The route of the SS Der Führer............

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The route of the SS Der Fuhrer - From Prague to the Western front.

West Front.

The regiment only known that the Grebbeberg was a static fortified position but it had not any details about the location of the bunkers and the forces deployed on the Grebbe line. When the enemy learned about the occupation of Wageningen, in the evening fired several salvos of artillery agaisnt the town. The mass of the regiment moved east and north (towards Bennekom) of Wageningen where it took some rest. In the evening and during the night the outposts of the SS DF got in ​​contact with the enemy advanced positions, although some of them were partially destroyed.


Troops of the SS DF in Wageningen; in the foreground a le. IG of 75 mm.....................

Sources: ebay auction. Lunes, 24 de Noviembre de 2008, 20:07:26
Sepp Lainer. Ases de Infantería. F. Kurowski.
SS-Das Reich. The Story of the Second SS Division 1941-45. Gregory L. Mattson.
http://www.grebbeberg.nl/index.php?page=dagboek-van-fritz-kopp-ingedeeld-bij-1-kp-pi-btl-ss-v-t--division

Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas - Wesołych Świąt!.

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The route of the SS Der Fuhrer - From Prague to the Western front.

West Front.

On May 11, 1940 since 13.00 hours the SS DF attacked the Grebbeberg with its III. Battalion left and its I. Battalion on the right, the II. Battalion remained in reserve. The III. Battalion had link with the left wing of the I. Battalion, on the right the Pz Jäg Abt 207, located south of Arnheim assured towards the Lower Rhine. In front of the Grebbeberg the resistance was growing stronger, to this the Germans did receive heavy flanking fire, coming from the other side of the Lower Rhine. Following orders from SS Oberführer Keppler all weapons opened up fire support at 21:00 hours when advanced fractions of the III. / SS DF moved to the foot of Grebbeberg but the progress was arrested by the Dutch heavy defensive fire.


Grebbe line ................

Sources: ebay auction. Lunes, 24 de Noviembre de 2008, 20:07:26
Sepp Lainer. Ases de Infantería. F. Kurowski.
SS-Das Reich. The Story of the Second SS Division 1941-45. Gregory L. Mattson.
http://www.grebbeberg.nl/index.php?page ... --division

Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Navidad - Feliz Natal - Frohe Weihnachten - Joyeux Noël - Merry Christmas - Wesołych Świąt!.

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The route of the SS Der Fuhrer - From Prague to the Western front.

West Front.

The fighting did not stop with the arrival of the night and one attack supported by light armored reconnaissance vehicles was rejected as well as another one carried out along the road Ede-De Klomp. The night was marked by a strong German artillery barrage and continuous gunfire from the Dutch side. At 20:00 hours, the Arko reported that the CP of the Artillery Regiment was located on the route Wageningen - Renkum about 1 kilometer east of Wageningen.

The I. / SS DF was to be supported by the II. / SS AR.
The III. / SS DF was to be supported by the III. / AR 207
The IV. / AR 256 for counterbattery fires against hostile artillery located west of Grebbeberg.
The II. / AR 207 and the III. / AR 311 were in readiness in Oesterbeek.

At the same time the SS DF was given the task of breaking through the Grebbeberg positions by a night attack and then proceed towards Rhenen next morning with its II. Battalion. However the planned night attack failed due to the iron will of the defenders. It was clear that unless there would be a strong fire support, the assault against these fortified positions, especially the Werk 36 (the sluice), could not be resumed.


SS DF attack against the Hoornwerk.................

Sources: ebay auction. Lunes, 24 de Noviembre de 2008, 20:07:26
Sepp Lainer. Ases de Infantería. F. Kurowski.
SS-Das Reich. The Story of the Second SS Division 1941-45. Gregory L. Mattson.
http://www.grebbeberg.nl/index.php?page ... --division

Cheers. Raúl M .

Feliz Año Nuevo - Happy New Year - feliz Ano Novo - gluckliches Neues Jahr - Bonne Année - Felice Anno Nuovo - Szczęśliwego nowego roku!!

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The route of the SS Der Fuhrer - From Prague to the Western front.

West Front.

On May 12, 1940 at 06:45 hours, the 207. ID informed to the X. AK that the division would continue its attack against the Grebbeberg on the morning after getting more artillery support.

At 14:00 hours were completed the preparations concerning the fire support and the artillery units were ready to open fire. The missions assigned were as follows:

From 14:00 to 14:20 hours, fire support with five artillery groups:

A group on Werk 47.
Two groups on Werk 36.
A group on Werk 53.
A group of Werk 33, located south of the Lower Rhine

From the Dutch point of view, a strong assault on the front lines was preceded by an artillery bombardment of nearly nine hours and as a result of it many of the wire links (field telephones) were out of service, the command and movements were hampered. The resupply of ammunition became almost impossible. In the "Hoornwerk" an old fortified point protruding from the front, this caused a lack of ammunition and also all machine guns were put out of action by enemy fire. Besides the bridge over the small Grebbe river, had been blown partially only.

But getting a little back, the attack would be carried out by the SS Regiment "Der Fuhrer" with the support of five groups of artillery with its III. Battalion south of the road Wageningen - Rhenen, the II. Battalion on the left and behind with the mission of surpassing the III. Batallon once reached the Grebbeberg and continue to Rhenen and the I. Battalion as a reserve north of the road.


Soldiers of the SS DF in the Hoornwerk - May 12, 1940.

Sources: ebay auction. Lunes, 24 de Noviembre de 2008, 20:07:26
Sepp Lainer. Ases de Infantería. F. Kurowski.
SS-Das Reich. The Story of the Second SS Division 1941-45. Gregory L. Mattson.
http://www.grebbeberg.nl/index.php?page=dagboek-van-fritz-kopp-ingedeeld-bij-1-kp-pi-btl-ss-v-t--division
Durchbruch durch die Grebbe-Linie. Der Freiwillige – Año 28 – Nº. 5 (Mayo) y Nº 6 (Junio) 1982.

Saludos. Raúl M .

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The route of the SS Der Fuhrer - From Prague to the Western front.

West Front.

At 14:20 hours the attack was launched and the assault teams of the III. / SS-DF proceeded to its goals followed by the engineers of the 16. / SS-DF with rubber boats immediately behind the artillery fire. Partly through the remains of the sluice, partly in rubber boats, the infantry was able to set foot in the Grebbeberg. A pair of light armored reconnaissance vehicles of the 15. / SS-DF were placed in firing position and supported with direct fire the advancing assault troops.


Traces of the intense struggle for the Grebbeberg - May 1940.

But still the resistance was not broken, and some unconquered positions at the front and flanks were open ​​effective fire. At 15:15 hours, the III. / SS-DF managed to penetrate the position and took the Werk 36. Quickly the II. / SS-DF was moved forwards immediately behind and to the right of the III. Battalion and by 16:00 hours the east slope was in the hands of the SS troops. Reconnaissance vehicles and motorcyclists brought ammunition and returned with the wounded.


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6Wr2UBRSFx4/TvwOWxdUL0I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/Ku260oCiupQ/s1600/Inbraak%2B%252812.5.40%2529%2B001.jpg

Sources: ebay auction. Lunes, 24 de Noviembre de 2008, 20:07:26
Sepp Lainer. Ases de Infantería. F. Kurowski.
SS-Das Reich. The Story of the Second SS Division 1941-45. Gregory L. Mattson.
http://www.grebbeberg.nl/index.php?page ... --division
Durchbruch durch die Grebbe-Linie. Der Freiwillige – Año 28 – Nº. 5 (Mayo) y Nº 6 (Junio) 1982.

Saludos. Raúl M .

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The route of the SS Der Fuhrer - From Prague to the Western front.

West Front.

At 17:35 hours enemy counterattack but the II. and III. Battalions held the reached positions. The SS Pi. Kompanie was working on the Grebbe bridge. The flanking movements against the works 47 and 48 could not be accomplished due to heavy machine gun fire on the road Wageningen - Grebbe-schleuse, so it was urgent the assault of the I./ SS DF in that direction.

At 18:00 hours hostile aerial attack with bombs (six Fokkers) towards the ground north of the road Wageningen - Grebbe, which ended with one low level attack on the Grebbe-Berg’s forward line and the Grebbe-schleuse. Little effect.

At 20:00 hours report to the X AK: mixed parts of the II. and III. battalions held the east edge of the Grebbe-Berg; ahead in the fortified position and in the middle of the Grebbe-Berg, the enemy. The Grebbe line, due northeast of the Grebbe-Berg, held by the opponent. Heavy flanking fire and artillery fire. I./ SS DF deployed facing northwest. The I./ IR 322, attached to the SS DF, was moving from Wageningen along the Nieder Rhein to Grebbe-Berg. The bulk of our own artillery firing against the bunker line northeast and north of the Grebbe-Berg.

Sources: ebay auction. Lunes, 24 de Noviembre de 2008, 20:07:26
Sepp Lainer. Ases de Infantería. F. Kurowski.
SS-Das Reich. The Story of the Second SS Division 1941-45. Gregory L. Mattson.
http://www.grebbeberg.nl/index.php?page ... --division
Durchbruch durch die Grebbe-Linie. Der Freiwillige – Año 28 – Nº. 5 (Mayo) y Nº 6 (Junio) 1982.

Saludos. Raúl M .

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The Division’s aim (207. ID) during the night was to hold the bridgehead on the other side of the Grebbe and reinforce it. For tomorrow morning (May 13 1940), to proceed the attack out of the bridgehead towards Rhenen and northwest of Wageningen (I./ SS DF) against the Grebbe towards Achterberg.

The second line of defense was not deep, it was actually only a long trench, and the defenders should rearrange the positions and sealing gaps so there was some confusion. At dusk the entire fire support was concentrated on a point where the road heading towards Rhenen crossed the defensive line and in a bold assault a battalion of the SS (the III. / SS DF) managed to break through the positions causing Local panic among the defenders. Objective of the attack: the embankment located northeast and east of Rhenen.

The night attack began at 22:00 hours and Ostubaf. Wackerle organized his battalion into three assault groups:

Right following the road the 9. / SS DF (Hstuf. Harmel) and a Platoon of the 12. / SS DF; here followed the battalion HQ and the Leader of the 12. / SS DF, Hstuf Kumm with his Coy HQ.
Center the 10. / SS DF (Hstuf Stickdorn, killed in action that night) reinforced with a Platoon of the 12. / SS DF.
Left the 11. / SS DF (Ostuf Ney) reinforced with a Platoon of the 12. / SS DF.

The attackers pushed towards the viaduct located east of Rhenen, which was guarded by military police troops under Captain Gelderman with the task of preventing further withdrawals of the own troops, using the force if necessary. The SS assault troops tried to take the viaduct using POWs as shields, but Captain Gelderman ordered to open fire at the Germans, who retreated and barricaded themselves in a factory located almost on the opposite side of the viaduct, unfortunately some Dutch prisoners were killed in action.

Sources: ebay auction. Lunes, 24 de Noviembre de 2008, 20:07:26
Sepp Lainer. Ases de Infantería. F. Kurowski.
SS-Das Reich. The Story of the Second SS Division 1941-45. Gregory L. Mattson.
http://www.grebbeberg.nl/index.php?page ... --division
Durchbruch durch die Grebbe-Linie. Der Freiwillige – Año 28 – Nº. 5 (Mayo) y Nº 6 (Junio) 1982.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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The route of the SS Der Fuhrer - From Prague to the Western front.

West Front.

Meanwhile the situation in the stop line was restored and the SS soldiers who managed to break there were isolated, including the Commander of the III. / SS DF, Obersturmbannführer Wäckerle (first commander of the Dachau Camp and relieved by his cruelty). Wäckerle had been wounded twice and his Adjutant Ostuf. Geletneki was dead. There with him were the Orderly Officer, Oscha Braun and several messengers; Hstuf. Harmel and his company staff and the Platoon of Oscha Lange; Hstuf. Kumm and the staff of the 12. Company and the Platoon of Oscha Kruse; a total of about 35 men. Later came a squad of the 10. Company.

Meanwhile the Dutch high command tried feverishly to organize a counterattack in order to restore, if possible, the original front. The Germans treated to reach the Grebbeberg twice from the north, attacking along the route of Ede-Klomp. These actions were carried out by the IR 368 of the 207. ID supported by artillery but without success.

At dawn on May 13, 1940 Ostubaf. Wäckerle sent his Adjutant in order to inform about the situation, Oscha. Braun returned at 04:00 hours with a Platoon of the 15. / SS DF, the last reserve. Hstuf. Kumm was sent to the rear carrying a full report to the Commander of the Regiment, Oberführer Keppler. Scarcely had reached the heights of Grebbeberg, Kumm was sent to the CP of the IR 322, where spoke about the situation with Oberst Neidholdt.

Sources: ebay auction. Lunes, 24 de Noviembre de 2008, 20:07:26
Sepp Lainer. Ases de Infantería. F. Kurowski.
SS-Das Reich. The Story of the Second SS Division 1941-45. Gregory L. Mattson.
http://www.grebbeberg.nl/index.php?page ... --division
Durchbruch durch die Grebbe-Linie. Der Freiwillige – Año 28 – Nº. 5 (Mayo) y Nº 6 (Junio) 1982.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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The route of the SS Der Fuhrer - From Prague to the Western front.

West Front.

While the fight was still on along the stop line (2nd line of defense), one last effort would be made by the Dutch in order to salvage the situation. In the absence of reserves in the area were quickly brought four battalions [II-24 RI, I-29 RI, III-29 RI and I-20 RI] from other places with the consequence that they arrived weary from the long marches and having ate and slept very little before the counterattack. The counterattack would run from the north with two battalions in front and two behind in second line.

At 07:00 hours and after many delays the battalions moved forwards, led by the I-29 RI and III-29 RI, for lack of communication was not known the exact location of the enemy positions as well the Dutch still holding positions, to avoid beating own troops, the fire of artillery support would be made only on the Grebbe-Berg. Although slowly, because the trenches and barbed wire barriers, the counterattack progressed and the Germans were driven back slowly.

Meanwhile the offensive against the stop line was taken over by the IR 322 of the 207 ID and the SS "Der Führer" was to press and to roll the positions towards the north. The IR 368 would remain in Ede and Klomp as reserve and the IR 374 was to advance towards Wageningen. The Germans soon discovered the counterattack and the artillery opened a heavy fire on the Dutch troops; suddenly joined the Stukas howling and diving from heaven upon the advancing Dutch battalions. This was too much for the exhausted troops and their morale broke. The Dutch retreated to the rear trying to escape the relentless fire.

Sources: ebay auction. Lunes, 24 de Noviembre de 2008, 20:07:26
Sepp Lainer. Ases de Infantería. F. Kurowski.
SS-Das Reich. The Story of the Second SS Division 1941-45. Gregory L. Mattson.
http://www.grebbeberg.nl/index.php?page ... --division
Durchbruch durch die Grebbe-Linie. Der Freiwillige – Año 28 – Nº. 5 (Mayo) y Nº 6 (Junio) 1982.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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The route of the SS Der Fuhrer - From Prague to the Western front.

West Front.

The SS battalions (I. and II. / SS DF) began the attack at 12:30 hours.After a hard struggle the I. / SS DF could conquer the forts 47 and 48, reaching the fort 58 after that secured the area; in these fights fell in action the Commander of the 3. / SS DF, Hstuf. Boysen-Schmidt. Meanwhile the II. / SS DF continued until around Achterberg.

The AR 207 reinforced with a mortar battery and a group of heavy howitzers opened fire on enemy positions around Rhenen. Meanwhile the IR 322 went on the attack with its III. Battalion to the left (reinforced with the scout cars Platoon of the 15. / SS DF) and the I. Battalion to the right, after a brutal battle, fought hand to hand in many places, the stop line was overran and the I. / IR 322 conquered positions north of the road and east of the zoo, the struggle became hard again in the CP of the Dutch battalions, especially in the 1st Battalion, where Major Landzaat gathered the last defenders, 16 men, in a small building at the entrance of the zoo and fought there until it collapsed due to enemy fire.

The Major then ordered the survivors to try to reach friendly lines and remained in position until he was killed (a detail tragic was that his body was discovered by his wife after the fight). The assailants (IR 322) also suffered losses and were worn so they paused on the railway line due east of Rhenen. Meanwhile the III. / SS DF was reconstituted again under Hstuf. Kumm and after a short talk with the commander of the 11. / SS DF, Ostuf. Ney (reinforced with the Platoon Gruber of the 12. / SS DF) decided to continue the assault through the I. / IR 322 against the zoo in order to link with their Battalion Commander (Wäckerle); the liaison with the encircled men of the III. / SS DF was performed between 16:00 and 17:00 hours. The Panzerspähwagen (Recce light vehicles) of the 15. / SS DF brought the wounded (including Wäckerle) to the rear.

Around 22:30 hours the III. / IR 322 reached Rhenen and the III. / SS DF under its new commander Hstuf. Kumm resumed its duties on the first line.

The IR 322 was commissioned to proceed towards Utrecht by Elst - Amerungen – Doorn. By 23:00 hours it was organized a reconnaissance element with a squad of the 15. / SS DF (two light armored reconnaissance vehicles), parts of the motorcyclist Reconnaissance Platoon (Kraderk. Zug) and parts of a motorcyclists rifle Platoon (Kradschützen) under orders of Ustuf. Schneider.

Sources: ebay auction. Lunes, 24 de Noviembre de 2008, 20:07:26
Sepp Lainer. Ases de Infantería. F. Kurowski.
SS-Das Reich. The Story of the Second SS Division 1941-45. Gregory L. Mattson.
http://www.grebbeberg.nl/index.php?page ... --division
Durchbruch durch die Grebbe-Linie. Der Freiwillige – Año 28 – Nº. 5 (Mayo) y Nº 6 (Junio) 1982.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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The route of the SS Der Fuhrer - From Prague to the Western front.

West Front.

On May 14, 1940 at 02:15 hours, after the vehicles of the IR 322 could pass the railroad, began the ordered movement.

At 05:00 hours the group Schneider had reached Amerungen and had cleared it of hostile elements, there were taken 800 prisoners and a battery of artillery.

At 06:30 hours, the SS DF was moving from the line Achterberg - fort 58 through Dikkenberg towards Prattenburg. It took over the protection of the northern flank of the division ( 207. ID) and had to block the roads leading southwards, from Dwarsweg to Achterberg.

At 07:30 hours, the leading companies of the IR 322 reached Amerungen and parts of the regiment continued to Doorn. The Grebbeberg had been broken.

Sources: ebay auction. Lunes, 24 de Noviembre de 2008, 20:07:26
Sepp Lainer. Ases de Infantería. F. Kurowski.
SS-Das Reich. The Story of the Second SS Division 1941-45. Gregory L. Mattson.
http://www.grebbeberg.nl/index.php?page ... --division
Durchbruch durch die Grebbe-Linie. Der Freiwillige – Año 28 – Nº. 5 (Mayo) y Nº 6 (Junio) 1982.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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The route of the SS Der Fuhrer - From Prague to the Western front.

West Front - France 1940.

On May 17, 1940 the SS DF joined the rest of the SS Verfugungsdivision and after a short break on May 22, 1940 was ready for action. An attack on the Kemmelberg was canceled and the new mission was to secure the area on the river Lys and La Basse Canal. During the night from 23 to 24 May 1940 the enemy attempted a breakthrough of the front and a French battalion supported by tanks stormed the lines of the 9. / SS DF (Hustuf Harmel) but the Commander of the III. / SS DF (Hustuf Kumm) arrived on time with reinforcements and the assault was repulsed. In the town of Hilaire were destroyed 13 tanks and 500 French were captured. In the town of Ayre the 7. / SS DF (Hustuf Lingner) rejected another enemy attempt after a hard urban combat. On the morning of May 24, 1940 the breakthrough attempt was foiled. Then the next day the regiment crossed the Lys and established a bridgehead in Ayre, there it met British troops for the first time.

Sources: ebay auction. Lunes, 24 de Noviembre de 2008, 20:07:26
Sepp Lainer. Ases de Infantería. F. Kurowski.
SS-Das Reich. The Story of the Second SS Division 1941-45. Gregory L. Mattson.
http://www.grebbeberg.nl/index.php?page ... --division
Durchbruch durch die Grebbe-Linie. Der Freiwillige – Año 28 – Nº. 5 (Mayo) y Nº 6 (Junio) 1982.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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The route of the SS Der Fuhrer - From Prague to the Western front.

West Front - France 1940. The Battle of Aire. German Flank Guard Actions During the 1940 French Campaign.
by B. H. Friesen.

General Reinhardt's XLI Corps was the unit directly on the right flank of the penetration, with no friendly units at all to the west or north. The unit with the mission of providing flank security for the corps (and thus the entire German armored thrust) was the SS V Division. The division consisted of three motorized infantry regiments ("Der Führer," "Deutschland," and "Germania"), a towed artillery regiment, reconnaissance battalion (armored cars and motorcycles) and antitank battalion. It also had an engineer battalion, signal battalion, antiaircraft machine gun battalion, and division support elements.

The Division Commander, Gruppenführer [Major General] Paul Hausser, returned from the corps command post at 10:30 hours and issued the following order to his subordinate units: “Secure the corps’ right flank lf the enemy attacks, turn east, attack the enemy and push him back towards the east. ”

The division deployed in three march groups. The Regiment SS “Der Fuhrer,” the advance guard, began moving at 13:30 hours. Its lead element was Hauptsturmführer [Captain] Johannes Muhlenkamp’s 15th Motorcycle Infantry Company (kradschützen kp), equipped with motorcycles and machine guns on side cars.

Following the 15th Company were the 2d Battalion/ SS-DF, the 2d Battalion of the SS Artillery Regiment, the regimental staff, the 1st Battalion/SS-DF and the 3d Battalion/SS-DF. All subordinate units provided their own flank security. The artillery battalion’s location enabled it to provide protective fire for the entire march group with primary emphasis forward. Barring enemy contact, the march group’s final objective was the town of Aire.

The Regiment SS “Deutschland” followed immediately behind the Regiment SS “Der Fuhrer.” The Regiment SS “Germania” followed the 6th Panzer Division, to the left of the main body. The latter two regiments had an organization similar to SS “Der Fuhrer.”

Source: Armor Magazine. Jan – Feb 1994.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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West Front - France 1940. The Battle of Aire. German Flank Guard Actions During the 1940 French Campaign.
by B. H. Friesen.

At 18:58 hours, the corps headquarters sent the following radio message to the division: “Main bodies of 6th and 8th Panzer Divisions halt in the Lys Sector. SS V Division provides flank security along the Divion- St. Hilaire line.”

General Hausser ordered the regiments to secure the entire length of the corps flank and organize for a defense towards the northeast. The Regiment SS “Der Führer” secured the Estrée Blanche-Rely-St. Hilaire area (see Map 2). The advance guard and 2d Bn/SS DF (reinforced by the 2d Company from the 1st Bn/SS DF) deployed in and around the town of Aire. The 3d Bn/SS DF (-) assumed positions along the Canal d’Aire, with some of its companies in reserve to the south. The 1st Bn/SS DF (-) and 2d Bn of the SS Artillery Regiment deployed in and around Blessy and Rely as the regimental reserve. The entire Regiment SS “Der Führer’’ organized for a defense in depth. It would bear the brunt of the impending attack.

Shortly after midnight on 23 May, isolated shots began to ring out along the Canal d’Aire. These shots became weak enemy probes against the regiment’s forward outposts by 0400 hours. The SS troopers were becoming edgy in the face of what they felt was an impending attack. Reports of enemy contact grew like a crescendo until the regimental command post heard the sounds of combat erupt from the direction of Aire. The night was pitch black, making observation completely impossible. This resulted in a lack of detailed reports by the forward outposts and even the units themselves. Something was happening out there, but the regiment’s leaders did not know its magnitude.

Source: Armor Magazine. Jan – Feb 1994.

Cheers. Raúl M .

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The route of the SS Der Fuhrer - From Prague to the Western front.

West Front - France 1940. The Battle of Aire. German Flank Guard Actions During the 1940 French Campaign.
by B. H. Friesen.

Untersturmführer [Second Lieutenant] Schulze cursed as he approached the outskirts of Aire at the head of his reinforced platoon. As part of the 7th Company, he was responsible for securing the Aire bridge with his platoon and attached antitank guns. The only problem was that this was surely one of the darkest nights in history. He could not even see his hand in front of his face! Making it through the congested streets of Aire without killing. or injuring one of his men would undoubtedly be one of the “leadership challenges” his commander was so fond of.

About halfway through the town, Schulze suddenly found his path blocked by a vehicle. He dismounted and discovered a serpentine armored column winding its way through the streets. Those damned tankers from the panzer division were obviously out of their assigned sector again. Schulze still had his mission to think of, so he joined the column to reach the northern edge of Aire as quickly as possible.

The advance was very sporadic. Schulze’s impatience increased each time his vehicle lurched to a stop as the column halted again. A tank blocked his way for several minutes, refusing to budge. Schulze’s patience reached its end. He jumped angrily out of his vehicle and climbed to the top of the tank. He tapped on the shut hatch with his tobacco pipe. It swung open with a loud, metallic click, and a torrent of French greeted Schulze! The hair on the back of his neck stood up, but he cleverly gave no answer. Instead, he ran back along the length of his platoon, silently ordering the men to unhitch the antitank guns. They then man-handled them into positions along the side streets. While they did so, Schulze quickly positioned his infantrymen in the houses and gardens along both sides of the road. Within the space of five minutes, his platoon was in position.

In spite of the situation, Untersturmfüihrer Schulze could not help smiling when he thought of the chaos that would erupt shortly. When he was sure all his guns had found their targets, he ordered the one he was standing beside to open fire. The others joined in a split second later. The surprise and confusion were absolute. Antitank rounds ripped through the French armor at point-blank range, causing violent, brilliant explosions along the length of the column. The French had absolutely no idea where the fire was coming from. Amidst the screams of the wounded and dying, the tankers sought refuge in the houses along both sides of the road. They rushed directly into the waiting German infantry. Once the initial confusion passed, the French defended themselves bravely and shot up all of the antitank gun prime movers. They withdrew from Aire, leaving 20 of their destroyed tanks behind. Schulze’s platoon did not suffer any casualties.

Source: Armor Magazine. Jan – Feb 1994.

Cheers. Raúl M .