Hello,
Thank you Georg for those nices pictures.
I posted all I've got for this action. Any comments or adds are very welcome. I especially seek for informations reagarding Soviet strenght and losses in the area for the following units:
- 11th Tank Corps
- 12th Guards Tank Corps
- 1st Mechanized Corps
- 220th Tank Brigade
Any informations regarding the 2 Tigers groups (Müller and Körner ones), names of the tank commanders especially are also very welcome.
Thank you advance,
Thomas
Sources:
(Heavy files)
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/para-bella/Tiger.BMP
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/para-bella/Faithful1.BMP
Provided by David C. Clarke
Internet sources:
1-
http://www.stengerhistorica.com/History ... Kausch.htm
2-
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... t103-R.htm
3-
http://www.achtungpanzer.com/gen10.htm
Map of the area:
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/para-bella/SS503.jpg
I don't have any scale for this map. There is 3 kilometers between Strausberg and Klosterdorf. It gives a little estimation.
Short summary of the day:
The s.SS.PzAbt.503: 11 Tigers in all.
Tank commanders acting on the area:
Obersturmführer Boostman (Bromman?)
Körner's group:
Hauptscharführer Karl Körner
Hauptscharführer Harrer
+ 1 Unknown tank commanders.
Müller's group:
Obersturmführer Müller
Unterscharführer Georg Diers
Untersturmführer Schäfer
+ 2 Unknown tank commanders.
1st Action:
Date:
19/04/45 Begining of the day
Forces:
1 PzVI B + 1 another one(Diers + Boostman(Bromman?)).
Localisation et action:
North-East of Klosterdorf, on a height. Numbers that could be read on the map seem to be heights. Not sure of that. First article give a position near Klosterdorf, with a fire aiming at Prötzel and Grunow. If the numbers are actually heights it MAYBE "Hill 116", hightest hill in the area and in the North-East of the town. Grey area refers to wooded area.
Conclusion of the action:
Retreat to West. Halt and movement to East. Bootsmann's Tiger (Bromman?) was left on the field. Diers joined Müller group.
Credited destructions:
13 Tanks for Diers's Tiger.
Sources:
Scan of TIC II
http://www.stengerhistorica.com/History ... Kausch.htm
2nd action:
Date:
19/04/45 Autour de 10H00.
Forces:
Müller - 5 PzVI B and,later, Körner- 3 PzVI B in reserve at the beginning of the action.
Localisation et action:
Heights around Grunow (Seems there is 3 Heights, 73, 84 and 88). Soviet attack came from the Ihlow- Grunlow axe. Fire is open at 400 meters by Müller group, reinforced later by Körner group. Tieke mentioned that Müller group leaved it positions due to the lack of amnunitions and met Körner group which was in reserve, between Grunow and Klosterdorf.
Conclusion of the action:
Körner group leaved Müller group and was ordered to counter-attack on Bollersdorf. It was supposed to help elements of the "Norge" Regiment of the "Nordland" division. Müller group stood in position.
Estimated and credited destructions:
Between 40-50 tanks. Schneider talk about 70 tanks Müller is credited of 23 tanks.
Sources:
Scan of TIC II
Scan of ToF
http://www.stengerhistorica.com/History ... Kausch.htm
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... t103-R.htm
3rd action: Körner's Action
Date:
19/04/45 Around 1300H.
Forces:
Körner- 3 PzVI
Localisation and action:
Körner group counter helped for a counter attack on Bollersdorf. Action took place on the road to Strausberg, the one which cross Bollersdorf in fact. Körner took a Soviet Tank Brigade while it was refuelling in the woods east of the village and inside Bollersdorf. Unit was lacking of proper protection. Körner team met 2 T-34 covering the resupply. Those are destroyed before Körner group engaged an IS-2 Compagny stationned one beside another on the road. Körner destroyed the first and the last tank before engaging the Tank Brigade. After numerous shots to the T-34, the 3 tanks destroted the IS-2 compagny. Short of ammo, the Tigers then returned to Müller group position.
Conclusion of the action:
Körner group returned on Müller position.
Credited and estimated destruction:
Körner was credited of 39 Tanks.
Harrer, one of Körner tank leader, was redited of 25 tanks.
Schneider speak about an 100 estimated destruction.
Sources:
Scan of TIC II
http://www.stengerhistorica.com/History ... Kausch.htm
4th Engagement:
Date:
19/04/45 Between 14H and 16H.
Forces:
Müller-5 PzVI B, then Körner- 3 PzVI B.
Localisation and action:
Same position as the 2nd action. Ammunitions seems to have been brought to both groups around 1600H.
Conclusion of the action:
Müller's Tiger and another one from his group are destroyed by a rocket fire. Müller is killed. The rocket fire seems to had aimed to a wood (Hill 116?). The 3 remaining Tigers from Müller group retreated on Werneuchen.
Credited and estimated destructions:
Unknown.
Sources:
Scan of TIC II
Scan of ToF
http://www.stengerhistorica.com/History ... Kausch.htm
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... t103-R.htm
http://www.achtungpanzer.com/gen10.htm
5th engagement:
Date:
19/04/45 Around 17H00.
Forces:
Körner- 3 PzVI B and Schäfer- 1 PzVI B
Localisation et action:
East of Bollersdorf. Ex-Position of Müller's group? The attack was launched with 30 T-34.
Conclusion of the action:
Retraite of Körner on Strausberg.
Estimated destructions:
At least 30 Tanks.
Sources:
Scan of TIC II
Scan of ToF
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... t103-R.htm
Regarding Soviet units and formations in the area:
A large formation" for Tieke, an Tank Brigade (63 Tanks at full strenght) and an IS-2 compagny (11 IS-2?, cf achtungpanzer) for Schneider. Overall strenght is given at more than 100 T-34 and an IS-2 compagny by Schneider. Around 120-150 tanks for Achtungpanzer site. Elements of 3 Soviet Corps are in the area at the time. The Soviet push toward Strausberg was assigned to elements of the 11th Tank Corps (2nd.GTA) and 12th Guards Tank Corps (1st.GTA). 1st Mechanized Corps (2nd GTA) was also in the area.
Here is part of a map provided by Glynwed:
Two SP units (?), 1050 and 1054 are located in the area around 1800H.I don't have them in my orders of battle.
The 220th Tank Brigade (230th Infantry Division/ 5th SA) is also in the area at this time.
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/para-bella/Bollersdorf.JPG
A bit of stats:
Destruction credited for the s.SS.PzAbt.503 during the course of the 19/04/45.
Exept for Körner destructions:
- 100 estimated destructions (Hightest estimation), including:
- 36 credited destructions
Losses for one engagement involving Müller group (between 1400H and 1600H) are unknown.
Körner group destructions between 1300H and 1600H:
- 100 estimated destruction, including:
- 64 credited destructions
= 200 estimated destruction, including
= 100 credited destructions
Estimated destructions in the area for the whole day are:
- 70 for Tieke
- Around 200 for Schneider ( 13+more than 70+100+30). (Losses for one engagement involving Müller group are unknown.)
Number given by Tieke are the same Schneider gave for one engagement involving Müller and Körner group. Exept for Körner "coup d'éclat", it was the main action of the day. Informations regarding the actions of 3 of the 11 Tigers of the schwere abteilung is not known. Soviet losses may include destructions from other German units ("Hermann Von Salza" StuG, "Norge" infantry). No informations regarding Soviet formations and units from Army echelon (1st Bielorussian Front suffered 743 losses for the first four days of the operation.).
Credited destructions are of 100 tanks for the whole day. 64% of these destructions are done by Körner group.
Credited destructions goes for 13,45% of the 1st Bielorussian Front for the first four days of the Berlin Operation, for the abteilung.
Estimated destructions are 200 for the whole days, highest estimation, 55,5% of these destructions are done by Körner group.
Estimated destructions goes for 37,1% of the 1st Bielorussian Front for the first four days of the Berlin Operation, for the abteilung.
According to both credited and estimated destructions, the abteilung action for the 19/04/45 would account for betwwen 13% and 23% of the 1st Bielorussian Front losses for the first four days of the Berlin Operation.
Edit: links corrected