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Knight Gunner: The Memoirs of Lt. Alfred Regeniter, 3rd Battery, Sturmgeschutz - Brigade 276, East and West Prussia, 1944-45
ST276
Knight Gunner
The Memoirs of Leutnant Alfred Regeniter, 3rd Battery, Sturmgeschütz Brigade 276, East and West Prussia, 1944-45 Very little literature exists on the men of the Artillery arm, almost all volunteers, who manned the assault guns (Sturmgeschütz) compared with their more glamorous counterparts in the Panzertruppe - despite the fear they aroused in their opponents as their original infantry support role was supplemental and even supplanted by that of tank destroyer. The actions described are those of Leutnant Alfred Regeniter, covering the six months between his first and last combats as commander of an assault gun unit from early August 1944, when the collapse of Army Group Centre undermined the German hold on the Baltic States, exposing East Prussia itself to invasion, up to February 1945 when Regeniter was wounded. During August 1944 Regeniter led his troop in Lithuania in the infantry support role, fighting down every infantry and anti-tank gun at the behest of the commander of the Infantry Divisions to which his battery was attached, while September was a lull. Following a major Russian onslaught on the 16th October, the Brigade was forced out of Lithuania into East Prussia and in a continuous three day engagement, Regeniter demonstrated his proficiency in tank destruction, claiming nine kills mostly in the night fighting and winning his Iron Cross, first class. An even higher award was sought on his behalf by one of the Divisional Commanders, but turned down - as he found in 1986! November and December were largely uneventful and Regeniter went on leave. On the 15th January 1945, all hell broke loose as the Russians poured out of the bridgehead; the Brigade simply fled westward, losing its guns. After a harrowing escape on foot, Regeniter again found himself in action, doubling his kills to 18 and the battery receiving no less than 17 Iron Crosses! After a few days break, on the 10th February 1945, Regeniter made a fatal error of judgement, leaving the cover of a forest and making himself a clearly visible target for a Russian anti-tank gun. Regeniter’s assault gun received a direct hit which killed two of his crew and severely wounded him. Narrowly escaping capture by the Russians (his was the last hospital train to make it out of the impending encirclement) he surrendered to the Americans and, after the war, resumed his interrupted medical career. For his cool headed dash and determination to carry out the missions assigned to him, he was awarded the Knight s Cross - something he only learned of in 1974!
Knight Gunner
The Memoirs of Leutnant Alfred Regeniter, 3rd Battery, Sturmgeschütz Brigade 276, East and West Prussia, 1944-45 Very little literature exists on the men of the Artillery arm, almost all volunteers, who manned the assault guns (Sturmgeschütz) compared with their more glamorous counterparts in the Panzertruppe - despite the fear they aroused in their opponents as their original infantry support role was supplemental and even supplanted by that of tank destroyer. The actions described are those of Leutnant Alfred Regeniter, covering the six months between his first and last combats as commander of an assault gun unit from early August 1944, when the collapse of Army Group Centre undermined the German hold on the Baltic States, exposing East Prussia itself to invasion, up to February 1945 when Regeniter was wounded. During August 1944 Regeniter led his troop in Lithuania in the infantry support role, fighting down every infantry and anti-tank gun at the behest of the commander of the Infantry Divisions to which his battery was attached, while September was a lull. Following a major Russian onslaught on the 16th October, the Brigade was forced out of Lithuania into East Prussia and in a continuous three day engagement, Regeniter demonstrated his proficiency in tank destruction, claiming nine kills mostly in the night fighting and winning his Iron Cross, first class. An even higher award was sought on his behalf by one of the Divisional Commanders, but turned down - as he found in 1986! November and December were largely uneventful and Regeniter went on leave. On the 15th January 1945, all hell broke loose as the Russians poured out of the bridgehead; the Brigade simply fled westward, losing its guns. After a harrowing escape on foot, Regeniter again found himself in action, doubling his kills to 18 and the battery receiving no less than 17 Iron Crosses! After a few days break, on the 10th February 1945, Regeniter made a fatal error of judgement, leaving the cover of a forest and making himself a clearly visible target for a Russian anti-tank gun. Regeniter’s assault gun received a direct hit which killed two of his crew and severely wounded him. Narrowly escaping capture by the Russians (his was the last hospital train to make it out of the impending encirclement) he surrendered to the Americans and, after the war, resumed his interrupted medical career. For his cool headed dash and determination to carry out the missions assigned to him, he was awarded the Knight s Cross - something he only learned of in 1974!
70 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1999
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May 15, 2012
I gave this 3 stars due to it's unique perspective on the Second world war, but Alfred Regeniter's book has a disturbing pride to it.
On the pro-side; it gives you a very small insight to the machinations of heavy tank fighting along the eastern front. For that, the book is worth a look, but not worth buying.
On the con side? Well, thats a different matter.
First and foremost, it seems to me that Dr.Regeniter is not, in the least bit sorry for anything he or the German army did in WWII.In his foreword, he speaks of how the Wermacht's efforts were: "not in vain, and that we protected the whole of Europe from the scourge of the Bolshevik World revolution"...Interesting that he sees it this way, considering the end of WWII saw a vast majority of Europe under Soviet rule for decades.
He goes on to talk (on page 7) of his luck in staying where he had been assigned, instead of going to a school, because then he: "would have kicked the bucket in one of the American Hunger camps near Remagen". Hunger camp indeed, the 1,200 German soldiers who died due to malnutrition and epidemics, are but a drop in the bucket compared to the atrocities the nazi's inflicted upon the world.
In my opinion, this book is nothing more than the rant of a bitter old man who is still to this day upset that a facist government that he was part of was thrown from power. He (and this book) are akin to those who call the American civil war "the war of northern aggression". Both are completely delusional and labor under the notion that the world would be much better off with segregation and racial superiority as the law of the land.
On the pro-side; it gives you a very small insight to the machinations of heavy tank fighting along the eastern front. For that, the book is worth a look, but not worth buying.
On the con side? Well, thats a different matter.
First and foremost, it seems to me that Dr.Regeniter is not, in the least bit sorry for anything he or the German army did in WWII.In his foreword, he speaks of how the Wermacht's efforts were: "not in vain, and that we protected the whole of Europe from the scourge of the Bolshevik World revolution"...Interesting that he sees it this way, considering the end of WWII saw a vast majority of Europe under Soviet rule for decades.
He goes on to talk (on page 7) of his luck in staying where he had been assigned, instead of going to a school, because then he: "would have kicked the bucket in one of the American Hunger camps near Remagen". Hunger camp indeed, the 1,200 German soldiers who died due to malnutrition and epidemics, are but a drop in the bucket compared to the atrocities the nazi's inflicted upon the world.
In my opinion, this book is nothing more than the rant of a bitter old man who is still to this day upset that a facist government that he was part of was thrown from power. He (and this book) are akin to those who call the American civil war "the war of northern aggression". Both are completely delusional and labor under the notion that the world would be much better off with segregation and racial superiority as the law of the land.
Displaying 1 of 1 review