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| 21st(SS) Panzer Grenadier Regiment |
Further to Coldsteel's earlier post about rapid fire, these are some of the German forces that will be fighting 11th armoured division around the British sector at Caen.
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| Panzer grenadier regiments usually comprised of an HQ element, 3 Companies and a support company with HMGs, mortars and artillery . However at this late stage of the war they usually were understrength. |
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| Command squad with SS-Standartenführer, Dr Eduard Deisenhofer in command. |
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| Panzer grenadiers were transported into battle via the above SDKFZ 250s. There are a few other variants for the HQ and support companies. |
10th SS Panzer division was raised alongside its sister division the 9th in early 1943 as a reserve for the long expected allied invasion of France.
First seeing action in the Ukraine in the summer of 1944 it was hastily sent to France during June 1944. Although it had only 1 battalion of tanks (usually SS Panzer divisions has 1 battalion of Panzer Vs and 1 of Panzer IVs. The 10th's 2nd battalion was strangely made up of 2 companies of Panzer IVs and 2 of Stug III assault guns) it was instrumental in halting Operation Epsom, the planned British breakout around Caen. Fighting with distinction throughout the Normandy campaign and being mauled by allied airstrikes, it eventually managed to escape through the falaise pocket with no tanks and only 2 regiments of infantry left.
Ordered to a sleepy Dutch town called Arnhem to rest and refit, it finally took delivery of its long awaited Panzer Vs just as British chutes started landing for Operation Market Garden. Managing to halt the advance of Market Garden it was in the reserve for the battle of the bulge, finally ending the war in eastern Germany.
Watch this space as the rest of 10th(SS) Panzer Division takes to the field.
NFTR
Trojan578
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