Not artillery, but still indirect fire (Granatenwerfer 16)

[IrishGunner]

So, I've been away from GMIC for almost 2 years and haven't bought anything since 2015.  But the boat is in dry-dock for repairs; so, I have time on my hands in between getting caught up on gardening/landscaping that's also been ignored for way too long.  So, off I go to see what's new in online auctions and artillery for old time's sake.  And I did snag a couple artillery RPPCs.  But this one also caught my eye.  I don't have an image of the Granatenwerfer 16 in my collection; yes, I know it's not artillery - but it is indirect fire and worth a spot.  This RPPC also caught my eye because of the Nahkampf remarks on the reverse.

My ability to read German handwriting has severely atrophied; so, any help in deciphering the attached note would be appreciated.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Wasup!

nahkampfmittel course for the guys of the ersatz battalion Fuss Arty Regt 6

Nice to see you back! :-)

[IrishGunner]

29 minutes ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

Wasup!

nahkampfmittel course for the guys of the ersatz battalion Fuss Arty Regt 6

Nice to see you back! :-)

Thanks!  Although, it didn't take long to realize how much I've already forgotten.  Fussartillerie you say?  That would make this a really great pick-up.  Now that I look closer, it does look like an artillery bomb on the shoulder strap of the guy just to the right of the Granatenwerfer.

But, the question now is...  Why on earth would Fussartillerie attend a Nahkampfmittel course?!

[Chris Boonzaier]

25 minutes ago, IrishGunner said:

 

But, the question now is...  Why on earth would Fussartillerie attend a Nahkampfmittel course?!

Maybe they felt tired of being so far away from the front? Like when a teenager who has done nothing but play "call of duty" for years decides to join the army and go infantry? :-)

[IrishGunner]

3 minutes ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

Maybe they felt tired of being so far away from the front? Like when a teenager who has done nothing but play "call of duty" for years decides to join the army and go infantry? :-)

Or the division commander got tired of infantrymen pretending to be gunners and always missing their targets with those grenades. :-)

But seriously, it does offer up an interesting research tangent, wouldn't you say?

Edited July 2, 2018 by IrishGunner

[Chris Boonzaier]

I seem to remember the heavy arty getting MGs towards the end of the war, maybe to do with the coming offensives of 1918 and having the ability to defend themselves against attack?

Example here, although no Werfer....

http://www.kaiserscross.com/41815/164301.html

[IrishGunner]

Good article.  But wouldn't Nahkämpfer with Granatenwerfer be more an offensive role vice defense?  Sending fellows to a course seems more than just a "contingency" measure should there be a breakthrough like described in the article.  Machine guns make sense in that case, but not grenade launchers, at least in my view.