Early War Heer Infanterie with an MG08 Spandau

The Photograph here shows a group of Heer Infanterie. The Heer Infanterie are seen around a Horse drawn cart that contains munitions and a MG08 Spandau that can be seen just on a Sled mount. Such a setup is known as an Ammunition Limber, a horse that can transport munitions for soldiers, this was later phased out for the use of motorised transport as the war progressed, this supporting with other features that this is a very early war photograph. The MG08 Spandau is a very old MG that was primarily used in the First World War and some service in the second but was outdone by MGs such as the MG34 and 42s.

The Heer Infanterie are seen in the photograph can be seen wearing M36 tunics, note the lack of Y-straps being worn with the belt that can be seen with kar98 pouches. The Y-straps were introduced in 1941. Kar 98s can be seen over the shoulders and held at feet of some the Heer Infanterie, with the rest possibly in the cart. The Gefreiter can be seen in the middle on the cart posing across the gun, this is seen by the single chevron on his arm. An Oberschütze can be seen on the right, seen standing side on, the pip patch on his arm denotes that he is an Oberschütze. The Oberschütze can be seen with a gas mask and shovel and bayonet attached to his belt. All the Heer infanterie can be seen wearing Jackboots with occasional Stahlhelms, posing around the MG08 Spandau in the centre all with helmets off and classic high cut German hairstyles. The horses can be seen facing away from the camera and the location appears to be a field without any houses. The suggestion of location is possibly Poland as it is very early war and to see such an MG that was rarely used could be the German forces disarming Poland of any weapons it may have, or possibly the Germans using weapons that they have left over from the First World War under the Treaty of Versailles. The young Heer Infanterie can be seen all be seen around the Mg for the photograph, in this early war photograph you can only wonder where they would be going to next and if any awards of service may be seen by them in later battles.