The Panzerkampfwagen II Ausf. A was the first of the standardized Panzer IIs in production. Although it was better than its predecessor, the Panzer I, with a 2cm KampfwagenKanone 30L/55 autocannon Gun, it was still inadequate against British and French tanks.
After the short break for having gotten the Iron Cross, we were back in business in the 1. Panzer-Division. This time, however, Peter, Hans and I were a three-man team. The commander decided that we were to retrain in the newer and bigger Panzer II A, which had a 3-man crew.
Peter was still the Fahrer (driver), Hans became the Ladeschuetzeand (loader) I was still the Kommandant/Richtschuetze (commander/gunner).
The Panzer II A had a 2cm KwK 30L/55 autocannon that could fire four shots before Hans had to reload. The driving mechanism was quite similar to the Panzer I so Peter learnt to drive it quite fast.
We trained for about a year, until our next mission came in 1938.
Hitler had always pushed for "Deutschland und Österreich", and now that the British and French were avoiding another World War with appeasement, Deutschland could do whatever the hell it wanted. It was time for Anschluss with Austria.
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Der Unteroffizier
Historical FictionTensions rise in Europe as Nazi Germany grows bolder and bolder in its demands. As part of the remilitarization exercise, Brandt Muller joins the Wehrmacht Heer as a Panzer Kommandant, and sits through the entirety of the war in his tank with his tr...
