Last-ditch gun for a last-ditch force
“The Volkssturm” Painting by Franz Kleinmayer, showing the typical makeup and arms of the doomed militia.
The Volkssturm, or “people’s storm” was the bottom of the barrel home guard mobilized in the final days of WWII Germany to fight off the rapidly approaching Allies. The force used the country’s seedcorn– boys as young as 16– mixed with those too old, infirm or crippled to have passed muster before, into a force armed largely with whatever could be found. Most units got nothing but obsolete rifles impounded in conquered lands mixed with quantities of the disposable Panzerfaust anti-tank weapon.
One gun, rarely seen and largely unsuccessful, was the 7.62x33mm Rheinmetall Volkssturm Carbine. Matt with The Armourer’s Bench covers the gun in the form of a remake of the prototype.
Then, of course, there was the VG-5, VG-2, and VG1-5, covered by Ian with Forgotten Weapons.
Reminds me of a very old tune
“The flames of the Tigers are lighting the road to Berlin”
“Ah, quickly we move through the ruins that bow to the ground”
“The old men and children they send out to face us, they can’t slow us down”