Decision in the Ukraine: German Panzer Operations on the Eastern Front, Summer 1943 (Stackpole Military History Series) by Nipe Jr. George M

Author:Nipe Jr., George M. [Nipe Jr., George M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780811748643
Publisher: Stackpole Books
Published: 2012-08-01T05:00:00+00:00

XXIV. PANZERKORPS

Before first light, assault groups of 16. Panzergrenadier-Division began their attack, encountering light Soviet resistance. They entered Kalinovka at 0345 hours, finding it abandoned by Russian troops. Two battalions of the division, along with the fifteen tanks of 116. Panzer-Bataillon, occupied the town by 0400 hours. In the continuation of its attack, the division pushed farther to the east and was able to capture two small villages, Malopetrovsky and Grigorievka, which lay only a short distance west of Yelizavetinsky. From there, the division pushed eastward toward the Olkhovchik with one battalion of infantry and a few assault guns. About one kilometer east of Hill 196.0, Soviet resistance stiffened and the ever-present artillery and mortar fire pinned down the advance. The Russian troops were solidly entrenched in two large ravines, the Krutaja and Kriwaja Schlucht. When the 16. Panzergrenadier units halted in front of these two ravines, Soviet tanks and infantry counterattacked from hills north of Malopetrovsky and Grigorievka. Throughout the rest of the day, the division remained stalled in front of the high ground and ravines west of the Olkhovchik and made no further advance into the valley.

During the night of 30–31 July, 23. Panzer-Division halted its offensive operations against the encircled Soviet troops in the pocket. In its morning communication with 6. Armee, the division reported that there had been little activity in the hours of darkness, beyond frequent air attacks by Soviet planes. At first light, the division renewed a series of concentric attacks against remnants of the Soviet divisions trapped in the Garany pocket. In spite of constant attempts to break out, none of the trapped Russians managed to escape as organized formations. At 1000 hours, from outside the pocket, the Russians unexpectedly attacked with a strong infantry/armor force that originated from southeast of Marinovka. The Soviets made every effort to crash through the German lines in an attempt to break into the encirclement and reach their comrades. All of their efforts failed, however, when, despite the strength of the rescue assault group, the Germans threw it back. Elements of Das Reich, which included the panzer group and III./Der Führer, on their own initiative, assaulted the retreating Russians from the flank, and in cooperation with 128. Panzerjager-Abteilung and 126. Panzergrenadier-Regiment of 23. Panzer-Division, drove the Soviet tank attack back toward Hill 202.0. In their wake, the Germans left a trail of burning T-34s and dead or surrendering Russians.

After the defeat of this attempt to free the encircled Russian troops, the units of 23. Panzer-Division renewed their reduction of the pocket in order to destroy the trapped Soviet troops. Artillery of the division and corps remained involved in firing on the enemy forces in the pocket. Stukas provided air support, bombing Soviet strongpoints and troop concentrations located in several deep ravines. Panzergrenadiers, tanks from 201. Panzer Regiment and the divisional reconnaissance battalion, along with supporting elements of the division, crushed the last Russian resistance at 1100 hours. All of the encircled Soviet divisions were destroyed as effective combat formations.

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