Operation Winter Storm, 12-23 Dec, 1942

[KnifeForkSpoon]

Hi

I'm looking for more details about this operation launched by Manstein in order to free the encircled Sixth Army at Stalingrad.

In Antony Beevor's book "Stalingrad: the Fateful Siege," the details are spare. But the story around it is very interesting.

According to the book, "He (Hitler) was also impatient to discover how the new Tiger tank, with its 88-mm gun, would perform. The very first battalion to be formed had been rushed to the Ostfront and added to Kirchner's force."

The Germans thrust North with the LVII Corps (under Kirchner) which consisted of two Romanian Calvary divisions and the 23rd Panzer Division. Also included was the 6th Panzer division, newly arrived and fully up to strength with 160 long-barrelled Panzer Mark IV's and forty assault guns. Four days after the start of the operation, the 17th Panzer Division was also thrown into the mix.

Against them were arranged the Russian 57th army. The 4th Mechanized Corps and the 13th Tank Corps. Later, the 2nd Guards Army was added to the counter-attack.

Four day's later, with the 6th Panzer Division less than 40 miles from the edge of the Kessel (Sixth Army's encirclement) the Russians launched Operation Little Saturn 125 miles to the North-West.

The outcome of Mantein's rescue mission for the Sixth Army had been decided. The threat to the left flank of Army Group Don forced Manstein to reconsider his whole position. On the evening of 23 December, the German panzer corps recieved the order to pull back.

There are many interesting details about this whole affair. Especially the politics involved.

But what interests me the most is what the battles were like during the operation.

The book talks about a 30 mile advance in the first 24 hours. A furious "revolving battle" for the high ground around the village of Verkhne-Kumsky.

I guess my questions for the learned forum members would be:

1) What formations were the new Tiger tanks attached to?

2) Were these indeed the first Tigers to see action on the Eastern front?

3) Can anyone recommend a more detailed account of the battles and engagements involved in operation Winter Storm?

4) What kind of tanks were the Germans facing?

5) What kind of troops and/or tanks would these Romanian Calvary Divisions have fielded?

I'm looking forward to developing some scenarios for CM:BB and I think there could be some nice material here.

Thanks,

KFS

[Andreas]

Originally posted by KnifeForkSpoon:

According to the book, "He (Hitler) was also impatient to discover how the new Tiger tank, with its 88-mm gun, would perform. The very first battalion to be formed had been rushed to the Ostfront and added to Kirchner's force."

Interesting, but Mr. Beevor comes up against history here and loses. The 'very first' battalion was sPzAbt. 502 and was employed from late August 1942 near Mga, AG North sector (see Achtung Panzer for example. If the rest of the book discards historical fact for hyperbole like that, I am sorry I ever bought it (haven't gotten round to reading it yet).

The very best one could say about the way Mr. Beevor says it is that he does not actually say when the battalion was rushed to the East, presumably because it would be less dramatic to say 'was rushed to the East in August and sent to Kirchner's force in December...'

[JasonC]

I'll answer #5, about the Rumanians. Those two cavalry divisions were at about half strength by that point in time. They had been worn out over the campaign as a whole, but only lightly pushed back during the Stalingrad offensives. Unlike the bulk of the Rumanian army, which was smashed by then.

At establishment, these divisions had only about the strength of 2 regiments. So depleted, they are each about a regimental strength formation. Most were horse cavalry, but "regiment" (of 2 battalions) in each was motorized.

As for tanks, the most they could have had is 12 MG main armament types between them, roughly the capability of Pz Is. The actual model was the AH IV, a czech pre-war type. It had one MG in a turret, one in the hull, and a crew of 2. It weighed 3.5 tons. The cavalry divisons had 6 each in a recon company, at TOE.

How many were still around and running, with the units at half strength, is anybody's guess. They can't have mattered much regardless, and being a rare old type with few spares, can't have been very easy to maintain.

More useful heavy equipment these formation might actually have had on hand were a number of 75mm field guns - 48 (at TOE - all numbers in this section are for both combined, and unadjusted for losses), 45mm ATGs - 88 (captured Russian guns), 120mm Mortars - 12 (ditto), 81mm Mortars - 32, 60mm Mortars - 82.

The portions of those remaining would probably have been enough to let them fight like a small 2-regiment "infantry" division, in terms of MG and manpower coverage, ATG coverage, and field artillery support. The arty was all light, however, and the 45mm ATGs not particularly useful against T-34s.

The obvious use of these units would be to screen flanks of the penetration made by the heavier German units. Their own offensive ability was next to nil. If somebody else took the ground, they could drive and trot up, set up strings of MG and gun nests, patrol, and reliably cover open steppe against infantry or light armor (but not T-34s in strength).

[ParaBellum]

Originally posted by KnifeForkSpoon:

Hi

I'm looking for more details about this operation...The book talks about a 30 mile advance in the first 24 hours. A furious "revolving battle" for the high ground around the village of Verkhne-Kumsky....

Something like this?

Action of 6.Panzerdivision around Verkhne Kumksy.

Translated by me from german, so bear with me...

...The attack against Verkhne-Kumsky had to be executed by the I./Panzerregiment 11 alone, since the bridge over the river Aksai was destroyed after they crossed it.

Still the village was captured until 12:00. When the bridge was repaired, the Kampfgruppe under the command of Oberst v.Hühnersdorff arrived in the early morning of December 14th and rolled into Verkhne-Kumsky. Leading -again- the II./Panzerregiment 11 under command of Major Dr.Bäke.

The Red Army counterattacked on December 15th. Strong enemy tank forces were reported from Sogotskot and Dr. Bäke engaged them. The 6./Panzerregiment 11 was leading the attack, Oblt.Schreibert, their CO first made contact with the enemy.

He reported: "At a distance of about 1000 m there was a group of 40 tanks; they were painted in white camo like ours, with black numbers on their turrets. The crews were outside their vehicles, obviously resting.

We cautiously closed to about 600m. As the crews ran to their tanks, I was just able to shout 'Attention!' when already the commander's voice (Bäke) came over the radio: 'Russians. Open fire!'

In the ensuing tank battle 36 enemy tanks were knocked out.

On the whole day 43 enemy tanks were destroyed. They belonged to the soviet 3rd Tank Army that just entered the fight and a week earlier wasn't even in the area.

On the morning of December 16th Oberst v.Hühnersdorff ordered the whole Panzerregiment 11 (with the exception of two companies under command of Major Löwe who were left behind in Verkhne-Kumsky) to move on. During the next hours about 300 enemy tanks appeared on the battlefield. About 100 German tanks opposed them. Until 11:00 the enemy had lost a large number of tanks.

At this time Major Löwe called for help, since 20 to 30 enemy tanks were closing in on Verkhne Kumsky. At 11.10 he asked for permission to withdraw from the village. Oberst v.Hühnersdorff signaled back: 'Hold out, we're coming'

Half an hour later a last signal from Major Löwe came through: 'Highest emergency! -Enemy in the village- Where is Bäke?'

Oberst v.Hühnersdorff and Major Bäke discussed the situation briefly. Then the tank commanders were briefed on the situation: 'At maximum speed (drive) into Werkhne Kumsky! Relieving of the comrades without consideration of losses!'

Major Bäke lead the tank group.

Two companies that still had sufficient ammunition were leading, three others were following them. They were racing into the village like the storm, right into the center. There, the staff of I./Panzerregiment 11 was found. All officers were wounded. Burning tanks as far as the eye could see. Hauptmann Wild, commander of 4./Panzerregiment 11 and the remaining tanks of the 6./Panzerregiment 11 drove on to the eastern part of the village to rescue the wounded. After that the Kampfgruppe thrust to the south towards Saliwskij. 19 German tanks had been knocked out, five more had suffered technical problems. The enemy lost 23 tanks...

From "Panzertechnik 39-45", F. Kurowski.

[ June 26, 2002, 01:44 PM: Message edited by: ParaBellum ]

[Gpig]

Coool. You guys ROCK!!

Gpig