[byf45]

Some of you may have seen this one but I had not. Where would a guy even in the 'looking process"?
Anyway, hopes it's on interest ot some.

 

[Stan61]

Yes, there are a series of photos and some newsreel footage of the event. It is from early May 1945 at Tangermünde on the Elbe River. German troops made it across the river via the damaged bridge to surrender to the Americans instead of the Russians. Here is a clip from the newsreel...

german troops surrender at tangermunde - Bing video

www.bing.com

 

[Coues106]

Interesting to note how many are missing cleaning rods. Maybe I'm ignorant but I always assumed those were lost at some point after they were captured. Reckon I would've had an aneurism trying to figure out how I could mail all those home.

 

[tbird255]

And look at that....the bolts are still in ;-).

Sent from my E6910 using Tapatalk

 

[pipesalesman891]

New to the forum. I have a BYF 40 98k that was a bring back from my grandfather- its all matching and was pulled from a pile just like this one- he told me it was normal practice to take the bolts out and throw them in a separate pile from the rifles but he got to a stack that wasn't "molested" yet.

 

[Tulahex]

Here are a couple more photos from the same bridge and some others that show surrendered rifles elsewhere. Pictures of these "surrender piles" are always interesting to look at. I have an entire file of them saved on my computer if anyone would be interested in seeing more.

 

[Betonfahrer]

They were just glad to be on the other side of the River.

 

[bodes]

Commonwealth soldier looking at a German G33/40 rifle...Meanwhile a G43 can be seen in the bottom right side of the photo, sitting upside down with the 10 round magazine facing the camera...

There's an SS helmet with camouflage cover in the lower portion of the photo, just below where the German in the field cap is bending over....That's what I'd grab....Bodes

 

[howiebearse]

no pistols in that stash

 

[howiebearse]

no pistols in that stash

here is a couple more

 

[Kawicrash]

New to the forum. I have a BYF 40 98k that was a bring back from my grandfather- its all matching and was pulled from a pile just like this one- he told me it was normal practice to take the bolts out and throw them in a separate pile from the rifles but he got to a stack that wasn't "molested" yet.

I suppose at the time it would be a good safety procedure to remove the bolts, ensuring no loaded rifles were missed.

 

[AR475891]

I suppose at the time it would be a good safety procedure to remove the bolts, ensuring no loaded rifles were missed.

Also would make it very obvious if the rifle was clear or not. You wouldn't want to be tossing around/handling potentially loaded rifles without knowing.

 

[runner]

New to the forum. I have a BYF 40 98k that was a bring back from my grandfather- its all matching and was pulled from a pile just like this one- he told me it was normal practice to take the bolts out and throw them in a separate pile from the rifles but he got to a stack that wasn't "molested" yet.

considering their are several thousand rifles in the above photos, all with bolts intact, I doubt removing bolts was normal practice.

 

[howiebearse]

It was more common practise that troops going home had to surrender their bolts till they arrived at port at which time a bolt was given back to them rarely the right one.

 

[Spanky]

Commonwealth soldier looking at a German G33/40 rifle...Meanwhile a G43 can be seen in the bottom right side of the photo, sitting upside down with the 10 round magazine facing the camera...

There's an SS helmet with camouflage cover in the lower portion of the photo, just below where the German in the field cap is bending over....That's what I'd grab....Bodes

The German standing to the left in front of the GI's looks to be wearing an SS Camo smock too. I wonder if we was being sorted out from the others.

 

[AnzacAndy]

The German standing to the left in front of the GI's looks to be wearing an SS Camo smock too. I wonder if we was being sorted out from the others.

He looks to be wearing splinter camo, so I would wager a Whermacht trooper or Luftwaffe Feld Division trooper.

 

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Having done lots of menial details as an enlisted soldier, I can imagine some newly arrived replacement being told to clear, sort, stack, and inventory all of those weapons.