Marder I
Encyclopedia
The Marder I "Marten" (SdKfz 135) was a German
World War II
tank destroyer
, armed with the 75 mm anti-tank gun. Most Marder I's were built on the base of the Tracteur Blindé 37L (Lorraine)
, a French artillery tractor/armoured personnel carrier
of which the Germans had acquired more than three hundred after the Fall of France
in 1940.
In the early stages of Operation Barbarossa
, the Wehrmacht
felt the need for a more mobile and more powerful anti-tank solution than the existing towed anti-tank guns or self-propelled tank destroyers such as the Panzerjäger I
. This need became urgent in late 1941, with the appearance of the new Soviet tanks like the T-34
and Kliment Voroshilov
.
As an interim solution, Germany decided to use both obsolete tanks like the Panzer II
and captured vehicles like the Lorraine as the base for makeshift tank destroyers. The result was the Marder series, which were armed with either the 75 mm PaK 40
anti-tank guns or the captured Soviet 76.2mm F-22 Model 1936 divisional field gun, of which large numbers had been captured.
The Marder I was developed in May 1942 and carried the 75 mm PaK 40 anti-tank gun on a Lorraine chassis
. The original crew compartment superstructure was removed and the gun placed on top of the chassis. Around this a new, open-topped compartment was built, to give the gun and crew some protection from small arms
fire.
Between July and August 1942, 170 Marder I's were built on the Lorraine chassis. Several other French and Polish tanks were also used as a conversion base for the Marder I, including the Hotchkiss H39
and FCM 36
, though these were only built in small numbers.
in 1942 to serve in the Panzerjäger (tank destroyer) units of infantry divisions.
This is a list of Infantry Divisions operating on the Eastern Front known to have used Marder I's and the estimated time frame they were used
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
tank destroyer
Tank destroyer
A tank destroyer is a type of armored fighting vehicle armed with a gun or missile launcher, and is designed specifically to engage enemy armored vehicles...
, armed with the 75 mm anti-tank gun. Most Marder I's were built on the base of the Tracteur Blindé 37L (Lorraine)
Lorraine 37L
The Lorraine 37L or Tracteur de ravitaillement pour chars 1937 L, was a light tracked armoured vehicle developed during the Interbellum by the Lorraine company to a French Army requirement for a munition and fuel supply carrier to be used by tank units. A prototype was built in 1937 and production...
, a French artillery tractor/armoured personnel carrier
Armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
of which the Germans had acquired more than three hundred after the Fall of France
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
in 1940.
History
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
, the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
felt the need for a more mobile and more powerful anti-tank solution than the existing towed anti-tank guns or self-propelled tank destroyers such as the Panzerjäger I
Panzerjäger I
The Panzerjäger I was the first of the German tank destroyers to see service in the Second World War. It mounted a Czech Skoda cm PaK anti-tank gun on a converted Panzer I Ausf. B chassis...
. This need became urgent in late 1941, with the appearance of the new Soviet tanks like the T-34
T-34
The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. Although its armour and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential design of World War II...
and Kliment Voroshilov
Kliment Voroshilov tank
The Kliment Voroshilov tanks were a series of Soviet heavy tanks, named after the Soviet defense commissar and politician Kliment Voroshilov. The KV series were known for their extremely heavy armour protection during the early war, especially during the first year of the invasion of the Soviet...
.
As an interim solution, Germany decided to use both obsolete tanks like the Panzer II
Panzer II
The Panzer II was the common name for a family of German tanks used in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen II...
and captured vehicles like the Lorraine as the base for makeshift tank destroyers. The result was the Marder series, which were armed with either the 75 mm PaK 40
PaK 40
The 7.5 cm PaK 40 was a German 7.5 centimetre anti-tank gun developed in 1939-1941 by Rheinmetall and used during the Second World War...
anti-tank guns or the captured Soviet 76.2mm F-22 Model 1936 divisional field gun, of which large numbers had been captured.
Development
Chassis
A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...
. The original crew compartment superstructure was removed and the gun placed on top of the chassis. Around this a new, open-topped compartment was built, to give the gun and crew some protection from small arms
Small arms
Small arms is a term of art used by armed forces to denote infantry weapons an individual soldier may carry. The description is usually limited to revolvers, pistols, submachine guns, carbines, assault rifles, battle rifles, multiple barrel firearms, sniper rifles, squad automatic weapons, light...
fire.
Between July and August 1942, 170 Marder I's were built on the Lorraine chassis. Several other French and Polish tanks were also used as a conversion base for the Marder I, including the Hotchkiss H39
Hotchkiss H35
The Hotchkiss H35 or Char léger modèle 1935 H was a French light tank developed prior to World War II.Despite having been designed from 1933 as a rather slow but well-armoured light infantry support tank, the type was initially rejected by the French Infantry because it proved difficult to steer...
and FCM 36
FCM 36
The FCM 36 or Char léger Modèle 1936 FCM, was a light infantry tank that was designed for the French Army prior to World War II. It had a crew of two and was equipped with a short 37 mm main armament and a 7.5 mm coaxial machine gun...
, though these were only built in small numbers.
Combat history
The first Lorraine-based Marder I vehicles were sent to the Eastern FrontEastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
in 1942 to serve in the Panzerjäger (tank destroyer) units of infantry divisions.
This is a list of Infantry Divisions operating on the Eastern Front known to have used Marder I's and the estimated time frame they were used
| Division | Battalion | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| 31.Inf. Div | Pz. Jg.Abt.31 | Aug 42 - Dec 43 |
| 35.Inf. Div | 2.Kp./Pz. Jg.Abt.35 | Sep 42 - Dec 43 |
| 36.Inf. Div (mot) | 4.Kp./Pz. Jg.Abt.38 | Oct 42 - Jun 43 |
| 72.Inf. Div | 3.Kp./Pz. Jg.Abt.72 | Sep 42 - Dec 43 |
| 206th Inf. Div. German 206th Infantry Division The German 206th Infantry Division , was a military unit that served during World War II... |
1./Pz. Jg.Schn. Abt.206 | Jan 43 - Dec 43 |
| 256.Inf. Div | 5./Pz. Schnelle-Abt.256 | Nov 42 - Apr 44 |