The following two photos were taken in what appears to be Serbia, and show Hilfspolizei and Serbian Staatswache personnel respectively with two types of captured weapons not usually found in period German photos. The Serb at the check point has a British No.1 Mk.III Enfield rifle, while the subject sitting has a French MAS 36.
While the weapon types are interesting enough, they also shed some light on the capability of the system(s) of acquisition, supply and distribution of captured weapons and ammunition. The nearest area to Serbia in which a captured Enfield would be acquired would be Greece, where a number of British and Commonwealth troops fought invading German and Italian troops in April 1941. The MAS would likely have been captured in May-June 1940, and in France itself. Despite the fairly well known confusion that plagued the German system of captured weapons utilization early on, these photos seem to suggest that it was possible to supply local, allied units with captured materiel that had originated far away, and even supply the correct type of ammunition for them. In the case of the MAS 7.5mm cartridges, those could have been supplied by either captured stores or from new production ammunition produced in Vichy- or even German-controlled France. In any case, they relied on long distance transport, in contrast to what's usually seen in photos from the east of local HiWis and others using captured Mosin-Nagants. One question I have is why they are using these two weapons systems when Yugoslavia had so many Mauser and Mannlicher rifles and carbines available for German (and presumably local) use? It's possible that those were shipped off for processing and use, creating a void which needed to be filled by bringing in weapons from other areas of occupied Europe.
Another question is how these were maintained. Were captured armorer's kits put to use? If so, what was their distribution? Depots only, or would they be in possession of mobile repair units? What about spare parts supply?
(Credit goes to 'Cegesoma' as the source of these photos)
Pat
While the weapon types are interesting enough, they also shed some light on the capability of the system(s) of acquisition, supply and distribution of captured weapons and ammunition. The nearest area to Serbia in which a captured Enfield would be acquired would be Greece, where a number of British and Commonwealth troops fought invading German and Italian troops in April 1941. The MAS would likely have been captured in May-June 1940, and in France itself. Despite the fairly well known confusion that plagued the German system of captured weapons utilization early on, these photos seem to suggest that it was possible to supply local, allied units with captured materiel that had originated far away, and even supply the correct type of ammunition for them. In the case of the MAS 7.5mm cartridges, those could have been supplied by either captured stores or from new production ammunition produced in Vichy- or even German-controlled France. In any case, they relied on long distance transport, in contrast to what's usually seen in photos from the east of local HiWis and others using captured Mosin-Nagants. One question I have is why they are using these two weapons systems when Yugoslavia had so many Mauser and Mannlicher rifles and carbines available for German (and presumably local) use? It's possible that those were shipped off for processing and use, creating a void which needed to be filled by bringing in weapons from other areas of occupied Europe.
Another question is how these were maintained. Were captured armorer's kits put to use? If so, what was their distribution? Depots only, or would they be in possession of mobile repair units? What about spare parts supply?
(Credit goes to 'Cegesoma' as the source of these photos)
Pat