Heer 8th Tiger Company

[bigjarofwasps]

SS Gnome, Whats all this about?

Did they have King Tigers too?

[Guest Rick Research]

Gnomes don't have tails! Is that supposed to be a lion or bear (standard heraldic poses)?

[bigjarofwasps]

Rick, no idea? But I`ve found this........

The "gnome" emblem used by the 8th Company, was actually known as the "Springender Teufel" (Springing Demon). In Akira Kikuchi's article (AFV News Jan-Apr. 1994 Vol. 29, No.1) he provides some background to this strange emblem. Mr. Will Fey, a veteran of the 8th Tiger company, (and author of Armor Battles of the Waffen-SS) indicated to Mr. Kikuchi that "a tank man of 2.Pz.Regt.Das Reich found a strange metal figure in the streets of Kharkov after the battle in March 1943. He named it Springender Teufel. He was transfered to the Tiger Company, along with the figure, in April at which time the lucky emblem of the Springender Teufel was adopted by the Tiger company. "

[Guest Rick Research]

Ah, so it's actually supposed to be a "Jumping Devil."

Ohhhhkay, whatever THAT was!!

[Laurence Strong]

Ok here you go:

2SS PzGdr. Div. Das Reich recived 14 Tiger ausf E's and organized them into the 8th company of the Pz Rgt. The Tigers of Das Reich were Dark yellow with Red Brown and Olive Green oversprayed in soft edged patches. The turret numbers were painted in White outline. The numbering system used an S for schwere (heavy) followed by a two digit tank number. This identified the platoon and vehicle (S11 - S14, S21 - S24, and S31- S34). S01 and S02 were the company staff vehicles. A unique company symbol was a White gnome, stenciled onto the turret sides. Das Reich used the divisional wolfsangel symbol in Yellow Ocher, and then for the Kursk offensive, used the temporary division sign, painted in White, on the front and rear of it's Tiger ausf E's. This marking was still in use several months later.

Edited March 20, 2006 by Laurence Strong

[Laurence Strong]

Found a little more:

After the end of the kursk offensive 1. SSPzGdr. Div. LAH was sent to Italy for refitting. All the vehicles were left in Russia and used to resupply Das Reich and Totenkopf. As previously stated Das Reich used the temporary Kursk divisional sign until the following winter, and also retained the White gnome company symbol. The Tiger's were then painted with new turret numbers as the 8th company, using the standard 3 number system. The tanks carried these number's until the company was detatched from Das Reich to form the cadre for sSSPzAbt 102 in March 1944.

I found somewhere that the 9th company of sSSPzAbt 102 used the White gnome and am trying to track down proof.

Later

[bigjarofwasps]

Have been told this..........

The "gnome" was actually a Springender Teufel - springing (or jumping) devil. The symbol was adopted by the Das Reich Tiger Company in the early summer of 1943, and painted on their tanks for the Kursk offensive. It was based on a Russian metal devil figurine.