"Das Reich"-organisation during Citadel?

[PATRICK CHARRON]

Hello,

If you are interested about 8 s. Kie I recommand warmly the book TIGER by Cazenave and Warnick a lot of pics.

http://www.amazon.com/TIGER-Eastern-Nor ... =1-1-fkmr2

I don't have the one of Schneider and so cannot compare!

Regards
Patrick

[EugE]

Thanks! I have Schneider books and few Tiger pictures. I mean 8th pz. company during Kursk battle, in that time it wasn't "Tiger" company. The "Tiger" became S(Schwere) company. Read early messages please.

[PATRICK CHARRON]

Hi,

You are right, I meant Tiger Kie and I don't know what did 8 Kie during Citadelle.

Nevertheless, I know Hstuf Hans Burfeind was Komp Fhr 8 Kie and awarded GCiG on September 8,1943

Regards
Patrick

[EugE]

I found that Dan Reinbold gave the description of SS-PzRgt DR during Citadelle here:
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=93287
with 8th tank company in the that time. In August the personnel from 10th tank coy were transfered to the 8th. SS Hauptscharfuehrer Emil Seibold served in III/ SS - Pz.Rgt"Das Reich" from July to August 1943 the fight on trophy T-34 and on the German data has gained during this period of 23 victories. After dissolving of III/ SS - Pz.Rgt"Das Reich" (at the beginning of August 1943) he joined to 8th tank coy, that was equipped by Pz IV.

[Ponomarenko]

Hello again Pena V

While searching for something else I found this in Mark Yerger's GCiG Volume 2 Addendum (Page 341): "Nikolaus Heilmann signed a report as 1. Gen. Stb. Offz. i.V. on July 9, 1943 so he assumed the post briefly between Maier and Sommer."

Yes, I found this doc. But I also found another doc, dated 31.7.43 and signed Maier as Division Ia (T-354, Roll-605, f 945). I think Heilmann temporary replaced Maier during Citadel (becouse Maier was ill), but after Maier returned to this post. Qestion - when he was replaced by Sommer?

Regards,

Roman

[EugE]

who can specify month? summer 1943

[EugE]

Need help! For me is not so clear where was DR heavy tank company on the beginning of August 1943?

By W. Schneider "Tigers in Combat II"

1 August 1943:Two tanks-(Tiger S02 of SS-Oberscharfгhrer Hellwigand Tiger S24 of
SS-Obersturmfгhrer Tensfeld)-attack Hill 202. Tiger S02 is immobilized after being hit
by an antitank gun;ashort while later, the other tankis also hit and immobilized. Three
operational Tigers assemble for an attack on Hill 203.4. Further advance to the
Olchowtschik River Sector;seizure of Fedorowka.
2 August 1943: Enemy resistance is broken; the previous Mius fighting positions are
taken in conjunction with SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Division "Totenkopf."Relief-in-place and
assemblyin the area of Charzyssk.
4 August 1943: Entrainment and transport to the west. Detrainment in Jassinowataija(Railroad station near Stalino/Donetsk).

If I correctly understand one part of the company was directed to Kharkov, and another part still remained near Stalino(Donetsk) till August, 14th?

Julius Hinrichsen memories:
"3 18-tonner Zugmaschinen warten unten, werden vorgespannt und ab geht’s in die Werkstatt. Die Werk lag noch in Makejewka. Wir wohnten bei einer Familie Caesar. Diese waren 1928 aus Oderberg Schlesien gekommen. Der Angriff auf den Brückenkopf war in 4 Tagen bereinigt. Alles wieder in Makejewka. Es hieß dann, wir kommen nach Österreich. Denkste, wir wurden dann am 14. August in Jassinowataija verladen. Wir rollten. Einen Tag später in Lubotin ausladen. Also wieder bei Charkow." - He does not mention about heroism of Tensfeld and fights at Kharkov a part of his company, strangely why?

W. Schneider "Tigers in Combat II"
8 August 1943: A single Tiger(Tensfeld) stops anenemy armor attack with seventeen T-34s,knocking out ten of them.

August 7 at 18:10 By the Telephone order "5 "Tigers" of the 503 s.Pz.Abt (which were in Peresechnaja) subordinated to the "DR". - T312, Roll 54, KTB № 2 AOK 8 Ia vom 01.08.1943 - 31.08.1943 Band 2. frame 7569830.
From book "The Combat History of German Tiger Tank Batallion 503 in World War II": "Battle Group Weinert reached its area of operations at Maximovka - about twenty five km. north west of Kharkov."

Probably the confusion begins here? I mean that the Tigers of 503 s.PzAbt were calculated as DR? In Weidinger's book "Komrads to ende" has not word about Divisions "Tigers" or Panzers.
T312, Roll 54, KTB № 2 AOK 8 Ia vom 01.08.1943 - 31.08.1943 Band 2. frame 7569815 Meldung Kdr und Ia SS "Reich" bei O.B - Div Kdr. SS "Reich" erlautert kurz zustand der Division. Div hat 40 Panzers(Eintreffen erst 10.8) Div has 40 tanks (arrival only 10.8)

By Nipe:
"By 8 August, Das Reich had assembled more of its force with the exception of some divisional armor, just in time to face attacks along its front by armor of 31st Tank Corps. At 0300 hours, attacks on Zapovka and a fortified hill, Hill 213.7, were turned back by SS grenadiers and assault guns. Nearby, at Hill 207.5, five Russian tanks and infantry broke through the SS positions, only to be stopped by antitank guns of the division, which destroyed three of the tanks. Shortly afterward, near the village of Maximovka, 600 to 700 Soviet infantry, with several tanks, attacked Das Reich positions without success. Hill 213.5 was assaulted again at 1030 hours, this time by considerable armor along with Russian infantry. The attack was turned back after the loss of seven T-34s, one T-60 and three assault guns. The Soviets tried to take the hill again at 1200 hours and occupied the hill for a short time before a counterattack threw them off and destroyed eight more Russian tanks and several assault guns.
Soviet armor gained strength throughout the day and the attacks on Das Reich became noticeably stronger. At 1625 hours, Zapovka was attacked again by Russian infantry, this time with approximately twenty-five tanks in support. After destroying two T-34s and heavily damaging another, the SS troops forced the Soviets to withdraw. Following a regrouping of their force and the arrival of more armor, the Soviets pushed to the south of the village with about forty tanks and infantry. This attack force was pounced upon by Stukas and its advance was significantly disrupted by the dive-bombers. On this date, the only available Das Reich armored vehicles were four Tigers and about twenty assault guns. The main body of the panzer regiment was still in transit to the battle area at that date. - NA/T-314, R 201, frame 502, Tagesmeldung III. Panzerkorps an Armee-Abteilung Kempf, 8.8.1943."

W. Schneider "Tigers in Combat II"
10 August 1943: Operationaltanks: 3.
13 August 1943: An attack starts at 0730 hours towards the woods north of Nikitowka
and Miroljubowka.
14 August 1943: Railwaytransport from Jassinowataija in the direction of Kharkov.
Concentration in Kijany as a ready-reaction force for use against enemyattacks
15 August1943: Detrainment in Ljubotin.SS-Obersturmfгhrer Matzke becomes the
new company commander.

[rossmcpharter]

who can specify month? summer 1943

Nice image

Do you have a link or book source?

[smetanin albert]

Add Info - Weissenbach

[Charles Trang]

Don't forget Fritz Klingenberg who was cited as temporary commander of II./SS-Pz.Rgt. "DR" by 5 July 1943 in a battle during which his Abteilung destroyed 12 tanks, 14 cannons and took 100 prisoners (Personalakte Fritz Klingenberg - Vorschlag für die Verleihung des Deutschen Kreuzes in Gold v. 26.3.1944).

[EugE]

Don't forget Fritz Klingenberg who was cited as temporary commander of II./SS-Pz.Rgt. "DR" by 5 July 1943 in a battle during which his Abteilung destroyed 12 tanks, 14 cannons and took 100 prisoners (Personalakte Fritz Klingenberg - Vorschlag für die Verleihung des Deutschen Kreuzes in Gold v. 26.3.1944).

Sturmbannführer Christian Tychsen was commander of this unit since end of 1942 till November 1943