Background
The Assyrian came down like a wolf on the fold,
And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold;
Lord Byron 1788-1824
The hardy inhabitants of the high valleys and montane
landscapes of upper Macedonia were no strangers to foreign
invasion. From the vast hinterlands to the north, barbaric
incursions had for centuries been a threat to their way of life.
Whether from the savage hordes of wiry tribesmen on their
shaggy ponies of ancient times, or the panoplied splendour of
successive conquering armies, they had all come this way in the
quest for plunder in the lands of Thessaly, Epirus and classical
Greece.
Now it was happening again. These dark, lupine shapes slipping
down by rocky trails from the forests and high passes were no
plumed cohorts as Byron saw the invaders of another era.
Absent were the greens and golds of Islam or the red St George
banners of the Crusaders, or their wild horns and trumpets, but
to the Macedonians, the symbols and trappings borne by these
silent, fair-skinned giants, though less flamboyant, were just as
alien and touched off the same ancient fears. It was, to them,just
another manifestation of the recurring blight on the land, of
pillage, plunder and submission to the "Wolves from the North."
For the Grenadiers in the half-tracks and the Panzers manning
the assault guns it was a different story. With the near zero
temperatures, the mud, the almost constant rain and the savage
fighting of the Klidi and Klissura Passes now behind them, it
was like a glimpse of the Promised Land. Well-tended estates
and manorial farmsteads in an Arcadian landscape were more
like their ideal expectations of rural Greece than anything they
had seen so far.
The inhabitants need not have worried about plunder and
despoliation from these stern faced newcomers. That would
come, sadly enough, in the years of occupation ahead, but at this
moment they were about to come into contact with some of the
most highly disciplined troops in the German Wehrmacht.
For this final print of the Wittmann Trilogy, Barry Spicer, in perhaps his most splendid
work to date, brings us this
idyllic scene as the
scouts of the Leibstandarte
Aufklarungs pause to survey the ground ahead in their drive to
the south. Overhead, the Henschel HS 123 dive bombers snarl
off in search of resistance hot spots, but at this point the
Commonwealth troops from Australia and New Zealand are in
full withdrawal to form new defence lines further south.
With the vehicles drawn to a halt our scene goes into still frame
as the leaders consider their next move. Instructions from the
chief of the reconnaissance section Sturmbannfuhrer Kurt
Meyer, better known as 'Panzer' Meyer, were that extreme
caution must be observed when entering centers of civilian
habitation. The mood of the Greek civil populace had yet to be
accurately gauged and there was danger of ambush or even open
resistance to be considered. One of the SdKfz 251 half tracks
would descend from the high point, which was affording them
such an excellent field of view, and 'dismount its troops in the
vicinity ofthe dwelling and outbuildings below. The second 251
would remain at the top of the rise maintaining radio contact
with the first. If there was any sign of resistance the two StuG
IIIs would be ready to provide support fire with their MGs or
with HE from their short 75s.
Michael Wittmann, commanding the Sturmgeschutz (StuG)
IlIA in the foreground, sits above the commander's hatch as he
passes instructions to his loader. As soon as the half-tracks go
into action the StuGs will pivot to the right and cover the target
area.
The Balkans campaign has been a learning experience for'
Michael. Recently promoted to command a new vehicle and
weapons system like the StuG III, he has risen to the challenge
and gained mastery over the many foibles of his machine.
Michael's ability to adapt and apply himself, to refine his
techniques and broaden his knowledge, allowed him to achieve
excellence and continue to build on his success, eventually
earning himself the title of the greatest tank commander of all
time.
But that was in the future.
Print Specifications
Main Print:
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"MICHAEL WITTMANNS StuG III in the Balkans Campaign"
Limited Edition
Limited to 745 Prints, Certificate of Authenticity provided
Full colour, 930mm (width) x 690mm (height)
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"MICHAEL WITTMANNS StuG III in the Balkans Campaign"
Limited Edition Print
signed by Artist and numbered
Limited to 650 Editions
Price: US$130.00 plus shipping
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"MICHAEL WITTMANNS StuG III in the Balkans Campaign"
Limited Edition Print
signed by Artist and numbered
Limited to 30 Proofs
Price: US$195.00 plus shipping
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"MICHAEL WITTMANNS StuG III in the Balkans Campaign"
Limited Edition Print
signed by Artist and numbered
Limited to 65 Remarques
Price: US$250.00 plus shipping
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