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miRS-tonpon - Sturmpanzer.com

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outside the "boundaries of the Reich.The foreigners in the employment of the NSKK-Gruppe TCDTare <strong>com</strong>posed at the present time of two classes of personnel,1. The legionaries, that is, members of the Legion SEEER, and2. the so-called NSKK-Freiwillige, that is, short ternremployees, such as non-uniformed drivers, technicians,and menial help.73• Other Transport OrganizationsBesides the three main transport organizations discussed above,sometimes other transport units served the OT. In Norway, forinstance, we have the NSKK-Transportbrigade Luft (or NSKK-MotorgruppeLuftwaffe) carrying supplies for the air-fields, and NSKK-TransportbrigadeHeer» working for the German army. Both of theseorganizations were also placed at the service of the OT. The seatransport for the OT was provided by the Transportflotte araisKwith HQ at GRONINGEN, under Einsatzleiter Grosskapitftn SEYD, employing >in March 1944> about 10,000 men. This transport unit is also knownto have worked in Russia, Italy and Norway. Transportflotte SHIERwas originally called Binneflflotte (inland waterway Fleet) and wascharged with providingflRRLTN with coal along the river and canalsleading to the capital. Transportflotte SEEER <strong>com</strong>bed all Norway forseamen and trained them in the Speerschule for Seamen at SANDEFJQRD.74* Requisitionings of Private VehiclesWhen NSKK moved into occupied territories in the service ofthe OT, it brought along German-made vehicles. In course of timehowever, with the growth of the OT undertakings, the number ofexisting vehicles proved to be entirely inadequate for the new tasks.To satisfy the increased needs of transport, the NSKK was allowedto buy or hire vehicles in the occupied territories. Prom the NSKK,the transport was assigned to various building enterprises accordingto need. The centralized handling of motor vehicles did not however,produce satisfactory results. Xn February 1944 > it was decided toput the OBL's in charge of transport under the terms of a specialTransportvertrag (Transportation Contract). All the privatevehicles which had been taken over by the NSKK were to be returnedto the OBL's. In order to augment their motor park, the contractorswere empowered to buy or to hire local lorries. The lorries ownedby the OT could also be hired through the NSKK at a set hourly rental.The new arrangement enabled the QBL's to exercise direct control overtheir own vehicles and to hire vehicles without bothering about havingto wait for permits or assignments from the NSKK. The latter continuedto run its own vehicles chiefly for the general use of the variousconstruction units. Its chief function, however, was that of anorganization in control of all drivers in the service of the OT.Some cases are known in which the OT hired vehicles from thelocal military authorities. Thus in January 1944, QBL CHERBOURGasked for the loan of 100 lorries from MilitarbefehlshaberFrankreich Gruppe Verkehr.75* £ypes of Motor VehiclesIn France 95% of the lorries and buses were French, (Renault,Hotchkiss and Citroen) the rest were German, (Opel and Mercedes),American (Ford and Chevrolet), and Italian (Fiat). Only about 20$of the vehicles were Hblzgas (Producer Gas) driven in early 1944,but this number must have increased later owing to the shortage>f .petrol.£1 % %$^

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