Sunday, July 14, 2013

Panzer Aces No.01

This battalion was formed with a complement of forty-five heavy tanks. Tiger I E's. Crew training began in Sennelager and was completed in Mailly le Camp. France. At the end of October, the unit was entrained by rail convoy to Lemberg. On reaching Lemberg, the men were then driven to Fatowez. three hundred kilometers from Lemberg. The unit first faced their opponents in November 1943. It was embroiled in some really ferocious battles which continued right up until the end of the year, near Zitomir. By the beginning of 1944. the unit took part in operations to protect the bridge over the river Bug at Sasslaw (February) and near Sawniza (March) both of which were of significant importance. In April 1944. the battalion moved to Kolomyja. to undertake the training of Hungarian crews and become part of the reserve. In June, the battalion was sent once more to the Front. During the battle for Kielce in September 1944. the loss of crews became exceptional and the unit retired to Sennelager to be re-equipped with the new Tiger II or Tiger Ausf-B tanks.

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