Saturday, August 6, 2011

Panzergrenadier Division Großdeutschland



History

The roots of the Division can be traced to 1921, and the formation of the initial guard units in Berlin that would become Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland. The Regiment saw action in France in 1940, and was attached to Panzer Group 2 in the opening phases of Barbarossa, being all but annihilated in the fighting outside of Moscow in late 1941. On the last day of February 1942, Rifle Battalion GD (all that was left of the original Regiment) was disbanded and two battalions formed a new GD Regiment out of reinforcements arriving from Neuruppin. The Regiment moved to Orel after a period in the front line, and on 1 Apr 1942, arising out of the need for new motorized formations for the summer offensives of 1942, an announcement was made at a regimental parade at Rjetschiza:

"Effective immediately the former Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland is expanded to the Infantry Division Großdeutschland."

While resting and refitting near Orel, the Infantry Regiment Großdeutschland reorganized and expanded to become Infanterie-Division Großdeutschland (mot). The existing Regiment became Infanterie-Regiment Großdeutschland 1, and was joined by the newly formed Infanterie-Regiment Großdeutschland 2. Supporting units in the form of a Panzer battalion, an assault gun battalion and increased flak, artillery and engineers were added with the upgrade to divisional status.

After the reorganization, the Großdeutschland Division was assigned to XLVIII. Panzerkorps during the opening phases of Fall Blau, the assault on Stalingrad. The division took part in the successful attacks to cross the upper Don river and to capture Voronezh. In August, the division was pulled back to the north bank of the Donets and held as a mobile reserve and fire-brigade counterattack force. During the combined Soviet winter offensives Operation Uranus and Operation Mars, the Division was involved in heavy winter fighting near Rzhev. The Division sustained heavy losses in the Rzhev salient, effectively making the division combat ineffective. It was pulled out of the lines and refitted.

In January-February 1943, Großdeutschland and XLVIII.Panzerkorps, along with the II SS Panzer Corps took part in the Third Battle of Kharkov. The division fought alongside the 1.SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, 2.SS Division Das Reich and 3.SS Division Totenkopf during these battles. After the fall of Kharkov, the Großdeutschland was again pulled back and refitted. At this time, the division was equipped with a company of Tigers, an unusual addition making GD the only Panzergrenadier division to have its own heavy tanks, and the only non-Waffen SS division at that time to have its own Tigers (they were normally deployed in independent heavy tank battalions).

In June 1943, with the addition of armoured personnel carriers and Tigers the division was redesignated Panzergrenadier-Division Großdeutschland, though in reality it now had more armoured vehicles than most full scale panzer divisions.

The newly re-equipped division was attached to the German Fourth Panzer Army of Generaloberst Hermann Hoth, and was to take a major role (again paired with the SS-Panzerkorps) in Operation Citadel, the battles to sever the Kursk salient. During the buildup period, a brigade of two battalions of new Panther Ausf. D tanks came under the operational control of Großdeutschland. After the launch of Citadel, the division was heavily engaged in the fight to penetrate the southern flank of the salient. The new Panthers were plagued by technical problems, suffering from engine fires and mechanical breakdowns, many before reaching the battle. Contrary to popular belief, GD did not take part in the epic tank battle of Prokhovrovkha, and the Panther tanks were not engaged as most were broken down by the time the battle started. However they witnessed the battle as they were held in reserve. The division fought on until it was pulled back to Tomarovka on 18 July 1943.

After the canceled Kursk offensive, the division was transferred back to Heeresgruppe Mitte, and resumed its role as mobile reserve. The Tiger tank company was expanded to an entire battalion, becoming the III. Bataillon of the Panzer Regiment. GD saw heavy fighting around Karachev before being transferred back to XLVIII Panzerkorps in late August. For the rest of 1943, Großdeutschland was engaged in the fighting withdrawal from the eastern Ukraine, taking part in battles around Kharkov, Belgorod, and finally on the Dnieper, ending the year fighting strong enemy forces near Michurin-Rog, east of Krivoi-Rog. It was during this period that the division earned the nickname "die Feuerwehr" (The Fire Brigade).

Großdeutschland continued fighting in the area of Krivoi-Rog early in January 1944 until it was transferred west for rest and refit. During this period, 1./Panzer Regiment 26 (Panther) joined the Panzer Regiment GD, and GD's I. Bataillon moved to France to refit and train with the new tanks; they did not rejoin the Division until after the Normandy invasion.

Over the next months, the division continued moving from crisis-point to crisis-point across the front. Panzer Regiment Großdeutschland saw action in the battles to relieve the Cherkassy pocket in late January 1944 while the rest of the division was involved in heavy fighting from the Dniester to Northern Bessarabia. On 4 March 1944 the First, Second and Third Ukrainian Fronts launched a major attack on the north, central and southern flanks of Army Group South, and GD moved to Kirovgrad, bolstering weak parts of the line until withdrawn to Rovnoye to the southwest. On 16 March the division began the move to the Dniester River, and by the end of March had entered Romania.

In April 1944, GD, as a part of LVII.Panzerkorps, fought defensive battles near Iaşi, including the First Battle of Târgu Frumos, slowly retreating to Târgul Frumos in Moldavia. Fighting in the region raged for over a month. A renewed Soviet offensive began on 2 May, aimed at breaking through GD and onto the Romanian oil fields.

In mid May, the infantry and reconnaissance components of the division were equipped with armored personnel carriers (Schützenpanzerwagen) and other armoured vehicles. The Füsilier regiments were downsized from four battalions to three. The division was then sent back to the front, where it was involved in the fighting around Podul Iloaiei. After a brief rest in early July, the division was again committed to heavy fighting in northern Romania.

In late July, the division was transferred to East Prussia. Over the next months, Großdeutschland was involved in heavy fighting in both East Prussia, including a successful counter-attack on Wilkowischken and the Baltic States, suffering immense casualties in both men and materiel. The division was virtually annihilated during the battles in the Memel bridgehead.

In November 1944, while the division retained its status as a Panzergrenadier division, several attached units were expanded to divisional status, and the Panzerkorps Großdeutschland was formed.

The Corps was made up primarily of two Divisions - Großdeutschland and the Brandenburg Division, which had a lineage which was strongly linked to the Großdeutschland.

By March 1945, the Panzergrenadier Division Großdeutschland had been reduced to around 4,000 men. These escaped by ferry from the collapsing Memel bridgehead. They landed at Pillau and were put straight back into combat. By 25 April 1945, the division ceased to exist, having been completely destroyed in the battles around Pillau. Of the survivors only a few hundred were able to make their way to Schleswig-Holstein and surrendered to British forces. The majority of the men were left behind and were forced to surrender to the Russians where they often faced a fatal and indefinite amount of time in Russian Labor Camps.

Panzergrenadier Division Kurmark had been created out of Großdeutschland remnants in early 1945 and had fought throughout the last months of the war. Men of both the Brandenburg and Kurmark units were entitled to wear Großdeutschland insignia.


Area of Operations

Eastern Front, Army Group South (May 1943 - Feb 1944)
Romania (1944)
Germany (1945)


Commanders

General der Panzertruppen Hermann Balck (19 May 1943 - 30 June 1943)
General der Infanterie Walter Hörnlein (30 June 1943 - 1 Feb 1944)
General der Panzertruppen Hasso von Manteuffel (1 Feb 1944 - 1 Sep 1944)
Generalmajor Karl Lorenz (1 Sep 1944 - 1 Feb 1945)
Generalmajor Hellmuth Mäder (1 Feb 1945 - 8 May 1945)


Order of battle (Sep 1943)

Staff

Großdeutschland Panzer Regiment

Großdeutschland Panzergrenadier Regiment

Großdeutschland Fusilier Regiment

Großdeutschland Panzer Reconnaissance Battalion

Großdeutschland Panzerjäger Battalion

Großdeutschland Sturmgeschütz Battalion

Großdeutschland Artillery Regiment

Großdeutschland Flak Battalion

Großdeutschland Feldersatz Battalion

Großdeutschland Pioneer Battalion (mot)

Großdeutschland Panzer Signals Battalion

Supply & Support Units



Tiger tank of III Battalion, Russia 1943.




Oberst Karl Lorenz Commander of the Großdeutschland regiment, meeting with the crew of a Panther in south Russia.




Mechanised troops of Großdeutschland, Russia 1943.




General Hasso von Manteuffel, conducts an officers meeting, Lithuania, August 1944.




Panthers of the division in Rumania, 1944.




Großdeutschland Division soldiers, Kursk, July 1943.

10. Panzer Dvision


History

10. Panzer-Division was formed in April 1939 in Prague. It took part in the 1940 campaign in the West and remained in France until February 1941 when it returned to Germany. It fought with Army Group Center on the Eastern front until May 1942 when it was transferred to Amiens, France, for refitting and remained in France until December 1942 when it was sent to Tunisia. It was destroyed in Tunis 12 May 1943 and was formally disbanded in June 1943.


Area of Operations

Germany (Sep 1939 - May 1940)
France (May 1940 - Feb 1941)
Germany (Feb 1941 - Jun 1941)
Eastern Front, Army Group Center (Jun 1941 - May 1942)
France (May 1942 - Dec 1942)
Tunisia (Dec 1942 - May 1943)


Commanders

Generalmajor Georg Gawantka (01 May 1939 - 14 Jul 1939)
Generalleutnant Ferdinand Schaal (16 Jul 1939 - 04 Sep 1939)
Generalmajor Horst Stumpff (05 Sep 1939 - 26 Sep 1939)
Generalleutnant Ferdinand Schaal (27 Sep 1939 - 02 Aug 1941)
Generalleutnant Wolfgang Fischer (02 Aug 1941 - 01 Feb 1943)
Generalleutnant Friedrich Freiherr von Broich (01 Feb 1943 - 12 May 1943)


Order of battle

HQ

7. Panzer Regiment

69. Panzergrenadier Regiment

86. Panzergrenadier Regiment

10. Motorcycle Battalion

90. Artillery Regiment (mot)

90. Panzerjäger Battalion

49. Pioneer Battalion

90. Signals Company

14 / 104. Panzergrenadier Regiment

Supply & Support Units

Friday, August 5, 2011

2. SS Panzer Division Das Reich



History

Das Reich was formed in October 1939 from the Deutschland, Germania and Der Führer regiments of the SS-Verfügungstruppe (SS-VT). The regiment Germania was removed from the division in 1940 to form the 5. SS Wiking Division.

It took part in the campaign in the West in 1940 and after spending some time guarding the border with Vichy France, it was transferred to the Netherlands. It took part in the campaign in the Balkans where a small detachment led by SS-Hauptsturmführer Klingenberg managed to get the mayor of Belgrade to surrender the city without a fight.

Das Reich took part in the invasion of the USSR and fought on the frontlines until August 1941 when it was withdrawn for refitting. It was sent back to the front in September and in December 1941 it took part in the failed offensive against Moscow. It was transferred to France in March 1942, with the exeption of a small Kampfgruppe, where it was upgraded to a SS Panzergrenadier Division. It was sent back to the Eastern front in January 1943 where it took part in the capture and recapture of Kharkov as well as fighting at Kursk.

Das Reich was transferred back to France, this time to be upgraded to an SS Panzer Division, and was sent to Normandy when the Allies invaded in June 1944. It took part in the heavy fighting around Normandy before being pulled back to Germany. It later took part in the fighting in the Ardennes, Hungary, and Austria.

Before surrendering to the US Army on May 10, 1945, elements of Das Reich helped large numbers of civilians in Prague escape the Red Army.


Lineage

Panzer-Division Kempf (Sep 1939 - Oct 1939)
SS-Division Verfügungstruppe (Oct 1939 - Apr 1940)
SS-Division Deutschland (Apr 1940 - Dec 1940)
SS-Division (mot) Reich (Dec 1940 - May 1942)
SS-Division (mot) Das Reich (May 1942 - Nov 1942)
SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Das Reich (Nov 1942 - Oct 1943)
2. SS-Panzer-Division Das Reich (Oct 1943 - May 1945)


Area of Operations

Czechoslovakia & Germany (Oct 1939 - May 1940)
Netherlands & France (May 1940 - Apr 1941)
Romania, Yugoslavia, Austria & Poland (Apr 1941 - June 1941)
Eastern front, central sector (June 1941 -June 1942)
Germany (June 1942 - July 1942)
France (July 1942 - Jan 1943)
Eastern front, central sector (Jan 1943 - Feb 1944)
France, Belgium & Western Germany (Feb 1944 - Dec 1944)
Ardennes (Dec 1944 - Jan 1945)
Hungary & Austria (Jan 1945 - May 1945)


Commanders

SS-Oberstgruppenführer Paul Hausser (19 Oct 1939 - 14 Oct 1941)
SS-Obergruppenführer Wilhelm Bittrich (14 Oct 1941 - 31 Dec 1941)
SS-Obergruppenführer Matthias Kleinheisterkamp (31 Dec 1941 - 19 Apr 1942)
SS-Obergruppenführer George Keppler (19 Apr 1942 - 10 Feb 1943)
SS-Brigadeführer Hebert-Ernst Vahl (10 Feb 1943 - 18 Mar 1943)
SS-Oberführer Kurt Brasack (18 Mar 1943 - 29 Mar 1943)
SS-Obergruppenführer Walter Krüger (29 Mar 1943 - 23 Oct 1943)
SS-Gruppenführer Heinz Lammerding (23 Oct 1943 - 24 Jul 1944)
SS-Standartenführer Christian Tychsen (24 Jul 1944 - 28 Jul 1944)
SS-Brigadeführer Otto Baum (28 Jul 1944 - 23 Oct 1944)
SS-Gruppenführer Heinz Lammerding (23 Oct 1944 - 20 Jan 1945)
SS-Standartenführer Karl Kreutz (20 Jan 1945 - 29 Jan 1945)
SS-Gruppenführer Werner Ostendorff (29 Jan 1945 - 09 Mar 1945)
SS-Standartenführer Rudolf Lehmann (09 Mar 1945 - 13 Apr 1945)
SS-Standartenführer Karl Kreutz (13 Apr 1945 - 08 May 1945)


Notable Members

Ernst Barkmann (usually credited with 82+ destroyed tanks but the exact number is unknown)

Hermann Behrends (SS-Gruppenführer, Reichstag deputy, deupty head of the Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle, VOMI, Höhere SS und Polizeiführer Serbien, Sandschack und Montenegro 1944)

Fritz Darges (Adjutant to Adolf Hitler 1943-1944 and to Martin Bormann 1936-1939)

Rudolf Lehmann (one of the four Waffen-SS divisional commanders who started the war as a platoon commander)

Arno Giesen (usually credited with 111 destroyed tanks but the exact number is unknown)

Ludwig Kepplinger (received the Knight's Cross on 4 September 1940 as the first Waffen-SS NCO)

Roland Paul (usually credited with 37+ destroyed tanks but the exact number is unknown)

Erich Rossner (panzerjäger usually credited with 16+ destroyed tanks but the exact number is unknown)

Emil Seibold (usually credited with 69 destroyed tanks but the exact number is unknown)

Franz Six (served in Das Reich in 1941, SS-Brigadeführer, head of Sonderkommando 7c/Vorkommando Moskau of Einsatzgruppe B, head of Amt VII of the Reichssicherheitshauptamt (RSHA), appointed as head of the planned state police operations in German-occupied UK)

Oberst i.G. Peter Sommer (with the right of wearing the uniform of a SS-Standartenführer, was of partial Jewish descent and served as chief of staff)

Hilmar Wäckerle (first SS commandant of Dachau)


Order of battle - SS-Division Verfügungstruppe (1939-1941)

SS.VT-Standarte Der Führer

SS.VT-Standarte Deutschland

SS.VT-Standarte Germania

SS.VT-Artillerie-Standarte

SS.VT-Artillerie-Standarte

SS.VT-Aufklärung-Abteilung

SS.VT-Panzerjäger Bataillon

SS.VT-Flak-Abteilung

SS.VT-Pioneer-Abteilung

SS.VT-Nachrichten-Abteilung

SS.VT-Panzerabwehr-Abteilung

SS.VT-Flak-Abteilung

SS-Ersatz-Abteilung


Order of battle - SS-Division Reich (1941-1942)

SS-Infanterie Regiment Deutschland

SS-Infanterie Regiment Der Führer

SS-Infanterie Regiment 11

Artillerie Regiment

Sturmgeschütz Batterie Messbatterie

Krad Schützen Bataillon

Aufklärungs Abteilung

Leichte Aufklärungskolonne

Panzerjäger Abteilung

Pionier Abteilung

Brückenkolonne

Leichte Pionier Kolonne

Nachrichten abteilung

Leichte Nachrichten Kolonne

Wirtschafts Bataillon

Verpflegungsamt

Bäckerie Kompanie

Schlachterie Kompanie

Nachschubdienste

Nachschubkompanie

Instandsetzungsdienst

Ersatz Kolonne

Sanitätsabteilung


Order of battle - SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Das Reich (1942-1943)

SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment Deutschland

SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment Der Führer

Artillerie Regiment

Kradschützen Bataillon Langemarck

Panzer Regiment

Schwere Panzer Kompanie

Panzer Pionier Kompanie

Panzer Werkstatt Kompanie

Sturmgeschütz Abteilung

Aufklärungs Abteilung

Leichte Aufklärungskolonne

Panzerjäger Abteilung

Flak Abteilung

Leichte Artillerie Kolonne

Pionier Abteilung

Brückenkolonne

Leichte Pionier Kolonne

Nachrichten Abteilung

Leichte Nachrichten Kolonne

Wirtschafts Bataillon

Verpflegungsamt

Bäckerie Kompanie

Schlachterie Kompanie

Nachschubdienste

Nachschubkompanie

Waffen Werkstattkompanie

Instandsetzungsdienst

Ersatz Kolonne

Sanitätsabteilung

Stabskompanie

Feldgendarmerie Kompanie

Feldpostamt

Kriegsberichter Kompanie


Order of battle - SS-Panzer Division Das Reich (1943-1945)

SS-Panzer Regiment 2

SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment Deutschland

SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment Der Führer

SS-Panzer Artillerie Regiment 2

SS-Kradschützen Bataillon 2

SS-Sturmgeschütz Abteilung 2

SS-Aufklarungs Abteilung 2

Leichte Aufklärungskolonne

SS-Panzerjäger Abteilung 2

SS-Flak Abteilung 2

Leichte Artillerie Kolonne

SS-Panzer Pionier Abteilung 2

Brückenkolonne

Leichte Pionier Kolonne

SS-Nachrichten Abteilung 2

Leichte Nachrichten Kolonne

SS-Wirtschafts Bataillon 2

Verpflegungsamt

Bäckerie Kompanie

Schlachterie Kompanie

SS-Nachschubdienste 2

Nachschubkompanie

Waffen Werkstattkompanie

Ersatz Kolonne

2. SS-Sanitätsabteilung

Stabskompanie

Feldgendarmerie Truppe

Feldpostamt

SS-Kriegsberichter Zug 2

XLII. Armeekorps

June 22, 1941


General of the Engineers W. Kuntze


Order of Battle

87. Infanterie Divisionen

102. Infanterie Divisionen

129. Infanterie Divisionen

XX. Armeekorps

June 22, 1941


General of the Infantry W. Materna


Order of Battle

162.Infanterie Divisionen

256. Infanterie Divisionen

70. Artillerie Rgt. Stab (mot.)

606. Artillerie Rgt. Stab (mot.)

613. Artillerie Rgt. Stab (mot.)

210. Sturmgeschütz Abt.

II./62 10cm Kanonen Abt. (mot.)

151. 10cm Kanonen Abt. (mot.)

II./51. gemischter Artillerie Abt. (mot.)

II./38 schwere Feldhaubitzen Abt. (mot.)

II./39. schwere Feldhaubitzen Abt. (mot.)

635. 21cm Mörser Abt. (mot.)

624. 30.5cm Mörser Abt. (mot.)

512. Pionier Rgt. Stab (mot.)

632. Pionier Btl. (besp.)

42. Kdr. der Bautruppen

18. Bau Btl.

123. Bau Btl.

VIII. Armeekorps

June 22, 1941


General of the Artillery W. Heitz


Order of Battle

8. Infanterie Divisionen

28. Infanterie Divisionen

161. Infanterie Divisionen

627. Artillerie Rgt. Stab (mot.)

677. Artillerie Rgt. Stab (mot.)

783. Artillerie Rgt. Stab (mot.)

801. Artillerie Rgt. Stab (mot.)

802. Artillerie Rgt. Stab (mot.)

184. Sturmgeschütz Abt.

445. 10cm Kanonen Abt. (mot.)

634. 10cm Kanonen Abt. (mot.)

IV./109. gemischter Artillerie Abt. (mot.)

II./44. schwere Feldhaubitzen Abt. (mot.)

III./111. schwere Feldhaubitzen Abt. (mot.)

646. schwere Feldhaubitzen Abt. (mot.)

808. 21cm Mörser Abt. (mot.)

860. 21cm Mörser Abt (t. mot.)

861. 21cm Mörser Abt (t. mot.)

862. 21cm Mörser Abt (t. mot.)

641. 30.5cm Mörser Abt. (mot.)

815. 30.5cm Mörser Abt. (mot.)

I./84. 24cm Kanonen Abt. (mot.)

680. 15cm Kanonen Abt. (mot.)

517. Pionier Rgt. Stab (mot.)

43. (Sturm) Pionier Btl. (mot.)

746. Pionier Btl. (besp.)

753. Pionier Btl. (besp.)

34. Kdr. der Bautruppen

39. Kdr. der Bautruppen

57. Bau Btl.

59. Bau Btl.

91. Bau Btl.

137. Bau Btl.

208. Bau Btl.

1. Nebelwerfer Rgt. Stab (mot.)

3. Nebelwerfer Abt. (mot.)

5. Nebelwerfer Abt. (mot.)

103. Entgiftungs Abt. (28/32cm sWG 40)

607. leichte Flak Abt.

5./48 leichte Flak Kp.

3./66. leichte Flak Kp.

LVII. Armeekorps (mot.)

June 22, 1941


General of Panzer Troops A. Kuntzen


Order of Battle

12., Panzer Divisionen

19. Panzer Divisionen

18. Infanterie Divisionen (mot.)

427. Gemischter Artillerie Abt. (mot.)

II./55. schwere Feldhaubitzen Abt. (mot.)

816. 21cm Kanonen Abt. (mot.)

504. Pionier Rgt. Stab (mot.)

47. Pionier Btl. (mot.)

75. Leichte Flak Abt. (LW)

85. Leichte Flak Abt. (LW)

I./29 Flak Abt. (gem.) (LW)