So far as I know, only two outfits equipped with the Tiger I fought in the Battle of the Bulge--schwere Panzer Kompanie "Hummel", which served as a 4th company for the King Tiger-equipped schwere Panzer Abteilung 506; and schwere Panzer Abteilung (Funklenk) 301.
I have a couple of questions:
(1) Did the 301st utilize its BIV demolition vehicles in the offensive, or did it fight as a normal heavy tank battalion?
(2) How many Tigers did "Hummel" have when the offensive began? The normal complement of 14, or fewer?
Thanks in advance.
Yours,
Paul
Tiger I-equipped units in the Ardennes
Moderator: Tom Houlihan
Tiger Numbers
Can't help with the first question but according to Jentz's "Germany's Tiger Tanks" the 506th had 37 Tigers in total as at the 10th Dec'44 (30 operationable) & 49 Tigers as the 25th Dec'44 (33 operationable) but the exact breakdown betwenn Tiger I's & II's is not shown for these dates. s.Pz.Kp 'Hummel' is refered to as having 8x Tiger I's when renamed 4.Kp/s.Pz.Abt. 506 on the 8th Dec'44. Furthermore 12 additonal Tiger II's are mention as arriving to the 506th between the 10th & 25th Dec'44.
Out of interest Pz.Abt(Fkl)301 is described as having 27 Tiger I's as at 15 Dec'44 (12 operationable). In addition there were 61 Sprengstofftraeger's present on the 8th Dec'44.
Cheers
Out of interest Pz.Abt(Fkl)301 is described as having 27 Tiger I's as at 15 Dec'44 (12 operationable). In addition there were 61 Sprengstofftraeger's present on the 8th Dec'44.
Cheers
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Sturmtiger
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Ron Klages
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Tiger Is in the Ardennes
Paul,
There were only 2 units with Tiger Is in the area of the Ardennes but only one of them saw action in the battles.
On 18 December 1944 schwere Panzerkompanie "Hummel" was assigned to schwere Panzer-Abteilung 506 as it's 4.Kompanie. At this point it had 8 Tiger Is while the balance of 506 had 47 Tiger IIs. These Tiger Is did fight in the battles in the Ardennes and on 17 January 1945 1 of the Tiger Is that had been damaged in battle was destroyed by the crew since it could not be recovered prior to the withdrawal. "Hummel" stayed with 506 until 16 February 1945 when they left with 5 Tiger Is to operate as an independent unit the remainder of the war.
schwere Panzer-Abteilung (Tiger/Fkl) 301 with 29 Tiger Is received word on 15 December 1944 that they were to be attached to the 9. Panzer-Division. They assembled in Niederaussem to entrain for transport which was scheduled to begin on 20 December 1944. On 22 December 1944 members of the unit Stab went into the Eifel to establish contact with the HQ of the 9. PD, which was scheduled to relieve the 2. PD fighting near Celles. However, before the rail transport of the Tigers could happen, all of the rail lines had been destroyed so on 25 December 1944 301 was released from it's attachment to the 9.PD. The Tigers were unloaded and 301 moved to Nörvenich where it became an Army Group reserve of the LXXXI. Armee-Korps. During the first half of 1945 301 carried out repairs and maintenance to their equipment as well as personnel reorganization. Hence they never took action in the Ardennes actions. In fact they did not enter action untill 20 January 1945 at Waldfeucht aganist the British in the Rhineland operations. At this point they had 27 Tiger Is. It appears the reduction of 2 was the result of 2 Tiger Is being sent to Maintenance in early January 1945. When they went in combat in the second half of January 1945 they had 52 BIVs on their roster. However it appears that the demo tanks were never used again although there were orders for them to be used to destroy bridges over the Ruhr River on 10 April 1945. This order was recinded so the demo tanks were sent back to the supply unit.
Some other points on 506 during the Ardennes fighting.
On 25 December 1944 506 had 36 operational Tigers IIs out of a total of 46 Tiger IIs.
On 15 January 1945 they had 17 operational Tiger IIs out of a total of 44 Tiger IIs.
On 17 January 1945, as a result of the withdrawal, they had to destroy 14 Tiger IIs ans 1 Tiger I that could not be repaired. This gave them a total of 30 Tiger IIs and by 1 February 1945 26 of them had to be sent to maintenance in an area east of Pronsfeld.
I believe that answers your two questions.
Best regards and a Happy New Year,
Ron Klages
There were only 2 units with Tiger Is in the area of the Ardennes but only one of them saw action in the battles.
On 18 December 1944 schwere Panzerkompanie "Hummel" was assigned to schwere Panzer-Abteilung 506 as it's 4.Kompanie. At this point it had 8 Tiger Is while the balance of 506 had 47 Tiger IIs. These Tiger Is did fight in the battles in the Ardennes and on 17 January 1945 1 of the Tiger Is that had been damaged in battle was destroyed by the crew since it could not be recovered prior to the withdrawal. "Hummel" stayed with 506 until 16 February 1945 when they left with 5 Tiger Is to operate as an independent unit the remainder of the war.
schwere Panzer-Abteilung (Tiger/Fkl) 301 with 29 Tiger Is received word on 15 December 1944 that they were to be attached to the 9. Panzer-Division. They assembled in Niederaussem to entrain for transport which was scheduled to begin on 20 December 1944. On 22 December 1944 members of the unit Stab went into the Eifel to establish contact with the HQ of the 9. PD, which was scheduled to relieve the 2. PD fighting near Celles. However, before the rail transport of the Tigers could happen, all of the rail lines had been destroyed so on 25 December 1944 301 was released from it's attachment to the 9.PD. The Tigers were unloaded and 301 moved to Nörvenich where it became an Army Group reserve of the LXXXI. Armee-Korps. During the first half of 1945 301 carried out repairs and maintenance to their equipment as well as personnel reorganization. Hence they never took action in the Ardennes actions. In fact they did not enter action untill 20 January 1945 at Waldfeucht aganist the British in the Rhineland operations. At this point they had 27 Tiger Is. It appears the reduction of 2 was the result of 2 Tiger Is being sent to Maintenance in early January 1945. When they went in combat in the second half of January 1945 they had 52 BIVs on their roster. However it appears that the demo tanks were never used again although there were orders for them to be used to destroy bridges over the Ruhr River on 10 April 1945. This order was recinded so the demo tanks were sent back to the supply unit.
Some other points on 506 during the Ardennes fighting.
On 25 December 1944 506 had 36 operational Tigers IIs out of a total of 46 Tiger IIs.
On 15 January 1945 they had 17 operational Tiger IIs out of a total of 44 Tiger IIs.
On 17 January 1945, as a result of the withdrawal, they had to destroy 14 Tiger IIs ans 1 Tiger I that could not be repaired. This gave them a total of 30 Tiger IIs and by 1 February 1945 26 of them had to be sent to maintenance in an area east of Pronsfeld.
I believe that answers your two questions.
Best regards and a Happy New Year,
Ron Klages
Ron Klages
Lynnwood, Washington USA
Lynnwood, Washington USA
Thank'ee kindly, Ron.
Then I think Pallud got one of his vehicle ID's wrong in his monumental work Battle of the Bulge--Then and Now, on page 405, top photo. It's a Tiger I with the old "dustbin" cupola, turret #411. He says it "probably" belonged to the Funklenk battalion, but from your info, it's got to be one of the vehicles from 4/sch. Pz. Abt. 506. In fact, it's got to be the one you describe as destroyed and abandoned by its crew.
The same photo is on page 47 of Tanks Illustrated #9, Last of the Panzers: German Tanks 1944-45, and again, it's identified as belonging to the 301st. Both books identify the location as Oberwampach, Luxembourg, ten miles east of Bastogne. The pic is dated January 21, 1945, in the second book.
Again, thank'ee.
Yours,
Paul
Then I think Pallud got one of his vehicle ID's wrong in his monumental work Battle of the Bulge--Then and Now, on page 405, top photo. It's a Tiger I with the old "dustbin" cupola, turret #411. He says it "probably" belonged to the Funklenk battalion, but from your info, it's got to be one of the vehicles from 4/sch. Pz. Abt. 506. In fact, it's got to be the one you describe as destroyed and abandoned by its crew.
The same photo is on page 47 of Tanks Illustrated #9, Last of the Panzers: German Tanks 1944-45, and again, it's identified as belonging to the 301st. Both books identify the location as Oberwampach, Luxembourg, ten miles east of Bastogne. The pic is dated January 21, 1945, in the second book.
Again, thank'ee.
Yours,
Paul
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michael kenny
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Quote:
"In fact they did not enter action untill 20 January 1945 at Waldfeucht aganist the British in the Rhineland operations. At this point they had 27 Tiger Is. It appears the reduction of 2 was the result of 2 Tiger Is being sent to Maintenance in early January 1945"
But............there is a photo of 2 Tigers destroyed near Geilenkirchen in January(Waldfeucht sector) as well as film of the same 2 wrecks complete with close up of side penetrations.
Is this one example where we catch out the otherwise 'perfect' German reporting system, i.e. all Tigers self destroyed or sent for repair, very few lost to enemy action!
Ron is there no record at all of these combat losses?
The destroyed Hummel Tiger is correctly identified in Restayn's TOTWF (page 134) and the other pair of (fkl) 301 Tigers are on page 130
"In fact they did not enter action untill 20 January 1945 at Waldfeucht aganist the British in the Rhineland operations. At this point they had 27 Tiger Is. It appears the reduction of 2 was the result of 2 Tiger Is being sent to Maintenance in early January 1945"
But............there is a photo of 2 Tigers destroyed near Geilenkirchen in January(Waldfeucht sector) as well as film of the same 2 wrecks complete with close up of side penetrations.
Is this one example where we catch out the otherwise 'perfect' German reporting system, i.e. all Tigers self destroyed or sent for repair, very few lost to enemy action!
Ron is there no record at all of these combat losses?
The destroyed Hummel Tiger is correctly identified in Restayn's TOTWF (page 134) and the other pair of (fkl) 301 Tigers are on page 130
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Ron Klages
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PzKp(Fkl) 301
Michael,
Thank you for the information on where to find the photos of the losses in the Waldfeucht area.
I was aware that two of the Tiger Is had been lost in action to British 6 pounders at Waldfeucht but there were two other losses on the roster that I have not been able to find information. These were the 2 that I assumed, and probably in error, that had possibly been sent to maintenance. Here is what I have regarding the Tiger roster of 301.
25 Aug received 7 Tiger Is from maitenance facility
1 Sept received 2 new issue Tiger Is
7 Sept received 1 new issue Tiger I
7 Sept received 5 Tiger Is from a maintenance facility
15 Sept received 5 Tiger Is from a maintenance facility
20 Sept received 1 new issue Tiger I
21 October received 10 Tiger Is from sSSPzAbt. 503
This is a total of 31 Tiger Is.
The losses I can account for are:
21 November lost 2 in combat near Merzenhausen
6 December lost 2 thay bogged down and were blown up at Mariaweiler
21 January45 lost 2 in Waldfeucht to British 6 pounders
17 April45 blew up last 3 Tiger Is in Sprockhövel
The only other data I have is that the following quanties disappeared from the roster.
2 more in January 1945
8 in February 1945
7 in March 1945
5 more in April 1945
Were these combat losses or what?
Ron Klages
Thank you for the information on where to find the photos of the losses in the Waldfeucht area.
I was aware that two of the Tiger Is had been lost in action to British 6 pounders at Waldfeucht but there were two other losses on the roster that I have not been able to find information. These were the 2 that I assumed, and probably in error, that had possibly been sent to maintenance. Here is what I have regarding the Tiger roster of 301.
25 Aug received 7 Tiger Is from maitenance facility
1 Sept received 2 new issue Tiger Is
7 Sept received 1 new issue Tiger I
7 Sept received 5 Tiger Is from a maintenance facility
15 Sept received 5 Tiger Is from a maintenance facility
20 Sept received 1 new issue Tiger I
21 October received 10 Tiger Is from sSSPzAbt. 503
This is a total of 31 Tiger Is.
The losses I can account for are:
21 November lost 2 in combat near Merzenhausen
6 December lost 2 thay bogged down and were blown up at Mariaweiler
21 January45 lost 2 in Waldfeucht to British 6 pounders
17 April45 blew up last 3 Tiger Is in Sprockhövel
The only other data I have is that the following quanties disappeared from the roster.
2 more in January 1945
8 in February 1945
7 in March 1945
5 more in April 1945
Were these combat losses or what?
Ron Klages
Ron Klages
Lynnwood, Washington USA
Lynnwood, Washington USA
posted by fgopper on 28. Dec. 1999 & 13. Jan. 2000:
MfG MichiMichi,
In reference to your inquiry of 28. Dec. 1999, concerning the PzAbt 301 (Fkl):
Assigned to 6. (SS-)Panzer-Armee and was one of two units with Tiger I's in the Ardennes fightings.
Theoretically, the PzAbt 301 (Fkl) (CO: Hptm Krämer) had 31 Tiger I/E with 59 B-IV in the 319. PzKp (Fkl).
Reported strength of the PzAbt 301 (Fkl), as of 16/12/1944 was 27 Tiger I/E with 14 judged to combat ready.
On 20/12/1944 the PzAbt 301 (Fkl) was attached to the 9. PzDiv.
At the end of the year, the OB West situation maps indicate the unit, then at the tip of the salient, had 20 operational Tiger I/E's.
In the withdrawal from the Ardennes, one of its Tiger I/E's was destroyed near Oberwampach, where it was photographed by members of the US 90th I.D..
=====================================================
From an after-action report submitted by Hauptmann Krämer (CO PzAbt 301 (Fkl)) to the General Inspector of Panzer Troops in January/February 1945:
During the entire employment of the battalion since Nov. 16, due to both tactical and technical reasons, it was not possible to utilize this unit as a funklenk battalion. The battalion was employed exactly as a normal pz bn as a part of a pz div to attack enemy tanks or employed in tank pack of 5 Tigers for mobile defense and counterattacks. The operatons in which the B-IVs were employed, in all cases, resulted in complete failure or at best a partial success. Due to the small number of ‘Lenk-panzer’ (Tigers with control sets) only a few B-IVs could be employed. These were, for the most part, destroyed by heavy enemy fire before reaching their objective. The employment of this expensive equipment is by no means justified by the end result.
eierlegende Wollmilchsau
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Peter
s.Panzer Abteilung 506
Meldung 1.12.44
Berge Panzer V and VI Soll 5, Einzatsbereit 3, in Kurzfristiger 1
Flak Panser IV, Soll 8, Einzatsbereit 5
Panzer VI, Soll 45, Einsatsbereit 11, in Kurzfristiger 13
Unfortunately there is no mention of the type of Pz. VI's?
Kurzes Werturteil des Kommandeurs:-
Abteilung zur Zeit nur bedingt einsatzbereit, da 14 tage ununterbrochen im Einsatz. Nach Zeit (7 Tage) für Instandsetsung und Pflege 25 Panzern dann wieder für jede Aufgabe verwendungsbereit.
I have looked further in my papers and came across a Fernschreiben of 13.11.44 giving the strenght of Kp Hummel as 10 tanks but the Kompany operated independently during october-november 1944
Meldung 1.12.44
Berge Panzer V and VI Soll 5, Einzatsbereit 3, in Kurzfristiger 1
Flak Panser IV, Soll 8, Einzatsbereit 5
Panzer VI, Soll 45, Einsatsbereit 11, in Kurzfristiger 13
Unfortunately there is no mention of the type of Pz. VI's?
Kurzes Werturteil des Kommandeurs:-
Abteilung zur Zeit nur bedingt einsatzbereit, da 14 tage ununterbrochen im Einsatz. Nach Zeit (7 Tage) für Instandsetsung und Pflege 25 Panzern dann wieder für jede Aufgabe verwendungsbereit.
I have looked further in my papers and came across a Fernschreiben of 13.11.44 giving the strenght of Kp Hummel as 10 tanks but the Kompany operated independently during october-november 1944
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michael kenny
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I went back to this webpage, Peter:
http://www.panzerdiesel.com/data/e/230_506.html?
SID=0bc2b10d7d1aad64018e93c3723db2a1&SID=0bc2b10d7d1aad64018e93c3723db2a1
If you scroll down to the lower part of the page, there's a diagram showing the 506th's make up in December 1944, including the 4th company being Tiger Is and the rest being Tiger IIs.
Yours,
Paul
http://www.panzerdiesel.com/data/e/230_506.html?
SID=0bc2b10d7d1aad64018e93c3723db2a1&SID=0bc2b10d7d1aad64018e93c3723db2a1
If you scroll down to the lower part of the page, there's a diagram showing the 506th's make up in December 1944, including the 4th company being Tiger Is and the rest being Tiger IIs.
Yours,
Paul
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Ron Klages
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Quantity of 506 Tiger Is
Guys,
A bit more history of schwere Panzer-Kompanie "Hummel".
schwere Panzer-Kompanie 'Hummel" was established in early July 1944 as an Alarm Unit. It was established at Paderborn, Germany in Wehrkreis VI and it was named after it's commander Oberleutnant [later Hauptmann] Hummel. It was to be equipped with 14 Tiger Is that were transferred to the unit from Panzer-Ersatz-und Ausbildungs-Abteilung 500, as in the Paderborn artea. Some of the personnel with the unit came from 2./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 504.
It saw it's first combat at Arnheim on 19 Septenber 1944 when it was attached to the 10. SS Panzer-Division. In an 80km roadmarch from Bocholt, where they had unloaded from trains, to Arnheim 12 of the Tiger Is broke down so omnly two went into combat the evening of 19 September and both of these were immobilized by anti-tank fire. Also on the 24 September in the Oosterbeck sector several Tiger broke through bridges. It appears that in the actions in the Arnheim area they lost 4 Tigers in combat and 1 was sent to long term maintenance bring the total on the roster to 9.
In early November they were in action in the Aachen area and on 19 November they lost another Tiger I to an anti-tank gun while attached to the 15. Panzergrenadier-Division in fighting near Tripsrath. On 20 November Hauptmann Hummel was killed in action near Lindern and Leutnant Flöhr became to new commander. So on 18 December, wheen they were subordinated to schwere Panzer-Abteilung 506 as its 4. Kompanie they were down to 8 Tiger Is on the roster.
While fighting with 506 from 18 December 1944 to 16 February 1945 they lost 3 more Tiger from the roster.
After leaving 506 the kompnaie, now with only 5 Tiger Is was assigned to the LXXXI Armee-Korps in the area of Etzweiler. On 24 February two of the Tigers take part in engagements with Panzer-Regiment 33 of the 9. Panzer-Division west of the Rhein.
On 25 February 1945 one of the Tiger Is destroys an M26 Pershing in the Elsdorg area but it soon beomes bogged down in the debris of a destroyed house while withdrawing and it is left behind by the crew. The same day two more Tiger Is are lost near Dormagen when they are destroyed by M24 Chaffees from the US 4. Cavalry Group.
Now down to 2 Tiger Is they continue fighting into April 1945 till they are disbanded in Koblenz, Germany.
best regards,
Ron Klages
A bit more history of schwere Panzer-Kompanie "Hummel".
schwere Panzer-Kompanie 'Hummel" was established in early July 1944 as an Alarm Unit. It was established at Paderborn, Germany in Wehrkreis VI and it was named after it's commander Oberleutnant [later Hauptmann] Hummel. It was to be equipped with 14 Tiger Is that were transferred to the unit from Panzer-Ersatz-und Ausbildungs-Abteilung 500, as in the Paderborn artea. Some of the personnel with the unit came from 2./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 504.
It saw it's first combat at Arnheim on 19 Septenber 1944 when it was attached to the 10. SS Panzer-Division. In an 80km roadmarch from Bocholt, where they had unloaded from trains, to Arnheim 12 of the Tiger Is broke down so omnly two went into combat the evening of 19 September and both of these were immobilized by anti-tank fire. Also on the 24 September in the Oosterbeck sector several Tiger broke through bridges. It appears that in the actions in the Arnheim area they lost 4 Tigers in combat and 1 was sent to long term maintenance bring the total on the roster to 9.
In early November they were in action in the Aachen area and on 19 November they lost another Tiger I to an anti-tank gun while attached to the 15. Panzergrenadier-Division in fighting near Tripsrath. On 20 November Hauptmann Hummel was killed in action near Lindern and Leutnant Flöhr became to new commander. So on 18 December, wheen they were subordinated to schwere Panzer-Abteilung 506 as its 4. Kompanie they were down to 8 Tiger Is on the roster.
While fighting with 506 from 18 December 1944 to 16 February 1945 they lost 3 more Tiger from the roster.
After leaving 506 the kompnaie, now with only 5 Tiger Is was assigned to the LXXXI Armee-Korps in the area of Etzweiler. On 24 February two of the Tigers take part in engagements with Panzer-Regiment 33 of the 9. Panzer-Division west of the Rhein.
On 25 February 1945 one of the Tiger Is destroys an M26 Pershing in the Elsdorg area but it soon beomes bogged down in the debris of a destroyed house while withdrawing and it is left behind by the crew. The same day two more Tiger Is are lost near Dormagen when they are destroyed by M24 Chaffees from the US 4. Cavalry Group.
Now down to 2 Tiger Is they continue fighting into April 1945 till they are disbanded in Koblenz, Germany.
best regards,
Ron Klages
Ron Klages
Lynnwood, Washington USA
Lynnwood, Washington USA
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Sturmtiger
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How comes the Tiger I from Abt.506 in the Ardennes picture(mentioned here) had number 411 on the turret?
The 4 means Kompanie while the 11 means number of tank in sPzAbt.506 numbering(not 1.Zug and 1.Fahrzeug like in other Abt.).
Why we see the Tiger #11 from the 4.Kompanie but former "Hummel" only take part with 8 Tigers?
The 4 means Kompanie while the 11 means number of tank in sPzAbt.506 numbering(not 1.Zug and 1.Fahrzeug like in other Abt.).
Why we see the Tiger #11 from the 4.Kompanie but former "Hummel" only take part with 8 Tigers?
Sturmtiger