Kampfgruppe Krause at the Falaise Gate
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Monday, July 24, 2017 - 04:09 AM UTC
Much has been written about the defense of the city of William the Conquerer by the Battlegroup from the 12SS Hitlerjugend Division in August44.
Comprised of elements of the 25th and 26th PzGrenRegts under Sturmbahnfuhrer Bernard Krause it fought a viscous and skillful delaying battle against the Commonwealth Forces closing in from the north from Caen. Only 2 heavy anti tank weapons were still available by then. One was placed at the bridge area in front of the northwestern gate in the medieval city wall called the Porte Des Cordeliers to cover the road from Caen. The PAK40 was protected by at least one MG team.
I will attempt to portray some of the drama there as the tanks bore down on that sparse defense. Inspiration came from a video I saw on FB showing one of these guns being fired for real at a modern range. I couldn't get over the noise and pressure generated by these guns !
I am starting with the bones of a AFV kit and also a Dragon kit and some aftermarket Tamiya rounds are on the way.
Basic donkey work began last night.
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Monday, July 24, 2017 - 04:13 AM UTC
United States
Joined: May 12, 2010
KitMaker: 139 posts
Armorama: 135 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 25, 2017 - 06:51 PM UTC
Jerry,
Really looking good so far. Can't wait to see how it progresses along. Really love the figure modifications that you come up with. Also looking forward to when you get into the groundwork of the base.
I will be following this one.
vr
Tim
On The Bench: Poland 1939 Diorama
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 25, 2017 - 07:40 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Jerry,
Really looking good so far. Can't wait to see how it progresses along. Really love the figure modifications that you come up with. Also looking forward to when you get into the groundwork of the base.
I will be following this one.
vr
Tim
Thanks for checking in Tim and for the words of encouragement. A nice interruption to the tumbleweeds blowing through here lately ! LoL
J
Namibia
Joined: March 30, 2015
KitMaker: 346 posts
Armorama: 343 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 25, 2017 - 08:33 PM UTC
I suggest we rename this forum to Rutmorama....
Manche, France
Joined: March 20, 2007
KitMaker: 340 posts
Armorama: 328 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 25, 2017 - 09:21 PM UTC
Jerry
Once again it looks like you'll be able to capture the way things were. I would say "naturalness" but I don't think it's a word...
You probably know but there's a photo of this very gun (after use...):
And more recently (about ten to fifteen years ago I reckon) the same place:
There is the slight irony of the rubbish bin there now..
look forward to updates
Cheers
Sean
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 25, 2017 - 10:53 PM UTC
Quoted Text
I suggest we rename this forum to Rutmorama....
Rut-row to quote the Jetsons
J
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 25, 2017 - 10:58 PM UTC
Very impressive find for me. Thanks my good friend ! Are you sure this is by the Porte Des Cordeliers in Falasie ? That gate was on the old ramparts in the northwestern corner and was right by the old bridge over the "river". Frenchie posted some superb pics on the armor forum here. Your pic looks like more the area where the other 75mm PAK was,which was the southeastern gate? Where did you get this little gem ? Nice.
J
West-Vlaaderen, Belgium
Joined: August 22, 2009
KitMaker: 1,491 posts
Armorama: 997 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 25, 2017 - 11:04 PM UTC
Hi Jerry ,
keep up the good work i would say !
Kurt
Manche, France
Joined: March 20, 2007
KitMaker: 340 posts
Armorama: 328 posts
Posted: Tuesday, July 25, 2017 - 11:47 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Very impressive find for me. Thanks my good friend ! Are you sure this is by the Porte Des Cordeliers in Falasie ? That gate was on the old ramparts in the northwestern corner and was right by the old bridge over the "river". Frenchie posted some superb pics on the armor forum here. Your pic looks like more the area where the other 75mm PAK was,which was the southeastern gate? Where did you get this little gem ? Nice.
J
Hello Jerry
Yep, same place. It's actually about 95m from the Porte des Cordeliers as marked on Google Earth.
Do you have a copy of Hubert Meyer's history of the division? He states the guns were moved to the Route Nationale, as you say beside the bridge over the Ante river (which is more like a rillet...).
The source of the 1944 image I'm pretty sure was a locally produced booklet but I can't seem to find it at the moment.
The colour photo was from the (good old) days when one used to have to drive around trying to determine locations, rather than use things like Street View.
Cheers
Sean
Edit: Having seen the posts you referred to I know what you're getting at but the road was already re-routed before 1944. There are maps from 1740 and 1866 on the IGN site showing the bend to the left as per the current road.
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 - 01:00 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted Text
Very impressive find for me. Thanks my good friend ! Are you sure this is by the Porte Des Cordeliers in Falasie ? That gate was on the old ramparts in the northwestern corner and was right by the old bridge over the "river". Frenchie posted some superb pics on the armor forum here. Your pic looks like more the area where the other 75mm PAK was,which was the southeastern gate? Where did you get this little gem ? Nice.
J
Hello Jerry
Yep, same place. It's actually about 95m from the Porte des Cordeliers as marked on Google Earth.
Do you have a copy of Hubert Meyer's history of the division? He states the guns were moved to the Route Nationale, as you say beside the bridge over the Ante river (which is more like a rillet...).
The source of the 1944 image I'm pretty sure was a locally produced booklet but I can't seem to find it at the moment.
The colour photo was from the (good old) days when one used to have to drive around trying to determine locations, rather than use things like Street View.
Cheers
Sean
Edit: Having seen the posts you referred to I know what you're getting at but the road was already re-routed before 1944. There are maps from 1740 and 1866 on the IGN site showing the bend to the left as per the current road.
Yes,I have the superb book by the former 1A of the HJ and most of my inspiration through the years concerning Normandy has been through that book. It is only slightly biased I found. Unlike PanzerMeyers book which is a little over the top ! LoL
Now I am in a conundrum because I had assumed the Rue National had been changed since the war,but now find it had been altered to pierce the old wall north of the Cordeliers location. I will now have to go from my planned,partly dug in position,to a new set-up with the gun on a cobblestone street. Maybe behind some rubble? The town had already been worked over hard by the Allies before HJ showed up. What are your views ?
This will make my usual backdrop painting more intricate though as I will have to show the interior portion of the Porte,which was quite complicated ! But I have a exact view of that through the pics posted by the superb Frenchie ! My older plan called for a drawing of the view down the Rue National coming from Caen ! I was going to rely on Googlerth for that. But then again if this gun in your pic was on the Rue Nat. then it faced north down a straight road lined with newer buildings ! I am correct on that ?
J
Minnesota, United States
Joined: July 20, 2004
KitMaker: 1,513 posts
Armorama: 1,449 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 - 01:25 AM UTC
I'll be watching Jerry.
Dan
Looking to meet other MN Armor modellers. I live in Buffalo.
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 - 01:31 AM UTC
Quoted Text
I'll be watching Jerry.
Dan
Welcome on board Dan !
J
Rhone, France
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 - 01:42 AM UTC
The street pictured in both of Sean's pics is now called Rue de Caen (don't know if it was the same name back in 1944...). You can see the same house on the left (with a green letterbox) in this Google street view :
https://www.google.fr/maps/@48.8984833,-0.2007974,3a,90y,102.36h,84.04t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1ssecHzaQ9VBFUbiSYwpVa_A!2e0!7i13312!8i6656If you change the point of view to the right, you can see the Porte des Cordeliers in the background...
H.P.
"Find the Bastards, then Pile On"
Col. George W.Patton III 's standing order for the troopers of the 11th Armoured Cavalry Regiment
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 - 02:40 AM UTC
Wow !! Frenchie comes through with an even MORE exact point for my gun ! If you look at it from the soldiers' standpoint,the gun was not well covered but very well sighted to open up on any vehicle coming down the road from Caen as soon as that vehicle cleared the curve from the right side. In this way,the enemy would not see the gun,until the gun had him in their site. I was an anti tank specialist for 17 years and I know a good spot when I see one. The absence of cover would mean they would only be able to fire maybe 2 or 3 rounds though before hell was brought to bear on them. And the condition of the gun tells me they beat feet right after the first few rounds. Reportedly they knocked out one Sherman there and another vehicle.
This is awesome Frenchie but now I do have a groundwork issue.
J
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 - 02:43 AM UTC
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 - 02:46 AM UTC
And here is a thin app of primer.
My plan for the number one gunner will stay the same but the other guy will have to change as will the MG guys as well.
J
Scotland, United Kingdom
Joined: October 14, 2009
KitMaker: 219 posts
Armorama: 197 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 - 03:36 AM UTC
Looks like it's going to be another master class
Can you imagine what you could do if you could do all that you can
Manche, France
Joined: March 20, 2007
KitMaker: 340 posts
Armorama: 328 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 - 01:18 PM UTC
That's the spot.
Crew quite literally had their backs to the wall. I guess if you were going to include any kind of structure that gable end would be less challenging than the older Porte. Although with the scruffy painted advert on the wall would still be interesting.
Any plans for a building or "just" the gun and crew?
England - East Midlands, United Kingdom
Joined: January 17, 2006
KitMaker: 1,694 posts
Armorama: 1,584 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 - 02:12 PM UTC
Looking forward to this one Jerry. I look forward to all of them but an SS in Normandy one? As you know I like my Waffen SS stuff especially the Normandy campaign. Sooo many divisions in such a small area lol. One favour to ask though. As you always nail the colours can you let us know what you're using as you go along. One of the hardest things I find is getting the colours right so it would point us in the right direction when doing our figures. Next update soon I hope. Thanks mate Karl
Nothing is so exhilarating in life as to be shot at with no result.
- Winston Churchill
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 - 08:08 PM UTC
Wayne-thanks my good man,for the comments. I will do my best !
Sean-Hard task ahead to figure out the focus here. To show th optimum gun and crew you should see it from the front but then I have to make the whole building. If I show it from the back then part of the crew may be obscured. I am leaning to the back view as the MG guys I wanted to show were set up in the corner house at the old city wall,across the street from the gun. Lots of factors here to try to pull together and the artistic license card may be thrown down early ! LoL
You and Frenchie really rocked the research for me gents ! Kudos !
J
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 - 08:11 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Looking forward to this one Jerry. I look forward to all of them but an SS in Normandy one? As you know I like my Waffen SS stuff especially the Normandy campaign. Sooo many divisions in such a small area lol. One favour to ask though. As you always nail the colours can you let us know what you're using as you go along. One of the hardest things I find is getting the colours right so it would point us in the right direction when doing our figures. Next update soon I hope. Thanks mate Karl
I will do my best old buddy. Sometimes the colors are like cooking though. Smidgen of this,pinch of that. My new MIG sets clear a lot of that away but I have made changes due to personal taste and also for better contrast. I figure if I am going to paint all those teeny dots I want them to be SEEN !
So,keep checking here my brother from another mother,
J
Pennsylvania, United States
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 - 11:09 PM UTC
Some facts to bolster the imagination a bit.
Sturmbahnfuehrer Krause was tasked with defending Falaise as long as feasable and moved into town with 2 AT guns and about 150 combat effective troops from the I/26 PzGrenRegt (his Bn) and also the remnant of the Div Begleit Kompanie (about 25 men). The main focus was the National Road coming south from Caen and running straight through the town. One gun was placed were the Road entered Falaise and one where it exited. Infantry were positioned to support the guns and in blocking positions along the road with strongpoints in the school and church.
What got me going on this are the first hand accounts available from both sides. The allied unit to first show up around the bend in the road were the South Saskatchewans under LtC Clift,who grabbed a weapon from one of his grunts after the lead tank was knocked out by the AT gun and personally took out 2 to 3 crew members of the PAK40. I am guessing he was on the small knoll to the right of the bend.
The Cmdr of the PAK was Rottenfuehrer Mahraun,who ended up being severely wounded and evacuated,probably by the LtC. The gun squads MG gunner,Sturmann Bassenauer,engaged the Commonwealth Infantry until he also was evacuated. There is seldom so much info concerning a small unit action.
I know have to figure how to set this up !
J
Manche, France
Joined: March 20, 2007
KitMaker: 340 posts
Armorama: 328 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 27, 2017 - 01:01 PM UTC
Quoted Text
What got me going on this are the first hand accounts available from both sides....... There is seldom so much info concerning a small unit action.
Absolutely!
Quoted Text
...but then I have to make the whole building....
Could you get away with just the corner of the building behind the Pak? Kind of what's visible in the 1944 photo?
You could also include the steep bank which is quite an interesting feature.
What about the street itself? There was I think a barbed wire barricade too.
Looking forward to seing what you come up with
Cheers
Sean
Rhone, France
Joined: December 02, 2002
KitMaker: 12,719 posts
Armorama: 12,507 posts
Posted: Thursday, July 27, 2017 - 05:21 PM UTC
Talking about the house behind the PaK, I guess the faded painted advertisement is for the Saint Raphaėl Quinquina and should looks like this (maybe minus the two waiter silhouettes...) :
H.P.
"Find the Bastards, then Pile On"
Col. George W.Patton III 's standing order for the troopers of the 11th Armoured Cavalry Regiment
