Hi all,

I'm going to build a diorama which shows a scene during the liberation of Holland during the winter of 1944/45.

For this dio I will use a Cromwell and a Sherman M4A1 tank (in polish service)

But...I would also like to add some German armor or German artillery (AT) to this diorama. Unfortunately I have only little information about the German forces who fought against the Polish forces during the liberation, and the local supermarket does not pay me enough for buying expensive reference books

So, I hoped you guys could help me !! If somebody knows anything about the German armor/artillery used against Polish forces during the liberation of holland 1944/45, please tell me about it

Grt,
Martin

Hoi Martin,

I don't have pictures read y at presenst, but I can search my library tonight or tomorrow (a day off because of the strike...)
An 88 mm gun was surely one of the guns the Germans used as AT at that time. A 75 mm PAK would do nicely too...
If you have some patience I will look somethings up for you. What region did you have in mind?

Martin

A web site you can check is
http://www.army.mod.uk/para/history/arnhem

I know I have a couple more, I'll check tonight when I get home. I understand your problem with the high price of reference books. I've been there myself. One option is to check Amazon.com. They have used books. I've bought many over the last few years, and they look brand new. The best part is the price. I just bought a book on German armor for less than $ 3.00 USD. When you check out the books, over to the right is an icon that says "New & Used" click on it . It will give you a list of the same titles from different sellers.
Another site to check is
http://home.tiscali.nl/~jschoc/

Hope this helps
Harry

Hi,

As far as I know, the Polish liberated the area between tilburg, dordrecht and utrecht, as seen on this little map. If they liberated more of Holland, I would like to hear !! After their actions in Holland, they were stationed at the Rhine river where they stayed till the end of the war.



The most famous story about the Polish 1st armored division (besides their actions at Falaise) is their capturing of the town Breda, which fall into their hands without 1 shot being fired !!

Anyway, my diorama should involve a dike with the tanks on it, and a (farm)house next to the dike, somewhere between tilburg and utrecht !!

Wolfsix, thanks for the tip, but I think I have to pay shipping costs when I buy at Amazon (or am I wronge here??)

Hope to here from you when you find information !!!

Thanks & Grt,
Martin

I have a reference book on the "Liberation of the Western Front WWII" and it shows several German pieces in and around Breda. One photo has two Pz.III's (one in the early dark grey, the other in a two-toned tan & dark green camo), and two SDK251's - both in fieldgrau (photo is B&W - I'm going by the caption under the photo for the colors).

The units are stationairy at the edge of a treeline, and camo nets are being errected.

Would love to show you the photo, but when I bend the spine back and try to scan the picture, it comes out skewed.

Doesn't matter, I'm happy with the information already !!

Does the book also tell you to which unit they belonged ??

Grt,
Martin

Martin,

I found some info that might be of your interest.
I a book called Brabant Bevrijdt (maybe in your local library?) I've seen several pictures of some sweet AT guns: besides an '88, some SP guns Marder 1 (pak 40 on Lorraine Schlepper. Also on other locaions in Brabant pak40 and other AT guns. In Nijmegen, they installed a 50 mm Pak near the bridge, so this is an option too.

Thanks, that is usefull information. Unfortunately the local libary has not much to offer, and I have read every book there already

Are there also plastic Marder I kits ?? I know the Tamiya Marder II and Marder III, but never seen a Marder I as a model kit...

About Nijmegen : liberated by English/American troops during Market Garden right ? (I don't want to make a Market Garden dio...I see them too much haha)

Does anyone have information about StuGs (IV) in Holland ?? That would be my choise if they served in Holland !! (still I would like to hear about anything else the germans used !!)

Grt,
Martin

Ofcourse I am aware about the fact that Nijmegen was not liberated by the Poles but by the American airborne troops. But the fact that these weapons were used there, which is basically the same front, indicates that they might be used around Breda too!
Can't you have your library search for this book? It's written by Jack Diddens and Maarten Swarts, if that is of any help.
Stugs were used quite a lot by the Germans in Noord Brabant. Usually they were attached to instant battle groups (Kampf Gruppen). A lot of their deployment is described in this book or their previous book Einddoel Maas, by the same authors, which might be located in the library too, at least that's where I found it first. Maybe de Slegte may do a search for you? At the time I bought the book for f25,- ,so that might be what €15,- or €20 now?
I'd say give it a try. These books are well worth their money, as they extensively describe the battle for Brabant.
Good Luck

I see, thanks !! Need to go to the bookstore for school books anyway, I will look for this books as well !!

Grt

Martin,

IIRC the sole surviving Panther Ausf D in the world is part of the war memorial in Breda, and actually donated to them by the Poles. I do not know however weathr they captured / knocked out the vehicle in the vicinity of Breda.

Cheers,

Harm

I know which tank you mean, and I also don't know where it comes from.....well, I was planning a Panther tank on another dio already

The only 1/35 scale Marder 1 I can remember is one made by Ironside a few years ago. I have one sitting partially assembled in a box somewhere. It's a mixed bag plastic parts (by Heller, I think), resin transmission, and metal barrel, I think. It's been a while since I've taken a look at it since the construction process for it turned quite aggravating. It'd probably be a snap to fix the problems I encountered then, since most of them were more technique than kit related.

Haha

I found this Marder I - resin kit by Alby



Just one problem.....if reference material is a little too expensive for me to buy.....how would that be with resin models ?

I found this site http://www.1e-poolse-pantserdivisie.nl/index2.html It gives information about the action of the Polish 1st Armoured Division, including battle reports. Think this is a very usefull site for me !!

Grt,
Martin

I think the Moerdijk region...

Quick respose there!

I know, sorry

Got some new information about armor used against the poles :

- Tiger I
- (Jagd) Panther
- StuG IV
- Flakvierling
- Nebelwerfer

This information comes from the owner/webmaster of the site "1st polish armored division".

Grt,
Martin