The Waffen-SS did not played the same important role in the 1940 battles as they did in the battles to come. Nonetheless, the Infanterie-Regiment Leibstandarte SS and the SS-Verfügungs-Division had demonstrated their combat ability and readiness to fight during the Western Campaign.The three SS-Standarten of the SS-Verfügungs-Division were to be the nucleus of the Waffen-SS in its subsequent rapid expansion. After the campaign had ended the SS-V-Division spend some time guarding the border with Vichy France. The unoccupied Free Zone in the southern part of metropolitan France, often called Régime de Vichy, remained responsible for the civil administration of all France as well as the French colonial empire. The Leibstandarte SS spent six months in Metz in northeast France and was expanded to brigade size (6,500 men). Initially, the Leibstandarte SS was going to be given a partial lead role in the planned invasion of England. To prepare for the upcoming invasion, the regiment trained extensively in amphibious warfare. Left image: some sources claim that this photograph shows a SS-Sturmmann named Herbert Pantke. According to those sources, Pantke served in the SS-Panzerspähzug of the motorized infantry regiment Leibstandarte SS during the western campaign in 1940. The panzer man is wearing the black
Panzer-Schutzmütze. This headgear consisted of the soft padded crash helmet. By order dated January 15 1941, the black Panzer beret was abolished and replaced by black Panzer field caps. Private collection. Right image: tankers of the Leibstandarte SS being decorated by commander SS-Obergruppenführer
Sepp Dietrich following the West Campaign. Photo by SS-Kriegsberichter Johannes Bergmann. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Fair use.
A photo from an interesting award document from an online auction site - or is it? Supposedly SS-Sturmmann Herbert Pantke was a member of the Panzerspähzug LAH - the armoured car platoon of the Leibstandarte - and was awarded the bronze tank desctruction badge after the western campaign.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in the regimental orders of the Leibstandarte for that timeframe, which list all awardees, promotions, casualties, etc., there is no mention of Pantke. He is also not mentioned in any other document about the Panzerspägzug or its successor, the Panzerspähkompanie. The Volksbund lists four Herbert Pantke's as WW2 casualties but non of is a match. And lastly, he's not listed in the old address lists of the Truppenkameradschaft.
It seems somebody made up a nice little document with a random photo of an early war SS armoured car crew member. Note that there are no LAH ciphers on his epaulettes.