German Officer
Pistols were routinely issued to EM assigned to crew served weapons...and they used MANY MGs...[I think 3 MGs to a squad?] The folks carrying rifles also carried ammo and were to protect the MG crews. So:...many-many were issued pistols in lieu of rifles.
The Germans learned early on that crews are much more efficient than individual soldiers. It took us a long time to learn that! Often, they found, individuals would not even fire their weapons..but, the crew served weapons always worked at max. efficiency as each guy worried about what the others would think if they did not perform.
I am told that most officers liked to buy their own pistols. That way they did not have to carry one of the big ugly issued guns which had no 'status'. The PP and PPK were the ultimate status symbols, I am told.
Look at the surviving photos...how many officers do you see with large type holsters on their left hip?
Orv Reichert
|