WW2 Things found in Russia (1 Viewer)

[larso]

From a link at Trigger time Forum - date was mid Sept 2012

German World War II artillery found in Russian mountains


Moscow: Police in Russia have found five German World War II-era artillery guns along with ammunition in a southern mountainous region.

The guns -- 76-mm cannons -- are in good condition, according to police in Kalbardino-Balkaria region, the location of Mount Elbrus, the tallest mountain in Europe.

"If they fell into the wrong hands, they could be used as intended," Elbrus police chief Muslim Bottayev said.

The guns were discovered near the Donguz-Orun pass at an elevation of 9,184 feet.

The find included eight 76-mm artillery shells, four hand grenades, three mines and 500 small-arms rounds abandoned when the German Wehrmacht forces withdrew from the area.

Nazi forces occupied the area surrounding Mount Elbrus for several months in 1942, during which a team of German high mountain troops climbed to the top. Intended as a propaganda coup, the stunt reportedly enraged Hitler, who viewed it as a frivolous diversion of effort.

Reminders of the fighting that took place near Elbrus during the Great Patriotic War continue to turn up. In August, police found the bodies of six Red Army troops who died fighting on the slopes of the mountain.

 

[TomNT]

Very interesting Larso, are there any pic's or could you provide the website link to this article?

Tom

 

[larso]

Hi Tom, here it is -

http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/german-world-war-ii-artillery-found-in-russian-mountains-268088

There's a few other interesting WW2 stories too.

 

[Jack]

From a link at Trigger time Forum - date was mid Sept 2012

German World War II artillery found in Russian mountains


Moscow: Police in Russia have found five German World War II-era artillery guns along with ammunition in a southern mountainous region.

The guns -- 76-mm cannons -- are in good condition, according to police in Kalbardino-Balkaria region, the location of Mount Elbrus, the tallest mountain in Europe.

"If they fell into the wrong hands, they could be used as intended," Elbrus police chief Muslim Bottayev said.

The guns were discovered near the Donguz-Orun pass at an elevation of 9,184 feet.

The find included eight 76-mm artillery shells, four hand grenades, three mines and 500 small-arms rounds abandoned when the German Wehrmacht forces withdrew from the area.

Nazi forces occupied the area surrounding Mount Elbrus for several months in 1942, during which a team of German high mountain troops climbed to the top. Intended as a propaganda coup, the stunt reportedly enraged Hitler, who viewed it as a frivolous diversion of effort.

Reminders of the fighting that took place near Elbrus during the Great Patriotic War continue to turn up. In August, police found the bodies of six Red Army troops who died fighting on the slopes of the mountain.

Forget this old news Larso - have you had a good look at the CS chariot? Looks good - I would almost go the Roman line on that piece alone!

 

[larso]

"Forget this old news Larso - have you had a good look at the CS chariot? Looks good - I would almost go the Roman line on that piece alone!"

I sure have!!! I've been posting more breathlessly than a 12 year old girl about a Justin Beiber 'wardrobe malfunction'! If you want to get involved I'm happy for you to pay for a few of them!

 

[TomNT]

Hi Tom, here it is -

http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/german-world-war-ii-artillery-found-in-russian-mountains-268088

There's a few other interesting WW2 stories too.

Thanks Larso and the other articles are interesting although it's a pity there are no pic's.

Tom

 

[larso]

Here's another. Most people here will know about it but I thought I'd add it to this thread.

To see the pictures click here -http://www.lerenfort.fsnet.co.uk/page41N.htm

The Lost cargo of the "Sante Fe".

The divers torch pierces through the silt filled sea and the twisted metal of the wreck reveals for the first time regular geometrical shapes, in this case the unmistakeable rubber shod roadwheels of a German AFV! In 1921, the Germans launched the Steamship the "Sante Fe". The very name was a stark contrast to the austere Germany of post WW1. A country crippled by reparations was slowly getting back on its feet. The "Sante Fe" conjured up balmy evenings in a cosmopolitan city. Her future was certainly colourful, but not so trouble free! But these were heady days and the "Sante Fe" was trading between the Baltic Sea and the Americas, no doubt her crew enjoying the contrasts in lifestyle. Sadly those peaceful days were almost at an end. In October 1939 the ship was in South America and found itself impounded as war broke out in Europe.

The "Sante Fe" was then taken over by the French Navy and re-named "St. Andre". These new owners were not to last. France had fallen in 1940, but the "St. Andre" was part of the Navy of Vichy France. This situation changed when the Germans invaded Vichy France and the ship was handed back to her former masters and reverted to her original name. Thus it was in 1943 that the "Sante Fe" found herself as part of the Black Sea supply fleet, her adventures up until now had been exciting, but more was to come. November 23rd 1943 and the "Sante Fe" is part of convoy WOTAN, steaming from Konstansia to Sevastopol. She is protected by the destroyer "Marsati", the minesweeper "Lola" and "Admiral Murgescu" of the Romanian Navy. She is also accompanied by R-165, R197 and the R-209.

On board the "Sante Fe" were vital supplies for the Wehrmacht; 1278 tons of mixed materials including petrol, ammunition for both ground weapons and aircraft as well as 10 Stugs and 2 Jagdpanzers! required as replacements by Sturmgeschütz Brigade 191.

At around 05.50 hours the forward hold was rocked by a violent explosion, probably as a result of a torpedo attack. The resulting fire soon took hold and at 06.36 another large internal explosion broke the ships back. In a few violent moments the "Sante Fe" disappeared beneath the waves. Of her crew, 28 were lost, 16 of whom were never recovered. The Germans logged the reference point where she sank as 45 05 degrees North, 33 16 degrees East. Research has proved this reference to be wrong. It actually lies at 46 06.225' degrees North 33 16.580 degrees East. She lies a mere 21 meters from the surface, the wreck projecting some 10 meters from the seabed. If the Wehrmachts records are accurate then the "Sante Fe" had 12 AFV's on board. Of these two have already been recovered, the Stug III featured on these pages and a Saukopfs mantlet version that was first loaned to the Lubuskie Museum in Poland.

The two men responsible for the original recovery were called Karatov & Panko. The discovery & recovery of original German military hardware was always going to be a potential cause of friction and this was to be sadly the case for the "Sante Fe" and her cargo.

The rivalries increased. The Saukopf Stug went first to Poland, the trapezoidal Stug III to Panko. The individual who financially backed this operation has lost all his money! The "Sante Fe" has yet again released two more Stug III! One was offered for sale by the group responsible for the recovery.

Below, pictures of the Saukopf mounted Stug III, top - in Polands excellent Lubuskie museum, and in her "former" home - in the Ukraine. The story of this particular Stug doesn't end in Poland.

The vehicle is now on the inventory of the British Sdfkz Foundation, where Mike Gibb and colleagues have given it a full restoration - along similar lines to the awesome Jadgpanther, Sdkfz 251 and Sdkfz 250/5 Neue. The Sturmgeschütz III Ausf G made it's debut at Tankfest 09, held at Bovington Tank Museum. It appears that the cargo of the Sante Fe is destined to travel as varied a course as she did during her life on the waves!

Note that both still have the original rubber wheels made by Continental. Visible in these close ups is the obvious decay of the bodywork as a result of rust. However all the materials recovered from the Sante Fe have lasted well after half a century submersed due to the unique conditions in the Black Sea, there is no oxygen in the water below 200m, and so this has helped to preserve wrecks at this depth and deeper.