On the Way to Catastrophe - Summer 1942.

[tigre]

Hello to all ; here goes another part......................

Towards the Don and beyond - 1942.

Towards Woronesh.

2. The Offensive. With the 24 Pz.

Armored combat. June 30, 1942.

Due South towards Gorschetschnjoje after two days of fighting there were destroyed the last Soviet armored reserves which advanced from Stary Oskol. Thus gaining the main road running towards Stary Oskol and behind it the high embankment with its railroad tracks which prevented all progress towards the east. Reconnaissance patrols of sappers were sent to locate crossing points in the obstacle.

On June 30, 1942, while the 24th Pz was fighting hard to Gorschetschnoje, the Kradsch. Btl 4 secured the western flank and rear of the division in Jefrossinowka. On that day the Kradsch. Btl belonging to the GD under command of Major v. Usedom led the advance while the rifle regiments had reached the Kschen.

Sources: Schlacht um Woronesch. 06. Juli 1942 bis 01. August 1942. http://www.neuhaus-nick.de/HP%20Opa/noname5.htm (off line)
Geschichte der Panzergrenadierdivision Grossdeutschland. An der Ostfront 1942-1944.
Die Aufklärer der 1. Kavallerie Division / 24. Pz Division.
Feldzug Dezember 1941 - Februar 1943 - Obojan und Woronesh. http://www.57id.de/index.php/
http://web.archive.org/web/200212242121 ... ist01e.htm
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /323ID.htm
Die Deutsche Reichsbahn im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/russia2.htm
Unser Regiment. RR 2 - PR 24. Gert Axel Weidemann.
http://militera.lib.ru/research/beshanov_vv/index.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; here goes another part......................

Towards the Don and beyond - 1942.

Towards Woronesh.

2. The Offensive. With the 24 Pz.

Assault to the Don.

Meanwhile, the III. / PR 24 together with the Kradsch. Btl 4 moved to the southeast with the task to overwhelm the enemy on the line Siniya –Lipyagi, to win a crossing point and to cover the right flank of the attack.

On July 1, 1942, the 24 Pz reached its goal, Gorschetschnoje, while the Kradsch. Btl 4 and elements of the SR 21 rejected enemies counterattacks on the southern flank of the advance.

On July 2, 1942, the 24 Pz broke the enemy's resistance in the area of Stary Oskol facilitating the progress of the 16 ID (Mot) which fought in the south. At sunset it was formed a new Combat Group under the command of Major v. Hellermann (III / PR 24 KSB 4, artillery, engineers, antitank and antiaircraft) in order to continue towards Ssineje-Lipjagij on July 3 reaching the river Don there.

Sources: Schlacht um Woronesch. 06. Juli 1942 bis 01. August 1942. http://www.neuhaus-nick.de/HP%20Opa/noname5.htm (off line)
Geschichte der Panzergrenadierdivision Grossdeutschland. An der Ostfront 1942-1944.
Die Aufklärer der 1. Kavallerie Division / 24. Pz Division.
Feldzug Dezember 1941 - Februar 1943 - Obojan und Woronesh. http://www.57id.de/index.php/
http://web.archive.org/web/200212242121 ... ist01e.htm
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /323ID.htm
Die Deutsche Reichsbahn im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/russia2.htm
Unser Regiment. RR 2 - PR 24. Gert Axel Weidemann.
http://militera.lib.ru/research/beshanov_vv/index.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[Die Blechtrommel]

Hello, Raúl.
Coud that Pz. IV belong to the 24.Pz.?
There's this hopping horse on the back fender. 24.Pz used to be the 1.Cavalry Division.
Even the strange number: =1 could go back to to the 1.Cav.Div.

Any Ideas?
Juha-Pekka

[Jan-Hendrik]

Looks for me rather like the White Steelhelmet of GD



Jan-Hendrik

[Die Blechtrommel]

Looks for me rather like the White Steelhelmet of GD

Might well be!
Have anyone seen such turret number before?
1.K, zweite Wagen??? 2.Kompanie Chef???
Juha-Pekka noch

[tigre]

Hello to all ; here goes another part......................

Towards the Don and beyond - 1942.

Towards Woronesh.

2. The Offensive. With the 24 Pz.

Assault to the Don.

03 July 1942, the left wing of Paulus’ Army (6 AOK) got in contact to Stary Oskol with the 2nd Hungarian Army of Weichs’ Group. Part of the Soviet Armies 40 and 21 plus the 13 Tank Corps were surrounded and about 40.000 soldiers were captured. After that, the Weichs’ main force hurried in its march towards Voronezh.

On July 4, 1942 the goal was reached, the high ground along the Don River Valley, the river stretched beyond as a tape in the shining morning sun. On the bridge, at the locality of Junewka, it could be observed the traffic of the enemy. With the last drops of fuel a Platoon of Pz Kw IV under Oberleutnant v. Helldorf reinforced with armored grenadiers captured the bridge intact.

Sources: Schlacht um Woronesch. 06. Juli 1942 bis 01. August 1942. http://www.neuhaus-nick.de/HP%20Opa/noname5.htm (off line)
Geschichte der Panzergrenadierdivision Grossdeutschland. An der Ostfront 1942-1944.
Die Aufklärer der 1. Kavallerie Division / 24. Pz Division.
Feldzug Dezember 1941 - Februar 1943 - Obojan und Woronesh. http://www.57id.de/index.php/
http://web.archive.org/web/200212242121 ... ist01e.htm
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /323ID.htm
Die Deutsche Reichsbahn im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/russia2.htm
Unser Regiment. RR 2 - PR 24. Gert Axel Weidemann.
http://militera.lib.ru/research/beshanov_vv/index.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; here goes another part......................

Towards the Don and beyond - 1942.

Towards Woronesh.

2. The Offensive. With the GD.

Assault to the Don.

On July 4, 1942, at 20:00 Oberleutnant Ludwig Carl Blumenthal of the 7. / IR GD stormed and captured intact the bridge at Semiluki, establishing a bridgehead on the eastern bank of the River Don, the blasting of bridge was blocked at the last minute by Uffz Hempel of the same company. Then, riflemen of the IR GD 1, stormed the city of Woronesh and reached the deposits around the railway station, the ground was held against a Soviet counterattack.

Another Combat group of the 24 Pz had reached Ssineje -Lipjagij on July 04 and on July 05 secured a bridgehead on the Don River in the town of Rudkin.

The threat of the German advance to the Don and the conquer of Woronesh was very real. Stalin watched with special attention to this area because he thought, the German troops breaking through the Don, could begin a pincer movement on the rear edge of Moscow. On this day General Pushkin ordered the withdrawal of the 23 Tank Corps to establish a new defensive line on the river Valuy.

Sources: Schlacht um Woronesch. 06. Juli 1942 bis 01. August 1942. http://www.neuhaus-nick.de/HP%20Opa/noname5.htm (off line)
Geschichte der Panzergrenadierdivision Grossdeutschland. An der Ostfront 1942-1944.
Die Aufklärer der 1. Kavallerie Division / 24. Pz Division.
Feldzug Dezember 1941 - Februar 1943 - Obojan und Woronesh. http://www.57id.de/index.php/
http://web.archive.org/web/200212242121 ... ist01e.htm
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /323ID.htm
Die Deutsche Reichsbahn im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/russia2.htm
Unser Regiment. RR 2 - PR 24. Gert Axel Weidemann.
http://militera.lib.ru/research/beshanov_vv/index.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; here goes another part......................

Towards the Don and beyond - 1942.

Towards Woronesh.

3. Assault to the Don.

Therefore, on July 04 1942 came to the area of Yelets the CoS, AM Vasilevsky, and personally ordered Lizukov and Kazakov a simultaneous attack on all available forces to intercept the communications line to the Don, to open the way up to the river, and disrupt the crossing. Starting positions of the 5 th Tank Army in the area Zemlyanskiy - Khokhol. The operation was to begin no later than 15-16 hours next day, without waiting for the total concentration of all available forces.

But the gathering was slow because the Army Commander transported the forces by rail to avoid wear the armored vehicles and at the beginning of the offensive had only the 7 Tank Corps of Rotmistrov, who launched the offensive on the morning of 06 July 1942.

Sources: Schlacht um Woronesch. 06. Juli 1942 bis 01. August 1942. http://www.neuhaus-nick.de/HP%20Opa/noname5.htm (off line)
Geschichte der Panzergrenadierdivision Grossdeutschland. An der Ostfront 1942-1944.
Die Aufklärer der 1. Kavallerie Division / 24. Pz Division.
Feldzug Dezember 1941 - Februar 1943 - Obojan und Woronesh. http://www.57id.de/index.php/
http://web.archive.org/web/200212242121 ... ist01e.htm
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /323ID.htm
Die Deutsche Reichsbahn im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/russia2.htm
Unser Regiment. RR 2 - PR 24. Gert Axel Weidemann.
http://militera.lib.ru/research/beshanov_vv/index.html

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; here goes another part......................

Towards the Don and beyond - 1942.

Towards Woronesh.

3. Assault to the Don.

While on June 28, 1942 the 9 Pz began its participation in Operation Blau within the framework of the XXIV Pz Korps. Armoured Grenadiers crossed the river Tim in rubber boats and established a bridgehead on the eastern shore.

While the Pi Btl 89 built a war bridge in one hour to allow the tanks to advance towards Woronesh.

Source: Die 9. Panzer-Division. Bewaffnung – Einsätze – Männer 1938-1945. Carl H. Hermann.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Towards the Don and beyond - 1942.

Towards Woronesh.

3. Assault to the Don.

Afterwards, the penetration continued towards Kobylí Ssnowa, the displacement was carried out travelling across open ground. On July 6, 1942 the division faced serious resistance from the enemy on the north flank by Ssemljansk. The PR 33 reinforced with armored riflemen was headed up to there ...

That very day the Rotmistrov’s Tank Corps launched its offensive, colliding in Krasnaya Polyana with the forces of the 11 Pz and managed to repel the German front 10 to 15 kms, next day it was joined the fight the 11 Tanks Corps of General Popov and the battle ran until 10 July 1942 pushing the Germans up to the river Vareyka. Here the Germans held the front facing north with the 9 and 11 Pz, hence the counterattack of the 5th Tank Army was halted. In the meantime the gap between the Bryansk Front and the Front Southwest reached a 300 km wide and 170 kilometers deep.

Sources: Schlacht um Woronesch. 06. Juli 1942 bis 01. August 1942. http://www.neuhaus-nick.de/HP%20Opa/noname5.htm (off line)
Geschichte der Panzergrenadierdivision Grossdeutschland. An der Ostfront 1942-1944.
Die Aufklärer der 1. Kavallerie Division / 24. Pz Division.
Feldzug Dezember 1941 - Februar 1943 - Obojan und Woronesh. http://www.57id.de/index.php/
http://web.archive.org/web/200212242121 ... ist01e.htm
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /323ID.htm
Die Deutsche Reichsbahn im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/russia2.htm
Unser Regiment. RR 2 - PR 24. Gert Axel Weidemann.
http://militera.lib.ru/research/beshanov_vv/index.html
Die 9. Panzer-Division. Bewaffnung – Einsätze – Männer 1938-1945. Carl H. Hermann.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; here goes another part......................

Towards the Don and beyond - 1942.

Towards Woronesh.

3. Assault to the Don.

The PR 33 was engaged in combat with Soviet armored brigades. In the area of the 2 AOK, only in July, there were about 750 enemy tanks destroyed. Often this meant - here and there - a vision of the human tragedy for both, drivers and commanders.

With support from the mortars and howitzers of the AR 102, the 9. Pz Gren Brigade fought later at Bol Wereika, moving quickly from offense to defense thanks to the skillful leadership of the Division Commander and his Ia.

Since July 06 1942 the mobile units of Group v. Weichs (Motorized Infantry Division "GD"), after capturing the bridge intact, had crossed the Don and already fought in the western part of Voronezh; on the streets of the city still were circulating the trams.

During this period as the general commanding officers, Chibisov and Golikov, led the fight on their flanks, they were replaced by the Chief of General Staff (Stavka), Vasilevsky, and Chief of operations of General Staff, Vatutin. So who was leading the army in Moscow, at that crucial time?.

Surprisingly on August 4, 1942, the 9 Pz was removed from the front and sent by Orel to the surrounding of Bolchoff in order to take part in Operation Wirbelwind, an attack towards Ssuchinitschi.

Sources: Schlacht um Woronesch. 06. Juli 1942 bis 01. August 1942. http://www.neuhaus-nick.de/HP%20Opa/noname5.htm (off line)
Geschichte der Panzergrenadierdivision Grossdeutschland. An der Ostfront 1942-1944.
Die Aufklärer der 1. Kavallerie Division / 24. Pz Division.
Feldzug Dezember 1941 - Februar 1943 - Obojan und Woronesh. http://www.57id.de/index.php/
http://web.archive.org/web/200212242121 ... ist01e.htm
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /323ID.htm
Die Deutsche Reichsbahn im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/russia2.htm
Unser Regiment. RR 2 - PR 24. Gert Axel Weidemann.
http://militera.lib.ru/research/beshanov_vv/index.html
Die 9. Panzer-Division. Bewaffnung – Einsätze – Männer 1938-1945. Carl H. Hermann.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; here goes another part......................

Towards the Don and beyond - 1942.

Towards Woronesh.

4. Woronesh.

For the first time the 24 Pz would fight for the conquest of a large industrial city. On July 5 1942 at sunrise the reconnaissance teams of the Abteilungen gathered under the command of the Regimental Adjutant at Junewka and crossed to the second bank to fulfill its tasks. Antiaircraft units (Flak 20 mm) covered the work of the engineers against the Il-2 attacking at low altitude. The PR 24 won the other bank of the Don and attacked in wedge formation toward Woronesh.

Overcoming Russian resistance and its antitank deployments, the III. Abteiluing (v. der Lancken) reached the airport where it was engaged in combat with hostile armored vehicles suffering casualties. We later learned that the Russians used some 88 mm obtained as booty during the winter in the defense of the airfield. The attack was stopped; on the western edge of the city were the command tanks of the Regiment and the II. Abteilung.

Sources: Schlacht um Woronesch. 06. Juli 1942 bis 01. August 1942. http://www.neuhaus-nick.de/HP%20Opa/noname5.htm (off line)
Geschichte der Panzergrenadierdivision Grossdeutschland. An der Ostfront 1942-1944.
Die Aufklärer der 1. Kavallerie Division / 24. Pz Division.
Feldzug Dezember 1941 - Februar 1943 - Obojan und Woronesh. http://www.57id.de/index.php/
http://web.archive.org/web/200212242121 ... ist01e.htm
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /323ID.htm
Die Deutsche Reichsbahn im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/russia2.htm
Unser Regiment. RR 2 - PR 24. Gert Axel Weidemann.
http://militera.lib.ru/research/beshanov_vv/index.html
Die 9. Panzer-Division. Bewaffnung – Einsätze – Männer 1938-1945. Carl H. Hermann.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; here goes another part......................

Towards the Don and beyond - 1942.

Towards Woronesh.

4. Woronesh.

In the cold of the night the I. Abteilung, attacking to the right, gained ground alongside the armored vehicles of the riflemen and moved north to the east of the city. Counterattack carried out by cadets of the Woronesh Officer School. When dawn broke, the III. Abteilung saw the first houses of the city.

On July 6, 1942 finally the I. / PR 24 broke into Woronesh and supported the advance of armored riflemen which fought meter by meter in the city. In the sky groups of bombers and Stukas of the Luftwaffe dominated the action.

On July 6, 1942, while the Army Corps Kempf (XXXXVIII Pz K) was fully engaged in urban warfare within the city, the Army Corps Geyr (XXXX Pz K) began its march southward.

Sources: Schlacht um Woronesch. 06. Juli 1942 bis 01. August 1942. http://www.neuhaus-nick.de/HP%20Opa/noname5.htm (off line)
Geschichte der Panzergrenadierdivision Grossdeutschland. An der Ostfront 1942-1944.
Die Aufklärer der 1. Kavallerie Division / 24. Pz Division.
Feldzug Dezember 1941 - Februar 1943 - Obojan und Woronesh. http://www.57id.de/index.php/
http://web.archive.org/web/200212242121 ... ist01e.htm
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /323ID.htm
Die Deutsche Reichsbahn im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/russia2.htm
Unser Regiment. RR 2 - PR 24. Gert Axel Weidemann.
http://militera.lib.ru/research/beshanov_vv/index.html
Die 9. Panzer-Division. Bewaffnung – Einsätze – Männer 1938-1945. Carl H. Hermann.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; here goes another part......................

Towards the Don and beyond - 1942.

Towards Woronesh.

4. Woronesh.

On July 7, 1942 the 1. Squadron under Rittmeister v. Mirbach was given the task of blocking the bridge north of Woronesh and preventing the crossing of Soviet troops. The squadron leader led his tanks to the northeast and with the bridge in sight v. Mirbach ordered to Leutnant v.Brockdorf to fire on the bridge, before the first shots could be fired at the bridge was blown. Later a detachment crossed in dinghies and blew up sections of the railway line Stalingrad - Moscow.

On this day the Bryansk Front was reorganized and divided in two: the Bryansk Front under General Chibisov, soon replaced by Rokossovsky and the Woronesh Front led by Golikov (later replaced by Vatutin). The structure of the Woronesh Front had the 40, 60 and 6 armies more 4, 17, 18 and 24 tanks Corps and was given the mission to defend at all costs the banks of the Don.

On the afternoon of July 7, 1942 the XXXX Pz K under Geyr v. Schweppenburg took Rossosh. While the bulk of the 4 Armored Army was fighting in Woronesh, pending the slow approach of the infantry divisions which came to relieve it.

Sources: Schlacht um Woronesch. 06. Juli 1942 bis 01. August 1942. http://www.neuhaus-nick.de/HP%20Opa/noname5.htm (off line)
Geschichte der Panzergrenadierdivision Grossdeutschland. An der Ostfront 1942-1944.
Die Aufklärer der 1. Kavallerie Division / 24. Pz Division.
Feldzug Dezember 1941 - Februar 1943 - Obojan und Woronesh. http://www.57id.de/index.php/
http://web.archive.org/web/200212242121 ... ist01e.htm
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /323ID.htm
Die Deutsche Reichsbahn im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/russia2.htm
Unser Regiment. RR 2 - PR 24. Gert Axel Weidemann.
http://militera.lib.ru/research/beshanov_vv/index.html
Die 9. Panzer-Division. Bewaffnung – Einsätze – Männer 1938-1945. Carl H. Hermann.

Cheers. Raúl M .

[tigre]

Hello to all ; here goes another part......................

Towards the Don and beyond - 1942.

Towards Woronesh.

4. Woronesh.

Fighting of PR 24 - Wachtmeister Siegfried Freyer:

Summer 1942: "On the second day of the assault on Woronesh (July 6) the battles were fierce. Even in the afternoon the brave resistance of the defenders had not yet been broken. Then the Soviet tanks, which formed the core of defense, tried to break through our encirclement. There were direct clashes between the tanks at close range, which thanks to the best fighting spirit of our crews, were decided in our favor. "

On July 7, 1942 I moved with my Pz Kw IV (long barrel) to a position at an important crossroads in Woronesh. The tank was well camouflaged in the garden of a house. In front of it was a wooden fence, so that we could not see the street. During the day were detected only scattered Russian troops, but the action in the city, which had been taken, was maintained.

Sources: Schlacht um Woronesch. 06. Juli 1942 bis 01. August 1942. http://www.neuhaus-nick.de/HP%20Opa/noname5.htm (off line)
Geschichte der Panzergrenadierdivision Grossdeutschland. An der Ostfront 1942-1944.
Die Aufklärer der 1. Kavallerie Division / 24. Pz Division.
Feldzug Dezember 1941 - Februar 1943 - Obojan und Woronesh. http://www.57id.de/index.php/
http://web.archive.org/web/200212242121 ... ist01e.htm
http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Gli ... /323ID.htm
Die Deutsche Reichsbahn im Zweiten Weltkrieg. Janusz Piekalkiewicz.
http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/russia2.htm
Unser Regiment. RR 2 - PR 24. Gert Axel Weidemann.
http://militera.lib.ru/research/beshanov_vv/index.html
Die 9. Panzer-Division. Bewaffnung – Einsätze – Männer 1938-1945. Carl H. Hermann.

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

Cheers. Raúl M .