Infanterie Division 21 in June 1941

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oquaig
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Infanterie Division 21 in June 1941

Post by oquaig »

Hi everyone,

Since the records don't exist in NARA concerning 21. Infanterie Division I am hoping some one can tell me what actions the unit fought on 23, 24 and 25 June 1941. Is there a KTB covering this period somewhere or maybe an account of the Division's actions specifically concerning its meeting engagement with the 28th Tank Division on 23 June ?

Thanks in advance
oquaig
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Re: Infanterie Division 21 in June 1941

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tigre
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Re: Infanterie Division 21 in June 1941

Post by tigre »

Hello to all :D; a little complement.............................................

The 21. ID - Barbarossa June 1941.

The staff was formed asCommander of Elbing on October 1, 1934 in Elbing, in Wehrkreis I. The name was a camouflage in the expansion of the Reichswehr. On October 15, 1935 the staff was renamed as the 21st Infantry Division with the IR 3, IR 24, IR 45 and AR 21. In September 1939 took part in the Polish Campaign; in October 1939 it was shifted to the Eifel region and then was engaged in the western campaign. From July to September 1940 performed occupation duties along the Demarcation Line and the Swiss border. In September 1940 it was transferred to WK I. On June 22, 1941 crossed the border with the Soviet Union near Tilsit.

22-29th June 1941 border fighting.

22 - 25th June 1941 breakthrough across the border defensive position.

On June 22, 1941 the 21st Infantry Division attacked Tauragė on a front with a width of 8 km, but met with serious resistance. On the right flank of the Soviet 90th Rifle Division, defended by the 286th Rifle Regiment, in the zone of the German 21st Infantry Division's offensive from the Zhigaychai-Aukshtupiai to the Jura, at first, according to the recollections of German soldiers, the division was hampered only by nature. Helmut Dahmerau writes: "The long hours of continuous advance through the open fields with the increasingly tangible sunshine led us to the ill-fame of the Plinoy swamp. Here there was a suffocating heat, like in an incubator, causing a few soldiers to lose consciousness and a heat stroke. With great difficulty we make our way through these jungles; Heavy guns can not keep up with us. Although the maps for this crazy sector do not even approximately coincide with it, our 3rd battalion of the 24th Infantry Regiment (III./ IR 24), the only one, reached, in accordance with the order by noon, the terrain before the Jura, which the Russians scattered with individual shells. "

The remaining battalions of the 24th Regiment and the advancing 45th regiment of the 21. ID were also stuck in the marshes. "However, the III./ IR 24, in spite of certain doubts, and without heavy weapons, launched an offensive through what appeared to be an unprotected section of the river. In fact, there were located some positions, partly even concrete reinforcements, although in no way finished. However, the river valley itself represented a significant obstacle, which was easy to defend. The attack of the battalion failed with painful losses. Among the fallen were the battalion commander and the sergeant-major of the 9th Company "

The command of the 21. ID, having received information about the success of the neighboring IR 22 of the 1. ID, sent there the reserve for the transfer to the northern bank of the Jura, the IR 3, together with a rapidly formed artillery group, in order to carry out down the river a flank attack on the enemy in front of the IR 24.

Almeier-Beck, describes the crossing of Jura by the 21. ID: "The engineer platoon of the IR 45, inspecting a section of the river about 17 hours, found no enemy. Only behind the Pagramantis, the regiment, after a short preparation by two battalions for the offensive, collided with the probably retreating enemy, whom was pushed back to its artillery positions. Then the offensive was halted because of the darkness and, last but not least, because of the direct fire of enemy guns.

Before the front of the IR 24, the enemy also withdrew from the battle, and here the IR 3, without waiting for artillery preparation, formed a bridgehead about 2 km wide before the onset of darkness.

In view of the delay in the 11. ID and 21. ID, the order to send the 1. ID before Varsedzhiai was abolished. The division stopped at night on the line about 4 km north of the Jura.

On June 23, 1941 the Soviet 28th Tank Division, having completed a 50-kilometer march at night, reached its starting position at 10 hours from the line Zvirzde - Bombali. On the way, the division, after four air raids, lost 27 tanks. Towards the end of the journey, it found herself without fuel and instead of 16 tanker trucks only were delivered 16 drums, which was enough to refuel seven tanks. Therefore, the division could not engage in a counterattack on time. The German 21. ID, continued the offensive from the Didkimis-Pagramantis line to the northeast at 06:00 hours, having the task to reach the southern edge of the hill near Upina by the evening. On the left flank, the IR 24 was still moving, on the right - the IR 45. The IR 3 followed as a reserve now after the 45th Regiment. Judging by German sources, the main obstacle in the way of the division was not the opposition of the enemy, but countless streams, swamps and dense forest.

Sources: http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... 21ID-R.htm
http://www.maparchive.ru/division/part3 ... vision.pdf
http://www.bartels.com/genealogy/ID21.php3
http://refdb.ru/look/1683131-p5.html
http://rkkaww2.armchairgeneral.com/maps ... une41d.JPG

Hope be useful. Cheers. Raúl M 8).
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oquaig
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Re: Infanterie Division 21 in June 1941

Post by oquaig »

Yes...thank you tigre,

This is the information I was looking for. Thank you also for the refdb.ru link, that was very useful.

Best wishes to all of you
oquaig
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Re: Infanterie Division 21 in June 1941

Post by tigre »

Glad to hear that :wink:. Cheers. Raúl M 8).
Serás lo que debas ser o no serás nada. General José de San Martín.
oquaig
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Re: Infanterie Division 21 in June 1941

Post by oquaig »

Hi tigre,
Almeier-Beck, is this a unit history ? May I have the full title of the work, I want to find a copy for myself.

Thanks
oquaig
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Re: Infanterie Division 21 in June 1941

Post by tigre »

Hello oquaig :D; take a look here..................................

Allmayer-Beck, Christoph von. Die Geschichte der 21. (ostpr. - westpr.) Infanterie-Division. Hrsg. vom Traditionsverband der 21. Infanterie-Division Kameradenhilfswerk e.V. Skizzen und Anl.: Heinz Lindner.

https://www.zvab.com/buch-suchen/titel/ ... ayer-beck/

Cheers. Raúl M 8).
Serás lo que debas ser o no serás nada. General José de San Martín.
oquaig
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Re: Infanterie Division 21 in June 1941

Post by oquaig »

Excellent ! Thank you again tigre

best wishes
oquaig
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