103 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion
Encyclopedia
SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 103 or s.SS-Panzer Abteilung 103 (German) was originally formed on 1 July 1943 as the II.Battalion, 11 SS Panzer Regiment and sent to Yugoslavia
to fight as infantry, however, at the end of November, the battalion was converted back to the Tanks.
The Battalion was then issued six Tiger I
tanks in February for training, but then ordered to give them to another unit in March 1944. Another six Tiger Is arrived at the training grounds on 26 May and four more in August. On 20 October, all ten Tigers were given to the training unit and the 103 was outfitted with the Tiger II
before being ordered to the Eastern Front
, as part of the III (Germanic) SS Panzer Corps
. The 103 SS Pz Btn, (later renamed the schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 503) had a total of 39 (instead of the full complement of 45) Tiger IIs and was loaded on to trains on 27 January 1945, and sent to the Eastern Front in the Army Group Weichsel
sector. By 15 April 1945, the 503rd reported a total of 12 Tiger IIs, of which 10 were still operational.
.
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
to fight as infantry, however, at the end of November, the battalion was converted back to the Tanks.
The Battalion was then issued six Tiger I
Tiger I
Tiger I is the common name of a German heavy tank developed in 1942 and used in World War II. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. E, often shortened to Tiger. It was an answer to the unexpectedly formidable Soviet armour encountered in the initial months of...
tanks in February for training, but then ordered to give them to another unit in March 1944. Another six Tiger Is arrived at the training grounds on 26 May and four more in August. On 20 October, all ten Tigers were given to the training unit and the 103 was outfitted with the Tiger II
Tiger II
Tiger II is the common name of a German heavy tank of the Second World War. The final official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B,Panzerkampfwagen – abbr: Pz. or Pz.Kfw. Ausführung – abbr: Ausf. .The full titles Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf...
before being ordered to the Eastern Front
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
, as part of the III (Germanic) SS Panzer Corps
III (Germanic) SS Panzer Corps
The III SS Panzer Corps was a German Waffen-SS armoured corps which saw action on the Eastern Front during World War II. The The III (Germanic) SS Panzer Corps (III. (germanische) SS-Panzerkorps) was a German Waffen-SS armoured corps which saw action on the Eastern Front during World War II. The...
. The 103 SS Pz Btn, (later renamed the schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 503) had a total of 39 (instead of the full complement of 45) Tiger IIs and was loaded on to trains on 27 January 1945, and sent to the Eastern Front in the Army Group Weichsel
Weichsel
Weichsel may refer to:* Weichsel is the German and Scandinavian name of the river Vistula that passes Kraków and Warsaw in Poland, and once constituted the ancient Amber Road via Dniepr connected with the Silk Road...
sector. By 15 April 1945, the 503rd reported a total of 12 Tiger IIs, of which 10 were still operational.
Combat History
The 103 SS Heavy Panzer Battalion over its history lost 39 tanks destroyed 500 enemy tanks a kill ratio of 12.82Knight's Cross recipients
There were four members of the Battalion awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross
The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was a grade of the 1939 version of the 1813 created Iron Cross . The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross was the highest award of Germany to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership during World War II...
.
- Karl BrommannKarl BrommannKarl Brommann was a Untersturmführer in the Waffen SS during World War II. Who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, for the destruction of 66 tanks along with 44 anti tank guns and 15 vehicles in the battle for Danzig...
, UntersturmführerUntersturmführerUntersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...
(credited with 66 destroyed tanks) - Friedrich HerzigFriedrich HerzigFriedrich Herzig was a Sturmbannführer in the Waffen SS during World War II who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.Friedrich started the war in the 3rd...
, SturmbannführerSturmbannführerSturmbannführer was a paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party equivalent to major, used both in the Sturmabteilung and the Schutzstaffel... - Karl KörnerKarl KörnerKarl Körner was a Hauptscharführer in the Waffen SS during World War II and one of the most successful Panzer-Commander Aces who had a score of 102 tanks within only 3 months and was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or...
, HauptscharführerHauptscharführerHauptscharführer was a Nazi paramilitary rank which was used by the Schutzstaffel between the years of 1934 and 1945. The rank was the highest enlisted rank of the SS, with the exception of the special Waffen-SS rank of Sturmscharführer....
(credited with 102 destroyed tanks) - Oskar SchäferOskar SchäferOskar Schäfer was a Untersturmführer in the Waffen-SS during World War II, who was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, which was awarded to recognize extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership by Nazi Germany during World War II.-Early life:Schäfer was born on 16...
, UntersturmführerUntersturmführerUntersturmführer was a paramilitary rank of the German Schutzstaffel first created in July 1934. The rank can trace its origins to the older SA rank of Sturmführer which had existed since the founding of the SA in 1921...
(credited with 50+ destroyed tanks)
See also
- SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 101
- SS Heavy Panzer Battalion 102
- German heavy tank battalions
- List of Knight's Cross recipients of the SS Heavy Panzer Battalions