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. Initially, it 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: a studio portrait of an SS-Sturmmann taken after returning home from the Blitzkrieg in the West. He is supposed to have served in the SS-Panzerspähzug of the Leibstandarte SS during the campaign. The Panzerman is wearing the black
Panzerschutzmütze. 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. Priv.coll. Right image: a photo of
Joachim Peiper at Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler's famous mountain retreat Berghof following France's defeat. For his deeds during the Western Campaign, Peiper was promoted to SS-Hauptsturmführer on June 6 1940. He also received both classes of the Iron Cross for his excellent leadership in the fightings south of Valenciennes and near Torcy in France. The ambitious and ideologically committed officer
Jochen Peiper would rise to become one of the most well-known young officers in the Leibstandarte SS with a reputation as a skilled commander. Photo by photog. OLt. Walter Frentz. FU.
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.