Totally rare relic battle damaged German battle damaged 1M Stereoscopic Rangefinder Model 1936- Enfernungsmesser R36,with maker label used by soldiers in the 14th Panzer Division. Recovered near town of Kalach, battle of July-August 1942,Stalingrad front

 This is a totally rare relic German battle damaged 1M Stereoscopic Rangefinder Model 1936- Enfernungsmesser R36 remains about half of it the other parts looks like it has been ripped apart in an explosion.The rangefinder which still has one of its original maker plates attached and the markings can be seen very clear.The rangefinder still with some original black paintwork it does have some damage with some dents and pitting but has no rust holes it still retains a lot of original colour and it is in overall very nice condition which has been very well cleaned and is perfect for display and a very rare one for any collection i have never had a relic one of these before.The rangefinder remains were recovered near the town of Kalach in the area they captured in the battle by the 14th Panzer Division in July-August 1942 on the Stalingrad front in Russia it comes with 2x A5 laminated information card.

The Battle of Kalach took place between the German Sixth Army and elements of the Soviet Stalingrad Front between July 25 and August 11, 1942. The Soviets deployed the 62nd and 64th Armies in a Don River bridgehead west of Kalach with the intent of impeding the German advance on Stalingrad which they managed to do for a few weeks before they were destroyed or captured by the German 6th Army then they advanced to Stalingrad.

The 14th Panzer Division struck into the Kalach bridgehead. Their spearheads made contact southwest of Kalach by late afternoon, trapping the main body (eight rifle divisions) of the Soviet 62nd Army in an encirclement. Joined by L1 Army Corps the Germans began systematically destroying the surrounded Soviet forces. The pocket was wiped out in four days, by 11 August. Nearly 50,000 prisoners were taken, and the Germans claimed the destruction of a thousand Soviet tanks and 750 guns, although the claims of destroyed Soviet tanks are considered a little exaggerated. These losses threw the Soviet leader Josef Stalin into a panic and compelled him to feed more reserves into the fight at Stalingrad.