s.SS.PzAbt 503 action on the 19/04/45

[Georg_S]

Hello,

I attach a photo from the book of Tieke, Nachträge zur Truppegeschichte,

The photo is from the establishming of the Abt. the Tiger I you
see in the background is a training pz.

Best reg.

Georg

[Glynwed]

to APS: According the map i send you - the units 1050, 1054 sp - it means Strelecky pluk = Rifle Regiment. So, 1050 and 1054 were the Rifle Regiments of 301.Rifle Division (301.sd on map). The 301.RD was supported by tanks of 220.Tank Brigade.

[Tolga Alkan]

Sorry to late reply to topic.Here award cerenomy photograph of the unit,can be found at my website with courtesy of Peter v Lukacs.


Best Regards
Tolga

Abteilung Commander Herzig and SS-KonigsTiger Ace Karl Brommann

[Georg_S]

Hello TOlga,

I have just to correct you about one thing on your page.
you have spelled Balthasar Woll wrong it´s WOLL not WÖLL
But it´s was a nice page, I wonder do you have a special interesst
in Ernst Barkmann??

Best regards,

Georg

[Tolga Alkan]

Aha its funny,just minute ago I've sent you a P.M.,Yes you are right.To be honestly,my website does contain some mistakes which I could not solve because being very lazy:)

I have special interest on Ernst Barkmann and SS-Pz.Reg.2 for several years.For a long time since my website didn't see a update,I'm developing my biograph of Ernst Barkmann in manuscript.I'm putting together any data and photo related to him and also the Regiment.See also my P.M.,

Best Regards
Tolga

[Glynwed]

4) Does anybody have an the number of losses suffered by the 2nd Guard Tank Army during the 19/04/45, or during the first four days of the Berlin Operation?

I have looses of tanks for 1.belorussian Front:
Date / Burned tanks / Hit tanks / Other losses / Total losses
16.4. / 71 / 77 / 40 / 195
17.4. / 79 / 85 / 15 / 179
18.4. / 65 / 86 / 13 / 164
19.4. / 105 / 76 / 8 / 189

by my sources there were fighting tanks of 12.Guard Tank Corps of 2.Guard Tank Army with members of 5.Shock Army.

[Aps]

Hello Glynwed,

Well, for sure, both s.SS.Pz.Abt.503 estimated and credited losses are a little bit hight to say the least!

Thank you for this correction!

Best Regards,

Thomas

[hoot72]

Trying to understand why 1 king tiger stayed in the same position of attack on the hill instead of retreating back and re-establishing a new ambush spot. Getting destroyed by artillery after being parked there as long as they did was asking for it I think as a tanker.

[hoot72]

Thank you again, Georg, for those pictures.

Michael,

By my reckoning tanks in a wood would have plenty of places to hide and thus escape.

Fact that Körner tanks were able to engage Soviet armored concentration while refuelling mean that defenses were either non-existant or had been neglected (2 T-34 have been destroyed by Körner during the action and before the engagement with the concentration). Could be a lucky approach too. Luck is obviously for much in this action. Schneider and Tieke insist on the fact the russian unit(s) were taken completly by surprise. I actually thought that Körner may even shot at tanks which crew had already abandonned,in the hypothesis that the crew were outside while refuelling. German infantry was also close to the Tigers.

The only fact which may bring a kind of back up for this destruction claim is that the Tiger fired all, or close to all their ammunitions during the action without suffering a losse. Not enought to stated of a decisive proof but still enought to consider those destructions claims may be considered as probable, in my opignion.

The only numbers I could find regarding Soviet losses are for the whole Operation and they don't bring any usefull informations.

http://www.battlefield.ru/library/books ... sses3.html

Best Regards,

Thomas

The King Tigers being introduced into the fray late on seem to be having all sorts of mechanical problems, and also getting ambushed/knocked out so easily at close ranges by russian tanks. In-experinced tank crews and supporting infantry or just total incompetance by the commanders on the field not sending scouts up front ahead of the tanks knowing russians were present in the area~?