288th Special Service Regiment/Gebauer Machine Gun 1934.M

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288th Special Service Regiment

The 288th Special Service Regiment, also known as Sonderverband 288, was a highly specialized unit of the German Army during World War II. Formed in Potsdam in 1941, the regiment was composed of sub-units with various combat specialties, including mountain and desert warfare, night operations, and infiltration. The unit was drawn from specialist soldiers with previous experience in the deserts of the Middle East and North Africa. It played a significant role in the invasion of Crete and the subsequent operations in North Africa, where it was involved in various battles and operations against the British Eighth Army. The regiment’s unique composition and training made it a formidable force in the face of Allied resistance.

A bit of Detail for Sonderverband 288 – The Crusader Project
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In order to form Special Unit 288 with regimental strength, a total of 2,000 men were gradually transferred to Potsdam from June 1941 for fighting in tropical areas, a significant number of them being mountain hunters. The unit was to be deployed in North Africa and, after crossing the Suez Canal, was planned to operate in Iraq and Iran, where it was to occupy the oil fields there; and was to advance as far as India. For this reason, its ranks included experts in tropical medicine, translators proficient in Arabic (including 20 Arabs), Persian, Hindi, Urdu and Sanskrit, and a special group for building oil towers.
On 19 August 1941, the unit was reinforced by members of Special Use Instruction Regiment 800 (30 officers, 54 NCOs and men) and the German-Arab Instruction Company (28 Arab NCOs and men).
In late September/early October 1941, the unit was transferred to Greece for further training. From mid-November it was gradually transported to North Africa and participated in the fighting in Libya. On 31 October 1942 it was transformed into Tank Grenadier Regiment Africa.

Hungarian Weapons Gebauer Machine Guns, Hungary 1918-45

Gebauer Reconnaisance Machine Gun 1934.M

Specifications

  • Caliber = 7.92×57mm Mauser
  • Action = Gas operated
  • Feed = Drum, 100 cartridges
  • Length = 98 cm
  • Barrel length = 60 cm
  • Weight = 9.5 kg
  • Cyclic Rate = 700–900 rpm
  • Muzzle Velocity = 620-750 m/s
    Dnepro Model - Gebauer Tank Machine Gun 1934-37.M DM3588 1-35 Scale ...

Three of the most famous German battlefields, the bulge, the eastern frond and north Africa. Most famous weapons, first assault rifle, fastest machine gun, biggest tank loudest dive bomber. A desert unit specializing in mountain, desert, night and infiltration armed with a machine gun. A Lewis like Machine gun with a hundred rounds.

while the larger unit above this had a few war crimes, by few i mean civilian executions of a handful of civilians, a few times. WW2 is filled with war crimes all sides and well in the heat of battle with partisan attacks unlike ww1 no real front line. This is not to excuse them but to realize of the tens of millions of soldiers on all sides most were just soldiers.

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Hmmm, where have I seen that image before… hmmm

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I’m trying to remember too

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It feels so familiar…