16th Panzer Division escape at Stalingrad

[EasyEight]

Hi,
I'm interested in piecing together how some elements of 16th Panzer escaped from Stalingrad -- of course, there are conflicting accounts from Beevor, Glantz and other sources. Any help of information would be appreciated. Here's what I have for the unit organization:

• Panzergrenadier-Regiment 64
• Panzergrenadier-Regiment 79
• Kradschutzen-Battalion 16
• Panzer-Regiment 2
• Artillerie-Regiment 16
• Panzerjager-Battalion 16
• Pioneer-Battalion 16
• Nachrichten-Battalion 16
• 16th Divisional Support Units

1. Some elements of 16thth Panzer may have been pulled from the line for a refit the week of Nov 10 1942, but some accounts also say that 16th Panzer was pulled out of combat at Spartanovka/Rynok and sent West to the Don Loop area in response to the Soviet offensive (Operation Uranus).

2. During the night of the 19/20 November, parts of the 16. Panzerdivision crossed the bridge over the Don River at Golubinka with "forward elements" being sent to Sukanovski. These Vorkommando units appear to be parts of PzrGren 64 and the Kradscutzen Battalion. These fell back under pressure from Soviet units from 6th Guards Cavalry and 4th Tank Corps? The remainder of the Division followed on the 20th, seems like an HQ unit took position NW of Kalach at a town called Ilianarskiye? Other units crossed over the bridge at Golubinka, while some Divisional support units and some miscellaneous from 16th Panzer went to Kalach on the Don. I cannot find mention of these units, but they were evidently to be brought back up to strength from a training battalion of Russian volunteers (“Hewes”) located at Kalach.

3. November 21, Kampfgruppe Dormann is formed of those forward elements (I/Panzergrenadier Regiment 64 and Kradschützen Battalion 16), they engage elements of 4th Tank Corps and are forced to fall back towards Bolshiyenabatovskiye, close to Golubinski where Panzer-Regiment 2 and other units have formed a defensive line that stops the Soviet attack after heavy fighting, during which Panzer Regiment 2 loses 10 tanks. The other units from 16th Panzer were Battalion Wota (I/Panzergrenadier Regiment 79), Battalion Dörnemann (I/Panzergrenadier Regiment 64), halftrack/ transport company Oberleutnant Dietz and misc forces combined of other units of 16th Panzer under Hauptmann Strack. Where were the other two Panzergrenadier battalions?? Back in reserve? Or so reduced that they are not mentioned anywhere? 16th Panzer was joined by units of 14th Panzer Division.

4. By November 22, the bulk of all units of 16th Panzer I can find reference too are across the Don River at the Golubinka area, and are ordered to counterattack in a pincer move from the Mostovskiy area north towards Tsvorin to try and cut off lead elements of 26th Tank Corps, 4th Tank Corps and 6th Gds Cavalry. The attack is aborted after Panzer-Regiment 2 is ambushed by Soviet ski troops as it moved towards Sukanovski, loses several tanks and falls back towards Golubinka. Mention of some Vorkommando units being separated (reference on a German history blog – no other source) during the fighting.

5. At ~ dawn on November 22, Lieutenant Colonel G N Filippov, commander of 19th Tank Brigade, 26th Tank Corps used captured German vehicles and tanks to surprise German defenders at the bridge at Kalach and seized the bridge. There was heavy fighting in Kalach during the day of November 22 as more units from 19th Tank Brigade fed into the attack, and nearby German units responded to try and keep the bridge – the bridge providing the main supply and transport route for 6th Army. By 4pm the Soviets had taken the town, with most German units retreating to the Southwest away from Kalach, others retreated back towards Stalingrad.

6. On November 23 the 16th Panzer division units near Golubinka attempted four counter attacks against Soviet units of 26th Tank Corps, 4th Tank Corps and 6th Gds Cavalry. These attacks were repulsed. Upon hearing that Kalach had fallen, 16th Panzer fell back across the Don river to the East bank. Most of these units were trapped in the Kessel and perished with 6th Army.

Some 2200 men of 16th Panzer escaped at Stalingrad. I can find references to units of 64th Panzergrenadiers (including the Regimental Staff unit), several companies of Panzer-Regiment 2, Divisional support units and some small Kampfgruppes and Vorkommando units. What’s the most likely means of escape for these units? Kampgruppes I find reference to are:

• KG Sedlmeyer
• KG Burgdorff
• KG Rabe
• KG Schmidt

What would comprise a typical Kampgruppe at Stalingrad?I can see how the Divisional Support units escaped at Kalach, were the bulk of the others that escaped all formed into Kampgruppes and Vorkommando units? If the bulk of 16th Panzer Division fell back across the Don, how did these get separated and end up retreating to the Southwest through the Soviet attack? Would all of the survivors likely have been in the Kampfgruppes and Vorkommando units?

Any more details and information would be helpful. Thanks.
Best,
-John-

[bil]

There is some informaion in the opening chapters of 'Blood Red Snow',not much reference to the unit numbers,but to the confusion and chaos of the retreat,and units being mixed during this time.I don't know if this is any help to you. ---bil

[netsec]

My grandfather apparently escaped from Stalingrad. According to a tape, he was there at Christmas 1942. He said, "We were told we were surrounded and would have to fight our way out. That is what we did." Next thing he is in a hospital in Czechoslovakia.

[lufty1]

Here is an article about an escaper from 29 Pzgr div