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Unteroffizier Friedrich Biser (later Oberschirrmeister), born in February 1918, fought in southern Russia in 1942 as a member of 101.Jäger-Division after the recovery of his first wounds.The photo shows his car when he got wounded for the second time.
The car was much smaller than his first partner in the army in 1940. Probably for Biser the guy must have been the biggest partner ever to work with . The guy was called Bruno. He was one of the four members in the family (Vierer-Bruno-Familie - four Bruno family). Their respective names were Kurze (short), Lange (long), Schwere (heavy) and Neue (new).
Bruno's tail. This is one of the 8 Kurze Brunos, 28-cm-Kanone (E) produced for the Wehrmacht. It weighed 129t and its firing range reached 29.5km. Quarter-view of the Bruno, impressive! Even more impressive is this one, two of these monsters in parallel firing position. Biser belonged to Batterie 688 (see the marking on this car. The tactical marking of Eisenbahnartillerie seems to be painted in red). It had three guns when the war broke out (nicknamed Alex[?], Bruno, and Cäsar respectively). In Biser's two photo albums related to 688, Bruno and Cäsar are seen painted on the gun.
Batterie 688 was under s.Art.Abt.679. In the western campaign the monsters boasted their power in Rhein crossing operation. Another picture at night. Thunders fell upon the earth!
Deutsche Eisenbahn Geschütze by Gerhard Taube (Motorbuch Verlag, 1990) shows a Kurze Bruno on page 16. This seems to me like a Langer Bruno, a rarer animal (3 built). Note the difference of the gun barrel, which has one more ring and looks some 12% longer. I'd appreciate if readers could email me suggestions.
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