Fighting the Invasion by David C Isby

Author:David C Isby
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: HISTORY / Military / World War II
ISBN: 9781848324961
Publisher: Frontline Books
Published: 2016-07-31T04:00:00+00:00

b.

That the division would not be kept in readiness for any tactical purposes.

Not in readiness for defensive purposes means to put the division in readiness in such a way that at the time of an enemy landing, or in case of any tactical parachute landings, no parts of the division would immediately be involved in the fighting.

This view, held by the divisional staff, was supported by its immediate superior, Frhr Geyr von Schweppenburg, and defended by him before higher superiors. The divisional staff itself spared no pains to fight for its views before its highest superiors, both before the Supreme Commander West and before Feldmarschall Rommel, who appears to have been the actual exponent of holding Panzer divisions in readiness for tactical purposes. He was determined that the would-be invading enemy should not set as much as one foot on land, and feared the air superiority of the enemy when moving up the Panzer divisions. As the landings were, however, not to be expected along the entire Western front in any case, the mass of the Panzer divisions would naturally have to be moved up a considerable distance in any event, and, by tactical employment at the wrong point, farther still. However, the division which was directly affected by the landing would lose its concentrated striking power by being at readiness in small groups and by a similar tactical commitment. That is what happened to the 21st Panzer Division on invasion day.

Areas in which the elements of the 21st Panzer Division were at readiness at the time of the invasion: After its return from Hungary, the Division had been at readiness in the Rennes area. From 1 May 1944 on, it was at readiness in the Caen area.

Billeting areas:

II Bn, 125th Panzer Gren Regt: northeast of Caen, east of the Orne;

II Bn, 192nd Panzer Gren Regt, 1st Co 155th Panzer Art Bn, 200th Panzer Jäger Bn: north of Caen, west of the Orne;

305 Army AAA Bn: in position north of Caen;

125th Panzer Gren Regt with 9th and 10th Co, IV [sic] 200 Assault Gun Bn: Vimont–Cagny area, southeast of Caen;

I Bn, 125th Panzer Gren Regt: Vieux–Fume–St Sylvain area;

22nd Panzer Regt: Falaise area;

I Bn, 192nd Panzer Gren Regt: area around Carpiquet–Fontaine–Etoupefour, west of Caen;

Staff of 192nd Panzer Gren Regt, with 9th and 10th Cos: Thury–Harcourt area;

2nd Bn of 155th Panzer Art Regt: St André–Fontenay area, south of Caen;

III Bn, 155th Panzer Art Regt: Beurgueous–St Aighan area, south of Caen;

220 Panzer Engr Bn: St Rémy–Clicy area;

200 Assault Gun Bn: Falaise–Conde area;

21 Recon Bn: area north of Conde;

Division reinforcement troops: Argentan area;

Administrative troops: Falaise area;

Divisional staff with Signal Bn: St Pierre area

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