Falaise Gap: Hill 140 drama

[Col Tigwell]

Having had the joy, of a business trip to southern Germany, I found the German people to be the finest in hosts.

I recall walking through the graveyard of the local church early one morning, just outside Nekarsulm. It was a small town with less than 3000 people living there.

There was a black marble wall, about 50 meters long which contained over 300 hundred names. My German was not good enough to tranlate fully.

When my friend and host arrived, they explained that was a memoral only, for those who lost there lifes on the Russian front.

This equated to 10% of the population, who never returned from Hitlers madness, and I expect would never be found.

I understand the German thinking reasonably well, but a country so wealthy, should be able to put proper grave markers onto all its dead, I think they in the main deserve that dignity.

Maybe the real problem is, that at the time most were interned, feelings on both side were perhaps indicating to keep it simple.

However those who served in the peacetime post war armed forces seemed to do well. If Wittmann had survived the war, I am sure he would have been elevated in rank, as so many other decent Germans did.

Should there be a better memorial, I really cannot say, as my background is too light on. The problem as I see it today, is that Wittmann is still remembered, but say in 50 years time, without some of his story being told, this will just become another grave.

Even lifting it slightly, could start the viewer to investigate more.

Say

"One of Germanies great tank Comanders."

Truth is often stranger than fiction.

The Royal Navy at the end of the war, put into service at least two German E boats. Their speed was great than neither the allied or Russian boats could catch them. They were used to monitor the Russian navy exercises, as used to sail straight through the Russian ships.

However these boats were crewed by German navy crews, and were captained by WW2 E boat commanders. They served I believe in German navy uniforms, but were on the payroll of the RN.

A last chance of Glory perhaps, I believe the RN screened the ones they hired, and all the rubbish went into POW camps.

Regards

Col Tigwell
Downunder

[John McGillivray]

There is something that you must take into account regarding Michael Wittman. He was not a member of the German army, but was serving in the SS. He volunteered and was admitted into Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, Hitler’s personnel bodyguard, in 1937. So there can be little doubt that Wittman was a Nazi who believed in the Nazi philosophy and was completely loyal to Adolf Hitler.

It is my understanding that former members of the SS were excluded from service in the post war West German military. Also they were denied veterans benefits and pensions.

[Wolfkin]

Hello guys!

I have just read the part in the book "No Holding Back" about Wittmann. I have been researching WWII Panzer battles for many years now and most sources always stated that the Canadian tanks in the area were not in a position to engage Wittmann's Tigers on that day.

This part of the book is very interesting to me, because the author proves with a pretty reasonable argument that the Canadians were in fact in the area and were in fact able to engage the Tigers! I think this is very groundbreaking information and very well-done research on the part of Brian Reid!

This is excellent for Canadians too, being a Canadian I always kind of wanted the Canadian version to be true but it always looked like the evidence was against it. For Major Sidney Valpy Radley-Walters this is such an achievement, especially considering the fact that for us Canadians he is the closest thing we have to a Tank Ace!

Cheers,

Jon Fitzgerald
Calgary,AB,Canada