35. Waffen SS

Baltic States, Summer 1941

SS-TK Infantry Regiment 1, SS-Mann as an MG number 2, Summer 1941 in the Baltic states, moving up as part of LVI Korps under Manstein in Army Group North.

This corps was activated in February 1941 as the LVI Army Corps (motorised), for the German invasion of the Soviet Union, which commenced on June 22, 1941. Erich von Manstein led the corps in its advance from East Prussia.

As a No.2 Machinegunner, he carries ammunition cases for the MG34, with a sidearm, in this case a P38, in the picture obscured by the helmet.

The Zeltbahn (rain smock that doubles up as a tent quarter) is a hand screened plane tree 3-4 pattern.

Totenkopf units had a terrible reputation for brutality and were recruited from former Concentration Camp guards.