A close look on the "Bunker Defenders" (1 Viewer)

[Jagdpanther]

No I never seen any Indian troops either in Normandy.

 

[JPB]

Nice to learn about all these non german troops...

JPB

 

[jazzeum]

Ditto on that. I know that Indian troops had served with the Japanese but had never heard of them in Normandy before. Kudos to K & C for doing something a little different that will send us scurrying to learn more.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

The Indian Legion consisted of approximately 2,300 soldiers, many captured by the Germans in North Africa. They were under the command of SS officers. They were part of the Atlantic Wall defence in Belgium until Fall 1943 when they were moved to France and again used in coastal defense duties in the area of Lacanau near Bordeaux until August 1944. They were not at Normandy during D-Day. I will give Andy poetic license on this one - it is an imaginiative idea which ,while not historically accurate, adds some spice to a part of the war (Indian Legion) which otherwise would in all likelihood, never have been modelled.

The Indian Legion did not actually see combat until August 15, 1944 when on their withdrawal towards Germany, they were attacked by the French Resistance and later by the Free French Forces.

So it looks like the Indian Legion was used almost exclusively on the Atlantic Wall Defence, they were not at the D-Day landing beaches. But I am still going to use the Indian figure in my display.

There is a good article on the Indian Legion at http://www.feldgrau.com/azadhind.html Photo is of remains of beach defenses at Lacanau.

Terry

 

[thebritfarmer]

Where does it mention Normandy regarding this set?

Here is the K&C description

WS078

Name: Atlantic Wall Set
Desc.: This very useful diorama piece is cast in sturdy polystone and is typical of hundreds of similar reinforced concrete machine gun positions up and down Hitler's "Festung Europa" (Fortress Europe). Accompanying this piece are a new crouching 2-man MG42 gun team and…a turban-clad volunteer from the "Free India Legion" firing his MG34 machine gun from the "Tobruk" style turret on the side of the bunker.
Price: US$149.00
Status: To be released in Early Jul

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Where does it mention Normandy regarding this set?

Here is the K7C description

WS078

Name: Atlantic Wall Set
Desc.: This very useful diorama piece is cast in sturdy polystone and is typical of hundreds of similar reinforced concrete machine gun positions up and down Hitler's "Festung Europa" (Fortress Europe). Accompanying this piece are a new crouching 2-man MG42 gun team and…a turban-clad volunteer from the "Free India Legion" firing his MG34 machine gun from the "Tobruk" style turret on the side of the bunker.
Price: US$149.00
Status: To be released in Early Jul

Ok, you are correct, it does not mention Normandy. But with the LCA and British and Canadian model troops landing, the most likely place to use the Bunker is in a Normandy scenario. There were no landings where the Indian troops were stationed. I still like the Bunker and am going to use it in a Normandy scenario with the Indian gunner..

 

[rossim1]

Mine will be off to the curry shop & replaced with germans.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Mine will be off to the curry shop & replaced with germans.

That may not be so easy. The Indian may be only a half-figure and needs a sandbag support. Cannot tell if the sandbag is attached to the MG, to the bunker, or is loose. For all we know, although unlikely, the Indian figure could be fixed to the bunker?

Is there a German figure who could replace him?

Terry

 

[rossim1]

Havent really looked yet, will wait till i get it & go from there. Hoping anyway

 

[Combat]

Aeroart did a few "Free Indian" figures several years ago. You can see one over the shoulder of the big three on this thread (post #288): http://www.treefrogtreasures.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7828&page=29

 

[Rob]

I knew there were many foreign contingents in the German army in Normandy, many serving reluctantly under SS officers. But I had not heard of Indian troops.

Terry

Yes i understand the Indian Legion was manned by Indians opposed to British rule in India.

Rob

 

[JPB]

The Indian Legion consisted of approximately 2,300 soldiers, many captured by the Germans in North Africa. They were under the command of SS officers. They were part of the Atlantic Wall defence in Belgium until Fall 1943 when they were moved to France and again used in coastal defense duties in the area of Lacanau near Bordeaux until August 1944. They were not at Normandy during D-Day. I will give Andy poetic license on this one - it is an imaginiative idea which ,while not historically accurate, adds some spice to a part of the war (Indian Legion) which otherwise would in all likelihood, never have been modelled.

The Indian Legion did not actually see combat until August 15, 1944 when on their withdrawal towards Germany, they were attacked by the French Resistance and later by the Free French Forces.

So it looks like the Indian Legion was used almost exclusively on the Atlantic Wall Defence, they were not at the D-Day landing beaches. But I am still going to use the Indian figure in my display.

There is a good article on the Indian Legion at http://www.feldgrau.com/azadhind.html Photo is of remains of beach defenses at Lacanau.

Terry

This Indian was on training Poor guy

JPB

 

[Rob]

How scary it must have been that morning when they looked out across the sea and saw the biggest armada in History heading their way with (as Edmund Blackadder from 'Blackadder goes forth put it') 'The express intention of using my nipples for target practice'!.

It sure must have taken some bravery and will power to stay in those Bunkers when the ships of the Royal Navy and the US Navy brought their guns to bear,when you go to Normandy its easy to see the damage inflicted by those guns and you can imagine the hell inside them.That scene in SPR in which they use a flame thrower on the Bunker must have been repeated up and down the coast that day and must have been an awful death.

However they wern't all killed of course.And i understand that the one young soldier who manned a pillbox on his own on Omaha with a machine gun and is thought to be the soldier who singlehandedly killed more allied soldiers than any other soldier in WW2,slipped away and eventually went to live in the US.I also understand it has only been in the last ten years or so that he has come forward and identified himself and appeared in the docu 'Slaughter on Omaha'.

Rob

 

[lancer]

How scary it must have been that morning when they looked out across the sea and saw the biggest armada in History heading their way with (as Edmund Blackadder from 'Blackadder goes forth put it') 'The express intention of using my nipples for target practice'!.

It sure must have taken some bravery and will power to stay in those Bunkers when the ships of the Royal Navy and the US Navy brought their guns to bear,when you go to Normandy its easy to see the damage inflicted by those guns and you can imagine the hell inside them.That scene in SPR in which they use a flame thrower on the Bunker must have been repeated up and down the coast that day and must have been an awful death.

However they wern't all killed of course.And i understand that the one young soldier who manned a pillbox on his own on Omaha with a machine gun and is thought to be the soldier who singlehandedly killed more allied soldiers than any other soldier in WW2,slipped away and eventually went to live in the US.I also understand it has only been in the last ten years or so that he has come forward and identified himself and appeared in the docu 'Slaughter on Omaha'.

Rob

Heard somewhere (may have been the doc.) that this soldat was nicknamed "the beast of Omaha" with possibly hundreds of soldiers killed or wounded. -- lancer

 

[Rob]

Heard somewhere (may have been the doc.) that this soldat was nicknamed "the beast of Omaha" with possibly hundreds of soldiers killed or wounded. -- lancer

Yes this may well be true.His story was extraordinary,i remember him saying that he was absolutely terrified and convinced he was going to die,and screaming for help for hours whilst all the time firing firing firing.The freedom we enjoy today was purchased at such a high price.

Rob

 

[Rob]

His name was Heinrich Severloh.He died in 2006.He is believed to have caused between 1500 and 2000 casualties that day on Omaha.He apparently suffered mental trauma for decades afterwards and only started to recover when he finally came out with his story,for many decades he thought he would be murdered if he did.Apparently it only truly dawned on him what he'd actually done when during the firing his mg became so hot he could not use it and so had to pick up one of his two rifles and begin picking men off one at a time.The sight of this more 'Personal' death made him realise what he'd been doing with his mg for hours beforehand.

He did in fact have a loader at one point during the day who was killed as he fled the scene.

Rob

 

[Eazy]

Incredible story Rob - thanks for posting it.

 

[OzDigger]

Wow, I haven't heard of that German guy before - what a shame they didn't get more Sherman tanks ashore at Omaha on the first day - they would have sorted out that guy quick smart. I read somewhere that it wasn't so much that the Shermans were launched so far offshore - more so the landing craft were off-course and the Sherman DD's had to travel side on to the coast to get to the correct landing area and were then swamped broadside

 

[Rob]

Thanks James,heartbreaking isn't it.All the time he was thinking 'if i don't get them they are going to get me'.He was a teenager at the time,imagine that on the shoulders of a teenager.

Oz, good point.I have just finished the Voices from D day book.In it one British soldier recalls calling up a Sherman to put a solid round into the slit of a pillbox,this resulted in the shell ricocheting around inside the box.He then had to go inside and view the hideous results, 'Mincemeat' was the word he used.

Rob

 

[jazzeum]

I believe there was another soldier, also a teenager at the time, who was in one of the pillboxes who may have killed a lot of soldiers but later on in life led reconciliation efforts with former enemies and has been featured in several documentaries. Just can't remember his name.