INSPECTION OF SCHNELLE BRIGADE WEST, AND STURMGESCHÜTZ ABTEILUNG 200 IN PARIS AND IN BRITTANY, 1943 [Allocated Title]

Log in to create clips, download free screeners and save clips/films in Collections. Click here to find out more.


  • Title: INSPECTION OF SCHNELLE BRIGADE WEST, AND STURMGESCHÜTZ ABTEILUNG 200 IN PARIS AND IN BRITTANY, 1943 [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: MGH 4243
  • Other titles: BECKER COLLECTION [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Inspection by General Erich Marcks (?) of Schnelle Brigade West in mid-1943; entrainment of Becker's unit from the outskirts of Paris, autumn(?) 1943; scenes from the unit's period of duty in the Rennes region, autumn 1943.
  • Description: (Section 1) The visiting general with Feuchtinger, the commanding officer of Schnelle Brigade West, Becker and other officers inspect men and vehicles from Becker's unit, Batterie 1 g Gepanzerte Artillerie Brigade. The General examines among others an FCM 7.5cm PAK 40 'Panzerjäger', an FCM 10.5cm leFH 16 'Sturmhaubitze', a Laffly field car, a Unic 2cm Flak 38 half-track and a Vickers 'Munipanzer' light tank conversion. (Section 2) At the railway station at le Vaudoire near Maisons Lafitte, the men of Sturmgeschütz Abteilung 200 go through the lengthy process of loading their vehicles on to railway flatcars. Among the vehicles driven on are a Unic half-track carrier, an FCM 7.5cm PAK 40, an FCM 10.5 leFH 16, a Vickers 'Munipanzer', a Citroën lorry. The troops fit tarpaulins and hammer in chocks, and a Wehrmacht NCO is seen on anti-aircraft duty by an MG34 Flak mounting. The troops are seen boarding their passenger coaches, and then lining up for a meal from their mobile cookhouse. A sentry runs to catch a departing troop train loaded with Becker's transport vehicles. Troops on a second train lean out of the windows of the coaches; behind them are Flak crews on duty on an open flatcar and a long line of AFVs and transport vehicles. (Section 3) The camera explores the Breton town of Mauron, particularly the church in the centre. Troops can be seen leaning from windows and carrying kitbags past the church towards their billets. The church congregation, including a number of older women in traditional Breton costume, leave the church. The camera tracks in to a town identified as Medrignac by a German military sign. The church is examined in some detail. Another church at Illifaut is shown and an Opel staff car is seen leaving a large country house. In the village of Gael a few locals are seen along with a couple of Wehrmacht officers who enter the church. The timber built barracks and an armed sentry on duty in the village are shown. The slow moving life in the village of Guillers is shown with locals and troops going about their business. Sturmgeschütz Abteilung 200 travel by train from Brittany to Voves in the Chateaudun region - shots from the moving train show passing countryside and station signs. At Voves, troops disembark with their kit and the unit's motorcycle combinations are driven directly off the train, leaving the larger vehicles, camouflaged by branches, for later detraining.
  • Alternative Title: BECKER COLLECTION [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: MGH 4243
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM (MGH 4243)
  • Featured Period:
  • Production Date: 1943
  • Production Country: Germany
  • Production Details:
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Feuchtinger, Edgar (person) Becker, Alfred (person) German Army (Third Reich), Gepanzerte Artillerie Brigade (regiment/service) German Army (Third Reich), Sturmgeschütz Abteilung 200 (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: armour, German - SPG: 10.5cm leFH 16 auf FCM(f) (object name) armour, German - SPG: FCM 7.5cm PAK 40 Panzerjager (object name) transport, French military - car: Laffly field car & [impressed] (object name) armour, German - halftrack: Unic 2cm Flak 38 (object name) armour, German - carrier: Munipanzer (object name) transport, French military - truck: Citroën & [impressed] (object name) armour, French - halftrack: Unic & [impressed] (object name) La Vaudoire, Yvelines, France (geography) Mauron, Morbihan, France (geography) Merdrignac, Côtes d'Armor, France (geography) Illifaut, Côtes d'Armor, France (geography) Gaël, Ille-et-Vilaine, France (geography) Guilliers, Morbihan, France (geography) Voves, Eure-et-Loire, France (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: German Subtitle language: German
  • Technical Details: Format: 16mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 476 ft; Running time: 20 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    MGH 4243

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:
Register