German Command Tank Pz.Bf.Wg. III Ausf. H Moving Through a Village in the USSR, Spring 1942

October 19, 2025 - Reading time: 3 minutes

German command tank Pz.Bf.Wg. III Ausf. H moves through a Russian village in occupied Soviet territory, spring 1942.

WWII photo showing a German command tank Pz.Bf.Wg. III Ausf. H driving through a Russian village in occupied Soviet territory, spring 1942.

This World War II photograph shows a German command tank Pz.Bf.Wg. III Ausf. H (Panzerbefehlswagen III) moving along a dirt road through a Russian village on the occupied Soviet territory in the spring of 1942. The vehicle was based on the chassis of the Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. H medium tank but modified to serve as a mobile command post for armored units.

Command variants of the Panzer III were distinguished by their additional radio equipment, modified turrets, and sometimes dummy guns to make room for communication devices. These vehicles were crucial for maintaining coordination between front-line tank battalions and higher headquarters during mobile operations on the vast Eastern Front.

By spring 1942, the German Wehrmacht’s armored forces had advanced deep into Soviet territory, but logistical difficulties and the upcoming Soviet counteroffensives began to strain their resources. The calm rural background of this photograph contrasts starkly with the reality of brutal fighting that soon followed across the southern and central sectors of the front.

Technical photo data:

📍 Location: USSR (occupied territory)
📅 Date: Spring 1942
📝 Event: German Pz.Bf.Wg. III Ausf. H command tank moving through a village
📷 Author: Unknown German Army photographer