German 503rd Heavy Panzer Detachment
Encyclopedia
The 503rd Heavy Tank Battalion (Later Feldherrnhalle) (German: Schwere-Heers-Panzer-Abteilung 503) was a German
heavy Panzer
Abteilung
(a battalion
sized unit) equipped with Tiger I
tanks and Panzer III
s. In 1944, it was re-equipped with the new Tiger II
. The 503rd saw action on the Eastern
and Western Fronts
during the Second World War. As with other German Heavy Panzer Detachment
s, it was normally not assigned to a single corps, but shuffled around according to war circumstances. Later the Panzerabteilung became part of the newly formed Panzerkorps Feldherrnhalle.
s on May 10, 1943. The 503rd was the second Tiger detachment promised to Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel
for service in North Africa. The 501st Heavy Tank Battalion
was already in action in Tunisia. The detachment was to be formed of Porsche
manufactured Tigers, but the cancellation of Porsche's "Tiger (P)" meant that the deployment was delayed. Instead, the unit was equipped with Henschel Tigers. As it was then too late for the 503rd to assist in North Africa, the unit was instead deployed to Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein
's Army Group Don
.
. Here the 2/ s.Pz.Abt. 502 was attached to s.Pz.Abt. 503 and became eventually the 3rd company.
On February 11, 1943, the 503rd was transferred to Kharkov and fought to halt the Soviet advance after the collapse of the German Sixth Army
at Stalingrad
. The 503rd distinguished itself in the Third Battle of Kharkov
, taking part in the destruction of Mobile Group Popov, the main Soviet attacking force.
salient
. Four days before the start of "Zitadelle," the abteilung reported that 42 of their 45 Tiger tanks were operational.
The abteilung was split up and one company was attached to each Panzerdivision of the III Panzercorps (Armydetachment Kempf). Hptm.Graf Kageneck protested against this split, but was overruled. The first company came under the command of 6th Panzerdivision, the second under the command of 19th Panzerdivision and the third was attached to the 7th Panzerdivision. The I/s.H.Pz.Abt 503 was part of a Kampfgruppe of 6th Panzerdivision, which established a bridgehead over the Donec at 11 July.
The Tigers of the 503rd performed well in the offensive, losing three Tigers during Zitadelle and five more during the subsequent withdrawal. From July 5 to August 17, the unit claimed the destruction of 385 tanks, 4 assault guns and 265 anti-tank guns.
. Over the following weeks, Panzer Regiment Bäke saw heavy fighting. After fighting in the area of Uman, the regiment was part of the relief force, which tried to break through to encircled forces in the Korsun Pocket. For this battle, the unit had 34 tanks operational. The unit performed well, despite suffering from bad weather. During the relief attempt the regiment was credited with 267 tanks destroyed for five combat losses. The Abteilung lost seven Tigers in total, but only one was destroyed by the enemy, while others were abandoned after the tanks were immobilized by muddy terrain. One Tiger was accidentally destroyed by a Panther
of the 1st LSSAH. The reasons for this friendly fire incident are unknown.
From January 24 to February 21, 1944, the regiment claimed about 500 soviet tanks and assault guns destroyed for only nine combat losses.
The Abteilung was then trapped in Hube's Pocket, where all but seven of their remaining Tigers were lost.
In late April 1944, the regiment was dissolved and the 503rd was sent West for rest and refitting. During this period, the detachment received twelve new Tiger II
s.
on June 6, 1944, the 503rd was transferred to the command of Panzergruppe West. The first company was equipped with 12 Tiger II tanks. It was the first Pz.Komp to be equipped entirely with the Tiger II. The detachment fought well in combat against Allied tank forces during the battles around Caen
. On the launch of Operation Goodwood
, the 3rd company, which was based in Cagny
, was caught in the preliminary bombing raids and completely wiped out, with bomb impacts powerful enough to turn even a 70-ton Tiger completely upside down. Only one Tiger was operational at the end of the day. During the first day of "Goodwood," the unit reported the loss of 13 tanks. On July 18, a remarkable incident took place when a M4 Sherman tank under the command of the Irish Lieutenant Gorman rammed a Tiger II of the I/s.H.Pz.Abt 503 and disabled it.
On the next day the two remaining companies were in defensive positions around Cagny and helped to halt a British advance. The Wehrmachtsbericht reported 40 enemy tanks destroyed, many of them by the 503rd. At the end of July, the 3rd company received new Tiger II tanks. Heavy aerial attacks destroy most of the equipment of the Tiger II company. Only 2 "Kingtigers" were brought back to Germany, the tanks with turret number '314'/annelise and '323'. The 503rd, along with the Panzer-Lehr-Division's 316th Funklenk Panzer Company, were the only formations in Normandy to operate Tiger IIs. The 101st SS Heavy Tank Battalion got Tiger II tanks in late August but they saw no action.
The severely depleted 503rd managed to escape the horrors of the Falaise Pocket
and was engaged in a fighting withdrawal to the German border. In late August the detachment was pulled from the line for a complete refit with Tiger IIs.
to bolster the forces of Armeegruppe Fretter-Pico
, defending the approaches to Budapest
. Arriving in early October, the 3./sPzAbt 503 under Leutnant Freiherr von Rosen, provided support for Otto Skorzeny
's Operation Panzerfaust
, the coup which replaced the Hungarian leader, Admiral Miklós Horthy
, and resulted in the Hungarians remaining as Germany's allies until the end of the War. Six "King Tigers" of the 3rd company helped take the Buda Castle.
Immediately following the success of Panzerfaust, the company was returned to the detachment. The 503rd now played a major role in the Battle of Debrecen
. The detachment formed the vanguard of the 23.Panzer-Division's drive to sever Cavalry Mechanized Group
Pliyev's lines of communication, thus allowing the encirclement and eventual destruction of the Soviet force. During this period of action, the 503rd claimed 1,500 vehicles and 120 anti-tank guns destroyed.
In mid-November, a series of Soviet offensives pushed the Axis forces back towards Budapest
. The 503rd was regularly acting in co-operation with the 60th Panzergrenadier Division Feldherrnhalle, providing a mobile reserve for the Armeegruppe, now commanded by General der Panzertruppen Hermann Balck
and so renamed Armeegruppe Balck. By mid-December, the Germans had been pushed back to Budapest, and the Soviets were probing the outskirts of the city. The 503rd, along with the Feldherrnhalle, having lost many of its Tigers to combat and to mechanical issues, was engaged in fighting off Soviet attacks on Budapest's government district.
On December 21, the 503rd, having lost virtually all of its armour, was renamed to schwere-Panzer-Abteilung Feldherrnhalle (abbreviated sPzAbt FHH) and officially attached to the 60.Panzergrenadier-Division Feldherrnhalle.
On 31 December, the Soviets completed the encirclement of Budapest and the siege of the city began. During the Battle of Budapest
, the majority of the FHH along with roughly 45,000 German and Hungarian troops of the IX SS Mountain Corps were trapped. The remnants of the detachment saw heavy fighting during the final Soviet assaults to annihilate the trapped forces. The 503 Heavy Tank Battalion was part of several failed relief attempts called "Operation Konrad"
outside combat than to enemy action. This was a common occurrence in German tank units as a result of the poor reliability of Tiger tanks and the fuel supply problems often suffered by the German army.
The 503rd maintained a kill ratio of 15:1 for combat losses, which was above average for German heavy tank battalions and the second highest for combat losses. It must be noted that the number of tanks claimed as destroyed by the 503rd will exceed the number which were actually destroyed, as a knocked out tank may be repaired, and two tanks firing on the same target may both claim the "kill," resulting in that target being counted twice, and some claims have simply been exaggerated. However, there are several examples where claims were found to be entirely accurate when enemy losses were counted, as when German troops held an area after a battle and were able to prevent Soviet forces from recovering their lost vehicles.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
heavy Panzer
Panzer
A Panzer is a German language word that, when used as a noun, means "tank". When it is used as an adjective, it means either tank or "armoured" .- Etymology :...
Abteilung
Abteilung
Abteilung is a German language word often used when referring to German or Swiss military formations...
(a battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
sized unit) equipped with 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 and Panzer III
Panzer III
Panzer III was the common name of a medium tank that was developed in the 1930s by Germany and was used extensively in World War II. The official German designation was Panzerkampfwagen III translating as "armoured battle vehicle". It was intended to fight other armoured fighting vehicles and...
s. In 1944, it was re-equipped with the new 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...
. The 503rd saw action on the Eastern
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...
and Western Fronts
Western Front (World War II)
The Western Front of the European Theatre of World War II encompassed, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and West Germany. The Western Front was marked by two phases of large-scale ground combat operations...
during the Second World War. As with other German Heavy Panzer Detachment
German Heavy Panzer Detachment
German heavy tank battalions , were elite battalion-sized World War II tank units, equipped with Tiger I, and later Tiger II, heavy tanks. Originally intended to fight on the offensive during breakthrough operations, the German late-war realities required them to be used in a defensive posture by...
s, it was normally not assigned to a single corps, but shuffled around according to war circumstances. Later the Panzerabteilung became part of the newly formed Panzerkorps Feldherrnhalle.
Formation
The unit was created on May 4, 1942, in Neuruppin. After releasing all Panzer IIIs, the unit consisted of 45 Tiger ITiger 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...
s on May 10, 1943. The 503rd was the second Tiger detachment promised to Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
for service in North Africa. The 501st Heavy Tank Battalion
501st heavy tank battalion (Germany)
The 501st Heavy Tank Battalion was a German World War II independent armoured battalion equipped with heavy tanks. The battalion was the second unit to receive and use the Tiger I The 501st Heavy Tank Battalion (Schwere: heavy, Panzer: tank, Abteilung: battalion) was a German World War II...
was already in action in Tunisia. The detachment was to be formed of Porsche
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
manufactured Tigers, but the cancellation of Porsche's "Tiger (P)" meant that the deployment was delayed. Instead, the unit was equipped with Henschel Tigers. As it was then too late for the 503rd to assist in North Africa, the unit was instead deployed to Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein
Erich von Manstein
Erich von Manstein was a field marshal in World War II. He became one of the most prominent commanders of Germany's World War II armed forces...
's Army Group Don
Army Group Don
Army Group Don was a short-lived German army group during World War II.Army Group Don was created from the headquarters of the Eleventh Army in the southern sector of the Eastern Front on 22 November 1942. The army group only lasted until February 1943 when it was combined with Army Group B and...
.
Don River - Kharkov
When the Abteilung was sent east, it comprised 20 Tiger and 31 Panzer III Ausf. N. In the aftermath of the Battle of Stalingrad, the entire German front was pushed west. The abteilung took defensive positions immediately after their arrival at the front on January 1, 1943. The 504rd, along with several divisions of the 4th Panzer Army, was tasked with securing the withdrawal of Heeresgruppe A. The unit first saw action on January 4, around Stawropol, when a Soviet attack was repelled, and claimed their first 18 kills. Some days later, the unit conducted a counter-attack against Soviet lines. The heavily defended Soviet positions around Wesselyj repelled all attacks and the attack was canceled. The next days brought a fighting withdrawal to RostovRostov
Rostov is a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, one of the oldest in the country and a tourist center of the Golden Ring. It is located on the shores of Lake Nero, northeast of Moscow. Population:...
. Here the 2/ s.Pz.Abt. 502 was attached to s.Pz.Abt. 503 and became eventually the 3rd company.
On February 11, 1943, the 503rd was transferred to Kharkov and fought to halt the Soviet advance after the collapse of the German Sixth Army
German Sixth Army
The 6th Army was a designation for German field armies which saw action in World War I and World War II. The 6th Army is best known for fighting in the Battle of Stalingrad, during which it became the first entire German field army to be completely destroyed...
at Stalingrad
Battle of Stalingrad
The Battle of Stalingrad was a major battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad in southwestern Russia. The battle took place between 23 August 1942 and 2 February 1943...
. The 503rd distinguished itself in the Third Battle of Kharkov
Third Battle of Kharkov
The Third Battle of Kharkov was a series of offensive operations on the Eastern Front of World War II, undertaken by the German Army Group South against the Red Army, around the city of Kharkov , between 19 February and 15 March 1943...
, taking part in the destruction of Mobile Group Popov, the main Soviet attacking force.
Operation Citadel
The 503rd then took part in Operation Citadel, an offensive operation meant to destroy the KurskKursk
Kursk is a city and the administrative center of Kursk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Kur, Tuskar, and Seym Rivers. The area around Kursk was site of a turning point in the Russian-German struggle during World War II and the site of the largest tank battle in history...
salient
Salients, re-entrants and pockets
A salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. The salient is surrounded by the enemy on three sides, making the troops occupying the salient vulnerable. The enemy's line facing a salient is referred to as a re-entrant...
. Four days before the start of "Zitadelle," the abteilung reported that 42 of their 45 Tiger tanks were operational.
The abteilung was split up and one company was attached to each Panzerdivision of the III Panzercorps (Armydetachment Kempf). Hptm.Graf Kageneck protested against this split, but was overruled. The first company came under the command of 6th Panzerdivision, the second under the command of 19th Panzerdivision and the third was attached to the 7th Panzerdivision. The I/s.H.Pz.Abt 503 was part of a Kampfgruppe of 6th Panzerdivision, which established a bridgehead over the Donec at 11 July.
The Tigers of the 503rd performed well in the offensive, losing three Tigers during Zitadelle and five more during the subsequent withdrawal. From July 5 to August 17, the unit claimed the destruction of 385 tanks, 4 assault guns and 265 anti-tank guns.
Panzer Regiment Bäke
In January, the abteilung, together with the II.Abt/Panzerregiment 23 and some infantry units, formed Panzer-Regiment Bäke under Oberst Dr. Franz BäkeFranz Bäke
Generalmajor der Reserve Dr. med. dent. Franz BäkeIn German a Doctor of Medical Dentistry is abbreviated as Dr. med. dent. . was a German Army officer and panzer ace. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
. Over the following weeks, Panzer Regiment Bäke saw heavy fighting. After fighting in the area of Uman, the regiment was part of the relief force, which tried to break through to encircled forces in the Korsun Pocket. For this battle, the unit had 34 tanks operational. The unit performed well, despite suffering from bad weather. During the relief attempt the regiment was credited with 267 tanks destroyed for five combat losses. The Abteilung lost seven Tigers in total, but only one was destroyed by the enemy, while others were abandoned after the tanks were immobilized by muddy terrain. One Tiger was accidentally destroyed by a Panther
Panther tank
Panther is the common name of a medium tank fielded by Nazi Germany in World War II that served from mid-1943 to the end of the European war in 1945. It was intended as a counter to the T-34, and to replace the Panzer III and Panzer IV; while never replacing the latter, it served alongside it as...
of the 1st LSSAH. The reasons for this friendly fire incident are unknown.
From January 24 to February 21, 1944, the regiment claimed about 500 soviet tanks and assault guns destroyed for only nine combat losses.
The Abteilung was then trapped in Hube's Pocket, where all but seven of their remaining Tigers were lost.
In late April 1944, the regiment was dissolved and the 503rd was sent West for rest and refitting. During this period, the detachment received twelve new 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...
s.
Normandy
With the Invasion of NormandyOperation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
on June 6, 1944, the 503rd was transferred to the command of Panzergruppe West. The first company was equipped with 12 Tiger II tanks. It was the first Pz.Komp to be equipped entirely with the Tiger II. The detachment fought well in combat against Allied tank forces during the battles around Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
. On the launch of Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood was an attack launched on 18 July 1944, during the Second World War, by the British army to the east of the city of Caen...
, the 3rd company, which was based in Cagny
Cagny, Calvados
Cagny is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:...
, was caught in the preliminary bombing raids and completely wiped out, with bomb impacts powerful enough to turn even a 70-ton Tiger completely upside down. Only one Tiger was operational at the end of the day. During the first day of "Goodwood," the unit reported the loss of 13 tanks. On July 18, a remarkable incident took place when a M4 Sherman tank under the command of the Irish Lieutenant Gorman rammed a Tiger II of the I/s.H.Pz.Abt 503 and disabled it.
On the next day the two remaining companies were in defensive positions around Cagny and helped to halt a British advance. The Wehrmachtsbericht reported 40 enemy tanks destroyed, many of them by the 503rd. At the end of July, the 3rd company received new Tiger II tanks. Heavy aerial attacks destroy most of the equipment of the Tiger II company. Only 2 "Kingtigers" were brought back to Germany, the tanks with turret number '314'/annelise and '323'. The 503rd, along with the Panzer-Lehr-Division's 316th Funklenk Panzer Company, were the only formations in Normandy to operate Tiger IIs. The 101st SS Heavy Tank Battalion got Tiger II tanks in late August but they saw no action.
The severely depleted 503rd managed to escape the horrors of the Falaise Pocket
Falaise pocket
The battle of the Falaise Pocket, fought during the Second World War from 12 to 21 August 1944, was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy...
and was engaged in a fighting withdrawal to the German border. In late August the detachment was pulled from the line for a complete refit with Tiger IIs.
Hungary
In September 1944, the refitted 503rd was sent to HungaryHungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
to bolster the forces of Armeegruppe Fretter-Pico
German Sixth Army
The 6th Army was a designation for German field armies which saw action in World War I and World War II. The 6th Army is best known for fighting in the Battle of Stalingrad, during which it became the first entire German field army to be completely destroyed...
, defending the approaches to Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. Arriving in early October, the 3./sPzAbt 503 under Leutnant Freiherr von Rosen, provided support for Otto Skorzeny
Otto Skorzeny
Otto Skorzeny was an SS-Obersturmbannführer in the German Waffen-SS during World War II. After fighting on the Eastern Front, he was chosen as the field commander to carry out the rescue mission that freed the deposed Italian dictator Benito Mussolini from captivity...
's Operation Panzerfaust
Operation Panzerfaust
Operation Panzerfaust, known as Unternehmen Eisenfaust in Germany, was a military operation to keep the Kingdom of Hungary at Germany's side in the war, conducted in October 1944 by the German military...
, the coup which replaced the Hungarian leader, Admiral Miklós Horthy
Miklós Horthy
Miklós Horthy de Nagybánya was the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary during the interwar years and throughout most of World War II, serving from 1 March 1920 to 15 October 1944. Horthy was styled "His Serene Highness the Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary" .Admiral Horthy was an officer of the...
, and resulted in the Hungarians remaining as Germany's allies until the end of the War. Six "King Tigers" of the 3rd company helped take the Buda Castle.
Immediately following the success of Panzerfaust, the company was returned to the detachment. The 503rd now played a major role in the Battle of Debrecen
Battle of Debrecen
The Battle of Debrecen, called by the Red Army the Debrecen Offensive Operation, was conducted by the 2nd Ukrainian Front on the Eastern Front of World War II...
. The detachment formed the vanguard of the 23.Panzer-Division's drive to sever Cavalry Mechanized Group
Cavalry Mechanized Group
A cavalry-mechanized group was a type of military formation used in the Red Army during World War II against Germany and Japan.- Organization :...
Pliyev's lines of communication, thus allowing the encirclement and eventual destruction of the Soviet force. During this period of action, the 503rd claimed 1,500 vehicles and 120 anti-tank guns destroyed.
In mid-November, a series of Soviet offensives pushed the Axis forces back towards Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. The 503rd was regularly acting in co-operation with the 60th Panzergrenadier Division Feldherrnhalle, providing a mobile reserve for the Armeegruppe, now commanded by General der Panzertruppen Hermann Balck
Hermann Balck
Hermann Balck was a career German army officer who served in both World War I and World War II, rising to the rank of General der Panzertruppe. He was a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds...
and so renamed Armeegruppe Balck. By mid-December, the Germans had been pushed back to Budapest, and the Soviets were probing the outskirts of the city. The 503rd, along with the Feldherrnhalle, having lost many of its Tigers to combat and to mechanical issues, was engaged in fighting off Soviet attacks on Budapest's government district.
On December 21, the 503rd, having lost virtually all of its armour, was renamed to schwere-Panzer-Abteilung Feldherrnhalle (abbreviated sPzAbt FHH) and officially attached to the 60.Panzergrenadier-Division Feldherrnhalle.
On 31 December, the Soviets completed the encirclement of Budapest and the siege of the city began. During the Battle of Budapest
Battle of Budapest
The Siege of Budapest centered on the Hungarian capital city of Budapest. It was fought towards the end of World War II in Europe, during the Soviet Budapest Offensive. The siege started when Budapest, defended by Hungarian and German troops, was first encircled on 29 December 1944 by the Red Army...
, the majority of the FHH along with roughly 45,000 German and Hungarian troops of the IX SS Mountain Corps were trapped. The remnants of the detachment saw heavy fighting during the final Soviet assaults to annihilate the trapped forces. The 503 Heavy Tank Battalion was part of several failed relief attempts called "Operation Konrad"
Record
The 503rd and the later Heavy Tank Battalion Feldherrnhalle is credited with the destruction of around 1,700 enemy tanks. The battalion lost 252 Tiger I, Tiger II and also some Panzer III. Of these, 123 (49%) were destroyed by their crews and 113 (45%) were destroyed by the enemy. The battalion had more tanks put out of actionMobility kill
A mobility kill in armoured warfare refers to a weapon or vehicle that is immobilized, or the act of immobilizing such a target. Typically this term is used to refer to tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles that have their engines, tracks, or running gear damaged...
outside combat than to enemy action. This was a common occurrence in German tank units as a result of the poor reliability of Tiger tanks and the fuel supply problems often suffered by the German army.
The 503rd maintained a kill ratio of 15:1 for combat losses, which was above average for German heavy tank battalions and the second highest for combat losses. It must be noted that the number of tanks claimed as destroyed by the 503rd will exceed the number which were actually destroyed, as a knocked out tank may be repaired, and two tanks firing on the same target may both claim the "kill," resulting in that target being counted twice, and some claims have simply been exaggerated. However, there are several examples where claims were found to be entirely accurate when enemy losses were counted, as when German troops held an area after a battle and were able to prevent Soviet forces from recovering their lost vehicles.
Commanders
- Oberstleutnant Post (? May 1942 - 28 Jan 1943)
- Oberstleutnant Erich Hoheisel (28 Jan 1943 - ? May 1943)
- Hauptmann Clemens-Heinrich Graf von KageneckClemens-Heinrich Graf von KageneckClemens-Heinrich Graf von Kageneck was a highly decorated Major in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded Panzer-Abteilung 503. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
(Jul 1943 - 30 Jan 1944) - Hauptmann Rolf Fromme (? Feb 1944 - ? Dec 1944)
- Hauptmann Nordwin von Diest-Körber (? Dec 1944 - ? Feb 1945)
Notable members
- Kurt KnispelKurt KnispelKurt Knispel was a Sudeten German Heer panzer loader, gunner and later commander, and was the highest scoring tank ace of World War II with a total of 168 confirmed tank kills; the actual number, although unconfirmed, may be as high as 195...
: credited with 168 tanks destroyed, leading "tank ace" of all time - Heinz Gärtner: credited with 103 tanks destroyed
- Heinz Rondorf: credited with 106 tanks destroyed
- Clemens-Heinrich Graf von KageneckClemens-Heinrich Graf von KageneckClemens-Heinrich Graf von Kageneck was a highly decorated Major in the Wehrmacht during World War II who commanded Panzer-Abteilung 503. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves...
: Knight's Cross of the Iron CrossKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossThe 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...
with Oak Leaves - Walter Scherf: Knights Cross of the Iron Cross
February 1943 - Kharkov
- Abteilung Stab Zug (3x Tiger I ausf E, 6x SdKfz 250SdKfz 250The Sd.Kfz. 250 was a light armoured halftrack, very similar in appearance to the larger Hanomag-designed Sd.Kfz. 251, and built by the DEMAG firm, for use by Nazi Germany in World War II....
) - 1./sPzAbt 503 (14x Tiger I ausf E)
- 2./sPzAbt 503 (14x Tiger I ausf E)
- 2./sPzAbt 502 (14x Tiger I ausf E)
July 1944 - Normandy
- Abteilung Stab Zug (3x Tiger I ausf E, 6x SdKfz 250SdKfz 250The Sd.Kfz. 250 was a light armoured halftrack, very similar in appearance to the larger Hanomag-designed Sd.Kfz. 251, and built by the DEMAG firm, for use by Nazi Germany in World War II....
) - 1./sPzAbt 503 (12x Tiger II ausf B, 2x Tiger I ausf E)
- 2./sPzAbt 503 (14x Tiger I ausf E)
- 3./sPzAbt 503 (14x Tiger I ausf E)
October 1944 - Debrecen
- Abteilung Stab Zug (3x Tiger II ausf B, 6x SdKfz 250SdKfz 250The Sd.Kfz. 250 was a light armoured halftrack, very similar in appearance to the larger Hanomag-designed Sd.Kfz. 251, and built by the DEMAG firm, for use by Nazi Germany in World War II....
) - 1./sPzAbt 503 (14x Tiger II ausf B)
- 2./sPzAbt 503 (14x Tiger II ausf B)
- 3./sPzAbt 503 (14x Tiger II ausf B)