Joachim Peiper in 1940

[Owen]

Just looking into 'Jochen' Peiper's career and wondered what he did in the Battle of France .
Just read this,

Peiper saw first combat with the Leibstandarte in 1940, during the campaign for France. He took part in the assault on the Wattenberg heights. This attack was noteworthy because it went against Hitler's famous 'halt' order for Dunkirk. British artillery was positioned on the hills, something which caused the LAH quite some irritation. Despite this order, Dietrich threw his unit at them and the positions were conquered. Peiper was awarded the Iron Cross 1st class for his actions that day.

Jochen Peiper: hero of the Waffen-SS

I could go upstairs and look at me books but Mrs just gone to bed and it would annoy her somewhat to start hunting for references.
So where exactly was he when he got his Iron Cross & who was he up against?

[Paul Reed]

Interesting - wonder what RA unit it was?

[Harry Ree]

Guderian records this incident that "early on the 25 May I went to Wattern to visit the Leibstandarte and to make sure they were obeying the order to halt.When I arrived there found the Leibstandarte engaged in crossing the Aa.On the far bank was Mount Watten, a height of only some 255 feet but that was enough in this flat marshland to dominate the whole surrouding countryside.On the top of the hillock,among the ruins of an old castle, I found the Divisional Commander, Sepp Dietrich.When I asked why he was disobeying orders, he replied that the enemy on Mount Watten could look down the throat of anybody on the far bank of the canal (I am assuming Guderian is referring to the Canal de la Haute Colme which runs to Bergues and then with a connection to Dunkirk).Sepp Dietrich had therefore decided to take it on his own initiative.The Leibstandarte and the Infantry Regiment "G.D" on its left were now continuing their advance on Berques and Wormhoudt.In view of the success that they were having I approved the decision taken by the commander on the spot and made up my mind to order the 2nd Panzer Division to move up in their support."

For the aerial situation,Guderian reported that on the previous day,the day of the Hitler order to "halt and stop on the Aa, Dunkirk is to be left to the Luffewaffe" (24 May 1940 ) that "Fierce enemy air activity met little opposition from our Air Force"

Dietrich advanced on to Wormhoudt and was implicated but found not guilty, post war,of the massacre of The Royal Warwicks POWs at Wormhoudt.His defence was that he was separated from leading the Leibstandarte, having had to seek shelter in a ditch when under attack and consequently missed the proceedings of the day.

[Owen]

I'm sure it's one of the "Usherforce" units.
HyperWar: The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940 [Chapter IX]

Another party of gunners—of the 3rd Super-Heavy Battery—held the crossing at Watten against a German armoured reconnaissance battalion till they were relived late in the day by French infantry

See this map.
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/U...landers-14.jpg

[deadb_tch]

Originally Posted by Owen D

Jochen Peiper: hero of the Waffen-SS

Sorry for potential offtopic but I've to notice the strange way of information on that site in your post, just for example:

This site is dedicated to all the brave men who served in the mother of all fighting divisions, the 1. SS-Panzerdivision Leibstandarte AH, who, for all their undoubted bravery, were classified as criminals and carried the near exclusive blame for the blackest of Nazi crimes for years. May their Honour and Loyalty shine like a beacon.

As I understand it this site is trying to show Waffen-SS like bunch of brave soldiers that r clean like angels and have nothing to do with massacres, concetration camps and such stuff. Don't like this way! SS organization and its Waffen-SS (remember 'Totenkopf' divison, it was also Waffen-SS) is criminals - no matter how they were brave and courage. They were serving for criminals and done many horrible things - of course not everyone of them. dot.

[Rich Payne]

Originally Posted by deadb_tch

Sorry for potential offtopic but I've to notice the strange way of information on that site in your post, just for example:


As I understand it this site is trying to show Waffen-SS like bunch of brave soldiers that r clean like angels and have nothing to do with massacres, concetration camps and such stuff. Don't like this way! SS organization and its Waffen-SS (remember 'Totenkopf' divison, it was also Waffen-SS) is criminals - no matter how they were brave and courage. They were serving for criminals and done many horrible things - of course not everyone of them. dot.

+

I quite agree and I would like to see that link deleted. Clearly a website operated by sympathisers of the bastards.

[deadb_tch]

Originally Posted by Rich Payne

+

I quite agree and I would like to see that link deleted. Clearly a website operated by sympathisers of the bastards.

+ have to say that I see nothing wrong to explore and learn Waffen-SS and SS and any nazi-related org. but without such terms like 'brave, courage etc.' and also without 'heroes' terms.

[soren1941]

I spose they would say " I voz only obeying zee orders!"

[soren1941]

I see there is a section on suggested war crimes at least, I doubt that on any side of the conflict there is an army with a completely clean slate, it would appear to have been more accepted amongst the Japaneese and Germans tho

[Harry Ree]

The SS and Waffen SS rightly were declared to be criminal organisations at Nurnberg.

Those who glorify these organisations never experienced their excesses and doctrine.

In the end they discarded their fancy uniforms and faded into their own fog and night. Those who were captured and were found to be human after all.They shit themselves at the thought that their past was being found out.

Some in post war Western Germany,for the sake of unity declared that they had served their country such as the Wehrmacht did.But it has to be said that even the Wehrmacht were not completely innocent of excesses on the Eastern Front.

As the French said."You remember" which is very apt in every area where the SS and Waffen SS served.

Peiper, who survived the war, thought that post war Germany was too materialistic and far removed from the principles of National Socialism. He preferred to live in France but did not like the French.He could not hide his Nazi background and was thought to be murdered in mysterious circumstances in the Vesoul area of North East France in the late 1970s.

Soren are you saying that any excesses carried out by Allied troops approached those of the Axis Powers?.