Thread: 1918 ERFURT
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Unread 01-19-2004, 02:09 PM   #4
Roadkill
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Reference the term AFRIKA CORPS" on a pistol,

A Iron Cross awarded to a soldier in 1942 (http://www.deutsches-afrikakorps.de/html/gesamt.htm)

lists him as being in the staff as : stab/90.le.afr.DIV (Africa Division)

Rommel's signature block on same award was over "The Deutsch-Italianishen Panzerarmee", his offical stamp was "OBERKOMMANDO DER PANZERARMEE AFRIKA" (Commander of the African Armored Army),

There are 55 Kampfgruppe (combat units) listed in the history of DAK (Deutches Afrikakorps), only one has the actual "Afrikakorps" heading:

Afrikakorps Stab Kampfgruppe
Grund: Diese Gruppe wurde am 14. April 1942 aufgestellt. (Grund unbekannt)

Gliederung: 2./Flak-Abteilung 606
1 Zug/Panzerj�¤ger-Abteilung 39
1 Panzer-Zug (5 Panzer Typ II)
1 Zug, 1./Pionier-Bataillon 33
1 Panzersp�¤hwagen-Zug/Aufkl�¤rungsabteilung 3

Called the Second (no mention of a first)Africa Corps (Afrikakorps) Staff Combat group 606, it consisted of two flak batteries, one unit of tank destroyers (section 39), one unit of Engineers (33rd Bn), and one armored reconaissance unit, section 3). It was organized on 14 April 1942, reason unknown.

Each time the term Africa Corps is used in German it is one word or a hyphenated version. Each time its used in English it is as two seperate words.(http://www.afrika-korps.de/verband/index.htm) Why would it be different now?

Also listed under Rommel's biography :
"und im M�¤rz 1943, noch vor der Kapitulation des deutschen Afrikakorps" ( and in March 1943 still before the capitulation of the German Africa Corps)
I said all that to say that if a German pistol would have been marked by a unit it most likely would not have the stamp "Afrika Korps"

DAK maybe, Afrikakorps less likely, Afrika Korps, (?)

rk
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