Wittmann's gunner Bobby Woll

[FelixAlicea]

Wittmann deserves credit as being a great tank commander. what about his gunner, Bobby Woll.

1. Gunner Bobby Woll became a tank ace. Almost flunk tank gunnery school in Germany.

2. Became Wittmann's best man at his wedding.

3. Later became a tank ace (82 kills).

Woll passed away in 1996.

[dannybou]

Name: Balthasar "Bobby" Woll
Rank: Unterscharführer

Division: LSSAH

Awards:
Iron Cross (second class)
Iron Cross (first class)
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Is he the same as your topic? Very impressive. Thanks for the info.

[FelixAlicea]

Wittman's body was found in 1983 and it was found out that Wittman was not killed by Canadien Armor.

Many of his collegues argued to the allies that Wittmann would never be trapped by tankers.

Woll did an interview in 1991. He was a retired electrician but he, Wittmann's widower (Hildegard Burmeister -sorry if I pronounced it wrong) attended his funeral.

Woll and Wittmann proved that a tank crew that works together achieve great feats.

Wittmann worked with Woll to strengthen his tank skills. After destroying a tank on the Russian front, the Russian crew jumped out of their tank with flames on them. Wittmann, Woll and crew jumped out of their tank and saved them.

Sepp Dietrich, commander 1st SS Panzer Division, asked Wittman on how he can award him for his feats on the Russian front. Wittmann replied. "take care of these injured russian tankers". Dietrich replied "okay".

Also, Wittmann did not want his Iron Cross with Swords unless Woll received one. Also he wanted his crew to receive smaller awards.

Woll became one of the only few NCOs in the war to receive the Iron Cross with swords!

When I think of Wittmann, Woll, and his crew, one thing comes to mind, TEAMWORK!!!!!
:thumb: :bowdown:

[dannybou]

Originally posted by FelixAlicea
Wittman's body was found in 1983 and it was found out that Wittman was not killed by Canadien Armor.

Many of his collegues argued to the allies that Wittmann would never be trapped by tankers.

Woll did an interview in 1991. He was a retired electrician but he, Wittmann's widower (Hildegard Burmeister -sorry if I pronounced it wrong) attended his funeral.

Woll and Wittmann proved that a tank crew that works together achieve great feats.

Wittmann worked with Woll to strengthen his tank skills. After destroying a tank on the Russian front, the Russian crew jumped out of their tank with flames on them. Wittmann, Woll and crew jumped out of their tank and saved them.

Sepp Dietrich, commander 1st SS Panzer Division, asked Wittman on how he can award him for his feats on the Russian front. Wittmann replied. "take care of these injured russian tankers". Dietrich replied "okay".

Also, Wittmann did not want his Iron Cross with Swords unless Woll received one. Also he wanted his crew to receive smaller awards.

Woll became one of the only few NCOs in the war to receive the Iron Cross with swords!

When I think of Wittmann, Woll, and his crew, one thing comes to mind, TEAMWORK!!!!!
:thumb: :bowdown:

And gallantry!! Thanks for the bit of history on Wittman and Woll.

[FelixAlicea]

Thanks for the reply. If you ever watch the History Channel on Armor, they have stories on Wittmann's feat at Villers Boccage including a British veteran Sergeant who was blown out of his hatch by Wittmann in a old fashion"Cowboy Western" duel in Villers Boccage. He speaks about his eyewitness accounts on the duel.

[dannybou]

Will watch for it. Thanks

[Lance Williams]

Originally posted by FelixAlicea
Thanks for the reply. If you ever watch the History Channel on Armor, they have stories on Wittmann's feat at Villers Boccage including a British veteran Sergeant who was blown out of his hatch by Wittmann in a old fashion"Cowboy Western" duel in Villers Boccage. He speaks about his eyewitness accounts on the duel.

It's a great show, I believe it was titled "Tiger Attacks".

[m kenny]

Quote:

"a British veteran Sergeant who was blown out of his hatch by Wittmann in a old fashion"Cowboy Western" duel in Villers Boccage. He speaks about his eyewitness accounts on the duel"

Yes a very nice 'standoff' and a great story-but thats all it is-a story. The face-to-face meeting did not take place and Wittmann himself only hit 10 (not 20+) Tanks that day. Only one of these kills was of any danger to him.
All in all it was a bad day in Villers for both 4th CLY and SS sPzAbt 101.

[RetPara]

Originally posted by FelixAlicea
Wittman's body was found in 1983 and it was found out that Wittman was not killed by Canadien Armor.

Where was his body and what is thought to have been the actual circumstances... if the answer is too lengthy point me in the direction and I'll look it up myself....

[dannybou]

Check this link my friend:

http://www.panzerfaust.com/knights/wittman.shtml

[m kenny]

The linked bio gets Wittmann's Unit number wrong and Wittmann was not it's commander.

"By knocking out the front and the rear tank, Wittman bought enough time to destroy the remainder of the entire column"

Wrong this was not what happened.

"Single-handedly, Wittman destroyed the bulk of the British 22nd Armoured Brigade and saved his own division from sure destruction"

22nd Armoured Brigade was 3 Regiments of tanks (about 250 tanks in total) and 3 Infantry Battalions. Wittmann's Unit , sSS PzAbt 101 (Not a Division), knocked out about 25 tanks. In no way at all was the Brigade destroyed, Single-handed or otherwise.

The account of his death is wrong in many areas and he (and at least 3 but up to 5 more Tigers) were destroyed by a single Firefly.
His 'body' was not recovered rather a jumble of remains that was buried in a common grave. The only identifying feature was some dental remains of Wittmann.
Rarely does reality match the myth.
.

[FelixAlicea]

Michael Wittmann and his crew were true warriors. It is very fortunate that his remains were found in 1983. He is very much loved among military historians, veterans, and soldiers that are inspired in armor warfare, teamwork, humanity and loyalty.

Read "Tiger Ace: A story of Michael Wittmann" by Gary Simpson.

[m kenny]

Simpson's book on Wittmann has to be one of the worst books EVER written. It is full of invented conversations and has such gems as 'Wittmann's thoughts'!
It is woefully innacurrate on a number of points and Simpson himself went on to cheat and con a number of people in a related Military venture. I believe he died some years ago but believe me his book is worthless. Far better is the Agte book about Wittmann though you have little chance of finding one at a reasonable price.
Sorry!

[FelixAlicea]

Originally posted by m kenny
Simpson's book on Wittmann has to be one of the worst books EVER written. It is full of invented conversations and has such gems as 'Wittmann's thoughts'!
It is woefully innacurrate on a number of points and Simpson himself went on to cheat and con a number of people in a related Military venture. I believe he died some years ago but believe me his book is worthless. Far better is the Agte book about Wittmann though you have little chance of finding one at a reasonable price.
Sorry!

Some of the data is false (Woll was not with Wittmann at Villers Boccage) but Agte book does speak more on Wittmann. Thanks.

[m kenny]

I know I'm coming across as a know-it-all smart arse but the Wittmann myth is surrounded by much false information that has no need to be there.
Although he was a brave man his ride alone into Villers was plain crazy and he was hit and knocked out-barely escaping with his life. In the follow up into the town (why attack with Tigers into a built up area?) 6 Tigers were lost for no advantage and the Germans were driven out by 7th Armoured Division. Later on that day (for strategic reasons) the town was given up by the British but it was no mad retreat and there were no major losses in the evacuation.
It was a simple suprise attack that caught ' A Squadron 4th CLY unprepared and they were wiped out. However the other 2 CLY Squadrons took a toll on the follow up Tigers for no further tank losses of their own.
It did shake the confidence of the British High Command but not a wipe out or a massacre.