10.5cm le FH-16 Sfl auf Gescheutzpanzer Mk. VI(e)

This little SPG represents the Becker built 105mm SPG mounted on captured British Vickers Mk.VI's. They saw action in Russia where were issued to Sturmpanzer Batterie/15./Art.Rgt.227 in October 1941 as Part of 227th. Infantry Division south of Leningrad. See also the companion vehicles for this vehicle in our Battlefield series as kits BG190 & BG191. Alfred Becker was the commander of a horse-drawn artillery battery in the 227th. Infantry Division. In the Netherlands, at Amersfoort, Becker collected enough ex-Dutch Army trucks, cars and motorcycles to fully motorize his battery and later when France surrendered, Beckers unit, now seving in Normandy, was able to gather captured British Vickers Mk. VI light tanks. Although totally unofficial, using the men of his artillery battery, he set about converting these vehicles into SP's, etc., Twelve with 10,5cm guns, and it has been reported, another 6 with 15cm guns were completed in 6 months and range tested by the entire battery at Beverlo in Belgium. In Autumn of 1941 the 227th. Infantry Division was transferred to the Russian front with Becker still in command of the 15th. Battery (aka 1st. Sturmgeschütze-Batterie) with the SP battery seeing action until all of the SP guns were knocked out. One of Beckers SP onversions had been sent back with a crew to be demonstrated to Hitler who was so impressed that he sent Becker to Alkett as a consulting engineer with orders to exploit the French, British, Dutch and Belgian vehicles remaining in depots in the West. The majority of these vehicles were issued to Schnelle Brigade West and eventually were passed on to the 21st Panzer Division when Schnelle Brigade West became 21st Panzer. (see BG105, 106, 173, 175 & 176)