The Germans

Germany, having suffered the defeat of the first world war, and the humiliation it felt it had suffered from the allies seethed for twenty years. Like most of the world, they suffered the great depression, but the direction they took plunged the world into another global conflict.


I abhore Nazism. As did my grandfather. He enlisted to stop this tyranny.
But for the averge German, they must have felt trapped. Fighting for their country, then survival.


To balance this blog, I wanted to note some of the German troops Canada faced in this conflict. Over time I shall be upgrading this posting with the weapons, and equipment these divisions had. At no time will I display Nazi imagery.


During the Normandy campaign, 3rd Canadian Division faced three major German units


21st Panzer Division, a regular army division and 12th SS Panzer Division. The 12th SS were the Hitlerjugen formation which was so pumped up on Nazi propoganda, that when they first captured members of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders, they murdered them.
The final unit was the 16th Luftwaffen Feld Division, made up of surplus Luftwaffen personnell.


The 21st Panzer Division troops are made up in my 1/72 collection from ESCI.


 (all pictures courtsey of plasticsoldierreview)









My 12th SS division is a mixed bag of figures:


These are ESCI Afrika Korp, but I have painted them in field grey as troops in Normandy.
I have also modeled these as Luftwaffen Feld Division troops