Panzerlehrdivision
Encyclopedia
The Panzer-Lehr-Division, commonly known as Panzer Lehr, was a German armored division
during World War II, one of the most elite
units in the entire German Wehrmacht Heer. It was formed in 1943 from various units of elite training and demonstration troops (Lehr = "teach") stationed in Germany, to provide additional armored strength for resisting the anticipated Allied invasion of western Europe. Its great weakness was that it concentrated the cream of Germany's tank commanders/instructors in a single unit. Due to its elite status it was lavishly equipped in comparison to the ordinary Panzer division
s, though on several occasions it fought almost to destruction, in particular during Operation Cobra
.
Panzer Lehr is occasionally referred to as the 130 Panzer-Lehr-Division, since a number of its constituent units were numbered 130, and in most other Panzer divisions those units were numbered to match the division's number.
in November 1943 and moved to the Nancy–Verdun area in January 1944 to complete the process. It was formed from several elite training and demonstration units. Most of the division's original cadre was drawn from Panzertruppenschule I
and Panzertruppenschule II
, the Panzerwaffe
's major training units. These training and demonstration units were some of the most experienced and highly trained troops in the Panzerwaffe, with almost all having seen combat in the East, North Africa, Sicily or Italy and many having received decorations for bravery. As a result of this, Panzer Lehr was considered an elite unit from the time of its formation.
In early 1944 Panzer Lehr was transferred to Hungary for further training, and absorbed the 901st Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Regiment while there. It then returned to France to await the allied invasion as a part of the German Seventh Army
's armored reserve.
Panzer Lehr was probably the best equipped formation in the Panzerwaffe. Its panzer regiment was filled with the latest Panther
and Panzer IV
models available. Moreover, all four of the infantry battalions were fully mechanized (as opposed to a single one of the four in ordinary panzer divisions), as were the division's artillery and reconnaissance formations – the armored reconnaissance battalion having a company of the new Sd.Kfz 234/2 Puma armored cars. The division's panzer regiment also had the 316. Funklenk-Panzerkompanie ("316th Remote Control Panzer company") attached while in Normandy; this company was equipped with eight Tigers
, and five of the new Tiger II ausf B
s. The division's panzer regiment had a total complement of 237 tanks.
on June 6, 1944, Panzer Lehr, as a part of the strategic armored reserve, was held back from the fighting during the crucial first days. It was soon released, reached the front, and was committed to battle against the British and Canadians on June 8. It was placed in the front line adjacent to the 12th SS Hitlerjugend Division, where it defended Caen
and fought several British offensives to a standstill. The division was involved in the heavy fighting for Hill 112
near Caen.
On June 13 an attack by the British 7th Armoured Division
found a gap in the Panzer Lehr's defences and cut quickly through the lines, and the British vanguard, the 4th County of London Yeomanry, threatened to outflank Panzer Lehr. The actions of famous tank ace SS-Obersturmführer Michael Wittmann
near the town of Villers-Bocage
restored the integrity of the front line. For Wittmann's actions, divisional commander Generalleutnant Fritz Bayerlein
recommended Wittmann for the Swords to the Knight's Cross
and a promotion.
Like all German armored units engaged in Normandy, Panzer Lehr suffered very heavy losses from Allied air attacks. By the end of June the division's armored component was severely depleted. Despite this, it continued to hold against the British and Commonwealth forces, engaging in heavy fighting near the town of Tilly-sur-Seulles
.
During the June fighting around Caen, the division had suffered around 2,500 casualties and lost 102 tanks.
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On July 2 Panzer Lehr was ordered to pull out of Tilly-sur-Seules and head west to provide support to the divisions resisting the American advance near Saint-Lô
. The area around Saint-Lô is covered with a grid of ancient hedgerows known as bocage
. The bocage made it extremely difficult for armor to maneuver and provided superb defensive positions to the infantry on either side of the battle. Upon reaching this location the division found itself up against the U.S. 83rd Infantry Division
. After several holding battles, Panzer Lehr attacked towards Pont-Herbert, which it captured and held against several American counter-attacks.
On July 11 Panzer Lehr attacked towards the village of Le Desert
, deep in the bocage. An allied air attack halted the assault, destroying 20 tanks, and the division's remaining tanks withdrew over the Vire Canal to relative safety.
Over the next two weeks the division fought a defensive battle of attrition
against the numerically superior Allied forces. On July 19, Saint-Lô fell to the Americans. Six days later the Americans launched Operation Cobra
, their breakout from the Normandy lodgment. The operation was preceded by a massive aerial bombardment by over 2,000 allied bombers. Panzer Lehr was directly in the path of attack, and the division suffered heavily during this bombardment.
The seriously depleted Panzer Lehr could not hope to halt the 140,000 man assault, so on August 5, after a fighting withdrawal, it was ordered back to Alençon
for rest and refitting. A battle group dubbed Kampfgruppe
von Hauser was formed from the remaining battle-ready men and tanks, and this unit remained in combat. Later, when Kampfgruppe Hauser pulled back towards Fontainebleau
to rest and refit, division commander Bayerlein ordered the rest of the division to follow.
Within 7 months of its formation, the division was reduced to a combat-ineffective unit with only 20 remaining tanks. After spending a month refitting in the Saar, the division was moved to Paderborn
.
's Fifth Panzer Army
, part of Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt
's Army Group G
in preparation for the planned winter offensive, Operation Wacht am Rhein, commonly known as the Battle of the Bulge
. On November 21 the fully rested and refitted Panzer Lehr was ordered out of its assembly area to counterattack the American forces driving towards the Saverne
Gap. The counterattack stalled out, and Panzer Lehr was called back out of the line, much reduced in strength.
The time spent refitting Panzer Lehr and several other units which had been committed prematurely meant that the operation had to be delayed. During the run up to the offensive Panzer Lehr was kept in reserve, along with the Führer Begleit Brigade
. On December 15, the day before the offensive began, Panzer Lehr was still severely understrength, with only one of its two tank battalions ready for action. In compensation it was reinforced by two tank destroyer
battalions and an assault gun
brigade. The division's armored reconnaissance battalion was its only organic unit up to full strength.
Wacht am Rhein opened on December 16, 1944, and Panzer Lehr moved out from the start positions in the center of the German line. The 26th Volksgrenadier Division
was to clear the way for the division, but they soon became bogged down and the Panzer Lehr found itself moving forward at a crawl. The situation worsened over the next two days, with the 901st Panzergrenadier Regiment being halted by the Americans along the road to Wiltz
, and the 902nd encountering heavy resistance in the town of Hosingen
.
. Panzer Lehr's armored reconnaissance battalion raced ahead, attacking towards Wiltz before rejoining the division on the route to Bastogne. The horse-drawn 26th Volksgrenadier had gotten itself mixed up in Panzer Lehr's column, greatly slowing the advance.
On the 19th the division's panzer regiments ran into a roadblock near Neffe, held by troops of Combat Team Cherry of the U.S. 9th Armored Division
. After initial success Panzer Lehr's follow up attack resulted in heavy casualties. Combat Team Cherry pulled out, and the way to Bastogne was open again. However, the majority of the division's armor had been sent north to Margaret
to support 26th Volksgrenadier, so Panzer Lehr could not advance at the speed necessary to take the town before American reinforcements arrived to secure it. By the time the division reached the town, the US 101st Airborne Division
(Screaming Eagles) had already secured it. Panzer Lehr was then divided, with half the division left to help 26th Volksgrenadier Division capture Bastogne, while the rest of the division, including most of its armor, were to continue on to the Meuse
.
Over the next few days the Kampfgruppe helping 26th Volksgrenadier, made up of mostly the 901st Panzergrenadier Regiment, wore itself out in successive attacks on the town of Bastogne.
As the remainder of the division sped east it enjoyed some minor successes, including the capture of a large American convoy, but it was brought to a halt by fierce resistance near St. Hubert, and was soon drawn into heavy fighting south of Bastogne. On the 21st, Manteuffel pulled Panzer Lehr out of the fight for Bastogne and grouped it with the 2nd Panzer Division
and 116th Panzer Division Windhund for an assault on Dinant
and the Meuse.
and the Meuse again seemed open. On the approach to Rochefort
, the next town on the road to Dinant, Bayerlein, who was leading his division's vanguard in person, shouted to his men -
The assaulting unit, the 902nd Panzergrenadier Regiment, was met by a wall of fire. Nor was the advance to become any easier thereafter. On December 23, the division fought all day to reduce the town of Rochefort, suffering heavy casualties. The Americans finally withdrew – their only casualties 25 men killed and 15 men wounded, after holding off an elite panzer division for a whole day.
Bayerlein later compared the defence of Rochefort to that of Bastogne. The road was again clear and Panzer Lehr resumed its advance to Dinant, but slammed into Combat Command
A of the US 2nd Armored Division near Buissonville. On Christmas Day 1944, on the plain beside the river Meuse, Manteuffel's three panzer divisions, together with the 9th Panzer Division
from XLVII Corps, engaged the US VII Corps. The cloud cover had disappeared and allied air power came into play, bringing the panzer divisions to a virtual standstill. Panzer Lehr attempted several attacks, but all were halted by the overwhelming Allied air support.
Things did not go well for Manteuffel. A Kampfgruppe from 2nd Panzer, which had advanced far ahead of the main force, was cut off and out of radio contact. His divisions were forced to move only at night to avoid annihilation from the circling fighter-bomber
s. The majority of 2nd Panzer's armor, under Major von Cochenhausen, had become surrounded near the town of Celles
. On December 26 Panzer Lehr made two attempts to relieve them, but was turned back by the Allied fighter bombers. After another failed rescue effort by 9th Panzer, Panzer Lehr was ordered to fall back. Of the 2nd Panzer Kampfgruppe, only Cochenhausen and 600 or so of his men managed to escape on foot, abandoning almost all of the division's armor to the advancing Allies. The Meuse would not be reached; Wacht Am Rhein had failed.
The division was moved north, into the Rhineland, where it was engaged fighting Bernard Montgomery's Anglo-Canadian 21st Army Group during Operation Veritable
. Panzer Lehr saw very heavy fighting, and again sustained heavy losses. When the U.S. 9th Armored Division
captured the Ludendorff Bridge
at Remagen
, Panzer Lehr was sent to crush the bridgehead. The attack was unsuccessful, though the division fought well and inflicted many casualties. The Allies' overwhelming numbers and constant air cover had reduced Panzer Lehr to a weak shadow of a division. Engaged in a fighting retreat across northwestern Germany, the division was trapped in the Ruhr Pocket
and the remnants of the once powerful division were taken prisoner by the Americans when the pocket surrendered in April.
The 316th Radio Control Panzer Company (316.Panzerkompanie (Funklenk)) was equipped with a mix of Tiger I
and Tiger II
heavy tanks, plus remote-controlled demolition vehicles which could be operated from the Tigers. There is some dispute as to how many (if any) were actually in service during the Normandy Campaign. (See "BIV Demolition Units" and "Tiger Battalions!" in the references.)
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
during World War II, one of the most elite
Elite
Elite refers to an exceptional or privileged group that wields considerable power within its sphere of influence...
units in the entire German Wehrmacht Heer. It was formed in 1943 from various units of elite training and demonstration troops (Lehr = "teach") stationed in Germany, to provide additional armored strength for resisting the anticipated Allied invasion of western Europe. Its great weakness was that it concentrated the cream of Germany's tank commanders/instructors in a single unit. Due to its elite status it was lavishly equipped in comparison to the ordinary Panzer division
Panzer Division
A panzer division was an armored division in the army and air force branches of the Wehrmacht as well as the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II....
s, though on several occasions it fought almost to destruction, in particular during Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra was the codename for an offensive launched by the First United States Army seven weeks after the D-Day landings, during the Normandy Campaign of World War II...
.
Panzer Lehr is occasionally referred to as the 130 Panzer-Lehr-Division, since a number of its constituent units were numbered 130, and in most other Panzer divisions those units were numbered to match the division's number.
Lineage and formation
Panzer Lehr began forming at PotsdamPotsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
in November 1943 and moved to the Nancy–Verdun area in January 1944 to complete the process. It was formed from several elite training and demonstration units. Most of the division's original cadre was drawn from Panzertruppenschule I
Panzertruppenschule I
Panzertruppenschule I was the first of two major schools set up by the German Panzerwaffe in World War II to train German armour officers to operate Panzers...
and Panzertruppenschule II
Panzertruppenschule II
Panzertruppenschule II was the second of two major schools set up by the German Panzerwaffe in World War II to train German armour officers to operate Panzers...
, the Panzerwaffe
Panzerwaffe
Panzerwaffe refers to a command within the Heer of the German Wehrmacht, responsible for the affairs of panzer and motorized forces shortly before and during the Second World War...
's major training units. These training and demonstration units were some of the most experienced and highly trained troops in the Panzerwaffe, with almost all having seen combat in the East, North Africa, Sicily or Italy and many having received decorations for bravery. As a result of this, Panzer Lehr was considered an elite unit from the time of its formation.
In early 1944 Panzer Lehr was transferred to Hungary for further training, and absorbed the 901st Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Regiment while there. It then returned to France to await the allied invasion as a part of the German Seventh Army
German Seventh Army
The 7th Army was a World War I and World War II field army of the German land forces.-Origins:The 7th Army was activated in Stuttgart on August 25, 1939 with General Friedrich Dollmann in command. At the outbreak of the war, the 7th Army defended the German border and manned the Westwall in the...
's armored reserve.
Panzer Lehr was probably the best equipped formation in the Panzerwaffe. Its panzer regiment was filled with the latest 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...
and Panzer IV
Panzer IV
The Panzerkampfwagen IV , commonly known as the Panzer IV, was a medium tank developed in Nazi Germany in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz...
models available. Moreover, all four of the infantry battalions were fully mechanized (as opposed to a single one of the four in ordinary panzer divisions), as were the division's artillery and reconnaissance formations – the armored reconnaissance battalion having a company of the new Sd.Kfz 234/2 Puma armored cars. The division's panzer regiment also had the 316. Funklenk-Panzerkompanie ("316th Remote Control Panzer company") attached while in Normandy; this company was equipped with eight Tigers
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...
, and five of the new Tiger II ausf B
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. The division's panzer regiment had a total complement of 237 tanks.
Units
- Panzer-Lehr-Regiment 130
- Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Regiment 901
- Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Regiment 902
- Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 130
- Feldersatz-Bataillon 130
- Panzeraufklärungs-Lehr-Abteilung 130
- Heeres-Flak-Artillerie-Abteilung 311
- Panzerjäger-Abteilung 130
- Panzer-Lehr-Pionier-Bataillon 130
- Panzernachrichten-Abteilung 130
- Panzer-Versorgungstruppen 130
The Caen battles
When the Western Allies launched Operation OverlordOperation 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, Panzer Lehr, as a part of the strategic armored reserve, was held back from the fighting during the crucial first days. It was soon released, reached the front, and was committed to battle against the British and Canadians on June 8. It was placed in the front line adjacent to the 12th SS Hitlerjugend Division, where it defended 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....
and fought several British offensives to a standstill. The division was involved in the heavy fighting for Hill 112
Hill 112
Operation Jupiter was an attack launched by the British Second Army's VIII Corps on 10 July 1944. The objective of the attack was to capture the villages of Baron-sur-Odon, Fontaine-Étoupefour, Chateau de Fontaine and recapture Hill 112. Following the capture of these objectives the Corps would...
near Caen.
On June 13 an attack by the British 7th Armoured Division
British 7th Armoured Division
The 7th Armoured Division was a British armoured division which saw service during the Second World War where its exploits made it famous as the Desert Rats....
found a gap in the Panzer Lehr's defences and cut quickly through the lines, and the British vanguard, the 4th County of London Yeomanry, threatened to outflank Panzer Lehr. The actions of famous tank ace SS-Obersturmführer Michael Wittmann
Michael Wittmann
Michael Wittmann was a German Waffen-SS tank commander during the Second World War. Wittmann would rise to the rank of SS-Hauptsturmführer and was a Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross holder....
near the town of Villers-Bocage
Battle of Villers-Bocage
The Battle of Villers-Bocage took place during the Second World War on 13 June 1944, one week after the Allies landed in Normandy to begin the liberation of German-occupied France. The battle was the result of a British attempt to improve their position by exploiting a temporary vulnerability in...
restored the integrity of the front line. For Wittmann's actions, divisional commander Generalleutnant Fritz Bayerlein
Fritz Bayerlein
Fritz Bayerlein was a German panzer general during the Second World War.Fritz Bayerlein was born in Würzburg, Franconia, Germany. During the First World War, Bayerlein was drafted into the 9th Bavarian Infantry in 1917 and fought on the Western front. He was wounded and received an Iron Cross when...
recommended Wittmann for the Swords to the Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross
Knight's Cross refers to a distinguishing grade or level of various orders that denotes bravery and leadership on the battlefield....
and a promotion.
Like all German armored units engaged in Normandy, Panzer Lehr suffered very heavy losses from Allied air attacks. By the end of June the division's armored component was severely depleted. Despite this, it continued to hold against the British and Commonwealth forces, engaging in heavy fighting near the town of Tilly-sur-Seulles
Tilly-sur-Seulles
-External links:*...
.
During the June fighting around Caen, the division had suffered around 2,500 casualties and lost 102 tanks.
The Saint-Lô battles
Saint-Lô
Saint-Lô is a commune in north-western France, the capital of the Manche department in Normandy.-History:Originally called Briovère , the town is built on and around ramparts. Originally it was a Gaul fortified settlement...
. The area around Saint-Lô is covered with a grid of ancient hedgerows known as bocage
Bocage
Bocage is a Norman word which has entered both the French and English languages. It may refer to a small forest, a decorative element of leaves, a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture, or a type of rubble-work, comparable with the English use of 'rustic' in relation to garden...
. The bocage made it extremely difficult for armor to maneuver and provided superb defensive positions to the infantry on either side of the battle. Upon reaching this location the division found itself up against the U.S. 83rd Infantry Division
U.S. 83rd Infantry Division
The 83rd Infantry Division was a formation of the United States Army in World War I and World War II.-World War I:The division was activated in September 1917, and went overseas in June 1918. It was designated a depot division. Thus it supplied over 195,000 officers and enlisted men as...
. After several holding battles, Panzer Lehr attacked towards Pont-Herbert, which it captured and held against several American counter-attacks.
On July 11 Panzer Lehr attacked towards the village of Le Desert
Le Désert
-References:*...
, deep in the bocage. An allied air attack halted the assault, destroying 20 tanks, and the division's remaining tanks withdrew over the Vire Canal to relative safety.
Over the next two weeks the division fought a defensive battle of attrition
Attrition warfare
Attrition warfare is a military strategy in which a belligerent side attempts to win a war by wearing down its enemy to the point of collapse through continuous losses in personnel and matériel....
against the numerically superior Allied forces. On July 19, Saint-Lô fell to the Americans. Six days later the Americans launched Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra
Operation Cobra was the codename for an offensive launched by the First United States Army seven weeks after the D-Day landings, during the Normandy Campaign of World War II...
, their breakout from the Normandy lodgment. The operation was preceded by a massive aerial bombardment by over 2,000 allied bombers. Panzer Lehr was directly in the path of attack, and the division suffered heavily during this bombardment.
The seriously depleted Panzer Lehr could not hope to halt the 140,000 man assault, so on August 5, after a fighting withdrawal, it was ordered back to Alençon
Alençon
Alençon is a commune in Normandy, France, capital of the Orne department. It is situated west of Paris. Alençon belongs to the intercommunality of Alençon .-History:...
for rest and refitting. A battle group dubbed Kampfgruppe
Kampfgruppe
In military history and military slang, the German term Kampfgruppe can refer to a combat formation of any kind, but most usually to that employed by the German Wehrmacht and its allies during World War II and, to a lesser extent, in World War I...
von Hauser was formed from the remaining battle-ready men and tanks, and this unit remained in combat. Later, when Kampfgruppe Hauser pulled back towards Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
to rest and refit, division commander Bayerlein ordered the rest of the division to follow.
Within 7 months of its formation, the division was reduced to a combat-ineffective unit with only 20 remaining tanks. After spending a month refitting in the Saar, the division was moved to Paderborn
Paderborn
Paderborn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader, which originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried.-History:...
.
Operation Wacht am Rhein
In Early November Panzer Lehr was transferred to Hasso von ManteuffelHasso von Manteuffel
Hasso-Eccard Freiherr von Manteuffel was a German soldier and liberal politician of the 20th century.He served in both world wars, and during World War II was a distinguished general...
's Fifth Panzer Army
German Fifth Panzer Army
The 5th Panzer Army, also known as Panzer Group West and Panzer Group Eberbach was a panzer army which saw action in the Western front and North Africa...
, part of Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt
Gerd von Rundstedt
Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt was a Generalfeldmarschall of the German Army during World War II. He held some of the highest field commands in all phases of the war....
's Army Group G
Army Group G
The German Army Group G fought on the Western Front of World War II and was a component of OB West.When the Allied invasion of Southern France took place, Army Group G had eleven divisions with which to hold France south of the Loire...
in preparation for the planned winter offensive, Operation Wacht am Rhein, commonly known as the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. On November 21 the fully rested and refitted Panzer Lehr was ordered out of its assembly area to counterattack the American forces driving towards the Saverne
Saverne
Saverne is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France. It is situated on the Rhine-Marne canal at the foot of a pass over the Vosges Mountains, and 45 km N.W...
Gap. The counterattack stalled out, and Panzer Lehr was called back out of the line, much reduced in strength.
The time spent refitting Panzer Lehr and several other units which had been committed prematurely meant that the operation had to be delayed. During the run up to the offensive Panzer Lehr was kept in reserve, along with the Führer Begleit Brigade
Führer Begleit Brigade
The Führerbegleitbrigade was a German armoured brigade and later armoured division , in World War II...
. On December 15, the day before the offensive began, Panzer Lehr was still severely understrength, with only one of its two tank battalions ready for action. In compensation it was reinforced by two tank destroyer
Tank destroyer
A tank destroyer is a type of armored fighting vehicle armed with a gun or missile launcher, and is designed specifically to engage enemy armored vehicles...
battalions and an assault gun
Assault gun
An assault gun is a gun or howitzer mounted on a motor vehicle or armored chassis, designed for use in the direct fire role in support of infantry when attacking other infantry or fortified positions....
brigade. The division's armored reconnaissance battalion was its only organic unit up to full strength.
Wacht am Rhein opened on December 16, 1944, and Panzer Lehr moved out from the start positions in the center of the German line. The 26th Volksgrenadier Division
26th Infantry Division (Germany)
The 26th Infantry Division was a pre-Second World war German Infantry Division of the 1st mobilisation wave . It was mobilised for World War II on September 26, 1939, disbanded September 10, 1944 near Radom, reformed as the 26th Volksgrenadier Division The 26th Infantry Division (26....
was to clear the way for the division, but they soon became bogged down and the Panzer Lehr found itself moving forward at a crawl. The situation worsened over the next two days, with the 901st Panzergrenadier Regiment being halted by the Americans along the road to Wiltz
Wiltz
Wiltz is a commune with city status in north-western Luxembourg, capital of the canton Wiltz. Wiltz is situated on the banks of the river Wiltz. It was also a battleground in the Battle of the Bulge, near the end of World War II...
, and the 902nd encountering heavy resistance in the town of Hosingen
Hosingen
Hosingen is a commune and small town in northern Luxembourg. Near Hosingen there is a transmitter for FM and TV of RTL., the town of Hosingen, which lies in the south of the commune, has a population of 761. Other towns within the commune include Bockholtz, Dorscheid, Neidhausen, Rodershausen,...
.
Bastogne
On December 18, the assault got back underway. The 26th Volksgrenadier Division had secured the bridge over the Clerf River, opening the way to the road and rail-hub of BastogneBastogne
Bastogne Luxembourgish: Baaschtnech) is a Walloon municipality of Belgium located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes. The municipality of Bastogne includes the old communes of Longvilly, Noville, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardin...
. Panzer Lehr's armored reconnaissance battalion raced ahead, attacking towards Wiltz before rejoining the division on the route to Bastogne. The horse-drawn 26th Volksgrenadier had gotten itself mixed up in Panzer Lehr's column, greatly slowing the advance.
On the 19th the division's panzer regiments ran into a roadblock near Neffe, held by troops of Combat Team Cherry of the U.S. 9th Armored Division
U.S. 9th Armored Division
The 9th Armored Division was an armored division of the United States Army in World War II. In honor of their World War II service, the 9th was officially nicknamed the "Phantom Division."-History:...
. After initial success Panzer Lehr's follow up attack resulted in heavy casualties. Combat Team Cherry pulled out, and the way to Bastogne was open again. However, the majority of the division's armor had been sent north to Margaret
Margaret
-Places:* Margaret , a moon of Uranus* Margaret, Alabama, USA* Margaret River, Western Australia* Margaret Island, Budapest, Hungary* Margaret Bridge, Budapest, Hungary* Isla Margarita, Venezuela* Margarita Island * Marghita, Romania...
to support 26th Volksgrenadier, so Panzer Lehr could not advance at the speed necessary to take the town before American reinforcements arrived to secure it. By the time the division reached the town, the US 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
(Screaming Eagles) had already secured it. Panzer Lehr was then divided, with half the division left to help 26th Volksgrenadier Division capture Bastogne, while the rest of the division, including most of its armor, were to continue on to the Meuse
Meuse
Meuse is a department in northeast France, named after the River Meuse.-History:Meuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
.
Over the next few days the Kampfgruppe helping 26th Volksgrenadier, made up of mostly the 901st Panzergrenadier Regiment, wore itself out in successive attacks on the town of Bastogne.
As the remainder of the division sped east it enjoyed some minor successes, including the capture of a large American convoy, but it was brought to a halt by fierce resistance near St. Hubert, and was soon drawn into heavy fighting south of Bastogne. On the 21st, Manteuffel pulled Panzer Lehr out of the fight for Bastogne and grouped it with the 2nd Panzer Division
German 2nd Panzer Division
The 2nd Panzer Division was created in 1935, and stationed in Austria after the Anschluss. It participated in the campaigns in Poland and France , and then returned to Poland for occupation duties . It took part in the Balkans campaign and then transferred to the Russian Front in September 1941...
and 116th Panzer Division Windhund for an assault on Dinant
Dinant
Dinant is a Walloon city and municipality located on the River Meuse in the Belgian province of Namur, Belgium. The Dinant municipality includes the old communes of Anseremme, Bouvignes-sur-Meuse, Dréhance, Falmagne, Falmignoul, Foy-Notre-Dame, Furfooz, Lisogne, Sorinnes, and Thynes.-Origins to...
and the Meuse.
Assault on Dinant
After a day spent on reorganising the attack, Panzer Lehr finally got underway. It fought its way through St. Hubert, and the road to DinantDinant
Dinant is a Walloon city and municipality located on the River Meuse in the Belgian province of Namur, Belgium. The Dinant municipality includes the old communes of Anseremme, Bouvignes-sur-Meuse, Dréhance, Falmagne, Falmignoul, Foy-Notre-Dame, Furfooz, Lisogne, Sorinnes, and Thynes.-Origins to...
and the Meuse again seemed open. On the approach to Rochefort
Rochefort, Belgium
Rochefort is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur close to the Ardennes. On January 1, 2006 Rochefort had a total population of 12,038. The total area is 165.27 km² which gives a population density of 73 inhabitants per km²...
, the next town on the road to Dinant, Bayerlein, who was leading his division's vanguard in person, shouted to his men -
- Also los, Augen zu, und hinein! ("OK, let's go! Shut your eyes and go in!")
The assaulting unit, the 902nd Panzergrenadier Regiment, was met by a wall of fire. Nor was the advance to become any easier thereafter. On December 23, the division fought all day to reduce the town of Rochefort, suffering heavy casualties. The Americans finally withdrew – their only casualties 25 men killed and 15 men wounded, after holding off an elite panzer division for a whole day.
Bayerlein later compared the defence of Rochefort to that of Bastogne. The road was again clear and Panzer Lehr resumed its advance to Dinant, but slammed into Combat Command
Combat command
A Combat Command was a combined-arms military organization of comparable size to a brigade or regiment employed by armored forces of the U.S. Army from 1942 until 1963...
A of the US 2nd Armored Division near Buissonville. On Christmas Day 1944, on the plain beside the river Meuse, Manteuffel's three panzer divisions, together with the 9th Panzer Division
German 9th Panzer Division
The 9th Panzer Division was a panzer division of the Wehrmacht Heer. The division was only active during World War II, and came into existence after 4th Light Division was reorganized in January 1940...
from XLVII Corps, engaged the US VII Corps. The cloud cover had disappeared and allied air power came into play, bringing the panzer divisions to a virtual standstill. Panzer Lehr attempted several attacks, but all were halted by the overwhelming Allied air support.
Things did not go well for Manteuffel. A Kampfgruppe from 2nd Panzer, which had advanced far ahead of the main force, was cut off and out of radio contact. His divisions were forced to move only at night to avoid annihilation from the circling fighter-bomber
Fighter-bomber
A fighter-bomber is a fixed-wing aircraft with an intended primary role of light tactical bombing and also incorporating certain performance characteristics of a fighter aircraft. This term, although still used, has less significance since the introduction of rockets and guided missiles into aerial...
s. The majority of 2nd Panzer's armor, under Major von Cochenhausen, had become surrounded near the town of Celles
Celles
Celles is the name of several places*In Belgium:**Celles, Hainaut is a municipality located in the province of Hainaut.**Celles, Houyet is a village in the municipality of Houyet, province of Namur...
. On December 26 Panzer Lehr made two attempts to relieve them, but was turned back by the Allied fighter bombers. After another failed rescue effort by 9th Panzer, Panzer Lehr was ordered to fall back. Of the 2nd Panzer Kampfgruppe, only Cochenhausen and 600 or so of his men managed to escape on foot, abandoning almost all of the division's armor to the advancing Allies. The Meuse would not be reached; Wacht Am Rhein had failed.
Relief of Bastogne
The remnants of Manteuffel's strike force were pulled back for one final attempt to take Bastogne. As Panzer Lehr began to move into its new positions the US 4th Armored Division , the spearhead of George Patton's US Third Army, began its attack to relieve Bastogne – right through Panzer Lehr's designated positions. The few forward posts of the division were easily swept aside, and a corridor to the surrounded 101st Airborne was created. Panzer Lehr was then involved in the unsuccessful operations to close the corridor, and finally the exhausted division was pulled out of the battle. Panzer Lehr had once again been virtually annihilated.The Netherlands - Remagen - Ruhr Pocket
After the failure of the Ardennes offensive, Panzer Lehr was refitted once again, though not to anywhere near the lavish standard of its earlier incarnations. Many of the veterans were dead, and the Panzer Lehr of early 1945 bore little resemblance to that of June 1944.The division was moved north, into the Rhineland, where it was engaged fighting Bernard Montgomery's Anglo-Canadian 21st Army Group during Operation Veritable
Operation Veritable
Operation Veritable was a Second World War pincer movement conducted by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery's 21st Army Group to clear and occupy the land between the Rhine and Maas rivers. It took place between 8 February and 11 March 1945. It was a part of General Dwight Eisenhower's "broad front"...
. Panzer Lehr saw very heavy fighting, and again sustained heavy losses. When the U.S. 9th Armored Division
U.S. 9th Armored Division
The 9th Armored Division was an armored division of the United States Army in World War II. In honor of their World War II service, the 9th was officially nicknamed the "Phantom Division."-History:...
captured the Ludendorff Bridge
Ludendorff Bridge
The Ludendorff Bridge was a railway bridge across the River Rhine in Germany, connecting the villages of Remagen and Erpel between two ridge lines of hills flanking the river...
at Remagen
Remagen
Remagen is a town in Germany in Rhineland-Palatinate, in the district of Ahrweiler. It is about a one hour drive from Cologne , just south of Bonn, the former West German capital. It is situated on the River Rhine. There is a ferry across the Rhine from Remagen every 10–15 minutes in the summer...
, Panzer Lehr was sent to crush the bridgehead. The attack was unsuccessful, though the division fought well and inflicted many casualties. The Allies' overwhelming numbers and constant air cover had reduced Panzer Lehr to a weak shadow of a division. Engaged in a fighting retreat across northwestern Germany, the division was trapped in the Ruhr Pocket
Ruhr Pocket
The Ruhr Pocket was a battle of encirclement that took place in late March and early April 1945, near the end of World War II, in the Ruhr Area of Germany. For all intents and purposes, it marked the end of major organized resistance on Nazi Germany's Western Front, as more than 300,000 troops were...
and the remnants of the once powerful division were taken prisoner by the Americans when the pocket surrendered in April.
The 316th Radio Control Panzer Company (316.Panzerkompanie (Funklenk)) was equipped with a mix of 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...
and 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...
heavy tanks, plus remote-controlled demolition vehicles which could be operated from the Tigers. There is some dispute as to how many (if any) were actually in service during the Normandy Campaign. (See "BIV Demolition Units" and "Tiger Battalions!" in the references.)
Commanders
- Generalleutnant Fritz BayerleinFritz BayerleinFritz Bayerlein was a German panzer general during the Second World War.Fritz Bayerlein was born in Würzburg, Franconia, Germany. During the First World War, Bayerlein was drafted into the 9th Bavarian Infantry in 1917 and fought on the Western front. He was wounded and received an Iron Cross when...
(10 January 1944 - 7 June 1944) - Generalmajor Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und CamminetzHyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und CamminetzHyazinth Graf Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz was a German Army officer. Strachwitz saw action in World War I, but rose to fame for his command of armored forces in World War II.-Early life:...
(8 June 1944 – 23 August 1944) - Oberst Rudolph Gerhardt (24 August 1944 - 8 September 1944)
- Oberst Paul Freiherr von HauserPaul Freiherr von HauserPaul Freiherr von Hauser was a highly decorated Oberst in the Wehrmacht during World War II. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery...
(September 1944) - Generalleutnant Fritz BayerleinFritz BayerleinFritz Bayerlein was a German panzer general during the Second World War.Fritz Bayerlein was born in Würzburg, Franconia, Germany. During the First World War, Bayerlein was drafted into the 9th Bavarian Infantry in 1917 and fought on the Western front. He was wounded and received an Iron Cross when...
(September 1944 - 1 January 1945) - Generalmajor Horst NiemackHorst NiemackHorst Niemack was a German general in the infantry, serving during World War II and in the Bundeswehr. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords...
(2 January 1945 - April 3, 1945) - Oberst Paul FrHr. von Hauser (April 4, 1945- April 15, 1945)
See also
- PanzerPanzerA 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 :...
, Panzer DivisionPanzer DivisionA panzer division was an armored division in the army and air force branches of the Wehrmacht as well as the Waffen-SS of Nazi Germany during World War II.... - Division (military)Division (military)A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
, Military unit - HeerGerman ArmyThe German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
, WehrmachtWehrmachtThe Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
, List of German divisions in World War II