Tanks from 21. Panzer division during Charnwood

[Texas Jäger]

I’ve seen several sources say that at least one tank battalion from the 21st Panzer Division was attached to the 16th Luftwaffe Field Division north of Caen during operation ‘Charnwood’. Does anyone know what unit(s) this was and what armor they had?

[Texas Jäger]

Let me rephrase: did ANY units from the 21st Panzer division oppose Charnwood?

[dgfred]

I didn't think they made it there due to naval/arty barrages. Not positive tho.

[Leerhöy]

21.Pz.Div went into Panzer Gruppe West reserve on 5 July, when 16.Lw.Feld.Div had arrived north of Caen.

Some units from 21.Pz.Div, however, remained in positions north of Caen, to support 16.Lw. Kortenhaus and the Panzer Gruppe West diary, as I remember it, actually disagree as to which units were kept in the area to support 16.Lw. Re the tank units, according to Kortenhaus, I./Pz.Rgt.22- remained north of Caen. The PGW diary from 5 July, however, states that II./Pz.Rgt.22 were assigned to support 16.Lw.

Units that were not assigned to support 16.Lw., according to Kortenhaus, relocated to the area Hottot-Troarn-Cagny-Mezidon.

On 8 July 21.Pz.Div. was ordered to counterattack with available units, in order to stabilize the situation in the 16.Lw. area north of Caen. According to Kortenhaus, Feuchtinger was given command of both 21.Pz.Div and 16.Lw units in the area on the same day.

According to PGW, on 8 July, one "..Abt. Pz.Rgt.22..", supported by two Pz.Gren.Kmp were counterattacking north of Caen.

So, 21.Pz.Div was definitely in action during Charnwood.

Greetings from Denmark.
Kim

[Michael Kenny]

The IWM has a series of photos of Pz IV '134' said to have been destroyed 'near Lebisey'. https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item ... /205206029

[Michael Kenny]

At 1:16 another Pz IV wreck on the road from Lebisey to Couvre-Chef

https://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/1201


Another film
http://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/525

B6745
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item ... /205205999

[Leerhöy]

Great film clips. Thanks so much.
Kim

[Texas Jäger]

At 1:16 another Pz IV wreck on the road from Lebisey to Couvre-Chef

https://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/1201


Another film
http://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/525

B6745
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item ... /205205999

Thanks! That helps clear things up. Were any of the famous Hotchkiss 7.5cm conversions from Stug Abt. 200 involved?

[Leerhöy]

I have no detailed accounts of Stug.Gesch.Abt.200 during Charnwood, but both Kortenhaus and the Panzer Gruppe West diary mentions that they were kept just north of Caen to support 16.LW.

Kim

[Geoffrey Cooke]

I have no detailed accounts of Stug.Gesch.Abt.200 during Charnwood, but both Kortenhaus and the Panzer Gruppe West diary mentions that they were kept just north of Caen to support 16.LW.

Kim

Do you know where I can find the diary for Panzer Gruppe West? Is it online or do I have to go to the National Archives, Freiberg, etc