Matrix Games Forums

ORIGINAL: Neilster

I posted some famous Ardennes Offensive photos and the results of my research into them in the General Discussion forum. I thought it may be of some interest to those here too.

tm.asp?m=1531883

Cheers, Neilster

ORIGINAL: sterckxe

ORIGINAL: Neilster

I posted some famous Ardennes Offensive photos and the results of my research into them in the General Discussion forum. I thought it may be of some interest to those here too.

tm.asp?m=1531883

Cheers, Neilster

Thanks,

I already saw them over there - have you got any source to the story that waffen ss guy is still alive and living in the US ?

Greetz,

Eddy Sterckx

ORIGINAL: Neilster
Apparently the Poteau Ardennes Offensive museum was able to track him down but have respected his wish to remain anonymous.

ORIGINAL: final_drive

Neilster,

Thanks for uploading the pictures.

However, the pictured MG42-gunner has not been identified, although for a while it was believed so and since then the story seems to live on on the internet.

For those who can read dutch, here's an explanation on the origin of the misidentification: STIWOT forum on Poteau

Small detail on the pistol: before the war, the Browning Hi-power was also produced by the FN-factories in Herstal, Belgium. Production was taken over under German occupation and the weapon was renamed 'P640(b)'. As with all weapons produced in occupied countries, the character between parentheses marked the country of origin, with the (b) standing for 'belgisch' (Belgian). The pistol held by the MG-gunner at Poteau could either be a German-produced or captured American model.

[...] For a long while there has been a misunderstanding. After I had discovered that various other persons who appear in the Poteau photographs belonged to the Stabskompanie and the 2. (le.SPW-) Kompanie of the SS-Panzer-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 1 LSSAH ('Schnelle Gruppe Knittel', also known as 'Kampfgruppe Knittel') and I wrote about this in various topics on different forums, I was contacted by Steve. He appeared to be the neighbour of Walter Armbrusch, a veteran of SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 1 LSSAH (Kampfgruppe Hansen), who had been photographed during the Ardennes Offensive. Through incomplete communication I linked him to the Poteau photograph and since then everywhere in discussions the name Walter Armbrusch appears as the 'identity' of this SS-man. But!!! - it is a misidentification. Walter appears on another picture, which wasn't taken at Poteau. As it is, I know nothing more about 'Schütze V' - the name which Pallud [author of 'Battle of the Bulge, Then and Now', who did the first r<esearch into the sequence during the early eighties] gave to the soldier - than that he belonged either to Kampfgruppe Hansen or Schnelle Gruppe Knittel. Various authors claim that he belonged to 2./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 1 LSSAH, but I have not been able to verify this assumption with any primary or other genuine source.

Also in various topics it was stated that the owner of the Poteau museum knows his identity. But after searching on it again appeared to be a misunderstanding around the person of Walter Armbrusch (he would be living in the US and wants to remain annimous, etc.). I learned through an enquiry that the owner of the museum, Rob De Ruyter, doesn't know either.

Rob De Ruyter wrote:

"Hallo Timo,

We ourselves weren't acquainted with that forum and as far as I know we've never told any visitor that we know the name of Schütze V for certain. However some researchers gave to us the name of Armbrusch! Unfortunately in numerous forums inaccuracies are propagated or things get exaggerated.

We certainly remain interested in new information regarding the Battle of the Bulge, St-Vith and Poteau in particular.

Rob De Ruyter"

I hope that the misunderstanding that I or the museum knows who it is is now gone. Also I hope that his identity will show up one day, but that chance is getting smaller by the day.