Fallschirmjager’s assault of “impregnable” Eban-Emael [Archive]

1Cie GevGn

06-08-2004, 05:21 PM

Heh I was there not too long ago on a guided tour, quite impressive fortress; interestong facts:

-The Germans planned the air-assault after some pictures were taken by German recon planes. They discovered soccer-goals on the terrein, and thought they wouldn't allow peeps to play soccer in a minefield ;)

http://www.eagle19.freeserve.co.uk/granit2.jpg

The men of Trupp.3 after the fighting. From left to right:
Erwin Franz, Helmut Stopp, Josef Müller, Peter Arent, Alfred Supper, Paul Kupsch. (missing - Gustav Merz was wounded)

Private Arend disobeyed orders and decended the staircase of a turret that was out of action. He used a hollow charge to blow open the 2 doors (the staircase + turret was pressurized to get rid of the gunsmoke), he knocked 1 door out of it's hinges, which blew back into the tunnel and killed several Belgian soldiers that were manning a machine gun position.

Arend ran up the stairs after he placed the charge, he had 1 leg in the turret when it went off. The staircase was totaly destroyed, and his leg was blown upwards. He sustained a sprained ankle.

Anyways it's pretty awesome watching where they fought and died. I went all the way, up into turret 120. Damage could very well be seen to the turret, and ofcourse the other gunnery positions.