A motorized division in Barbarroja 1941.

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Re: A motorized division in Barbarroja 1941.

Post by tigre »

Hello to all :D; more ...........................

With the 25. ID (Mot) in Operation Barbarossa.

Attack to the north. Encirclement of Kiew - September 12 to 23, 1941.

As mentioned above, on September 12, 1941 the 25. ID (Mot) went on to fulfill new tasks by a long march north to Krementschug. From there framed in the Armored Group Kleist would be part of the south pincer that would close around the Ukrainian capital. The previously suffered losses could be compensated in this time so the division was in personnel over 94%, in material, armament and equipment to 92% and in vehicles to 80%. The march passed almost in peace conditions. The 25. ID (Mot) crossed the Dniepr river in Krementschug through a pontoon bridge on September 14, 1941. On this same day east of Pirjatin and about 200 kilometers east of Kiew the vanguard of Guderian Armored Group from the north and the Kleist Armored Group shook hands.

After crossing the bridge, the division was subordinated to the XXXXVIII AK (Mot) that ordered to continue advancing towards the north. At dusk of September 14, the vanguard of the 25. ID (Mot) conformed by the Kradsch. Btl, the Aufkl. Abt. and the Pi. Btl, had relieved another unit in Lukomje on the Ssula (90 km northwest of Krementschug). On September 15, 1941, the Kradsch. Btl occupied a small bridgehead facing northwest and retained it despite the counterattacks. Five Soviet armies were trapped inside the siege. They suffered the same crisis that the German armies had later, since Stalin had ordered: to stay and resist! Die if necessary! The terrain in the area was open and slightly undulating, suitable for agriculture, in which the river valleys, which flow from north to south, are up to 100 meters wide.

While the IR 35 (Mot) reinforced, had been available to the Army Corps to secure the left flank of it. On September 17, 1941, that unit attacked from the bridgehead of the Kradsch. btl. 25, having as its objective the Orshiza. The regiment reached the sector quickly breaking enemy resistance without inconvenience and then occupied a defensive position facing west. The rest of the division was engaged on the right flank of the XXXXVIII AK northwest of Lubny. The roads of march became bad beyond Chorol, the decayed bridges broke, the path was swampy. The division reached Ssentscha and crossed the Ssula by a stunted wooden bridge and at dusk on September 17 was west of the town on a line of heights, advanced elements occupied the town of Tschernuchi with the mission to attack towards Pirjatin on the Udaj.

Sources: Wege eines Soldaten. Gerhard Brugmann, Heinz Gaedcke.
Erwin Boehm: Geschichte der 25. Division, Hrsg.: Kameradenhilfswerk 25 e.V., Stuttgart 1983
http://www.kavallerie-regiment18.de/aa25.html

Cheers. Raúl M 8).
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General plan of the encirclement of Kiew ............................................
General plan of the encirclement of Kiew ............................................
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Re: A motorized division in Barbarroja 1941.

Post by tigre »

Hello to all :D; more ...........................

With the 25. ID (Mot) in Operation Barbarossa.

Attack to the north. Encirclement of Kiew - September 12 to 23, 1941.

On September 18, 1941 the IR 119 (Mot) attacked to the west, with the Aufkl. Abt. securing to the right, astride the road towards the Udaj sector in front of Pirjatin. Around 11:00 hours the II. and III./ IR 119 (Mot) were halfway between Tschernuchi and Pirjatin. The columns of the enemy that were traveling along the route looking to escape to the east were annihilated and the attacks of the Soviet infantry rejected. However, it could not be specified when the Udaj sector would be reached, since the pressure of the enemy increased sharply. Another Soviet column with vehicles, weapons and tanks was seen heading south through the swampy Udaj valley, looking for an exit to the siege. The General Staff of the division headed towards the small town of Galajew.

Meanwhile the I. / IR 119 (Mot), at the orders of the division attacked towards the north, where the Aukl. Abt., after a very good start began to face strong enemy resistance. Here it was fought against tanks and infantry that followed behind and after bloody fights with heavy losses for the enemy, towards 18:00 hours the connection was established with the Aufkl. Abt. and thus the situation on the right flank of the division stabilized.

On the other hand on the left flank was a critical situation, although after noon it became even more worrisome. The mass of the enemy that escaped to the east from Pirjatin, collided frontally against the bastion formed by the IR 119 (Mot) and deviated towards the south of it. There, marching between the position of the IR 119 (Mot) and the Udaj (which from Pirjatin ran eastward about 30 km), sought to escape the Kiew's encirclement. To close this gap, the reserves of the division were employed here. This great mass of the enemy that attacked from the Udaj towards the north, represented mainly for the division that its extensive and free left flank had been transformed in its South front.

At midnight, the attempt to break up had begun and the report soon arrived: the enemy broke through and marched to Galajew. The staff then retired to Tschernuchi where, as deus ex machina, the Oberstleutnant Schulte-Heuthaus (Commander of the Kradsch. Btl) arrived with a handful of his motorcyclists. They were deployed there with the following order: to avoid the Russian advance by Tschernuchi and to the west. The General Staff retreated back to Gapanowka, but they could not find calm there either; The Soviets were still looking for a new way out. Further south, hostile troops attacked the Aufkl. Abt. The Soviet flow marched eastward. As only troops available to defend the new southern front were parts of Pz. Jäg. Abt. and the Pi. Btl, in total two companies. Also at dusk the I. / IR 119 (Mot) moved there. But what did this mean with a front width of about 18 km? Above all, there was a large central section to defend around Tschernuchi.

Sources: Wege eines Soldaten. Gerhard Brugmann, Heinz Gaedcke.
Erwin Boehm: Geschichte der 25. Division, Hrsg.: Kameradenhilfswerk 25 e.V., Stuttgart 1983
http://www.kavallerie-regiment18.de/aa25.html

Cheers. Raúl M 8).
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Fighting of the 25. ID (Mot) on the eastern boundary of the encirclement of Kiew......
Fighting of the 25. ID (Mot) on the eastern boundary of the encirclement of Kiew......
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Re: A motorized division in Barbarroja 1941.

Post by tigre »

Hello to all :D; more ...........................

With the 25. ID (Mot) in Operation Barbarossa.

Attack to the north. Encirclement of Kiew - September 12 to 23, 1941.

Due to the situation generated the Commander of the division and the Ia (Of Op) requested the Army Corps the return of IR 35 (Mot) and the Kradsch. Btl. However, the Army Corps only released the II. and III./ IR 35 (Mot) but as long as they were relieved by another unit. In this way the southern front of the 25. ID (Mot) was held, in addition to the IR 119 (Mot), by the dedicated employment of the Kradsch. Btl. 25

On September 19, 1941 early in the morning, and when it seemed that the rupture would occur in Tschernauchi due to the absence of any available reserve, the vanguard of the Kradsch Btl arrived at the site with his commander (Schulte-Heuthaus), who in the meantime had been released from Lukomje. After marching all night through the worst roads, he was now in combat. With their machine guns they managed to avoid any attempt to break southwest of Tschernuchi during the morning of that day. Meanwhile another division had conquered Pirjatin from the north so an attempt to break Kiew's siege at that critical point had been avoided. But there was still another new cauldron with the powerful Soviet forces trying to break between the Udaj and the Mnoga. Those hostile forces meanwhile threatened the non-combatant rearguard troops and the supply route of the division. The Nachrichten Abt. (Signal), the service troops and the Unit Command were prepared for the defense of their sectors.

For the closure of the Mnoga sector it was only available to the 25. ID (Mot) the Aufkl. Abt., But his forces were enough to block the Mnoga crossing in the Woroniki sector, both crossing points to the south were completely open. The reinforced IR 35 (Mot) was on that September 19 south of Lubny, holding victorious fights, when came the division's order to move north on the left flank at Melechi over the Mnoga and avoid any attempt to break through there by the enemy motorized forces. The I. / IR 35 (Mot) was under the orders of the 16. Pz on the Orshiza.

At dawn on September 19 the regiment (minus the I. Battalion) was assembled at Lukomje on the Ssula and set off northward. First goal of march Lubny. The march column was composed of the II. and III./ IR 35 (Mot) plus to the 2. / Pi Btl 25, the 2. / Pz Jäg 25 and the II./ AR 25. The weakened 11./ IR 35 (Mot), due to lack of vehicles , was exchanged during the night by the 1. / IR 35 (Mot).

Sources: Wege eines Soldaten. Gerhard Brugmann, Heinz Gaedcke.
Erwin Boehm: Geschichte der 25. Division, Hrsg.: Kameradenhilfswerk 25 e.V., Stuttgart 1983
http://www.kavallerie-regiment18.de/aa25.html

Cheers. Raúl M 8).
Serás lo que debas ser o no serás nada. General José de San Martín.
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tigre
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Re: A motorized division in Barbarroja 1941.

Post by tigre »

Hello to all :D; more ...........................

With the 25. ID (Mot) in Operation Barbarossa.

Attack to the north. Encirclement of Kiew - September 12 to 23, 1941.

Just after leaving the wooded area located 4 kilometers north of Lubny, the motorcycle platoon that marched in the lead collided with the enemy, who according to statements of some civilians, who marched down the road dressed as vagabonds, would be a pretty big column. This was confirmed shortly after by combat reconnaissance. The Commander of the regiment detached his II. Battalion for the fight supported by artillery.

As the reconnaissance continued, it was reported that other hostile forces were assembled a kilometer northwest of Chitzi, so the Commander sent to the town at the III. Battalion and the 5th Company on the left. The enemy was hit and about 100 prisoners, 9 guns, 3 light armored vehicles and several cars fell into the hands of the regiment. The fight had lasted for hours and with the intention of reaching Melechi, located about 7 kilometers to the north, still during the day the commander gathered his battalions in Tischki. A company from the III. Battalion remained in Chitzi. While the II. Battalion, with the 2. / Pi. Btl 25 moved from Tischki to Melechi (a kilometer and a half to the northeast) and collided there with a strong enemy contingent.

There was a very serious crisis that could be overcome at the cost of bloody losses. On September 20, 1941, the IR 35 (Mot), reinforced with an armored detachment, attacked the plateau in the direction of Melechi and Woroniki, conquering both locations. While the SR 11, reinforced with another armored detachment, cleared the locations east of the line Melechi - Woroniki. The day ended with great success, the encirclement had been closed. In the following days the troops of the division raked the land between the Udaj and the Mnoga, as well as the rear of the unit. As reported by the Ia of the 25. ID (Mot) were captured 26,483 prisoners, 2,579 vehicles, 9 tanks, 29 recce vehicles, 50 tractors, 78 howitzers, 34 anti-aircraft guns and other material.

On September 25, 1941 the I. / IR 35 (Mot) commanded by the Oberstlt. Reutter returned to the division after finishing his work in the sector of Orshiza; the battalion managed to capture 4,200 prisoners and their actions were highlighted by the Commander of the 16. Pz, Generalmajor Hube. Shortly before the end of the encirclement of Kiew on September 26, 1941, the XXXXVIII AK (Mot) became dependent on the Armored Group Guderian and on September 23, 1941 the division was ordered to change the letter K for the G in their vehicles. So the 25. ID (Mot) became subordinated of the Army Group Center for the great offensive that was approaching and was gathered in Melechi.

Sources: Wege eines Soldaten. Gerhard Brugmann, Heinz Gaedcke.
Erwin Boehm: Geschichte der 25. Division, Hrsg.: Kameradenhilfswerk 25 e.V., Stuttgart 1983
http://www.kavallerie-regiment18.de/aa25.html

Cheers. Raúl M 8).
Serás lo que debas ser o no serás nada. General José de San Martín.
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