Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel, commander Army Group B, wanted the Panzers within striking distance of the coast, this lead to friction with Rundstedt and General von Schweppenburg, commander Panzergruppe West. (via Author)
A relaxed looking SS-Obergruppenführer Josef ‘Sepp’ Dietrich, commander I SS Panzer Corps, which formed part of Panzergruppe West. He succeeded General Heinrich Eberbach as commander Panzergruppe West/5th Panzer Army in early August 1944. (Author’s collection)
SS-Obersturmführer Michael Wittmann, commander II Kompanie, Schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung 101. His prompt action at Villers-Bocage on 13 June 1944 saved the Panzer Lehr Division from encirclement, prevented the German line from being rolled up and stopped the Allies breaking out to the southwest of Caen. (via Author)
General Walter Krüger, commander LVIII Panzer Corps meeting men of Panzer Lehr. His Corps formed the southern flank of the counterattack near Avranches with elements of Panzer Lehr and the 17th SS in early August 1944. (ECP Armées)
Generalleutenant Dietrich von Choltitz replaced General Marcks, killed on 12 June, as commander LXXXIV Corps. Rundstedt’s verdict of him was ‘decent but stupid.’ Choltitz’s poor handling of Panzer Lehr and his corps saw him lose his command and gain the poison chalice of military governor of Paris. (US Army Archives)
General Otto Elfeldt, von Choltitz’s successor as commander of LXXXIV Corps, was captured near Hill 113 on 20 August 1944 by the Polish 1st Armoured division. He had the dubious honour of being the most senior officer taken during the fighting to seal the Falaise pocket. (USAA)
Panzergruppe West’s major advantage was the qualitative edge of its panzers. The most common type in Normandy was the PzKpfw IVAusf H and J, with frontal armour of 80mm and a 7.5cm KwK 40 L/48 anti-tank gun. This provided the backbone of the German panzer divisions. (USAA)
American Military Police escort US P-47 Thunderbolt pilots to examine their handiwork on 19 July 1944. The PzKpfw V or Panther represented the pinnacle of German tank production, mounting the powerful 7.5cm KwK 42 L/70 gun that could penetrate 120mm of armour at 1,094 yards. The main models deployed in Normandy were the Ausf A and G. (USAA)
French villagers get a closer look at an abandoned Tiger. While the PzKpfw VI Tiger I was a formidable weapon with 100mm frontal armour and 8.8cm KwK L/56 gun, only three battalions were deployed in Normandy. (USAA)
Captured teenage SS-panzer grenadiers, the 9th SS, 10th SS and 12th SS deployed youngsters such as these. What they lacked in experience they made up for with fanaticism. (USAA)
Another common armoured fighting vehicle with the panzer divisions in Normandy was the Sturmgeschütz or StuG III assault gun armed with the 7.5cm StuK40 L/48. (USAA)
The main self-propelled antitank weapon was the Marder armed with a 7.5cm PaK 40/3. This particular example lies shattered after an encounter with the American Army. (USAA)
The principal self-propelled artillery in Normandy comprised the Wespe, seen here, based on the Panzer II armed with a 10.5cm gun and the Hummel self-propelled 15cm howitzer, mounted on the Panzer IV chassis. (USAA)
French civilians trudge past a knocked out Sdkfz 135 7.5cm Pak 40/1 auf Lorraine Schlepper, probably from Major Alfred Becker’s Sturmgeschütz Abteilung 200, 21st Panzer. The Germans deployed a range of hybrid self-propelled guns based on French tank and ammunition tractor chassis. (USAA)
Dead panzer grenadiers lay strewn by their camouflaged SdKfz 251 armoured personnel carrier, which were used to equip the panzergrenadier regiments. (USAA)
By far the best tank killer was the dedicated 8.8cm Pak 43, the antitank version of the 8.8cm Flak 36. These helped take a very heavy toll on British armour during the Goodwood offensive. (Author’s collection)
Rows of 7.5cm Pak 40 anti-tank guns; the Germans had this weapon in abundance in Normandy. (USAA)
The most common Allied tank in Normandy was the American M4 Sherman. Mechanically reliable, it was handicapped by thin armour, a gun lacking sufficient punch and a tendency to burn. (USAA)
The French Maquis played a key role harassing German troop movements and gathering intelligence. Most notably the 2nd SS fought running battles with them as it moved north to Normandy. (Author’s collection)
The Americans developed tank destroyers based on the Sherman that could penetrate at least 80mm of armour at 1,000 yards, notably the M10 Wolverine armed with a 3-inch gun, though these were not available in sufficient quantities. (USAA)
The prelude to D-Day saw the Allied bomber fleets attacking railways and the bridges over the Seine to prevent reinforcements moving up and to hamper escape. (USAA)
While the German armed forces were largely able to ride out Allied air attacks, they greatly underestimated naval gunfire. This hampered the panzers’ efforts to counterattack in the Caen area following D-Day. (USAA)
Although Canadian armour pushed through to Carpiquet airfield on 8 June 1944 the 12th SS stopped them in their tracks, destroying a total of twenty-seven tanks for the loss of fourteen panzers. (USAA)
The American architects of the southern flank of the Falaise salient: Generals Bradley, Gerow, Eisenhower and Collins. Bradley’s decision to halt the US XV Corps at Argentan partly ensured Falaise was a flawed victory. (USAA)
Sturmgeschütz of SS-Panzer Abteilung 17, 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division, got to within 500 yards of Carentan before being stopped by elements of the US 2nd Armored and 101st Airborne Divisions on 13 June 1944. (USAA)
German armour caught in the Roncey pocket – these abandoned Marder self-propelled guns belong to the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division or the 2nd SS Panzer Division. (USAA)
American armour pours into Avranches five days after the launch of Operation Cobra, this opened the way for the swing west into Brittany and east toward the Seine. (USAA)
Following the Mortain counter-attack XLVII Panzer Corps was no match for the US XV Corps’ French 2nd Armoured Division, seen massing here, and the US 5th Armored Division. (USAA)
By 10 August strong American forces including the US 5th Armored Division, seen here, had successfully pivoted from Le Mans northwards, striking toward Alençon, which fell two days later. (Author’s collection)
Officers and men of the 2nd Panzer Division surrender to the Canadian Army on 19 August in St Lambert-sur-Dives. During the bitter two-day battle for the village the Germans suffered 300 dead, 500 wounded and 2,100 captured. (USAA)
US troops stream into Argentan on 20 August. Its capture helped seal the fate of those German forces still inside the Falaise pocket. (USAA)
The shattered remains of an army – the end of the road for many Germans in the Falaise pocket. During this final battle the Wehrmacht lost approximately 10,000 killed and 50,000 captured, though they claimed 40,000 escaped. (USAA)
Eisenhower during his tour of the Falaise pocket examines an over turned Tiger II. He recalled: ‘Forty-eight hours after the closing of the gap I was conducted through it on foot, to encounter scenes that could be described only by Dante’.(USAA)
Panthers and Panzer IVs, now little more than junk gathered in a scrap yard, following Panzergruppe West’s defeat in Normandy. (USAA)
British troops pour over pontoon and Bailey bridges thrown across the Seine. The Americans first crossed at Mantes-Gassicourt on 19 August, though the German Rouen bridgehead lasted another ten days and about 240,000 Germans and 135 panzers escaped. (via author)
When von Choltitz capitulated Paris on 25 August there were still 2,000 Germans in the city and fighting continued in the suburbs. (Author’s collection)
Astoundingly, despite the losses suffered in Normandy, just four months later all the reconstituted panzer divisions were involved in Hitler’s major counterstroke. His Ardennes gamble did not pay off as these bodies from SS-Panzergrenadier Regiment 25, 12th SS, testify – this time there would be no miraculous recovery. (USAA)
Appendices
Appendix I
Panzer Division and General Headquarters Panzer Formations Strength in Northern France
, June-September 1944
Panzer Division Strength as of June-August 1944
Unit Personnel Panzers*
2nd 13,100 175
9th 13,500 166
21st 16,297 135
116th 14,358 183
Panzer Lehr 13,099 237
1st SS 12,800 220
2nd SS 11,195 208
9th SS 16,800 164
10th SS 15,800 77
12th SS 17,000 197
17th SS 16,121 42
Total: 160,070 1,804
Panzer Division Strength as of 1 September 1944
Unit Personnel Panzers*
2nd 1,200 5
9th 11,000 0
21st 11,000 10
116th 10,600 15
Panzer Lehr 6,000 20
2nd SS 12,357 6
9th SS 6,000 20
10th SS 3,500 10
12th SS 12,000 0
17th SS 16,832 0
Total: 98,289 86
General Headquarters Panzer Formations Strength as of June-August 1944
Unit Personnel Panzers*
Panzer Abteilung 100 664 25
Schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung 101 ? 45
Schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung 102 ? 45
Panzer Abteilung 206 385 46
Sturmpanzer Abteilung 217 ? 45
Panzer Abteilung 301 (Funklenk) 200 8
Schwere Panzer Abteilung 503 ? 44
Schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung 654 ? 33
Panzerjäger Abteilung 657 ? 19
Fallschirm Sturmgeschütz Brigade 12 ? 31
Sturmgeschütz Brigade 341 ? 45
Sturmgeschütz Brigade 394 ? 31
Sturmgeschütz Abteilung 902 ? 31
Sturmgeschütz Abteilung 1348 122 10
Total: ? 458
General Headquarters Panzer Formations Strength as of 1 September 1944
Unit Personnel Panzers*
Panzer Abteilung 100 ? 0
Schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung 101 ? 0
Schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung 102 ? 0
Panzer Abteilung 206 ? 0
Sturmpanzer Abteilung 217 700 0
Panzer Abteilung 301 (Funklenk) ? 0
Schwere Panzer Abteilung 503 ? 14
Schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung 654 ? 8
Panzerjäger Abteilung 657 ? 0
Fallschirm Sturmgeschätz Brigade 12 ? 0
Sturmgeschütz Brigade 341 434 12
Sturmgeschütz Brigade 394 350 0
Sturmgeschütz Abteilung 902 265 10
Sturmgeschütz Abteilung 1348 ? 0
Total: ? 44
* This includes tanks, assault guns and tank destroyers, but not light tanks, self-propelled guns or armoured cars.
Appendix II
German Panzer Divisions in Normandy
Heer Panzer Regiments
2nd Panzer Division
Panzer Regiment 3
9th Panzer Division
Panzer Regiment 33
21st Panzer Division
Panzer Regiment 22
116th Panzer Division
Windhund Panzer Regiment 16
Panzer Lehr Division
Panzer Lehr Regiment
Waffen-SS Panzer Regiments
1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler
SS-Panzer Regiment 1
2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich
SS-Panzer Regiment 2
9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen
SS-Panzer Regiment 9
10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg
SS-Panzer Regiment 10
12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend
SS-Panzer Regiment 12
17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen
SS-Panzer Abteilung 17
Appendix III
Independent and Infantry Panzer Units in Normandy
Heavy Tank Battalions
Schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung 101
Schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung 102
Schwere Panzer Abteilung 503
Tank Battalions
Panzer Abteilung 206
Sturmpanzer Abteilung 217
Panzer Abteilung 301 (Funklenk)
(IV Kompanie – assigned to 2nd Panzer Division)
Panzer Abteilung 302 (Funklenk)
(Kompanie 316 (Funklenk) only – assigned to Panzer Lehr Division)
Training Units
Panzer Ersatz un Ausbildungs Abteilung 100
(Assigned to 91st Airlanding Division)
Panzerjäger Battalions
Schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung 654
Panzerjäger Abteilung 657
Panzerjäger Abteilung 668 (towed anti-tanks guns only)
Assault Gun Units
Fallschirm Sturmgeschätz Brigade 12
Strumgeschütz Brigade 341
Sturmgeschütz Brigade 394
Sturmgeschütz Abteilung 902
Sturmgeschütz Abteilung 1348
Infantry Panzerjäger Battalions in Normandy
German Infantry Divisions’ anti-tank battalions largely consisted of towed weapons, but at least six Heer Panzerjäger Battalions were also each equipped with fourteen Marder self-propelled and ten Sturmgeschätz assault guns:
243rd Infantry Division
Panzerjäger Abteilung 243
326th Infantry Division
Panzerjäger Abteilung 326
331st Infantry Division
Panzerjäger Abteilung 331
346th Infantry Division
Panzerjäger Abteilung 346
352nd Infantry Division
Panzerjäger Abteilung 352
353rd Infantry Division
Panzerjäger Abteilung 353
Appendix IV
German Order of Battle
German Order of Battle June 1944
It should be noted that the divisional allocations to the various Corps varied considerably through out the Battle for Normandy. The date in brackets is when the unit deployed to the Normandy theatre of operations or went into action.
Army Group B (Northern France and the Low Countries)
Panzergruppe West
I SS Panzer Corps
Panzer Lehr Panzer Division (went into action 7 June)
1st SS Panzer Division Liebstandarte Adolf Hitler (by 30 June)
12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend (went into action on 7 June)
17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen (8 June)
XLVII (47th) Panzer Corps plus LXVI (66th) Reserve Corps
2nd Panzer Division (mid-June)
11th Panzer Division
19th Panzer Division (returned to the Eastern front in July)
116th Panzer Division Windhund (24 July)
LVIII (58th) Reserve Panzer Corps
2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich (mid-June)
9th Panzer Division (6 August)
189th Reserve Infantry Division
Reserve Panzer Divisions
155th Reserve Panzer Division
178th Reserve Panzer Division
179th Reserve Panzer Division
273rd Reserve Panzer Division
7th Army
XXV (25th) Corps (in Brittany)
265th Infantry Division (kampfgruppe, 12 June)
275th Infantry Division (kampfgruppe, 11 June)
343rd Infantry Division (kampfgruppe, 26 June)
353rd Infantry Division (16 June)
LXXIV (74th) Corps
77th Infantry Division (8 June)
266th Infantry Division (kampfgruppe, mid-June)
LXXXIV (84th) Corps
319th Infantry Division
352nd Infantry Division
709th Infantry Division
716th Infantry Division
Army Reserve
91st Airlanding Division (from Brittany in May)
243rd Infantry Division
II Parachute Corps
3rd Parachute Division (
10 June)
5th Parachute Division (25 June)
15th Army
LXVII (67th) Corps
344th Infantry Division
348th Infantry Division
LXXXI (81st) Corps
17th Luftwaffe Field Division (by mid-August)
245th Infantry Division
711th Infantry Division
LXXXII (82nd) Corps
18th Luftwaffe Field Division
47th Infantry Division
49th Infantry Division
LXXXVIII (88th) Corps (in the Netherlands)
16th Luftwaffe Field Division (mid-June)
347th Infantry Division
719th Infantry Division
LXXXIX (89th) Corps
48th Infantry Division (mid-August)
70th Infantry Division
712th Infantry Division
Army Reserve
19th Luftwaffe Field Division
84th Infantry Division (by 30 July)
85th Infantry Division (5 August)
182nd Reserve Infantry Division
326th Infantry Division (by 30 July)
331st Infantry Division (by 30 July)
346th Infantry Division (7 June)