Reinforcements to Melitopol Sept -Oct 1943

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Reference ;Fortress Third Reich J E Kaufmann- Stalingrad to Berlin Earl Ziemke- History 23rd Panzer Div Ernst Rebentisch- Panther vs T34 Robert Forczyk

Mid September 1943 Hitler asks Von Kleist if he can hold the Wotan Position, Considering Von Manstein had his hands full already. Von kleist agreed if More German Infantry Divisions were supplied, Hitler accepted and gave Von Kleist the job of Holding the Wotan Position-Eastern Rampart.

On the Russian Side 4th Ukrainian Front General Tolbukhins advance to Melitopol was constantly hazarded by the German Tactic of shifting forces from other positions not under attack and using these "reserves" in local counterattacks, in the retreat from the Mius Position to the Wotan/Molochnaya Position. The German setup in a tactical area, not along exact lines, would consist of company sized sections with Panzer Zug or Platoon assigned to whichever Infantry Section. StuG Assault Guns also. In the area occupied, woods, hill, buildings, plantation growth etc, in a variable configuration.

The German 6th Army now Part of Army Group A tied in with the Army Group South Boundary near Zaporozhye, from Zaporozhye South to Melitopol to Sea, appoox 50 some miles 100 km. German Army Corps from N-S 17th Corps-4th Corps-29th Corps- 44th Corps- Crimean Command Crimea.
6th Army Divisions Oct 4 , 1943: 17th Corps 335 Infantry Div at Northern Boundary edge- 4th Corps 3rd Gebirg Mountain Div-17th Panzer Div 5th LWFD-101 Jager Div-258th Kampfgruppe-302 Infantry Div
Panzer Element Zaporozhye -North
29th Corps 9th Infantry Div-17th Division5-15 LWFD Luftwaffe Field Div part- 79th Infantry Div -13th Panzer Div N-S Melitopol
44th Corps- 336th Infantry Division-111th Infantry Division- 73 Infantry Division - later reported taking positions in Melitopol
4th Rumanian Gebirg Mountain Divison- 24th Rumanian Division well south of Melitopol along sea apporaches and Crimea

Von Kleist began to receive promised reinforcements but not as advertised, OKH and OKW did not want to send any more intact Infantry Divisions and resorted to ad hoc deployments of Battalion or Company sections of untrained scratch formations sent by rail without NCOs, who would have to figure things out for themselves once they arrived.
Equipment arriving, in one instance 40 new Halftracks were sent without crews and sat idle on the tracks.

Soviet General Tolbukhin Received Stavka High Command Reserves in September to use in the General Offensive to take place across the Entire Eastern Front in Staggered Timing, once this occurred the General Tolbukhin could apply steady pressure across the entire front disabling the German Tactic of shifting forces to and fro. To crack the defense Soviet Shock Groups of 30 Tanks followed by Battalion sized Rifle elements would lead the way, getting worked over by German Self Propelled Howizters, in turn Soviet Artillery Divisions then Wrecked the area, then more small Tank Rifle Shock Groups, and once a big enough crack was created, the large Soviet Tank Formations would surge.
Then each German position would have to fight it out as best it could

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Approx Oct 27 1943, 13th Panzer Received 71 New Panthers that conducted an attack from Zaporozhye are south toward Melitopol to save the situation

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Reference Sturmgeschutz Vor!!! Franz Kurowski - Scorched Earth Paul Carelll- Dnepr 1943 Robert Forczyk

German Army Group Sud - Kiev to Zaporozhye area had 8 Sturmgeschutz Battalions in addition to the many Panzer Divisions in action in this same area

German Army Group A- took up positions N-S Zaporozhye - Melitopol- Black Sea - distance of some 60 Miles and another 10 or so Miles to Sea total of
70 some miles/160 kilmeters approx

13th Panzer Division took up positions South of Melitopol with PanzerJager Sturm Geschutz section- something of an ad hoc expedient to bolster falling Tank numbers. 13th Panzer members sent North toward Zaporozhye to take delivery of 71 New Panthers scheduled to arrive Oct 1943 Time Frame
The Elements South of Melitpol reported as Kampfgrupped Von Hake Sturm Geschutz Assault Guns and Panzer Jager Abt 93- some type of Tank Destroyers with a 88mm or 75mmGun mounted on a Panzer Chassis protected by a gun shield

KampfGruppe Gruber Stumgeschutz Abt 209 with Sturm Geschutzs reported at Melitopol, divided up into smaller sections that would work together in action in Street fighting and on the outskirts of town, taking independent action and not directly subordinated to anyone.