nmao wrote:
and Page 157:
"Panzer-Regiment 5 with 5. Leichte Division were back by Tobruk. Panzer-Regiment 5 reported 39 Pz.Kpfw. II, 38 Pz.Kpfw. III and 19 Pz.Kpfw. IV as operational on 15 June 1941; some of these belonged to Panzer-Regiment 8."
I know Jentz isn't an original source, but usually is reliable...so it think the reported numbers seem possible.
Hey nmao
Jentz used the same source I posted and he assumed it is correct... but it's only possible if PR 5 was replenished and brought up to full strength by requisitioning PR 8 tanks.
Unfortunately Jentz was wrong, which I show using Panzer IVs as example.
In early June PR 5 had ca. 14 of them, PR 8 still had 20. If they switched their tanks around and PR 5 now had 20, PR 8 would have had about 14 left.
He is a brief story of how Panzer IVs from PR 8 fared in Battleaxe:
15 June
Oblt. Schubert [3. company commander] recorded:
Sunday 15 June at 0400 hrs the early alarm. Heavy fire along the front. At 0500 hrs the Regiment is ready. At 1000 hrs follow the deployment in the direction of Capuzzo. The whole day there is heavy combat. In the evening we managed to win back the rest place of the Regiment. The panzer of Schneider is destroyed. Uffz. Schmidt falls. [Kevin Fish, Panzer Regiment 8 in World War II, p. 90]
16 June
The Panzer Striking Force
Panzer-Regiment 8 was ordered to attack Capuzzo once more on 16 June, this time with both Abteilungen combined. The I.Abteilung now had only 6 Pz.Kpfw. IV out of 8 with which it started the battle. The British tanks struck out of the morning mist, and once more there were heavy casualties in 3. Kompanie. The I.Abteilung had to withdraw with only 4 operational tanks (no Pz. IVs)
By the evening of the second day, 13 tanks (2 Pz. IVs) had been repaired and stood ready to defend Bardia. [Jentz, TCiNA p. 178]
The attack of the 3rd Company under Oblt Schubert experienced significant losses; the panzer of Uffz. Olsberg was hit and exploded into flames, trapping the crew inside, and there were no survivors. [Fish, p.91]
Ofw. Kruck of the 3rd company destroyed one of the British tanks (...) Kruck returned to action, where his panzer quickly drew the attention of three British tanks. These tanks, covering the retreat of 7 RTR, were in excellent position to engage Kruck, setting the panzer alight. [Fish, p.92]
Oblt. Schubert:
Monday 16 June. Heavy attack against Capuzzo from 0400 hrs. At first we do not advance at all. The company attacks from the east of Capuzzo. The company commander's vehicle is destroyed. Irmisch is wounded. The panzer of Kertscher has the cannon broken. The panzer of Goeb is on fire. The panzer of Treuenfels is destroyed. Danner is burnt out. The remains of the company were brought back in the Regiment formation. [Fish, p. 93]
Klaus Hubbuch, loader in a Mk IV from the 7th company
I was wounded as the Ladeschutze (gun loader), the 40 mm solid shot went through between my body and my right arm. The round was later lying in the engine compartment but fragments from the big hole in our plating went into my face and chest and I was bleeding like a pig. I didn't even notice it in the heat of battle, but a second Pak hit penetrated our fog gadgets (fire extinguishers) and infantry explosives loosened our 4 return rollers. Our vehicle was only good for limited use! [Fish p. 92-93]
17 June
The Panzer Striking Force
The I. Abteilung / Panzer-Regiment 8 suffered losses from two British air attacks. 1 Pz.IV was a total loss (knocked out). The Abteilung turned back from this rendezvous. [Jentz, TCiNA p. 185-186]
Oblt. Schubert, 3. coy
The new company is constructed from repaired vehicles from the whole Regiment. At 1100 hrs we march in the direction of Hill 208. At 208 came an air force attack. There are heavy losses, especially in open transport vehicles. That evening we take hedgehog positions near Hill 206. [Fish, p.94]
18 June
Oblt. Schubert
March back towards Capuzzo, back to bivouac, The panzers of Fw. Doeweling and Goeb stay on the frontline. [Fish, p.95]
Pz.Rgt.8 has 12 Pz. IV operational [Jentz, TCiNA p. 186]
20 June
Pz.Rgt.8 has 13 Pz. IV operational [Fish, p. 95]
Overall impression is they had several of their Pz.IVs heavily damaged in Battleaxe, but then, why they still had 12-13 operational at the end?
They must have been at full strength at the beginning, so unfortunately, Jentz was wrong here
