Hetzer and AT Halftracks in Greece?

Hetzer and AT Halftracks in Greece? (Full Version)

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Tom Terror -> Hetzer and AT Halftracks in Greece? (11/20/2001 7:25:00 PM)
Yesterday I watched "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" (my girlfriend wanted to see a love story and I thought: oh fine at least it's ww2 related) I knew a bit about the story and the background (German troops committed a massacre on Italian soldiers on the greek island Cephallonia after Italy surrendered to the Allies. A fight of several days broke out when the Italian garrison refused to hand over their weaponry to the germans.) in advance but I must say I was rather surprised to see the germans fielding a Hetzer Jagdpanzer and several halftracks with mounted AT guns. I was surprised because I was under the impression that there wasn't a single tank on the island. So for what reason would they bring heavy AT equipment to an mountainous and rocky greek island? And they used that Hetzer in a town/village fight. Totally misplaced IMO. I assume it was the filmmakers fault and also it looked like they tried to put every piece of ww2 equipment they could get in the movie. Did anybody else notice that? Or is it just my imagination? Please correct me if I'm mistaken I don't want to spoil an otherwise quiet nice movie. Does anybody has any good information concerning the German actions against Italian forces on the greek islands? Thanks TomT

Jack -> (11/21/2001 10:40:00 AM)
Tom I would be surprised if the Germans did have the armor you described. It is a good question. You would think the Hetzers would of been used on the Eastern front or against the allies.

ARIS -> (11/21/2001 12:01:00 PM)
When hollywood makes movies, Xena could go to rescue Hercules on a Tiger tank, no surprise.

Galka -> (11/21/2001 3:09:00 PM)
quote: Originally posted by Tom Terror: Does anybody has any good information concerning the German actions against Italian forces on the greek islands? Thanks TomT Hello Tom: I certainly don't want to say hollywood portrays WW2 authentically, however of late they seem to have been making improvements. Thanks for mentioning the name of the island, I've been able to find reference to the battle that raged on Cefalonia. "but on Cefalonia - where the most complete anarchy reigned.. during the days of negotiations between the two commands' - Italian forces beat off a sea and air assault by the 1st Mountain Division for almost a week before surrendering on 24 Sept... Some 155 officers and 4,750 men captured on Cefalonia were executed by firing squad after the fighting had finished." A component of the 1st Mountain division was the Gebirgs Panzer Jager battalion 44. It's quite possible that a company or better was equipped with self propelled Pak such as, but not likely the hetzer. (game says hetzer debuted in July '44) I've seen pics of Nashorns in the mountains of Yugoslavia fighting partisans, and I'll bet that there were some captured tanks and armoured cars used in the subjugation of Greece. The book (Inside Hitler's Greece) is pretty interesting. There is a short commentary on the end of Italian rule. It's not a regimental diary; it does show the many facects of administering an occupied land and the effect on the people of Greece. [ November 21, 2001: Message edited by: Galka ]

Galka -> (11/21/2001 3:53:00 PM)
further, it seems that on 22 May 1943. Panzer-Abteilung Rhodos was created for the defence of the Greek island of Rhodes. It was equipped with one company from sturmgeschuetz battery 92, and a company of 15 MkIV panzer. Rhodes is an island of the Dodecanese closer to Turkey than Greece, and Cephalonia is one of the Ionian Islands off Greece's west coast. Still it is feasible that Panzer units from the mainland could have been ferried over. Would be interesting to see if the Panzers took any losses.

Tom Terror -> (11/21/2001 4:34:00 PM)
Galka: very interesting facts indeed. Thank you. I guess the use of panzers in that area had had more or less psychological effect (fear of the mighty german panzers). According to the movie, Italians destroyed one tank (the supposed hetzer) and several halftracks. TomT

El_Peco -> (11/22/2001 2:34:00 AM)
By the way, someone can tell me the type of the italian gun used? And coming back to the movie, it give a pathetic vision of italian soldier. Perhaps italian soldier weren't an example of bravery and discipline (not all, at least), but for sure it's ridicolous to picture an italian soldier with a mandolin! Both my grandfathers fought in the second world war (Albania, Greece and Afrika) and none of them told me something like that! And I would like to remmember that here in Italy the soldiers of division Acqui, placed in Cefalonia, are considered the first wave of "resistenza" to fascism, choosing to die instead to give up to germans. To sum up, honour to division Acqui. Regards.

El_Peco -> (11/22/2001 2:39:00 AM)
Before, I forgot it. Does someone know if there is a scenario ready or in progress about this battle? If no, I hope that some talented scenario designer can give us one . Regards.

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