1 SS/101 SS Tiger Ace Bobby Warmbrunn

[Miles Krogfus]

Karl-Heinz Warmbrunn born October 15,1924. Rttn. promoted to Uscha. August 1,1944. As a Tiger gunner in Russia he got his KO's mostly with Heinz Kling but a few with Jurgen Brandt. Warmbrunn shot 12 tanks 4 AT near Charkov Febuary-March 1943. Shot 13 tanks 38 AT, Arty. in July. Shot 22 tanks Nov.18-27, including 13 in 2 hours on the 22nd. Final East front total of 53 tanks, SU shot. Become a Tiger tank commander, in Normandy June/July 1944 Warmbrunn shot 4 Shermans. His Tiger #214 KO'd by a Sherman June 27th. After shooting a Sherman on July 18, his Tiger hit and Warmbrunn's right eye injured, ending his Panzer career with 57 tanks and SU shot 73 AT and Arty.
He complained to his CO Kling while in Russia about getting no promotion, no DK or RK. Kling replied that the word came down from "on High" that because his brother Gunter had been involved with a half-Jewish girl, that Bobby was not to be rewarded. (Gunter was killed in Prague during a "Sondereinsatz".) Warmbrunn wrote this in letters to me: The theory of the Superman didn't apply in combat. His Zug leader in Normandy Ostuf. Jurgen Wessel lacked boldness and quick correct decision making . . . "Lotsch und Kleber hatten nicht viel Erfolg im Einsatz. Problem mit Technik ihrer Tiger! Motor! Hoflinger war OK." Bobby's own success resulted from "mein Wissen und Konnen! 19 Jahr alt."
Note though that when he and another Bobby, RK holder Woll, became Tiger tank commanders, they scored only 4 and 0 kills in Normandy. Gunners of Zug and Company Tiger commanders, finding themselves often where the action was, the two had many chances to shot at tanks.

[Michael Kenny]

His Tiger #214 KO'd by a Sherman June 27th. .

He was not in '214' during EPSOM.


'214' was destroyed by the Poles in August during TOTALIZE

He was in one of these 3 EPSOM wrecks.

114

B6047- bbbbb.jpg (69.79 KiB) Viewed 3005 times

unkown 2nd Kp

B6155-28 June 1944- (2)-,,.jpg (71.98 KiB) Viewed 3005 times

334

Whilst he should be in the middle 2 kp. wreck his description of his KO best matches the fate of the top Tiger '114' .

[Miles Krogfus]

As regards the above photos, Warmbrunn did not combat in 1st or 3rd Komp. 101 SS Tigers. Memories being what they are, information that Patrick Agte gathered for his book sometimes differs a bit from what Bobby told me, including details of his Normandy combats. Werner Wendt of Warmbrunn's LAH SS Tiger units (17 kills as gunner 5 as Tiger commander) wrote that Wittmann's gunner Bobby Woll, after scoring his 80th kill, was first removed from combat at the Tiger unit, rested awhile, then was sent off on leave because of battle fatigue. Willi Otterbein became Wittmann's gunner for the rest of their time on the Eastern Front.

[mark67]

'214' was destroyed by the Poles in August during TOTALIZE

Indeed, Polish Achilles was his nemesis. It happened on 15th August east of Jort. Whole tiger crew was killed inside of tank as center of turret side escape hatch was penetrated by projectile.

[Miles Krogfus]

RK holder Ostuf. Helmut Wendorff born October 20,1920, joined the SS September 4,1939 SS #365017. On August 14,1944 (the 15th stated above) he and his gunner Rtt. Walter Lau scored Wendorff's 84th "shot" tank at very close range, then their Tiger #214 was destroyed by a Sherman. Wendorff and 2 other crewmen killed, Lau seriously wounded, taken as a POW.

[Miles Krogfus]

On page 645 of Patrick Agte's "Jochen Peiper" Warmbrunn's Einsatztage is shown: 27 combat days in Russia, 2 in Normandy. 45 armor kills as a gunner, 57 76.2 mm AT, 5 45 mm AT, 2 122 mm Arty and 12 kills as a Tiger commander, 11 AT shot. In Russia while still assigned as a gunner, Bobby had to take over a Tiger's command in a few combats and scored 8 kills. As I state above, he claimed only 4 kills in France while assigned to the commander's position.

[G.hattiko)]

Dear members, could you please advise me, how can I find any information about Mr Karl Heinz (bobby) Warmbrunn?