Stahlgewitter aftermath

[Naxos]

Just got this original photo, has anyone seen this particular image before, or can show a different picture of the same tank wreck

Regards, Hardy

Edited June 15, 2007 by Naxos

[Naxos]

Detail

[Paul R]

It looks like it was hit by one of those ultra large caliber shells!

[bob lembke]

It looks like it was hit by one of those ultra large caliber shells!

My father was trained to knock out British tanks by getting a geballtne Ladnung (six "potato masher" warheads tied or wired about a complete "potato masher" grenade, which served as the fuze and detonator for all seven) into a roof hatch. He said that one guy in his unit knocked out three tanks in two days by this method. The stick grenade was not a fragmentation grenade but a powerful concussion grenade; one can imagine the effect of the explosion of seven of them simultaniously within the confined space of a Mark IV, which also contained the fuel tank, I believe. I suspect the damage pictured would be consistent with this form of attack, although it might have been hit by a shell on the other side, say a 10.5 cm howitzer round. I believe that some of these were used as "infantry guns", as well as the 7.7 cm fieldpiece.

Bob Lembke

[Naxos]

On the advise of one of our forum members I posted the picture on the Great War Forum and got some interesting responses, here is the link:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...ic=77095&hl=

Regards, Hardy

Edited June 20, 2007 by Naxos