WITTMANN – PANZER ACE
by Richard Taylor
SS-Hauptsturmführer Michael Wittmann, commander of Kompanie 2, SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101, during a short respite with the crew of his Tiger tank close to the frontline in Normandy, June 1944.
If anyone sought to identify the most successful tank commander of World War II it would arguably be SS-Hauptsturmführer Michael Wittmann. A veteran of Kursk and the bitter fighting on the Eastern Front, in January 1944 Hitler had personally awarded him with Oak Leaves to his Knight’s Cross after destroying 117 enemy tanks. By June 1944 his skills as a tank commander had brought him and the Tigers of Kompanie 2, SS Heavy Panzer Group 101 to Normandy.
It was here in the village of Villers-Bocage on 13 June 1944 that Wittmann ambushed elements of the British 7th Armoured Division, in the process destroying fourteen tanks, fifteen personnel carriers and two anti-tank guns within the space of 15 minutes. The action gained him the award of Swords to his Knight’s Cross and Oak Leaves. His success, however, was short-lived. On 8 August it was Wittmann’s turn to be ambushed in an apple orchard near Caen, his Tiger destroyed by a bulls-eye hit from a British Sherman Firefly. There were no survivors.
In his detailed drawing ‘Wittmann – Panzer Ace’ Richard Taylor takes a moment to reflect on the last days before his death. Away from the heat of battle, Wittmann and his men enjoy a brief but well-deserved moment of respite away from the front line.
Only TWENTY mounted prints are available worldwide, each with at least TWENTY EIGHT original autographs – all of whom were recipients of the Knight’s Cross having served with Panzer tank divisions in the German army.
Since 1975 the Military Gallery, Richard’s exclusive publisher, has been signing with and collecting original autographs of those who took part in the battle for Normandy, from both sides of the bitter conflict. Thanks to the latest printing technology, Richard’s detailed drawing has been faithfully reproduced on fine art paper which dates back many years and has been personally signed by a staggering TWENTY EIGHT German WWII Panzer veterans.
Each COLLECTOR’S EDITION print is then mounted to full conservation standards to include a museum-quality reproduction Panzer Badge.
For the serious collector, the extremely limited VETERAN’S EDITION offers staggering historical authenticity. With all components of the Collector’s Edition, also included in the matting are two RARE and hard-to-come-by ORIGINAL autographs that have taken a number of years to source and collect – the famous tank commander depicted, Michael Wittmann, along with his reliable gunner, ‘Bobby’ Woll. Not only did Woll serve as best man at Wittmann’s wedding, but he was also the first and only SS tank gunner of the war to be awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross.
The Collector’s Edition
The 28 names read as follows:
- Oberwachtmeister Willi Bachor KC with Oak Leaves and Swords
- Leutnant Ludwig Bauer KC
- Major Werner Freiherr von Beschwitz KC
- Oberfähnrich Fritz Birnbaum KC
- Untersturmführer Karl Brommann KC
- Oberleutnant Otto Carius KC with Oak Leaves
- Obersturmbannführer Fritz Darges KC
- Obersturmführer Paul Egger KC
- Hauptmann Gerhard Fischer KC
- Oberscharführer Gerhard Fischer KC
- GeneralOberst Heinz Guderian KC
- Hauptsturmführer Willi Hein KC
- Major Clemens Graf von Kageneck KC with Oak Leaves
- Obersturmbannführer Paul Albert Kausch KC with Oak Leaves
- Oberfeldwebel Albert Kerscher KC with Oak Leaves
- Hauptmann Erwin Kressmann KC
- Oberstleutnant Norbert Kujacinski KC
- Generalmajor Otto Kumm KC with Oak Leaves and Swords
- Hauptsturmführer Karl Heinz Lichte KC
- Hauptmann Hannibal Von Lüttichau und Bärenstein KC
- Major Kuno Von Meyer KC with Oak Leaves
- Oberscharführer Richard Rudolf Knight's Cross
- Untersturmführer Oskar Schäfer KC
- Major Fritz-Rudolf Schultz KC with Oak Leaves
- Hauptsturmführer Hans Siegel KC
- Oberleutnant Wilhelm Weidenbrück KC
- Hauptmann Erich Weise KC War Merit
- Major Alfred Wolf KC
The Veteran’s Edition
With all signatures listed above, the Veteran’s Edition also includes:
- SS-Hauptsturmführer Michael Wittman KC with Oak Leaves and Swords
- SS-Rottenführer BALTHASAR ‘BOBBY’ WOLL Knight's Cross
- Media:
- Lithograph
- Size:
- 14.5 x 22 inches
- Release Date:
- 3/2026
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