Panzer Operations: Germany's Panzer Group 3 During the Invasion of Russia, 1941 by Hermann Hoth

Author:Hermann Hoth [Hoth, Hermann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Casemate
Published: 2016-03-17T16:00:00+00:00

RUSSIAN RELIEF ATTACKS AGAINST THE EASTERN AND NORTHERN

FRONTS OF PANZER GROUP 3, 18-27 JULY (MAPS 12 AND 13)

As cover against the eastern and northern sides of the Smolensk pocket only parts of the 7th Panzer Division west of Yartsevo and of the 20th Panzer Division at Ustye on the Vop were initially available. Until 18 July only stragglers, leaderless and prone to desertion, were captured, albeit in large numbers. Stray commissars struggled to establish solid formations. From 17 July there were increasingly reports of movements from Vyazma (150 kilometres east of Smolensk) to the west and northwest. A division from the East was transported into Rzhev (120 kilometres north of Vyazma) and then appeared on the Vop. On 19 July uncoordinated attacks began against the 20th Panzer Division on both sides of Ustye on the Vop. It was time to form a stable front here.

From the north, from Bely, powerful enemy forces also proceeded to the southwest and were intercepted by the 18th Motorised Infantry Division, which had been advancing from Usvyaty since 21 July. On the upper Western Dvina, northeast of Velizh, fresh enemy forces emerged (two Caucasian cavalry divisions). On 24 and 25 July they retreated to the north after suffering heavy losses at the hands of the 19th Panzer Division, advancing northwards from Velizh via Kresty. Several deserters surrendered to the division. Under constant aerial bombardment, the division continued its eastward march. On 27 July it was inserted between the 20th Panzer Division and the 18th Motorised Infantry Division to help repel enemy attacks, which were systematically preceded by artillery fire and supported by tanks. With five divisions the enemy repeatedly attacked the eastern front of Panzer Group 3. This front eventually had to be defended by all of the units of the panzer group, including the 900th Motorised Training Brigade. Panzer Group 2, subjected to fierce attacks at Yelnya, was unfavourably placed to close the still-open gap southeast of Smolensk, so the recently freed 20th Motorised Infantry Division advanced southwards across the highway, wheeled to the east and west, and ‘closed the gap where Panzer Group 2 was absent’ (see appendix 7).83

There remains to be pointed out one drawback of advancing the LVII Panzer Corps from Nevel through Velizh-Bayevo. In this direction the corps would be held up behind the left wing of the XXXIX Panzer Corps. From an operational standpoint it would have been better had it proceeded in left echelon formation along the railway from Velikiye Luki to Zapadnaya Dvina. In Nevel on 21 July I discussed this question in detail with the corps commander, General Kuntzen. I was still considering the capture of the important road junction at Bely, and to this end wanted the LVII Panzer Corps to sweep through Velikiye Luki as quickly as possible. Kuntzen asked permission to march through Velizh for the following reasons:

Further east of Velikiye Luki the road connections become worse. Since the departure of the 19th Panzer Division, enemy reinforcements have entered the town from the east.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.