>> Pz.Kpfw. III - ve službách cizích armád

Pz.Kpfw.III saw combat service throughout World War II, and although it ceased production in 1943, the type survived in several units until the end of the war. It made its way into the armament of Germany's allies, while also serving as a prey item in opposing units. Even after the end of the war, captured tanks found use in several post-war armies.

Bulgaria
The original request of the Bulgarian army for a German ally from 1943 was for the supply of ten medium tanks Pz.Kpfw. III. Instead, the German authorities allowed the supply of used Pz.Kpfw. 38 (t) in the required ten-piece amount.
Tanks Pz.Kpfw. III, however, appeared in the Bulgarian army after the war. As of 11-12/1945, there were three tanks of this type in the state of mixed armored companies.
Tanks in the state of the Bulgarian army still figure as of November 20, 1950 (1 tank in the 5th Tank Division and two tanks in the so-called internal forces).
Official Bulgarian naming of the tank type Pz.Kpfw. III was "boyna wheels Maybach T-3".



States of trophy tanks Pz.Kpfw. III k 11-12/1945:

Kaloyan Matev - The Armored Forces of the Bulgarian Army 1936-45, Helion & Company, year of publication 2015, ISBN: 978-1-909384-16-3

Denmark
Due to the secondary nature of the defence of Denmark by the German occupation forces, Pz.Kpfw.III tanks were used here until the end of the war. After the end of the war, three Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.N of the 233. Panzer Division found themselves in the role of demining tanks. Together with captured StuG III they helped to clear the Danish territory of German mines. One of the three tanks still survives today, having been restored to running order in the 1970s and 1980s at the Garde Hussar Regimentet and subsequently housed at the Tøjhusmuseet.

https://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Panzers.html
Photos used with permission of the author of the article "Minenkommando Dänemark" Dan Mouritzsen (c) : www.missing-lynx.com

France
During the liberation battles for France in 1944/45, the French captured German medium tanks Pz.Kpfw.III, among other armoured equipment. Whether they were deployed as part of L'Escadron Autonome Besnier or in another FFI unit is unknown to me.
The attached photo shows Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.N in the garages of the post-war French Army.
The second photo is an interesting hybrid conversion, where the platform is an 8.ZW trolley without additional armour protection (probably a version of Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf. J or Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf. L). Instead of the original turret, this tank has a turret mounted from a Pz.Kpfw.II light tank. Whether this is a French or German modification is unknown to me. The vehicle was probably used to train new tank crews.

www.chars-francais.net
www.ebay.fr

Yugoslavia
There are known photographs Pz.Kpfw.III of post-war tank training. I am missing more information.

http://oklop2.tripod.com/pancer.htm

Hungary
As for the numbers of tanks delivered and the period when they were delivered, Hungarian sources themselves are quite contradictory.


The Hungarian Army received a total of 32 tanks of the Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.M version. Six tanks were acquired by the 1st Armored Field Division in 10/1942 These tanks took part in the fighting at Korotajak. Ten (16) tanks were purchased in the summer of 1943 and the last sixteen (16) tanks were acquired in 5/1944. Only the registration numbers of the 16 tanks 1H-865 - 1H-880 are known. The remaining 16 tanks did not receive registration numbers.

Charles K. Kliment, Dénes Bernád - Hungarian Army 1919-1945, published by Ares (co-edition Naše vojsko), Prague, year of publication 2007, ISBN: 978-80-86158-50-1 (Ares)

According to the sources (a combination of data) listed below, 10 tanks Pz.Kpfw.III with the L/60 (Ausf.L/M) gun were used by the Hungarian troops on the Don front in autumn/autumn 1942. However, these were supposed to be borrowed tanks with German crews.
In 11-12/1942, 10 tanks Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.N with German crews were to be loaned as well. Technical support and repairs were to be provided by Hungarian units. As of 2 January 1943, there were only 9 tanks 1st Field Armoured Division (30/5 commanded by Lt. Károly Balogh) Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. N. In 1/1943, in the ensuing Soviet winter offensive, these tanks were destroyed. On 18/1/1943, in the fighting near Alekseyevka, one tank was destroyed by a landmine, the tank of the German commander of the 30/5th Tank Company, Lieutenant Kurt-Felix Dalitz, was drowned while crossing the frozen Ticha Sosna River in a narrow crossing.
In 8/1943 the Hungarian Army was to acquire 11 (according to other sources 17) tanks Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. M. These were to have the registration markings 1H-865 - 1H-875.
Tank 1H-874 was sent to the Military Institute on 6.8.1943, whose verdict, after inspecting and testing the tank, was that this type of tank was obsolete and not suitable for inclusion in the armament. In view of the report of the 1st Cavalry Division, which mentions tanks with the registration markings 1H-876, 1H-877, 1H-878, these tanks were accepted into armament (probably in the aforementioned number of 17 pieces).
In 5/1944 Hungarian units were to receive another 10-12 tanks Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. M. These tanks did not receive Hungarian registration numbers. They were destroyed in 1944.

Bíró Ádám, Éder Miklós, Sárhidai Gyula - A Magyar Királyi Honvédség külföldi gyártású páncélos harcjármüvei 1920-1945, Petit Real Könyvkiádó, Budapest, year of publication 2006, ISBN: ?
Csaba Becze] - Magyar Steel Hungarian armour in WWII, Stratus Publishing House, Poland, year of publication 2006, ISBN-13: 978-83-89450-29-6
www.ebay.de
Charles K. Kliment, Dénes Bernád - Hungarian Army 1919-1945, publication date 2007, Ares (978-80-86158-50-1), Our Army (978-80-206-898-7)

Norway
After the end of World War II in 5/1945, Pz.Kpfw.III were acquired by the Norwegians as booty, among other armoured equipment. In total, it is reported that the Norwegian Army had up to 61 tanks of this type at its disposal after the war. Many of the tanks were in varying degrees of damage and were therefore cannibalized as a source of spare parts. In 7/1948 there were 25 tanks kept in the army's condition. Some of the tanks were used as practice targets on firing ranges, the usable tanks were to be sold to Finland.
By the time the Cold War was in full swing, the need arose to protect Norwegian air bases from possible Soviet attack. The captured German tanks Pz.Kpfw.III of various versions (with 5 cm L/42, 5 cm L/60 and 7.5 cm Kw.K. 37 guns) and StuG III were to be used for this purpose. These were to be included in the Flypasstropp special troops. The Pz.Kpfw.III tanks were referred to as Stridsvogn KW-III in the Norwegian Army. The units began to be formed in late 1948 and were to have bases in Gardermoen near the capital Oslo, in Sola and in Værnes. On 1 October 1949, the tank units were formed and deployed as follows :
DR1 (Dragonregiment) in Sola, DR2[/i:in Eggemoen, DR3 in Værnes.
In 1951, the units were supplemented with new types of armoured vehicles imported from USA and the machines were gradually phased out.

Of interest is the recent discovery of three Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.N placed in a permanent firing position protecting the airfield at Bardufoss. The three firing positions were established on a hill near the airfield. The tanks covered the area around the airfield with their guns. They were originally dug in halfway and protected from the weather by wooden shelters. The tanks were stripped of their engines and almost all the equipment in the hulls of the machines. Holes were cut in the rear of the hull for ammunition supply. Later, the tanks were encased in concrete (presumably to reinforce the protection from gunfire) and became a solid part of the fortress system. Supply tunnels were made into the tanks. Later on, it was planned to fit more modern guns, as the original armament was already obsolete. However, this was not fulfilled and the tanks were later completely encased in concrete. The fort was closed down sometime in the 1970s/80s and the tanks were almost forgotten. They were discovered in 2006, laboriously excavated from the layers of concrete and one tank ended up in a Norwegian museum. The tanks bore matriculation markings on the turret, namely the large yellow numbers 1 (Fgst.Nr.74352), 2 (Fgst.Nr.66158) and 3 (Fgst.Nr.76219).
One tank ended up in Finland (originally Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.L Fgst.Nr.76219 converted to Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf.N).
One tank ended up in a museum in Poznan, Poland (originally Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.H Fgst.Nr.66158 converted to Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf.N).
The last of the trio Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.N (originally Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.L Fgst.Nr.74352 converted to Pz.Kpfw.L Fgst.Nr.74352 converted to Pz.Kpfw.L Fgst.Nr.74352 converted to Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf.N) in Troms Forvarsmuseum in Setemoen.
In addition, one Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.M (Fgst.Nr.75631) at the Forsvarsmuseet in Trandum and one Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.N at Pansergarasjen in Rena leir are preserved in Norway.

www.wehrmacht-awards.com
https://www.kystfort.com/forum/topic2781.html
https://www.achtungpanzer.com/articles/norgepz.htm
the.shadock.free.fr
tanks-encyclopedia.com

Poland
Polish troops fighting in Africa alongside the Allies used several (3 ?) Pz.Kpfw.III early versions for training. A photograph dated 12 September 1942 shows Gen. Alexander (artillery school in Elmaz, near Cairo). The tanks have the new British desert paint, red-white-red recognition emblem and number markings.

Imperial War Museums - photo

Romania

Combat units of the Romanian kráľovstva in 9/1942 received celkovo 11 machines version of Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.N and udáva sa, that another tank rovnakého type obdržala training unit.
We know it doesn't matter the serial number of the supplied tank and it Fgst.Nr. 74930 (made by M.N.H. in 8/1942). Zaujímavosťou is použitie hull with bočným výlezom.


*source:

Thomas L. Jentz, Hilary Louise Doile - Panzerkamfwagen III Ausf.J, L, M and N development and production from 1941's 1943, Panzer Tracts No.3-3, rok vydania 2009, ISBN: 0-9815382-4-x
www.worldwar2.ro
www.ebay.de.

Slovakia
In 1943, the Army of the Slovak State received a delivery of five Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.N tanks. The military designation of this tank was P-III. The serial numbers of the tanks were Fgst.Nr. 76330 (V-3.058), Fgst.Nr. 76331 (V-3.059), Fgst.Nr. 76333 (V-3.060), Fgst.Nr. 76334 (V-3.061) and Fgst.Nr. 76336 (V-3.062) (produced by M.N.H. on 4-8/1943 as part of the so called "Auslauf serie"). Shortly after delivery, one of the tanks suffered an engine seizure and, despite efforts to repair it, ended up as a source of spare parts for the remaining tanks due to lack of spare parts. The tanks were not included in the Assault Carriage Regiment's account until 1 March 1944. They received the registration numbers V-3.058 - V-3.062. Their service was accompanied by an acute shortage of spare parts, tools, prescriptions and ammunition for the 7.5cm Kw.K.37 gun.
On 26.8.-8.9.1943, Lešt' live firing took place on Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.N tanks at the firing range in Lešt'. The tanks were further used for training in a replacement tank company. In the period before the outbreak of the Slovak National Uprising, crews were sent to eastern Slovakia as part of field units. The tanks were garrisoned and not used. After the outbreak of the Uprising, the stored tanks were gradually put into service, but the question of forming tank crews was problematic.Turčianske Sväté Martin On 30 August 1944, several soldiers reported to the garrison in Turčianske Sväté Martin. Lieutenant Ludovít Ruman was immediately put in charge of assembling one of the crews and took over the tasks of commander and gunner. Others from the crew were J. Spišiak ( machine gunner), des. Štefan Kaučiak (driver), stk. Randa (loader). The tank crew was sent to patrol the Strečnianska gorge later that day, where they patrolled from 14 o'clock. After about two hours the tankers got into their first combat operation when they eliminated a German column of five trucks, one passenger car and one motorcycle. Subsequently, the tank returned to the barracks.
On 2 September 1944, a platoon of Lv. Ruman attacked in the direction of Janosikovo. His P-III was hit and had to move to the workshops for repairs. The tank P-III tank of the sergeant. Cyril Kubinec (V-3.061) moved on and for the rest of the day was in Vrútki. At about 13:00 it was joined by the repaired tank of Ľ.Ruman. Together they formed a tank ambush situated at the football stadium in Vrútki. Ruman's tank crew (V-3.060) was supplemented by gunner stk. Ján Šimonides. On 5.9.1944 they counterattacked in the direction of Žilina. Their task was to destroy the artillery observation post in the tower of the Evangelical church. The German troops sent their armoured vehicles against them. During the attack, Cyril Kubinec's V-3.061 tank was hit and he and his crew had to abandon it. V-3.060 Ľ. Rumana continued the operation and destroyed the artillery observation post. However, while retreating, his tank was hit in the engine and started to burn. The crew managed to abandon it and the tank was subsequently destroyed by the explosion. Sgt. Randa was missing.
6.9.1944 Ruman intervened with another P-III tank in the counterattack on Vrútky. The workshops moved to Beníce, where another P-III ev.no. V-3.058. The commander became des.asp. Ján Ďurove, the driver became Š.Kaučiak, the machine gunner des.J.Spišiak and the loader des. J. Kriváň. The tank was assigned to the platoon of Lt. Pavel Buocik in Záturčí.
On 9.9.1944 the platoon took part in the counter-attack in the direction of Priekop. While advancing at the head of the armored column, the P-III (V-3.058) was hit by a cannon shell, which shot through the turret and the crew had to abandon the tank.
The last combat-capable P-III was commissioned in Košt'any on 12 September 1944 and the crew was the original crew of the destroyed V-3.058, commanded by Corporal Jan Ďurý. The P-III tank was assigned as a reserve to the headquarters of V. tactical group. Since the tank was not armed with machine guns, the crew in a night action raided the destroyed V-3.058 tank and managed to remove the necessary armament from it. The situation of the rebel troops did not develop favorably in the following days, and P-III joined the retreat from Turiec to Harmanec on 21 September 1944. On 22.9.1944 the unit moved to Môťová (today part of Zvolen), where the "Vojtech Assault Carriage Battalion" was formed by reorganization. In its tank company was also the last combat-worthy P-III of Corporal Jan Ďurý. From 26.9.1944 he was in Stara Kremnička, when on the same day he intervened in the attack on Janova Lehota as a reinforcement of the 1st Partisan Brigade of Gen. M. R. Štefánik. Returning from the action, he was hit by an 8.8cm Flak 37 shell fired by his own troops. However, the grenade bounced off the tank and did not cause serious damage. A few days later, he intervened against a breakthrough of SS-Kampfgruppe Schill units north of Stara Kremnica. On 4 October 1944, it was deployed in a counterattack, but the tank became bogged down and did not engage in the counterattack. The P-III was rescued and took part in the retreat and support of IPV-I Stefanik. The retreating troops concentrated in Trnava Hora and successfully resisted German attacks for the next few days. On October 8, 1944, an air raid was launched on the tank position near Hronska Dúbrave, killing the driver.des. Š.Kaučiak and wounded were J. Kriváň and J. Spišiak. The tank moved to Budča and then to Môťová, where it received a new crew. The commander remained des.asp. Ján Ďurove, the driver became priv. Jaroslav Brada. The names of the rest of the crew are unknown. P-III supported further attacks by the rebel army and was damaged in action near Dobra Niva. It was promtne repaired by the mobile workshop of the ÚV Battalion and returned to Môťová. Further fate of the last P-III is unclear. Probably the insurgents ran out of ammunition for the gun and it was abandoned near the village of Jelenec (Staré Hory?) on 27.10.1944. It is reported that the crew lowered the tank into a ravine. The inoperable P-III with a seized engine was recovered by Panzer-Division Tatra troops from the barracks in Turčianske Sväté Martin.

Marian Uhrin - Pluk Útočnej vozby 1944, Museum of the Slovak National Uprising, year of publication 2012, ISBN: 978-80-89514-14-4
I. Bajtoš - History of the Slovak Assault Wagon Regiment 1939-1944, manuscript, Košice 1987
Marian Uhrin - Medium tanks of the Slovak army 1943-1944, Hobby Historie No.11/2011, pp.14-21
www.militaryphotos.net

the Soviet as well as with the


In Sovietskom zväze were ukoristené tanks Pz.Kpfw.III vo veľkých počtoch and extensively sa and used in units of rôzneho type. In comparison so sovietskými tankami boli Pz.Kpfw.III in začiatku war with the Nemeckom very appreciated pre comfort of the crew and the vybavenie tank.
On the platforms of prescribed machines they have originated soviet sériovo vyrábané modifikácie self-propelled ' twas so 76.2 mm and 122mm delami referred to as SU-76i and SG-122(A).




*source:


http://www.wio.ru/tank/capt/capt.htm.

Italy
In 5/1943, 12 Pz.Kpfw.III Ausf.N were delivered to Italy. The machines served in the 1ª Divisione corazzata Camicie Nere "M" (later renamed 136ª Divisione Corazzata "Centauro II"). The unit was concentrated near Rome. After the coup d'état, the division was disarmed by German troops on 13 September 1943 and the tanks were confiscated for German troops.

perso.orange.fr
it.wikipedia.org
it.wikipedia.org

Turkey
The original delivery plans for the Turkish army called for the delivery of 56 Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. M, which were produced in January and February 1943 at M.N.H. (Fgst.Nr. 76223 - 76278). However, the planned deliveries were not fulfilled and some of the produced tanks were sent to German troops. For example, Fgst.Nr.76226 was sent to Grossdeutschland and Fgst.Nr.76228 was delivered to schwere Panzer-Abteilung 505 in 3/1943. The exact number of Pz.Kpfw.III delivered is unknown to me (some sources mention a number of around 12-20 tanks).
One machine is preserved in Etimesgut Tank Müzesi in [url=/topic/view/111625/Ankara]Ankara.

https://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Panzers.html
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