Panther of Wiking Division at SS-Truppenübungsplatz Heidelager

Image size: 1284 x 1600 pixel. 212 KB
Date: Sunday, 14 May 1944
Place: SS-Truppenübungsplatz Heidelager, Pustków, Dębica, Poland
Photographer: Unknown

This photograph depict the vehicles and men of the Wiking Division and was taken at the SS-Truppenübungsplatz Heidelager located between Dębica and Sandomierz in Poland in early May 1944. We are able to date when this picture was taken with some certainty as several other photos taken from the same time show Muttertag (Mother's Day) cards being printing and made ready for issue to the troops. Here men of the 1.Zug (first platoon) of 6.Kompanie / SS-Panzer-regiment 5 / 5.SS-Panzer-Division "Wiking" train on their Panzerkampfwagen V Panther tanks. Both are later model Ausf.A vehicles and carry the hurried, rather scrappy camouflage common to many tanks of this company! The tank in the foreground bearing the turret number (turmnmmer) 611, while in the background 615 which indicates that this platoon at least had its full complement of tanks.

Source:

Book "Viking Summer; 5.SS-Panzer-Division in Poland 1944" by Dennis Oliver