077

GERMANYS PANTHER TANK

Spare track links have been hung from the turret sides of this Panther Ausf G m an attempt to increase protection (BA)

Panther-Abteilungen sent in after the Breakout from Normandy

Abteilung	Assigned to	Strength	Month
l./Pz Rgt. 15	11 Pz.Div.	79	August
Pz.Abt 2105	Pz.Bng.105	36	September
PzAbt.2106	Pz.Brig 106	36	September
Pz Abt 2107	Pz Brig 107	36	September
Pz Abt 2108	Pz Brig.108	36	September
l./Pz Rgt 16	Pz.Brig 111	45	September
I /Pz.Rgt 29	Pz.Bng.112	45	September
l./Pz Rgt 130	Pz Brig.113	45	September
l./SS-Pz Rgt. 10	10.SS-PzDiv	15	October

In an attempt to stem the Allied advances through France. seven of the fourteen Panzer-Brigades. hastily created to pług the gapmg hole m the Eastern Front, were sent to pług the gaping hole in the Western Front The combat experience of one of these Panzer-Brigades is recorded m the followmg report

Report by Hauptmann Hanemann commander of Panzer-Abteilung 2105 for the period from 3 to 17 September 1944

TheAbteilung assembledin the area of Tirlemont. From there, two companies advanced agamst the enemy mam route from Loewen to Diest. No losses occurred

A Panzer-Kompame with five Panthers. a Sturm-geschuetz-Kompame with nine Panzer IV/70 (V) and a Panzer-Grenadier-Kompame was in action west of Theuz attached to the 89.lnfanterie-Division. This banie group had to puli back due to enemy pressure and because they were bypassed. Two Panthers and two Panzer IZ/70 (V) had to be blown up because of the fuel shortage. The 89.lnfanterie-Division had only supplied 100 hters.

Since then the Abteilung has only been deployed in groups of one to four Panthers together with Panzer-Grenadiere m the defensive linę.

By Limbourg, the Abteilung was scanered over an eight k/lometer wide area in groups of one to four Panthers sepa-rated from each other by about a kilometer On orders from the 9 Panzer-Division, the Brigade was employed to defend a sector on a wide front. Command of the Abteilung by radio was not possible Singly or in pairs, the Panthers were shot up by the “Jabos" (fighter-bombers) or enemy tank groups TheAbteilung withdrew to Eynatten with three Panthers after the loss ofnme Panthers by Limbourg This surely would not have happened, ifmstead to ordering the Panthers to remain m the front Ime. the Panthers had been positioned further back and held ready m resen/e to attack

On 12 September. a strong enemy tank group attacked Eynatten One Panther mechanically brokedown and another Panther was shot up. After the Panzer-Grenadiere retreated. the remaimng Panther retired to the Westwall.

On 13 September, the last two operational Panthers (Befehls-Panthers) of the Abteilung were defending m the

CHAPTER 10: OPERATIONAL HISTORY

.eft Loadmg ammunition m a Pantner Ausf G (BA)

Below Spare track and roadwheels were mounted on the turret of this Panther Ausf G probably with the 6 Kompanie Panzer-Regiment 33 The cylmdncal Container for the gun cleanmg rods was relocated to a position across the rear deck by the field unit (BA)

Hoecker" Une Then they counterattacked near Rott Both 9efehls-Panthers were lost after shootmg up eight Sherman fanks An 8 8 cm Pak/Flak gun was found unmanned m Rott The crew had run away prior to the first round landmg and weren t to be found

On 14 September. 4 Panthers and 3 Panzer IV/70(V) ihat had been repaired were deployed in smali groups as mobile anti tank guns along a three kilometer wide stretch of the bunker Ime At the same time. the 9 Panzer-Division ordered that the damaged Panzers undergomg repair be towed to defend the road toward the Southwest of Dueren

These false tactical directions were repeatedly given by all higher commands with the excuse that the especially press-mg situation madę this employment necessary The basis for this situation appears to be that the Bngade commander was employed by the 9 Panzer-Diwsion as a stationary sector commander with attached Infanterie and Luftwaffe elements Therefore. he was no longer m a position to command the remamder of the Panzer Bngade 105 in accordance with ac-cepted tactical doctrme.

Even though as a result of mechamcal failures the com-pames were not up to strength, it would have been possible to employ the Abteilung m the form ofa Panzer assault group. held ready to attack about one to three kilometers behmd the front Ime.

Up to now. 43 Sherman tanks were shot up by the Abteilung At this time there are six Panthers. one Panzer IV/

151