von Stauffenberg's injuries

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Beppo Schmidt
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von Stauffenberg's injuries

#1

Post by Beppo Schmidt » 15 Dec 2003, 01:58

Can anyone tell me the date and circumstances of von Stauffenberg's injuries in North Africa? I know the physical injuries, and that his car drove into a minefield and was attacked by enemy aircraft in Tunisia, but I believed it was during the Battle of Kasserine Pass, which doesn't make sense, because Kasserine was in February, and he had several meetings with Rommel a month later, in March.

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#2

Post by Alecci » 15 Dec 2003, 02:52

I'm afraid I have to tell you that most of your statement is wrong.

On 6 April 1943 the 10th Panzer Division was ordered to retreat from Biar Zelloudja (west of Sidi Mannsour) to Mezzouna. On the morning of 7 April Graf Stauffenberg took his leave of Major-General Friedrich Freiherr von Broich (OC of 10th Panzer Division) to direct the retreat from his Horch jeep, while the latter would follow once the last of the division's troops had passed through the El-Hafay Pass. Freiherr Broich reminded Graf Stauffenberg to look out for enemy fighter-bombers.

Graf Stauffenberg, accompanied by a few armoured radio cars went through the El-Hafay Pass and drove along the northern edge of Sebkhet en Noual. During this time he joined up with the Lieutenant Wilhelm Reile's 5th company the 10th Motorcycle Battalion. When they reached the narrow terrain between Sebhket en Noual and the Chabita-Khetati Pass, they got caught up in an inferno of fighter-bomber attacks. A battery of the 3rd Battalion of the 90th Armoured Artillery Regiment also arrived.

All personnel had to abandon their vehicles, since these presented easy targets for the enemy pilots. Between sorties survivors tried to get hold of usable vehicles in order to try to make their way out. In this mayhem Graf Stauffenberg was driving back and forth between units to direct them, standing in his jeep, when his car came under fire. He threw himself out onto the ground, his face on his hands, and then he was hit.

An ambulance commanded by Second Lieutenant Dr Hans Keysser of the 361st Panzer Grenadier Regiment (subordinated to the 90th Light Division) presently arrived. Graf Stauffenberg was lifted into the ambulance, and the ambulance drove off towards the 200th Field Hospital at Sfax. While Keysser was dressing his wounds inside the ambulance, Graf Stauffenberg, still conscious, asked him his name.

As a burst of fire from one of the enemy fighter-bombers making a strafing run had practically sawed off his right hand just above the wrist, Graf Stauffenberg's right hand was amputated right between the wrist and the elbow. The little finger and the ring finger on his left hand and his left eye had to be removed as well (they had probably been hit by the same bullet or by shrapnel thereof). He had also suffered a minor injury to one of his knees, as well as minor shrapnel in the head.

On 10 April he was transported by ambulance to the 950th Base Hospital at Tunis-Carthage. On 15th April he arrived by boat in Livorno and was put on a hospital train. Graf Stauffenberg was admitted on 21 April to Ward II of the 1st General Military Hospital in Munich, through the intervention of his friend Lieutenant-Colonel (GS) Peter Sauerbruch (a son of the famous physician Ferdinand Sauerbruch).


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#3

Post by Beppo Schmidt » 15 Dec 2003, 04:06

Ok thanks for clearing things up Alecci.

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#4

Post by Beppo Schmidt » 15 Dec 2003, 04:10

So von Stauffenberg was with the 10th Panzer Division when it was defeated by Patton on March 23?

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#5

Post by Alecci » 16 Dec 2003, 02:08

My guess would be that he was, but which particular battle would that concern?

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#6

Post by USAF1986 » 17 Dec 2003, 02:12

Hi! That would be the Battle of El Guettar (23 March 1943) when the 10th Panzer Division took a terrific pounding from U.S. artillery in an unsuccessful frontal assault on positions held by the U.S. 1st Infantry Division.

Regards,
Shawn

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#7

Post by Alecci » 17 Dec 2003, 12:43

USAF1986:

Yes, I thought that it would have been the battle at El Guettar, although my sources are a little bit unclear about the dates of most of the battles the 10th Panzer Division participated in.

Beppo Schmidt:

With the valuable help of USAF1986 I am now able to answer your question with certainty, and that is an affirmative answer. Graf Stauffenberg was with the 10th Panzer Division when it was defeated by Lieutenant-General George Patton at the battle at El Guettar on 23 March 1943.

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#8

Post by Beppo Schmidt » 17 Dec 2003, 21:58

So he was in the actual battle? Can anyone tell me exactly what he did in that battle?

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#9

Post by pey » 05 Sep 2006, 23:44

I tried to add here three places where all happened as kmz form google earth:
El Guettar
Mezzouna
Sidi Mansour (probable)

but now i see that .kmz files are not allowed.
I'll try to understand why.

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