Chapter Five

The Attack on Veldwezelt Bridge – Group Stahl

The bridge at Veldwezelt was of steel construction and crossed the Albert Canal over the so-called Voeihoven-Veldwezelt trench. It served both motor and foot traffic. The important highway from Maastricht to Hasselt ran over it. The bridge was 115 metres long and nine broad. Its metal parts weighed 409 tonnes and the construction had been undertaken in 1933 by the Société Brugeoise et Nicaise et Delcuve of Bruges. The priority of Group Stahl was to capture this bridge intact. The paratroopers had trained for this for months. They were to attempt to seize and control it within a few minutes while the defenders were caught unawares. It was an awesome fighting force armed with eight MG 34 (and two heavy MGs), two mortars, a panzerbüchse 38 anti-tank gun, eighteen MP 38, six rifles fitted with a telescopic sight, thirty-three 98k carbines, hand-grenades, service pistols (all paratroopers carried one) and explosive charges.

Group Stahl was led by Oberleutnant Gustav Altmann. Born in 1912, he had joined the police at age nineteen. He came from the police unit Regiment Hermann Göring from which 1.Comp/FJR1 was later formed. Altmann was one of the first officers to be appointed to the regiment and took part in the important military parade to celebrate Hitler’s birthday in 1939. His Chief of Staff was Stabsfeldwebel (Staff-sergeant) Kurt Lorenz.

Altmann’s deputy was Oberfeldwebel (senior sergeant) Rudolf Toschka (b.1911) who also came from 1.Comp/Regt.General Göring. Beside being deputy leader of Stahl, he also led squad 8 which landed near the bridge bunker¹.

All assignments were clearly defined and all revolved around capturing the bidge, which was of the utmost importance for the German advance into the interior of Belgium:

“Capture and control of the bridge. Neutralize the buildings and bunkers on the east (Dutch frontier) side of the bridge and the enemy forces in this zone. Defuse demolition charges and cut all telephone lines. Attack the enemy trench system. Build a bridgehead so that the German vanguard has a free run in its advance to the West. Every obstacle on the eastern side of the bridge must be removed.”