Image size: 1600 x 1530 pixel. 464 KB
Date: Wednesday, 9 August 1944
Place: Caen, Basse-Normandie, France
Photographer: Unknown
A captured Panzergrenadier of the SS-Panzer-regiment 25 / 12.SS-Panzer-Division "Hitlerjugend" taken by a Canadian Intelligence Unit during the fighting for Caen. The official Public Archives of Canada caption for this photo taken a month after the activities in question, contains no information about the prisoner other than his division. Note: both allied soldiers are wearing the British P-1944 "Turtle" Mk III steel helmet, which was introduced shortly before D-Day. The Mk III helmet was much superior to the conventional "Brodie" helmet normally worn by British & Commonwealth soldiers. The soldier nearest the camera is holding a .303" Lee Enfield rifle in his right hand.. Canadians have mistreated prisoners because: In June
7th (one day after D-Day), the 25th Panzer-Grenadier Regiment under the command of SS-Standartenführer Kurt Meyer (Kurt Adolf Wilhelm Meyer, “Panzermeyer”)
in conjunction with the 12th SS Panzer Regiment managed to repel the
Canadians, and destroyed 28 tanks, and infantry regiment “Highlanders
Nova Scotia “(born Nova Scotia Highlanders) suffered heavy losses. In
this case, the loss of the German divisions were only six people! During
the operation, the soldiers of 12. SS-Panzer-Division executed 20 Canadian prisoners of war in the Abbaye d’Ardenne. The "Hitler Youth" Division itself had the lowest percentage of prisoners. Of the original 21,300 men, in Gosostava 1945 it survived only 455 officers and men! The average age of the member of the Division was 17 – 18 years old!
Source:
Public Archives of Canada image
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:12SSHJPOW.jpg
http://albumwar2.com/captive-ss-man-and-canadian-soldiers/
These prisoners were beaten to a pulp (after capture).
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous. Ridiculous statement & a COWARD. YOUR IGNORANCE IS ASTOUNDING AND SHAMEFUL. My father was a volunteer Canadian soldier. IF and I say IF, the POW was beaten after surrendering, it was because of his arrogance and dangerous posturing. Many SS hid pistols and would shoot soldiers after they had supposedly surrendered, even after receiving medical care. the POW is lucky to be alive. German SS officers more so than not, would enter old battle fields and shoot wounded Canadian soldiers in the head.
DeleteYou are wrong. These young men (12 ss) executed/ slaughtered the North Nova boys in the Abbaye. An order given to them by Meyer himself. Horrible! You think they had THAT coming to the them? You feel bad for the nazis? ...really.. Who wins... Them, us, you...no one does.
ReplyDeleteOn June 7, The 12th SS division did not only lose 6 men on the canadian front, this is a ridiculous statement, the official history of the division is clear about it, just go and read it; casualties were in the hundreds, the SS were stopped in their attempt to destroy the allied bridgehead, the were furious because of their failure and their casualties and this is why they murdered prisonners
ReplyDeleteI've seen the number of Canadian soldiers murdered by 12 SS as high as 155. They began murdering prisoners the first day they arrived at the front yet some have suggested they murdered in retaliation to Canadians murdering 12 SS soldiers! Kurt Meyer was convicted and sentenced to death but the sentence was commuted by General Vokes. Soldiers under Meyers are also known to have murdered prisoners and civilians on the Eastern front.
ReplyDeleteThe SS executed hundreds of thousands of people they considered "subhuman", German youth only followed orders, but we all as human beings have a soul and compassion. I feel no pity for the enemy, how ever young they were. War is hell.
ReplyDeleteThe "real bad guy's" were fighting for a regime that was committing mass atrocities. No doubt the allies killed some prisoners but to compare them is ridiculous. You need a history lesson badly and read some books about events in the war. Believe me when I say I have done that reading, not to mention my father was a decorated soldier in WWII and I spoke with him often about the war. "Anonymous" is a good name to give yourself when posting such misinformation. "Offizier Hashem you aren't worth responding to.
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather fought in the 12th SS HitlerJugen division through out the Normandy invasion
ReplyDeleteHe told my dad alot of stories on how the allies would beat them close to death and tell them they were going to track their families once they get to Germany and rape every single female and kill the males. They raped my grandfather with his Walther pistol as well. They are the true mass murderers from the French cities and the made it seem like the SS did it. And sadly the world believed them. It was all planned by the allies to make Germany look evil and have them pay lots of money for damage after war.