Art Reference - Grenadier Regiment 726, WN62, Omaha Beach
My latest ๐๐ข๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐ art panel. This piece covers some of the German units at WN62, the most famous German resistance nest along Omaha Beach. Descriptions for each one below...
๐: ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐, ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ข๐ ๐, ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐๐ข๐๐ซ-๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐, ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐
On June 5, Oberfeldwebel Ludwig Pie, normally commander of WN60, was transferred to WN62 to take over from Obergefreiter Peter Lutzen. Although Pie had been stationed in the area with Grenadier-Regiment 726 since 1942, he was not very popular with his men. Pie retains much of his uniform and gear from 1942, such as his M40 tunic, M35 helmet, and M39 short-shaft marching boots. However, he wears newer M43 belted trousers. On his belt, Pie carries a P08 Luger, a Bakelite case for his 6x30 binoculars, and magazine pouches for his MP40 sub-machine gun. The Oberfeldwebel does his best to direct various fighting positions by dragging his Feldfernsprecher 33 field phone through the trenches.
๐: ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐
๐ซ๐๐ง๐ณ ๐๐จ๐๐ค๐๐ฅ, ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ข๐ ๐, ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐๐ข๐๐ซ-๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ก๐ข๐ง๐-๐ ๐ฎ๐ง๐ง๐๐ซ
Franz Gockel was an 18-year-old machine-gunner at WN62 on June 6, 1944. His job was to man a Polish Wz.30 machine gun setup in a makeshift log pillbox on the eastern end of the nest (seen in the background). His gun was soon damaged, and while moving from one position to another, a bullet hit his left hand. Gockel had planned to dig trenches and build positions on June 6, so instead of wearing his standard wool uniform on D-Day, he wore his HBT drillich uniform. To attach camouflage, he has added bailing wire around his M35 helmet. His rifle is a G98M, a Gewehr 98 from WWI updated with some Kar98 parts.
๐: ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ง๐จ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐๐๐ซ, ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ข๐ ๐, ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐๐ข๐๐ซ-๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ญรค๐ญ๐๐ซ (๐๐๐๐ข๐)
Bruno Wittber is perhaps the only recorded German Medic ("Sanitรคter" in German) at Omaha Beach. Very little is known about him other than that he was 33-years-old and an Obergefreiter. Wittber is wearing a Dutch tunic that has been retailored with Wehrmacht insignia, a common practice to make up for uniform shortages. His uniform consists of typical Sanitรคter features: medical trades badge, red cross armband, and cornflower blue waffenfarbe on his shoulder straps. However, his M35 helmet has no medical insignia. On his belt, he carries the standard brown leather medical pouches, and hanging off his side is a captured Polish medical bag. The black leather strap is connected to a Labeflasche canteen on his right side.
