The Panzer III Ausf. D was the last of the Panzer III tests. Sporting the 3.7cm Kw.K. 36L/45 Gun, and although lousily armored was able to deal with threats at the time of the Invasion of Poland.
After Czechoslovakia, my crew was transferred to a new Panzer. The Panzer III had a crew of five, so we were joined by two new men. When I found out, I was extremely shocked. It was Friedrich, that Jew-hating full-blown Nazi and his suck-up driver Schmidt.
"Was der scheiße?" Hans reacted to the news.
"Wait, do we keep our jobs?" Peter asked. I replied, "Yes, we do, the commanding officer rejected all of Friedrich's appeals of change of rosters, so I'm still in charge."
There were some changes to the crew. Hans was now the Richtschuetze (Gunner), Friedrich became the Ladeschuetzeand (Loader), a position not as important as his former Kommandant role and Schmidt became a Funker (Radio Operator).
"You'd better not be wating my time here, Brandt, for clearly I'm a better Kommandant. But the officer trusts you, so I'm sure there's something he sees tht I don't. Whatever the case, I'll be watching you." Friedrich warned me one day during training. I heard none of it though, as I noticed and was staring at the World War I-era Iron Cross that Friedrich was wearing. I could understand where the toxcity was coming from, for Friedrich was indeed more experienced, but what was inexcusable was doubting the officer's choice.
Afterwards, we trained for just a few months, where we were then transferred to Oppeln, a town next to the Polish border. We were on full stand-by mode for the Invasion of Poland should talks fail.
The commander of the XVI Corps General Erich Höpner and the 1. Panzer-Division commander General Rudolf Schmidt both assured us that Hitler would make the Deal of Danzig go through, and a full-scale invasion would not be necessary.
However, Britain and France had warned us that if we took Poland, they would declare war. Although our superiors dismissed the idea, we all knew it was coming. And we were right.
Credits:
Picture of Panzer III D taken during Invasion of Poland, found on Tank Archives
YOU ARE READING
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...
