34
NEWS FROMMEMBERS
From Major Nigel Bennett, RGJ [2 GR 1967 – 69]
Panzer Grenadier
Being an account of my time as a liaison officer between 1 British Di-
vision and Panzergrenadierbrigade 31 in the mid-60's. Then, with
the Cold War already 20 years old and getting colder (or hotter) the
two brigades of 1 Div would be joined by a German brigade and
sundry NATO allies for the grand summer exercise. One brigade,
with the Germans would chase the other brigade across North Ger-
many. The Germans would then change sides and we would all
panzer back again.
I was not a stranger to the Bundeswehr, but it was with some appre-
hension that I reported to Brigade HQ in my new role as LO, I need
not have worried. I was treated to a very warm welcome and taken
in hand by a large Bavarian Captain who commanded their 90mm
battery. These wicked-looking guns could be used in both anti-tank
and anti-aircraft roles. "Actually they're 88s”, he confided. They
were lower, lighter and even meaner. Continuing the "meet and
greet", we moved on to the two infantry battalions. One was
mounted on USM113's. Nobody seemed to like them much. The
brigadier told me, from his experiences on the Eastern fronts that it
didn't matter how big your AFV was, but it should not be tall. The
crews did not like its aluminium armour. However, the exercise was
to show they were astonishingly reliable (only two went off the road
in 10 days). And I noticed the brigadier made full use of their re-
markable speed.
Our second battalion was mounted on the Hispano-Suiza alias Schu-
etzenpanzer 12/3. One of the company commanders gave me a
guided tour of one. She was gorgeous and it was love at first sight! I
noted nice wide tracks; excellent ground clearance; very low profile;
a deadly turret-mounted 20mm cannon; machine guns galore; 6
hatches from which troops could dispense grenades and small arms
fire using the hatch as cover.
