Christian Tychsen's Tank at Kursk

[Dan Reinbold]

Hi Folks,

I hoping you guys can help me out - I am looking for the model and turret number for Christian Tychsen's tank as commander of II.Battalion 2.SS Pz-Regiment at Kursk. I am assuming that he used a Pz III Ausf. L or M but I am unsure of his turret number. The panzers of Das Reich had a bad habit of not following the typical numbering convention - and during Kursk it was especially confusing.

Thanks for the help.

Dan

[Roger Griffiths]

It is indeed confusing. Panzer Lage Ost credited DR with 10 Bef. all runners, as at 30 June 1943. I am not aware that the Gliederung for 1st July has survived. The Gliederung for 1st August shows Regt. Staff with 5 IIIL Bef and 2 IIIKz, II Abt. Staff 2 IIIL and 2 IIIKz and attached PJA Staff with 2 IIIL and 1 IIIKz. The Panzer Lage did not show any IIIKz so they may have been Bef which makes up the Bef numbers as long as there were no losses in July.

I have an unidentified pic. of a IIIL Ausf. M II5 in black outlines (Waffen Arsenal 122 Top P. 41) which might be DR.

Regards,

Roger

[Panzeralex]

Hi, all.
According Gep. Kfz. - Bestandmeldung Das Reich on July 1, 1943 had 10 Bef.Pz.:
1 Pz.Bef. I (Sd.Kfz. 265, chassis number 15036)
1 Pz.Bef. III (Sd.Kfz. 267, chassis number 68790)
8 Pz.Bef. III 5 cm Kwk/L42 (chassis number 70159, 73751, 73760, 73744, 73722, 73714, 73794, 73679).

Best regards,
Panzeralex

[Dan Reinbold]

Thanks guys...according to Restayn in "Operation Citadel" Das Reich had white outlined turret numbers so I don't think that unidentified picture would be a DR tank.

I managed to find a picture (Knights of Steel vol 1 - M. Yerger) of Tychsen in his command tank prior to Zitadelle (probably taken during Kharkov) and he has the turret number B11 - so I'm going to guess that he had the same turret number for Kursk (??)

What are your thoughts on this? I am also wondering if his command tank would have been fitted with schurzen prior to Kursk?

[Panzeralex]

You saw this photo earlier?
Probably it also is Christian Tychsen's tank.
I can be mistaken, but in my opinion, on schurzen of a turret on command tanks number has not been put., but though sometimes there were inscriptions, during operation Citadel.
Photo from Remy Spezzano Waffen-SS 1943 Kursk, vol.2.

Best regards,
Panzeralex

[AlifRafikKhan]

Who is the SS-Untersturmführer with Tychsen in the last pic? at the caption it said he's Tychsen's company commander...

[AlifRafikKhan]

According to this thread http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=93287 , Tychsen company commanders at the time of Kursk:

5./II.SS-Pz-Regiment 2
Commander - Untersturmführer Karl-Heinz Himme (Tank number 501 - PzIIIM)
Tanks: 26 PzIIIM

6./II.SS-Pz-Regiment 2
Commander - Untersturmführer Karl-Heinz Worthmann (Tank number 601 - PzIVG)
Tanks: 15 PzIVG (unsure as to totals - I have conflicting sources)

7./II.SS-Pz-Regiment 2
Commander - Untersturmführer Karl Kloskowski (Tank number 701 PzIIIM)
Tanks: 22 PzIIIM

8./II.SS-Pz-Regiment 2
Commander - (need commander) (Tank number 801 - PzIVF1)
Tanks: 15 PzIVG, F2 and F1 (unsure as to totals - I have conflicting sources)