wwii axis reenactment forum

Evening,

Just a quick question, I know some german mountain divisions were issued with the shorter model k98, Were gebirgsjager issued with the shorter one? Or did they use the normal issue one. Or even both?

Thanks,

Dan

Which reference books have you checked ?

(Just to save me from looking in the same ones as you've already used)

Hi mate, i have looked at "German soldiers of world war two" But other than that just internet but from the angle of the pictures i cant really tell.

Thanks

brayney wrote:Evening,

Just a quick question, I know some german mountain divisions were issued with the shorter model k98, Were gebirgsjager issued with the shorter one? Or did they use the normal issue one. Or even both?

Thanks,

Dan

German Mountain Divisions consisted of Gebirgsjäger . The model you're talking about , the k98 ( G33/40 )was indeed a shorter version of the general issue k98 , issued to GJ because it was lighter and easier to carry in mountainous terrain - One of its obvious differences , other than its length , was the metal butt plate , fixed to prevent the Cleats on the Bergschue from scratching the woodwork . It also had an iron site ranged up to 1000m , not 2000m as was standard .

German/Austrian mountain troops would have adopted weapons that suited the type of combat they were involved in as the war progressed - The invasion of Poland saw GJ equipped as conventional pre war GJ - by 1944 , they would be sporting the Stg44 ....

So , depends what year you're looking at , 1939 , yes , the K98/33 would be much in evidence , 1943-5 , maybe not so obvious .

Thanks for the reply Halle, I want to do something around norway, so 1940! Would you see normal k98's? Also would you of seen mp40's being used by NCO'S

Thanks

What weapons would they of used in this picture? It seems they have a map case and p38 holster?


Thanks

Yes to both ( I'm ASSUMING MP40s were in use by 1940 , I'm no weapons expert ) , plus the MP38 of course .... The three Jäger in the picture are NCOs , so pistol and map case is normal.....as NCOs , sub machine guns or rifles ....this picture looks like they're relaxing though ...

Aha cool! Do you know if at this time they would of had early brown mapcase and pistol holster or black? and if they did have their main hand would they swap the pistol or map case for a mp38/40 pouch?

Thanks

Again , I'm no expert , but I think that around the time of Narvik , the order had gone out to blacken any brown leather work , so you could probably get away with both .

It would be perfectly possible for an NCO to have two sets of MP mags and retain his pistol and map case , or you could dispense with one set of mags .

PM replied to...

In the picture they have Luger holsters, note the slant to the closing strap, the P-38 holster was straight down.

Luger holsters came first in brown, but they had the black version by the end of WWI already.

Weapons used by the GJ during early war consisted of both versions of the K-98, although the regular K-98 was by far more popular. Luger pistols were actually rarer than P-38s, so I would stick to P-38 holsters, by 1940 they were either blackened or issued in black. Mp-38s, Mp-40s, were the main assault weapons and then MG34 their support LMP, as the war went on this diversified as Halle said to other weapons such as the G-43, STG-44 and MG 42, issued in the same way they would have been issued to other combat units, but the short K-98 became even more rare then as I was simpler and cheaper just to produce one version if the rifle with special care taken when making one intended for snipers.

Photos from my collection showing IV/GJR 138 in Norway during the battle of Lillehammer in april 1940.
First photo: Note the use of regular K98 rifles, brown mapcase and the lack of y-straps (Right before battle - overlooking Lillehammer)
Second photo: Black luger holster (Photo taken at Lillehammer train station after the battle)

Best regards from Norway

Also the troddeln ( worn against regulations I suspect ) , his fawn leather gloves , and what appears to be an M40 tunic ....great pictures Leander_H , thank you

Thanks Halle !
Notice that the guy in the back (right side) is wearing civilian Norwegian gloves

Well spotted ....I'm after a pair of those ...