkehrkraftfahrer 1. Kraftwagen-Transport Abteilung, Wehrkreis XVIII Salzburg 1940:
The Kraftwagon Abteilung provided wheeled transport ranging from motorcycles to trucks to support the movement of troops' material around and out of the Wehrkreis. The Bluse features feldgrau shoulderklappen, perhaps having already replaced the earlier dark green cyphered version, perhaps as a security measure. The Verkehrkraftfarer (Motor Transport Driver) wears a feldbluse with pre-war collar litzen which displays the light blue color of the transportation Waffenfarbe. When using it as a walking-out uniform, he wears his old Schirmmutz which is a rare transition type from the mid-’30s with the brown color band indicating he was part of the Reichsheer before Hitler took complete power. When driving or on duty in the Kasserine, he is more likely wearing a Feldmutz.
An unsung hero who puts in long hours with little more than a dismissive comment from combat troops, he spends his days between matainance, driving, and Abteilung duties. In a military that still depends on horse-drawn wagons for most of its supply and general movement, he is a skilled technically trained junior NCO who is often given command over subordinate drivers to make sure they dispatch and carry out the various Wehrlreis missions. His lack of decorations, implies he has no or little front-line service, but let’s face this group received little attention, and his life in Salzburg was far better than at the front.
Das Heeres Fahnenträger, Kraftwagen-Bataillon, 1941:
This Unteroffizier of the Kraftwagen or transport Bataillon has earned the standard bearer for his Bataillon. During ceremonies and parades, he will carry the unit colors. Reauthorized for use in August 1936 the new Ärmelschild was to be worn on the right sleeve of the bearer’s Bluse. The Waffenfarbe of the unit, in this case, light blue for transport, was used in the color of the two flags shown on the shield, otherwise, there was no difference between the shields of any of the branches.
The Unteroffizier has sewn this Ämelschild to a Feldbluse Model 36. He has earned the Sportsabzeichen in Silber and the Kriegsverdienstkreuz mit Schwertern II. Klasse. While carrying the unit’s colors he will always wear a Stahlhelm however when not on this duty he will wear a Schirmmütz or Feldmütz.
Some of the various transport vehicles:
Truly there is something to be said about standardizing equipment, for the military, especially during a war situation! What the US. did during WWII with their mules, the 2 1/2 ton trucks and 1 1/2 ton trucks-ade nearly all the same magnificent! brilliant even, and used everywhere, Compare this to the many different types of German-made trucks of generally 1-ton capacity, and German-acquired transport vehicle-with no rhyme or reason to them, planning, and moving the needed supplies was a huge drain on their people and the system, and, much of it still being moved along the front lines by horse-drawn wagons, the outcome was inevitable.
The Germa Prime-Movers were incredibly complex, most using semi-track platforms, were too slow, too heavy, and needed to move heavy Artillery pieces, rather than a wagon full of fuel oil if you get my point, the bottom line was the number of supplies themself could never keep up with the demand, let alone the ability of the supply ability to keep up, there was never enough at the front from the start, and the Germans were simply, overwhelmed by the numbers, of soldier,s, equipment, and food, and eventually, ground down, and forced into a brutal fight for survival.
