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Panzer Lehr Division

October 21, 2023

The Panzer-Lehr-Division (in the meaning of: Armoured training division) was an elite German armoured division during World War II. It was formed in 1943 onwards from training and demonstration troops (Lehr = "teach") stationed in Germany, to provide additional armored strength for the anticipated Allied invasion of western Europe.[7] On 4 April 1944, the division was officially designated as the 130th Panzer Division; however, it is usually referred to as the Lehr Division.[8] It was the only Wehrmacht Panzer division to be fully equipped with tanks and with halftracks to transport its mechanized infantry. On several occasions it fought almost to destruction, in particular during Operation Cobra,[9] and by the end of the war in Europe bore little resemblance to the unit that had originally been activated.

Panzer-Lehr-Division
130. Panzer-Lehr-Division
Panzer-Lehr-Division
Unit insignia
Active30 December 1943 – 15 April 1945
Country Germany
BranchArmy
TypePanzer
RoleArmoured warfare
SizeDivision
14,699 (1 June 1944)[1]
11,018 (1 August 1944)[2]
14,892 (16 December 1944)[3]
Nickname(s)Parade Division[4]
EngagementsWorld War II
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Fritz Bayerlein

History Edit

Formation Edit

Panzer Lehr began forming on 30 December 1943[10] and moved to the Nancy–Verdun area in January 1944 to complete the process.[11] It was formed from several elite training and demonstration units.[12] Most of the division's original cadre was drawn from Panzertruppenschule I and Panzertruppenschule II, the Panzerwaffe's major training units.[11] These training and demonstration units were some of the most experienced and highly trained troops in the Panzerwaffe, with almost all having seen combat in the East, North Africa, Sicily or Italy and many having received decorations for bravery.[7] As a result of this, Panzer Lehr was considered an elite unit from the time of its formation.[13]

In early 1944, Panzer Lehr division was to be prepared for training to take place in Southern France.[14] Orders received on 6 March 1944 made it clear that the unit was to first be transported to the Vienna area.[14] On 19 March 1944, Panzer Lehr division took part in the German occupation of Hungary codenamed Operation Margarethe, as well to continue its training.[11][15][14] The division absorbed the 901st Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Regiment while there. The division left Hungary on 1 May, and returned to France on 15 May 1944 to await the Allied invasion as a part of the OKW's armored reserve, along with the I SS Panzer Corps and the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Gotz von Berlichingen.[16] These units could be released only with Adolf Hitler's personal authorization.[17]

Panzer Lehr's panzer regiment had a battalion each of Panther and Panzer IV available.[11] Moreover, all the battalions in both panzergrenadier regiments were transported by tracked, armored vehicles, such as the Sd.Kfz. 251 halftrack.[18][1] This is in contrast to ordinary Wehrmacht panzer divisions, where only the first battalion in the first panzergrenadier regiment was equipped with halftracks, with the remaining battalions equipped with trucks. The division's engineer and reconnaissance formations were also equipped with armored vehicles,[18] the armored reconnaissance battalion having a company of the new Sd.Kfz 234/2 Puma armored cars.[19] The division's panzer regiment also had the 316. Funklenk-Panzerkompanie (abbreviated 1./s.Pz. Kp. 'Funklenk' 316) ("316th Remote Control Panzer company")[note 1] attached while in Normandy; this company was originally equipped with ten Tiger I tanks, and was allocated the first five of the new Tiger II tanks that are not used in Normandy since it broke down en route[20] and been replaced by 9 Sturmgeschütz self-propelled guns, which fought at Tilly and St. Lo until destroyed, at which point the 316th Company was disbanded.[21][22] The division's panzer regiment had a total complement of 208 operating tanks and assault guns (10 Panzer III, 9 StuG III, 97 Panzer IV, 86 Panthers and 6 Tigers) as of 6 June 1944 plus nine tanks and assault guns under repair (1 Panzer III, 1 StuG III, 2 Panzer IV, 3 Panthers and 2 Tigers).[23] It also had 31 Jagdpanzer IV in its Panzerjäger battalion.[23] Another unique feature of this formation was that its panzergrenadiers were, for a large part, dressed in the double-breasted Sturmgeschütz jacket, instead of the standard field blouse worn by other German Army (Heer) units.[24]

Normandy Edit

The Caen battles Edit

 
Panzer IV of the Panzer Lehr Division and a Tiger I from the 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion at Villers-Bocage

When the Western Allies launched the amphibious invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944, Panzer Lehr, as a part of the strategic armored reserve (Panzer Group West), was held back from the fighting during the crucial first days.[25] It was soon released, reached the front, and was committed to battle against the British and Canadians on June 8.[26] It was placed in the front line adjacent to the 12th SS Hitlerjugend Division, where it defended Caen and fought several British offensives to a standstill.[27]

On 13 June 1944, an attack by the 22nd Armoured brigade group of the British 7th Armoured Division outflanked Panzer Lehr's defences around Tilly-sur-Seulles and cut through the German lines, taking the village of Villers-Bocage and threatening Panzer Lehr's rear. Elements of Panzer Lehr, the 2nd Panzer Division, and the 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion were committed to defeating the British penetration.[28][29] The ensuing Battle of Villers-Bocage saw the British withdraw to their start lines after two days of inconclusive fighting.[30] By 17 June, Panzer Lehr had been forced to withdraw.[31]

Like all German armoured units engaged in Normandy, Panzer Lehr suffered heavy losses in its transport from Allied air attacks.[note 2][32] By the end of June, the division's armoured component was severely depleted. Despite this, it continued to hold against the British and Commonwealth forces, engaging in heavy fighting near the town of Tilly-sur-Seulles.[33]

By the end of June, the Panzer Lehr Division had suffered 2,972 casualties and reported the loss of 51 tanks and assault guns, 82 halftracks and 294 other vehicles.[note 3][2]

The Saint-Lô battles Edit

On 1 July 1944, Panzer Lehr had only 36 operational Panzer IV tanks (additional 29 in short term repair and 10 in long term repair); 32 operational Panther tanks (additional 26 in short term repair and 8 in long term repair) and 28 operational Jagdpanzer and Sturmgeschutz (9 more in short term repair and 1 in long term repair).[2][34] On 7 July, the division was ordered to pull out of their positions south of Tilly-sur-Seules and head west to provide support to the divisions resisting the American advance near Saint-Lô.[35][36] The area around Saint-Lô consists of small fields with high ancient hedgerows and sunken lanes, known as bocage.[37] The bocage made it extremely difficult for armor to maneuver and provided superb defensive positions to the infantry on both sides of the battle.[38]

On 10 July, Panzer-Lehr launched a counterattack against elements of the American 9th and 30th infantry divisions around the village of Le Dézert.[35][39][2] American M10 tank destroyers knocked out 30 of the Panzer Lehr's tanks and forced the remaining tanks to withdraw over the Vire Canal to relative safety.[40]

Over the next two weeks, the division fought a defensive battle of attrition. On 19 July, Saint-Lô fell to the Americans.[41] Six days later, the Americans launched Operation Cobra, their breakout from the Normandy lodgment.[42] By that time, the division had only 2,200 combat troops remaining[35][43] and 12 Panzer IV and 16 Panthers fit for action and 30 tanks in various states of repair behind the lines.[35] The operation was preceded by a massive aerial bombardment by over 1,500 allied bombers.[44] Panzer Lehr was directly in the path of attack[43] and the division suffered about 1,000 casualties during this bombardment.[45] The division also lost at least 14 assault guns and 10 tanks.[46] Despite strong initial resistance,[47] by 27 July the German defenses has been penetrated.[48] On the same day, Bayerlein reported that Panzer Lehr was "finally annihilated."[9]

On 1 August, the Panzer Lehr had 33 tanks and assault guns operational and a further 44 in workshops.[2] and so on August 17 after a fighting withdrawal, it was ordered back to Alençon for rest and refitting.[49] The division was subsequently called back to Germany for rest and refitting.[50] During August, the division suffered 1,468 casualties.[51]

Within seven months of its formation, the division was reduced to a combat-ineffective unit with only 20 remaining tanks.[12] At one point, in September, it consisted only of a panzer grenadier battalion of company strength, an engineer company, six 105mm howitzers, five tanks, a reconnaissance platoon, and an Alarmbataillon (emergency alert battalion) of about 200 men recruited from stragglers and soldiers on furlough in Trier.[52] After spending a month refitting in the Saar, the division was moved to Paderborn, receiving 72 tanks, 21 assault guns and replacements, to compensate for the losses suffered in Normandy.[12]

The Ardennes Edit

Operation Wacht am Rhein Edit

In early November 1944, Panzer Lehr was transferred to Hasso von Manteuffel's Fifth Panzer Army, part of Field Marshal Walter Model's Army Group B in preparation for the planned winter offensive, Operation Wacht am Rhein, commonly known as the Battle of the Bulge. On 21 November, the partially refitted Panzer Lehr was ordered out of its assembly area to counterattack the American forces driving towards the Saverne Gap.[53][54] At that time, it has a strength of 34 Panzer IV and 38 Panther tanks.[50][55] The counterattack stalled,[56] and Panzer Lehr was called back out of the line,[57] much reduced in strength.[58]

The time spent refitting Panzer Lehr and several other units which had been committed prematurely meant that the operation had to be delayed.[59] During the run up to the offensive, Panzer Lehr was kept in reserve, along with the Führer Begleit Brigade.[60] On 15 December, the day before the offensive began, Panzer Lehr was still severely understrength, with only one of its two tank battalions ready for action, the other restored to its parent unit, the 3rd Panzer Division.[61] Both of its panzergrenadier regiments were at 80 percent of its authorized strength.[62] It had only 57 tanks (30 Panthers and 27 Panzer IV) and 20 Jagdpanzer IV/70's by the time the attack jumped off.[62][63] In compensation, it was reinforced by two tank destroyer battalions and an assault gun brigade.[64] The division's armored reconnaissance battalion was its only organic unit up to strength.[64]

Wacht am Rhein opened on 16 December 1944, and Panzer Lehr moved out from the start positions in the center of the German line. The 26th Volksgrenadier Division was to clear the way for the division, but they soon became bogged down and the Panzer Lehr found itself moving forward at a crawl.[62][65] The situation worsened over the next two days, with the 901st Panzergrenadier Regiment being halted by the Americans along the road to Wiltz, and the 902nd encountering heavy resistance in the town of Hosingen.[66]

Bastogne Edit

On 18 December, the assault got back underway. The 26th Volksgrenadier Division had secured the bridge over the Clerf River, opening the way to the road and rail-hub of Bastogne.[67] Panzer Lehr's armored reconnaissance battalion raced ahead, attacking towards Wiltz before rejoining the division on the route to Bastogne.[68] The horse-drawn 26th Volksgrenadier had gotten itself mixed up in Panzer Lehr's column, greatly slowing the advance.[69]

On the 19th, the division's panzer regiment ran into a roadblock near Neffe, held by troops of Combat Team Cherry of the U.S. 10th Armored Division.[70] After initial success, Panzer Lehr's follow up attack resulted in heavy casualties. Combat Team Cherry pulled out, and the way to Bastogne was open again.[71] However, the majority of the division's armor had been sent north to Mageret to support 26th Volksgrenadier.[72] After the taking of Mageret, a local informed Bayerlein, the division's commander, that a column of about 50 American tanks and infantry was seen moving to Longvilly.[73] Bayerlein ordered his troops to halt and set up a roadblock, giving him a chance to regroup and reorganize his troops.[73] By the time that Panzer Lehr moved out again and reached the town of Bastogne, the US 101st Airborne Division (Screaming Eagles) had already secured it.[74] Panzer Lehr was then divided, with half the division left to help 26th Volksgrenadier Division capture Bastogne, while the rest of the division, including most of its armor, were to continue on to the Meuse.[75]

Over the next few days, the Kampfgruppe helping 26th Volksgrenadier, made up mostly of the 901st Panzergrenadier Regiment, wore itself out in successive attacks on the town of Bastogne. As the remainder of the division sped east, it enjoyed some minor successes, including the capture of a large American convoy,[76] but it was brought to a halt by fierce resistance near St. Hubert, and was soon drawn into heavy fighting south of Bastogne.[77] On the 21st, Manteuffel pulled Panzer Lehr out of the fight for Bastogne and grouped it with the 2nd Panzer Division and 116th Panzer Division Windhund for an assault on Dinant and the Meuse.[78]

Assault on Dinant Edit

After a day spent on reorganising the attack, Panzer Lehr finally got underway. It fought its way through St. Hubert and the road to Dinant and the Meuse again seemed open.[79][80]

The assaulting unit, the 902nd Panzergrenadier Regiment, was met by heavy resistance. Nor was the advance to become any easier thereafter. On 23 December, the division fought all day to reduce the town of Rochefort, suffering heavy casualties. The Americans finally withdrew – their casualties 25 men killed and 15 men wounded, after holding off an elite panzer division for an entire day.[81]

Bayerlein later compared the defence of Rochefort to that of Bastogne.[82] Panzer Lehr made two rescue attempts to save 2nd Panzer[83] and succeeded in retaking Humain, but Was unable to go any further.[84] After another failed rescue effort by 9th Panzer, Panzer Lehr was ordered to fall back.[85] Of the 2nd Panzer Kampfgruppe, only Major Cochenhausen and 600 or so of his men managed to escape on foot, abandoning almost all of the division's armor to the advancing Allies.[86] The Meuse would not be reached; Wacht Am Rhein had failed.[87]

Relief of Bastogne Edit

The remnants of Manteuffel's strike force were pulled back for one final attempt to take Bastogne.[85] Panzer Lehr began to move into its new positions,[88] after US 4th Armored Division, the spearhead of George Patton's US Third Army, began its attack to relieve Bastogne[89] and a corridor to the surrounded 101st Airborne was created.[90] Panzer Lehr was then involved in the unsuccessful operations to close the corridor,[91] and finally the exhausted division was pulled out of the battle. Panzer Lehr had once again been virtually annihilated.[citation needed]

The Netherlands to Ruhr Pocket Edit

After the failure of the Ardennes offensive, Panzer Lehr was refitted once again, though not to anywhere near the lavish standard of its earlier incarnations. Many of the veterans were dead, and the Panzer Lehr of early 1945 bore little resemblance to that of June 1944.[92]

The division was moved north, into the Rhineland, where it was engaged fighting Bernard Montgomery's Anglo-Canadian 21st Army Group again during Operation Veritable, serving under the First Parachute Army.[93] Panzer Lehr saw very heavy fighting, and again sustained heavy losses.[94] By 15 March, Panzer Lehr had only 6 Panzer IVs, 29 Panthers and 14 Jagdpanzer IVs available.[95] When the U.S. 9th Armored Division captured the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen, Panzer Lehr was sent to crush the bridgehead.[96] The attack was unsuccessful.[97] The Allies' ground and air superiority inflicted heavy casualties on the division. By then, it was reduced to just 300 men and 15 tanks.[98][99] Engaged in a fighting retreat across northwestern Germany, the division was trapped in the Ruhr Pocket and the remnants of the once powerful division were taken prisoner by the US 99th Infantry Division on 15 April.[100]

Order of battle Edit

  • Panzer-Lehr-Regiment 130
  • Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Regiment 901
  • Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Regiment 902
  • Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 130
  • Feldersatz-Bataillon 130
  • Panzeraufklärungs-Lehr-Abteilung 130
  • Heeres-Flak-Artillerie-Abteilung 311
  • Panzerjäger-Abteilung 130
  • Panzer-Lehr-Pionier-Bataillon 130
  • Panzernachrichten-Abteilung 130
  • Panzer-Versorgungstruppen 130[5]

Commanders Edit

No. Portrait Commander Took office Left office Time in office
1
 
Bayerlein, FritzGeneralleutnant
Fritz Bayerlein
(1899–1970)		10 January 19448 June 19444 months
2
 
Strachwitz, HyacinthGeneralmajor
Hyacinth Graf Strachwitz
(1893–1968)		8 June 194423 August 19442 months
3
 
Gerhardt, RudolfOberst
Rudolf Gerhardt[101]
(1896–1964)		24 August 19448 September 19440 months
4
 
Hauser, PaulOberst
Paul Freiherr von Hauser
(1911–1999)		8 September 1944September 19440 months
(1)
 
Bayerlein, FritzGeneralleutnant
Fritz Bayerlein
(1899–1970)		September 194415 January 19454 months
5
 
Niemack, HorstGeneralmajor
Horst Niemack
(1909–1992)		15 January 19453 April 19452 months
(4)
 
Hauser, PaulOberst
Paul Freiherr von Hauser
(1911–1999)		4 April 194515 April 194511 days

Notes Edit

  1. ^ The 316th Radio Control Panzer Company was originally equipped with a mix of Tiger I and Tiger II heavy tanks, and remote-controlled demolition vehicles, which could be operated from the Tigers. There is some dispute as to how many, if any, were actually in service during the Normandy Campaign.[citation needed]
  2. ^ Many examples of the experiences and losses suffered by German formations moving up to the front are well known. Panzer Lehr, for instance, on 7 June alone lost 84 half-tracks, prime movers and self propelled guns, 40 fuel bowsers, 90 soft-skinned vehicles and five tanks as it made its way from LeMans to Caen.
  3. ^ Panzerlehr casualties comprised 490 killed in action, 1,809 wounded and 673 missing. Tank and assault guns included the loss of 24 Panzer IVs and 23 Panther tanks had been knocked out.

Footnotes Edit

  1. ^ a b Zetterling 2000, p. 384.
  2. ^ a b c d e Zetterling, N. . Archived from the original on July 16, 2008.
  3. ^ Bergstrom 2014, p. 70.
  4. ^ Cole 1997, p. 466.
  5. ^ a b Nafziger, George. (PDF). Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 December 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  6. ^ Nafziger, George. (PDF). Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  7. ^ a b Ritgen 1995, pp. 20–21.
  8. ^ Mitcham, Samuel (2001). The Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of World War II and Their Commanders. Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-31640-6.
  9. ^ a b Blumenson 1961, p. 273.
  10. ^ Jentz 1996, p. 152.
  11. ^ a b c d Zaloga 2015, p. 34.
  12. ^ a b c Mitcham 2006, p. 203.
  13. ^ Caddick-Adams 2015, p. 226.
  14. ^ a b c Steinhardt, Frederick (2008). Panzer Lehr Division 1944-45. Helion.
  15. ^ Harrison 2002, p. 234.
  16. ^ Harrison 2002, p. 248.
  17. ^ Badsey 1990, p. 40.
  18. ^ a b Zaloga 2015, p. 35.
  19. ^ Edwards 2014, p. 102.
  20. ^ Zetterling 2000, p. 386.
  21. ^ Panzer Lehr Division 1944-45 Helion WWII German Military Studies Volume 1: Steinhard
  22. ^ Schneider 2004, pp. 339–340.
  23. ^ a b Niehorster, Leo. "Panzer Lehr Division Order of Battle".
  24. ^ Thomas 2000, p. 43.
  25. ^ Harrison 2002, p. 333.
  26. ^ Harrison 2002, p. 334.
  27. ^ Harrison 2002, pp. 372–375.
  28. ^ Harrison 2002, p. 373.
  29. ^ Forty 2004, p. 57.
  30. ^ Forty 2004, p. 160.
  31. ^ Forty 2004, p. 97.
  32. ^ Wilmot 1984, p. 89.
  33. ^ Ford 2004, p. 29.
  34. ^ Battistelli 2013, p. 54.
  35. ^ a b c d Zaloga 2015, p. 36.
  36. ^ Blumenson 1961, p. 133.
  37. ^ Blumenson 1961, p. 151.
  38. ^ Blumenson 1961, p. 12.
  39. ^ Blumenson 1961, pp. 137–138.
  40. ^ Blumenson 1961, pp. 138–139.
  41. ^ Blumenson 1961, p. 173.
  42. ^ Blumenson 1961, p. 233.
  43. ^ a b Blumenson 1961, p. 228.
  44. ^ Blumenson 1961, p. 234.
  45. ^ Blumenson 1961, p. 240.
  46. ^ Blumenson 1961, p. 248.
  47. ^ Blumenson 1961, pp. 241–246.
  48. ^ Blumenson 1961, p. 282.
  49. ^ Blumenson 1961, p. 577.
  50. ^ a b Cole 1997, p. 465.
  51. ^ Ritgen 2001, p. 318.
  52. ^ MacDonald 1963, p. 42.
  53. ^ Clarke 1993, p. 378.
  54. ^ Cole 1997, p. 464.
  55. ^ Jentz 1996, p. 195.
  56. ^ Cole 1997, pp. 466–469.
  57. ^ Cole 1997, p. 469.
  58. ^ Cole 1965, p. 37.
  59. ^ Cole 1965, p. 38.
  60. ^ Cole 1965, p. 174.
  61. ^ Battistelli 2013, pp. 86–87.
  62. ^ a b c Quarrie 2000, p. 21.
  63. ^ Jentz 1996, p. 199.
  64. ^ a b Cole 1965, p. 178.
  65. ^ Cole 1965, p. 186.
  66. ^ Cole 1965, pp. 206–207.
  67. ^ Cole 1965, p. 191.
  68. ^ Cole 1965, p. 207.
  69. ^ Cole 1965, p. 299.
  70. ^ Cole 1965, pp. 448–449.
  71. ^ Cole 1965, p. 303.
  72. ^ Cole 1965, p. 304.
  73. ^ a b Cole 1965, pp. 299–300.
  74. ^ Cole 1965, p. 309.
  75. ^ Cole 1965, p. 323.
  76. ^ Cole 1965, p. 325.
  77. ^ Cole 1965, p. 324-326.
  78. ^ Cole 1965, p. 435.
  79. ^ Cole 1965, pp. 324–325.
  80. ^ Cole 1965, p. 437.
  81. ^ Cole 1965, pp. 439–440.
  82. ^ Cole 1965, p. 440.
  83. ^ Cole 1965, p. 569.
  84. ^ Cole 1965, pp. 570–571.
  85. ^ a b Cole 1965, p. 574.
  86. ^ Cole 1965, p. 570.
  87. ^ Cole 1965, p. 672.
  88. ^ Cole 1965, pp. 613–614.
  89. ^ Cole 1965, p. 512.
  90. ^ Cole 1965, p. 480.
  91. ^ Cole 1965, p. 622.
  92. ^ Copp & Vogel 1988, p. 46.
  93. ^ MacDonald 1973, p. 140.
  94. ^ MacDonald 1973, p. 171.
  95. ^ Jentz 1996, p. 247.
  96. ^ MacDonald 1973, pp. 221–222.
  97. ^ MacDonald 1973, p. 226.
  98. ^ MacDonald 1973, p. 221.
  99. ^ Quarrie 2000, p. 23.
  100. ^ MacDonald 1973, p. 370.
  101. ^ Mitcham 2006, p. 204.

Bibliography Edit

Books
  • Badsey, Stephen (1990). Normandy 1944 Allied Landings and Breakout. United Kingdom: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9780850459210.
  • Battistelli, Pier Paolo (2013). Panzer Divisions 1944–45 Battle Orders. United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781849080842.
  • Battistelli, Pier Paolo (2009). Panzer Divisions 1944–45 Battle Orders 38. United Kingdom: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9781846034060.
  • Bergstrom, Christer (2014). The Ardennes, 1944-1945 Hitler's Winter Offensive. Havertown, Pennsylvania: Casemate. ISBN 9781612003153.
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  • Cole, Hugh M. The Lorraine Campaign (Publication 7-6). Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  • Cole, Hugh M. The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge (Publication 7-8). Retrieved April 13, 2005.
  • Copp, J. T.; Vogel, Robert (1988). Maple leaf route: victory. Maple Leaf Route. ISBN 9780919907065.
  • Edwards, Robert (2014). Scouts Out: A History of German Armored Reconnaissance Units in World War II. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books. ISBN 9780811713115.
  • Ford, Ken (2004). Caen 1944 Montgomery's Breakout Attempt. United Kingdom: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9781841766256.
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  • Harrison, Gordon A. (2002), , archived from the original on February 26, 2014, retrieved December 30, 2015
  • Jentz, Thomas (1996). Panzertruppen Vol. 2 The Complete Guide to the Creation & Combat Employment of Germany's Tank Force 1943-1945. 77 Lower Valley Road Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-7643-0080-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  • MacDonald, Charles B. The Siegfried Line Campaign (Publication 7-7) 2010-06-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  • MacDonald, Charles B. The Last Offensive (Publication 7-9). Retrieved January 17, 2016.
  • Mitcham, Samuel W. (2006). The Panzer Legions: A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of World War II and Their Commanders. Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books. ISBN 0-811733-53-X.
  • Quarrie, Bruce (2000). The Ardennes Offensive Central Sector: V Panzer Armee. University Park, Illinois, USA: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9781855328570.
  • Ritgen, Helmut (1995). The Western Front 1944 - Memoirs of a Panzer Lehr Officer. Winnipeg, Canada: J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing. ISBN 0-921991-28-2.
  • Ritgen, Helmut (2001). Panzer Lehr in the West: A History of the Panzer Lehr Division, 1943-1945. USA: Shelf Books. ISBN 1-899765-18-2.
  • Schneider, Wolfgang (2004). Tigers in Combat (Volume 1 ed.). Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books. ISBN 0-811732-03-7.
  • Spayd, P.A. (2003). Bayerlein: From Afrikakorps to Panzer Lehr. USA: Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 0-7643-1866-7.
  • Thomas, Nigel (2000). The German Army 1939-45 (5): Western Front 1943-45. United Kingdom: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1855327979.
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  • Zaloga, Steven J. (2015). Panzer IV vs Sherman: France 1944. United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781472807618.
  • Zetterling, N. (2000). . Winnipeg, Man.: Fedorowicz. ISBN 0-92199-156-8. Archived from the original on 17 February 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
Websites
  • Nafziger, George. (PDF). Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library. US Army Combined Arms Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  • Nafziger, George. (PDF). Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library. US Army Combined Arms Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 December 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  • Niehorster, Leo. "Panzer Lehr Division Order of Battle". World War II Armed Forces Orders of Battle and Organizations. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  • US Army Situation maps - The Battle of the Bulge. American Memory. Library of Congress. Retrieved August 3, 2007.

October 21, 2023
panzer, lehr, division, panzer, lehr, division, meaning, armoured, training, division, elite, german, armoured, division, during, world, formed, 1943, onwards, from, training, demonstration, troops, lehr, teach, stationed, germany, provide, additional, armored. The Panzer Lehr Division in the meaning of Armoured training division was an elite German armoured division during World War II It was formed in 1943 onwards from training and demonstration troops Lehr teach stationed in Germany to provide additional armored strength for the anticipated Allied invasion of western Europe 7 On 4 April 1944 the division was officially designated as the 130th Panzer Division however it is usually referred to as the Lehr Division 8 It was the only Wehrmacht Panzer division to be fully equipped with tanks and with halftracks to transport its mechanized infantry On several occasions it fought almost to destruction in particular during Operation Cobra 9 and by the end of the war in Europe bore little resemblance to the unit that had originally been activated Panzer Lehr Division130 Panzer Lehr Division Panzer Lehr DivisionUnit insigniaActive30 December 1943 15 April 1945Country GermanyBranchArmyTypePanzerRoleArmoured warfareSizeDivision14 699 1 June 1944 1 11 018 1 August 1944 2 14 892 16 December 1944 3 Nickname s Parade Division 4 EngagementsWorld War II Operation Margarethe Battle of Normandy Battle of the BulgeCommandersNotablecommandersFritz Bayerlein Contents 1 History 1 1 Formation 1 2 Normandy 1 2 1 The Caen battles 1 2 2 The Saint Lo battles 1 3 The Ardennes 1 3 1 Operation Wacht am Rhein 1 3 2 Bastogne 1 3 3 Assault on Dinant 1 3 4 Relief of Bastogne 1 4 The Netherlands to Ruhr Pocket 2 Order of battle 3 Commanders 4 Notes 5 Footnotes 6 BibliographyHistory EditFormation Edit Panzer Lehr began forming on 30 December 1943 10 and moved to the Nancy Verdun area in January 1944 to complete the process 11 It was formed from several elite training and demonstration units 12 Most of the division s original cadre was drawn from Panzertruppenschule I and Panzertruppenschule II the Panzerwaffe s major training units 11 These training and demonstration units were some of the most experienced and highly trained troops in the Panzerwaffe with almost all having seen combat in the East North Africa Sicily or Italy and many having received decorations for bravery 7 As a result of this Panzer Lehr was considered an elite unit from the time of its formation 13 In early 1944 Panzer Lehr division was to be prepared for training to take place in Southern France 14 Orders received on 6 March 1944 made it clear that the unit was to first be transported to the Vienna area 14 On 19 March 1944 Panzer Lehr division took part in the German occupation of Hungary codenamed Operation Margarethe as well to continue its training 11 15 14 The division absorbed the 901st Panzergrenadier Lehr Regiment while there The division left Hungary on 1 May and returned to France on 15 May 1944 to await the Allied invasion as a part of the OKW s armored reserve along with the I SS Panzer Corps and the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Gotz von Berlichingen 16 These units could be released only with Adolf Hitler s personal authorization 17 Panzer Lehr s panzer regiment had a battalion each of Panther and Panzer IV available 11 Moreover all the battalions in both panzergrenadier regiments were transported by tracked armored vehicles such as the Sd Kfz 251 halftrack 18 1 This is in contrast to ordinary Wehrmacht panzer divisions where only the first battalion in the first panzergrenadier regiment was equipped with halftracks with the remaining battalions equipped with trucks The division s engineer and reconnaissance formations were also equipped with armored vehicles 18 the armored reconnaissance battalion having a company of the new Sd Kfz 234 2 Puma armored cars 19 The division s panzer regiment also had the 316 Funklenk Panzerkompanie abbreviated 1 s Pz Kp Funklenk 316 316th Remote Control Panzer company note 1 attached while in Normandy this company was originally equipped with ten Tiger I tanks and was allocated the first five of the new Tiger II tanks that are not used in Normandy since it broke down en route 20 and been replaced by 9 Sturmgeschutz self propelled guns which fought at Tilly and St Lo until destroyed at which point the 316th Company was disbanded 21 22 The division s panzer regiment had a total complement of 208 operating tanks and assault guns 10 Panzer III 9 StuG III 97 Panzer IV 86 Panthers and 6 Tigers as of 6 June 1944 plus nine tanks and assault guns under repair 1 Panzer III 1 StuG III 2 Panzer IV 3 Panthers and 2 Tigers 23 It also had 31 Jagdpanzer IV in its Panzerjager battalion 23 Another unique feature of this formation was that its panzergrenadiers were for a large part dressed in the double breasted Sturmgeschutz jacket instead of the standard field blouse worn by other German Army Heer units 24 Normandy Edit The Caen battles Edit nbsp Panzer IV of the Panzer Lehr Division and a Tiger I from the 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion at Villers BocageWhen the Western Allies launched the amphibious invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944 Panzer Lehr as a part of the strategic armored reserve Panzer Group West was held back from the fighting during the crucial first days 25 It was soon released reached the front and was committed to battle against the British and Canadians on June 8 26 It was placed in the front line adjacent to the 12th SS Hitlerjugend Division where it defended Caen and fought several British offensives to a standstill 27 On 13 June 1944 an attack by the 22nd Armoured brigade group of the British 7th Armoured Division outflanked Panzer Lehr s defences around Tilly sur Seulles and cut through the German lines taking the village of Villers Bocage and threatening Panzer Lehr s rear Elements of Panzer Lehr the 2nd Panzer Division and the 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion were committed to defeating the British penetration 28 29 The ensuing Battle of Villers Bocage saw the British withdraw to their start lines after two days of inconclusive fighting 30 By 17 June Panzer Lehr had been forced to withdraw 31 Like all German armoured units engaged in Normandy Panzer Lehr suffered heavy losses in its transport from Allied air attacks note 2 32 By the end of June the division s armoured component was severely depleted Despite this it continued to hold against the British and Commonwealth forces engaging in heavy fighting near the town of Tilly sur Seulles 33 By the end of June the Panzer Lehr Division had suffered 2 972 casualties and reported the loss of 51 tanks and assault guns 82 halftracks and 294 other vehicles note 3 2 The Saint Lo battles Edit On 1 July 1944 Panzer Lehr had only 36 operational Panzer IV tanks additional 29 in short term repair and 10 in long term repair 32 operational Panther tanks additional 26 in short term repair and 8 in long term repair and 28 operational Jagdpanzer and Sturmgeschutz 9 more in short term repair and 1 in long term repair 2 34 On 7 July the division was ordered to pull out of their positions south of Tilly sur Seules and head west to provide support to the divisions resisting the American advance near Saint Lo 35 36 The area around Saint Lo consists of small fields with high ancient hedgerows and sunken lanes known as bocage 37 The bocage made it extremely difficult for armor to maneuver and provided superb defensive positions to the infantry on both sides of the battle 38 On 10 July Panzer Lehr launched a counterattack against elements of the American 9th and 30th infantry divisions around the village of Le Dezert 35 39 2 American M10 tank destroyers knocked out 30 of the Panzer Lehr s tanks and forced the remaining tanks to withdraw over the Vire Canal to relative safety 40 Over the next two weeks the division fought a defensive battle of attrition On 19 July Saint Lo fell to the Americans 41 Six days later the Americans launched Operation Cobra their breakout from the Normandy lodgment 42 By that time the division had only 2 200 combat troops remaining 35 43 and 12 Panzer IV and 16 Panthers fit for action and 30 tanks in various states of repair behind the lines 35 The operation was preceded by a massive aerial bombardment by over 1 500 allied bombers 44 Panzer Lehr was directly in the path of attack 43 and the division suffered about 1 000 casualties during this bombardment 45 The division also lost at least 14 assault guns and 10 tanks 46 Despite strong initial resistance 47 by 27 July the German defenses has been penetrated 48 On the same day Bayerlein reported that Panzer Lehr was finally annihilated 9 On 1 August the Panzer Lehr had 33 tanks and assault guns operational and a further 44 in workshops 2 and so on August 17 after a fighting withdrawal it was ordered back to Alencon for rest and refitting 49 The division was subsequently called back to Germany for rest and refitting 50 During August the division suffered 1 468 casualties 51 Within seven months of its formation the division was reduced to a combat ineffective unit with only 20 remaining tanks 12 At one point in September it consisted only of a panzer grenadier battalion of company strength an engineer company six 105mm howitzers five tanks a reconnaissance platoon and an Alarmbataillon emergency alert battalion of about 200 men recruited from stragglers and soldiers on furlough in Trier 52 After spending a month refitting in the Saar the division was moved to Paderborn receiving 72 tanks 21 assault guns and replacements to compensate for the losses suffered in Normandy 12 The Ardennes Edit Operation Wacht am Rhein Edit In early November 1944 Panzer Lehr was transferred to Hasso von Manteuffel s Fifth Panzer Army part of Field Marshal Walter Model s Army Group B in preparation for the planned winter offensive Operation Wacht am Rhein commonly known as the Battle of the Bulge On 21 November the partially refitted Panzer Lehr was ordered out of its assembly area to counterattack the American forces driving towards the Saverne Gap 53 54 At that time it has a strength of 34 Panzer IV and 38 Panther tanks 50 55 The counterattack stalled 56 and Panzer Lehr was called back out of the line 57 much reduced in strength 58 The time spent refitting Panzer Lehr and several other units which had been committed prematurely meant that the operation had to be delayed 59 During the run up to the offensive Panzer Lehr was kept in reserve along with the Fuhrer Begleit Brigade 60 On 15 December the day before the offensive began Panzer Lehr was still severely understrength with only one of its two tank battalions ready for action the other restored to its parent unit the 3rd Panzer Division 61 Both of its panzergrenadier regiments were at 80 percent of its authorized strength 62 It had only 57 tanks 30 Panthers and 27 Panzer IV and 20 Jagdpanzer IV 70 s by the time the attack jumped off 62 63 In compensation it was reinforced by two tank destroyer battalions and an assault gun brigade 64 The division s armored reconnaissance battalion was its only organic unit up to strength 64 Wacht am Rhein opened on 16 December 1944 and Panzer Lehr moved out from the start positions in the center of the German line The 26th Volksgrenadier Division was to clear the way for the division but they soon became bogged down and the Panzer Lehr found itself moving forward at a crawl 62 65 The situation worsened over the next two days with the 901st Panzergrenadier Regiment being halted by the Americans along the road to Wiltz and the 902nd encountering heavy resistance in the town of Hosingen 66 Bastogne Edit On 18 December the assault got back underway The 26th Volksgrenadier Division had secured the bridge over the Clerf River opening the way to the road and rail hub of Bastogne 67 Panzer Lehr s armored reconnaissance battalion raced ahead attacking towards Wiltz before rejoining the division on the route to Bastogne 68 The horse drawn 26th Volksgrenadier had gotten itself mixed up in Panzer Lehr s column greatly slowing the advance 69 On the 19th the division s panzer regiment ran into a roadblock near Neffe held by troops of Combat Team Cherry of the U S 10th Armored Division 70 After initial success Panzer Lehr s follow up attack resulted in heavy casualties Combat Team Cherry pulled out and the way to Bastogne was open again 71 However the majority of the division s armor had been sent north to Mageret to support 26th Volksgrenadier 72 After the taking of Mageret a local informed Bayerlein the division s commander that a column of about 50 American tanks and infantry was seen moving to Longvilly 73 Bayerlein ordered his troops to halt and set up a roadblock giving him a chance to regroup and reorganize his troops 73 By the time that Panzer Lehr moved out again and reached the town of Bastogne the US 101st Airborne Division Screaming Eagles had already secured it 74 Panzer Lehr was then divided with half the division left to help 26th Volksgrenadier Division capture Bastogne while the rest of the division including most of its armor were to continue on to the Meuse 75 Over the next few days the Kampfgruppe helping 26th Volksgrenadier made up mostly of the 901st Panzergrenadier Regiment wore itself out in successive attacks on the town of Bastogne As the remainder of the division sped east it enjoyed some minor successes including the capture of a large American convoy 76 but it was brought to a halt by fierce resistance near St Hubert and was soon drawn into heavy fighting south of Bastogne 77 On the 21st Manteuffel pulled Panzer Lehr out of the fight for Bastogne and grouped it with the 2nd Panzer Division and 116th Panzer Division Windhund for an assault on Dinant and the Meuse 78 Assault on Dinant Edit After a day spent on reorganising the attack Panzer Lehr finally got underway It fought its way through St Hubert and the road to Dinant and the Meuse again seemed open 79 80 The assaulting unit the 902nd Panzergrenadier Regiment was met by heavy resistance Nor was the advance to become any easier thereafter On 23 December the division fought all day to reduce the town of Rochefort suffering heavy casualties The Americans finally withdrew their casualties 25 men killed and 15 men wounded after holding off an elite panzer division for an entire day 81 Bayerlein later compared the defence of Rochefort to that of Bastogne 82 Panzer Lehr made two rescue attempts to save 2nd Panzer 83 and succeeded in retaking Humain but Was unable to go any further 84 After another failed rescue effort by 9th Panzer Panzer Lehr was ordered to fall back 85 Of the 2nd Panzer Kampfgruppe only Major Cochenhausen and 600 or so of his men managed to escape on foot abandoning almost all of the division s armor to the advancing Allies 86 The Meuse would not be reached Wacht Am Rhein had failed 87 Relief of Bastogne Edit The remnants of Manteuffel s strike force were pulled back for one final attempt to take Bastogne 85 Panzer Lehr began to move into its new positions 88 after US 4th Armored Division the spearhead of George Patton s US Third Army began its attack to relieve Bastogne 89 and a corridor to the surrounded 101st Airborne was created 90 Panzer Lehr was then involved in the unsuccessful operations to close the corridor 91 and finally the exhausted division was pulled out of the battle Panzer Lehr had once again been virtually annihilated citation needed The Netherlands to Ruhr Pocket Edit After the failure of the Ardennes offensive Panzer Lehr was refitted once again though not to anywhere near the lavish standard of its earlier incarnations Many of the veterans were dead and the Panzer Lehr of early 1945 bore little resemblance to that of June 1944 92 The division was moved north into the Rhineland where it was engaged fighting Bernard Montgomery s Anglo Canadian 21st Army Group again during Operation Veritable serving under the First Parachute Army 93 Panzer Lehr saw very heavy fighting and again sustained heavy losses 94 By 15 March Panzer Lehr had only 6 Panzer IVs 29 Panthers and 14 Jagdpanzer IVs available 95 When the U S 9th Armored Division captured the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen Panzer Lehr was sent to crush the bridgehead 96 The attack was unsuccessful 97 The Allies ground and air superiority inflicted heavy casualties on the division By then it was reduced to just 300 men and 15 tanks 98 99 Engaged in a fighting retreat across northwestern Germany the division was trapped in the Ruhr Pocket and the remnants of the once powerful division were taken prisoner by the US 99th Infantry Division on 15 April 100 Order of battle EditPanzer Lehr Regiment 130 Panzergrenadier Lehr Regiment 901 Panzergrenadier Lehr Regiment 902 Panzer Artillerie Regiment 130 Feldersatz Bataillon 130 Panzeraufklarungs Lehr Abteilung 130 Heeres Flak Artillerie Abteilung 311 Panzerjager Abteilung 130 Panzer Lehr Pionier Bataillon 130 Panzernachrichten Abteilung 130 Panzer Versorgungstruppen 130 5 Commanders EditNo Portrait Commander Took office Left office Time in office1 nbsp Bayerlein Fritz GeneralleutnantFritz Bayerlein 1899 1970 10 January 19448 June 19444 months2 nbsp Strachwitz Hyacinth GeneralmajorHyacinth Graf Strachwitz 1893 1968 8 June 194423 August 19442 months3 nbsp Gerhardt Rudolf OberstRudolf Gerhardt 101 1896 1964 24 August 19448 September 19440 months4 nbsp Hauser Paul OberstPaul Freiherr von Hauser 1911 1999 8 September 1944September 19440 months 1 nbsp Bayerlein Fritz GeneralleutnantFritz Bayerlein 1899 1970 September 194415 January 19454 months5 nbsp Niemack Horst GeneralmajorHorst Niemack 1909 1992 15 January 19453 April 19452 months 4 nbsp Hauser Paul OberstPaul Freiherr von Hauser 1911 1999 4 April 194515 April 194511 daysNotes Edit The 316th Radio Control Panzer Company was originally equipped with a mix of Tiger I and Tiger II heavy tanks and remote controlled demolition vehicles which could be operated from the Tigers There is some dispute as to how many if any were actually in service during the Normandy Campaign citation needed Many examples of the experiences and losses suffered by German formations moving up to the front are well known Panzer Lehr for instance on 7 June alone lost 84 half tracks prime movers and self propelled guns 40 fuel bowsers 90 soft skinned vehicles and five tanks as it made its way from LeMans to Caen Panzerlehr casualties comprised 490 killed in action 1 809 wounded and 673 missing Tank and assault guns included the loss of 24 Panzer IVs and 23 Panther tanks had been knocked out Footnotes Edit a b Zetterling 2000 p 384 a b c d e Zetterling N German Military Organization Combat Power and Organizational Effectiveness Archived from the original on July 16 2008 Bergstrom 2014 p 70 Cole 1997 p 466 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1997 help a b Nafziger George Organizational History of the German Armored Formations 1939 1945 PDF Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library Archived from the original PDF on 8 December 2011 Retrieved 28 June 2016 Nafziger George German Army Battle of the Bulge 15 December 1944 PDF Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library Archived from the original PDF on 1 July 2015 Retrieved 28 June 2016 a b Ritgen 1995 pp 20 21 Mitcham Samuel 2001 The Panzer Legions A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of World War II and Their Commanders Greenwood Press ISBN 0 313 31640 6 a b Blumenson 1961 p 273 Jentz 1996 p 152 a b c d Zaloga 2015 p 34 a b c Mitcham 2006 p 203 Caddick Adams 2015 p 226 a b c Steinhardt Frederick 2008 Panzer Lehr Division 1944 45 Helion Harrison 2002 p 234 Harrison 2002 p 248 Badsey 1990 p 40 a b Zaloga 2015 p 35 Edwards 2014 p 102 Zetterling 2000 p 386 Panzer Lehr Division 1944 45 Helion WWII German Military Studies Volume 1 Steinhard Schneider 2004 pp 339 340 a b Niehorster Leo Panzer Lehr Division Order of Battle Thomas 2000 p 43 Harrison 2002 p 333 Harrison 2002 p 334 Harrison 2002 pp 372 375 Harrison 2002 p 373 Forty 2004 p 57 Forty 2004 p 160 Forty 2004 p 97 Wilmot 1984 p 89 Ford 2004 p 29 Battistelli 2013 p 54 a b c d Zaloga 2015 p 36 Blumenson 1961 p 133 Blumenson 1961 p 151 Blumenson 1961 p 12 Blumenson 1961 pp 137 138 Blumenson 1961 pp 138 139 Blumenson 1961 p 173 Blumenson 1961 p 233 a b Blumenson 1961 p 228 Blumenson 1961 p 234 Blumenson 1961 p 240 Blumenson 1961 p 248 Blumenson 1961 pp 241 246 Blumenson 1961 p 282 Blumenson 1961 p 577 a b Cole 1997 p 465 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1997 help Ritgen 2001 p 318 MacDonald 1963 p 42 sfn error no target CITEREFMacDonald1963 help Clarke 1993 p 378 Cole 1997 p 464 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1997 help Jentz 1996 p 195 Cole 1997 pp 466 469 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1997 help Cole 1997 p 469 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1997 help Cole 1965 p 37 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 38 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 174 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Battistelli 2013 pp 86 87 a b c Quarrie 2000 p 21 Jentz 1996 p 199 a b Cole 1965 p 178 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 186 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 pp 206 207 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 191 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 207 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 299 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 pp 448 449 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 303 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 304 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help a b Cole 1965 pp 299 300 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 309 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 323 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 325 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 324 326 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 435 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 pp 324 325 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 437 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 pp 439 440 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 440 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 569 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 pp 570 571 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help a b Cole 1965 p 574 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 570 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 672 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 pp 613 614 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 512 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 480 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Cole 1965 p 622 sfn error no target CITEREFCole1965 help Copp amp Vogel 1988 p 46 sfn error no target CITEREFCopp amp Vogel1988 help MacDonald 1973 p 140 sfn error no target CITEREFMacDonald1973 help MacDonald 1973 p 171 sfn error no target CITEREFMacDonald1973 help Jentz 1996 p 247 MacDonald 1973 pp 221 222 sfn error no target CITEREFMacDonald1973 help MacDonald 1973 p 226 sfn error no target CITEREFMacDonald1973 help MacDonald 1973 p 221 sfn error no target CITEREFMacDonald1973 help Quarrie 2000 p 23 MacDonald 1973 p 370 sfn error no target CITEREFMacDonald1973 help Mitcham 2006 p 204 Bibliography EditBooksBadsey Stephen 1990 Normandy 1944 Allied Landings and Breakout United Kingdom Osprey Publishing ISBN 9780850459210 Battistelli Pier Paolo 2013 Panzer Divisions 1944 45 Battle Orders United Kingdom Bloomsbury Publishing ISBN 9781849080842 Battistelli Pier Paolo 2009 Panzer Divisions 1944 45 Battle Orders 38 United Kingdom Osprey Publishing ISBN 9781846034060 Bergstrom Christer 2014 The Ardennes 1944 1945 Hitler s Winter Offensive Havertown Pennsylvania Casemate ISBN 9781612003153 Blumenson Martin 1961 Breakout and Pursuit Publication 7 5 retrieved May 3 2016 Caddick Adams Peter 2015 Snow and Steel Battle of the Bulge 1944 45 United States Random House ISBN 9780099588122 Clarke Jeffrey J 1993 Riviera to the Rhine Publication 7 10 retrieved May 9 2016 Cole Hugh M The Lorraine Campaign Publication 7 6 Retrieved July 24 2016 Cole Hugh M The Ardennes Battle of the Bulge Publication 7 8 Retrieved April 13 2005 Copp J T Vogel Robert 1988 Maple leaf route victory Maple Leaf Route ISBN 9780919907065 Edwards Robert 2014 Scouts Out A History of German Armored Reconnaissance Units in World War II Mechanicsburg Pennsylvania Stackpole Books ISBN 9780811713115 Ford Ken 2004 Caen 1944 Montgomery s Breakout Attempt United Kingdom Osprey Publishing ISBN 9781841766256 Forty G 2004 Villers Bocage Battle Zone Normandy Sutton Publishing ISBN 0 7509 3012 8 Harrison Gordon A 2002 The Cross Channel Attack Publication 7 4 archived from the original on February 26 2014 retrieved December 30 2015 Jentz Thomas 1996 Panzertruppen Vol 2 The Complete Guide to the Creation amp Combat Employment of Germany s Tank Force 1943 1945 77 Lower Valley Road Atglen PA Schiffer Publishing Ltd ISBN 0 7643 0080 6 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location link MacDonald Charles B The Siegfried Line Campaign Publication 7 7 Archived 2010 06 15 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved July 17 2015 MacDonald Charles B The Last Offensive Publication 7 9 Retrieved January 17 2016 Mitcham Samuel W 2006 The Panzer Legions A Guide to the German Army Tank Divisions of World War II and Their Commanders Mechanicsburg Pennsylvania Stackpole Books ISBN 0 811733 53 X Quarrie Bruce 2000 The Ardennes Offensive Central Sector V Panzer Armee University Park Illinois USA Osprey Publishing ISBN 9781855328570 Ritgen Helmut 1995 The Western Front 1944 Memoirs of a Panzer Lehr Officer Winnipeg Canada J J Fedorowicz Publishing ISBN 0 921991 28 2 Ritgen Helmut 2001 Panzer Lehr in the West A History of the Panzer Lehr Division 1943 1945 USA Shelf Books ISBN 1 899765 18 2 Schneider Wolfgang 2004 Tigers in Combat Volume 1 ed Mechanicsburg Pennsylvania Stackpole Books ISBN 0 811732 03 7 Spayd P A 2003 Bayerlein From Afrikakorps to Panzer Lehr USA Schiffer Publishing ISBN 0 7643 1866 7 Thomas Nigel 2000 The German Army 1939 45 5 Western Front 1943 45 United Kingdom Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 1855327979 Wilmot H P 1984 June 1944 New York Blandford Press ISBN 0 7137 1446 8 Zaloga Steven J 2015 Panzer IV vs Sherman France 1944 United Kingdom Bloomsbury Publishing ISBN 9781472807618 Zetterling N 2000 Normandy 1944 German Military Organization Combat Power and Organizational Effectiveness Winnipeg Man Fedorowicz ISBN 0 92199 156 8 Archived from the original on 17 February 2009 Retrieved 30 December 2015 WebsitesNafziger George German Army Battle of the Bulge 15 December 1944 PDF Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library US Army Combined Arms Center Archived from the original PDF on 1 July 2015 Retrieved 28 June 2016 Nafziger George Organizational History of the German Armored Formations 1939 1945 PDF Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library US Army Combined Arms Center Archived from the original PDF on 8 December 2011 Retrieved 28 June 2016 Niehorster Leo Panzer Lehr Division Order of Battle World War II Armed Forces Orders of Battle and Organizations Retrieved 12 June 2015 US Army Situation maps The Battle of the Bulge American Memory Library of Congress Retrieved August 3 2007 Portals nbsp Military of Germany nbsp World War II Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Panzer Lehr Division amp oldid 1164009455, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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