Chapter 11
The quiet 13th of August was used by the British to get ready for their next blow. The objective of Operation “Tractable” was to advance deeply east of Pontigny with the Canadian 3rd and 4th Infantry Divisions, rapidly establish bridgeheads over the Laison and take Hills 184 and 170 on the right (Canadian 3rd Infantry Division) and Epanca and Perrières on the left/east (Canadian 4th Infantry Division). If possible, Versainville was also to be taken.
Towards noon, the artillery marked the target area for seventy-three medium bombers. Once again, the Canadians were imaginative, in that they had gigantic walls of artificial smoke fired by artillery along their flanks. However, this tended to hinder the attackers, and the German antitank and antiaircraft forces had already registered their targets anyway, resulting in the enemy suffering heavy casualties.
Despite this, the Laison was reached in several places and crossed, not least because many German infantry forces did not resist and allowed themselves to be taken prisoner.
Farther to the east, the 2./schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 102 road-marched into the sector of the 89. Infanterie-Division at Maizières. The lead tank of SS-Obersturmführer Wendorff was suddenly confronted by two Shermans. He was able to knock out one of them, but the other one set his tank alight. The tank commander and the loader were killed; the radio operator, who was pinned inside, shot himself to avoid being burned alive.
These photographs show Wendorf’s destroyed tank. The closed radio operator’s hatch shows that the trapped soldier was unable to dismount from the burning tank. The markings on the front slope indicate that it was a tank from the 1st Company, which had already been moved to receive the Tiger II. (IWM)
This engagement has been described by Wendorff’s gunner, SS-Rottenführer Walter Lau:
After we had celebrated the promotion of Franz Elmer to SS-Unterscharführer the previous evening, we had to go back to the front again in the direction of Soulangy. It was the tanks of SS-Obersturmführer Wendorff, SS-Untersturmführer Hantusch, SS-Untersturmführer Henniges, SS-Oberscharführer Brandt, SS-Oberscharführer Lötzsch and SS-Unterscharführer Sowa—all from the 2nd Company.
It was late in the evening. We took up screening positions in a fruit orchard southwest of Assy. There was one man in each of the turrets as a guard. It was a quiet neck of the woods.
During the morning of 14 August, a liaison officer from the Army arrived, probably from the 85. Infanterie-Division. I listened inside the turret as he explained the way to a sector that was 8-10 kilometers away, where a penetration was expected.
This fact and our carelessness proved fateful for us. This [what the liaison officer had said] meant that we could take another forty winks, or so we thought. I took my belt off, placed it on the main gun and got as comfortable as I could in the gunner’s seat. It was, after all, almost 10 kilometers to go; then we would receive new instructions and a ready position—it was not until then that the war would continue. At least that’s what I thought.
It was between 0600 and 0700 hours. We were moving along the narrow road from Assy to Maizieres. Because of the fighter-bombers, we were moving at large intervals, so that the last Tigers probably did not see our demise. After moving for about 20 minutes, Wendorff suddenly called out:
“Man … two Shermans … Lau, fire!”
Then again:
“Fire, what are you waiting for … fire!”
A few things had to happen before that could be done—feet on the pedals, main gun released, turret traversed to 2 o’clock. And then I saw the Sherman in the optics. It was only 30 meters away from us on a bend in the road. The first round got him. I had the impression the burst of fire was hitting us right in the fighting compartment. It was my 16th “kill” with Wendorff since the middle of July 1944.
Wendorff was yelling again: “Next to it … on the other side of the road … another one!”
I continued to traverse by hand and saw the next one. In the next moment, it happened—a truly ear-deafening hit, dead silence and the smell of fire. At some point, I came back to my senses. It was if I were paralyzed. I was in shock and could scarcely breathe, hear or see. My first movement was upwards, where you could pull yourself up into the commander’s cupola by grips above the gunner’s seat. While doing that, I had to catch my breath. Wendorff was sitting there, but he did not move. I did not feel any blood-soaked clothes; I could not see his face. I thought: There must be something wrong with my eyes.
Then I heard from the radio operator, Fred Zimmermann. He was screaming; I could barely understand him. Franz Elmer, our driver, did not report. The loader lay dead in the fighting compartment. Zimmermann said that he was penned in and his feet were not working. It was burning in the engine compartment and he wanted to put an end to it all with his pistol.
I also felt the burning smoke that took away your breath and biting pain—burns. I was able to hear the final pistol shot of Fred Zimmermann—that also took my breath away. Probably due to the smoke, I started to feel quite good and peaceful. I sank with my head against the black rubber eye guard of the optics. This was the end—or so I thought. I did not wake up until 3 September 1944, when I was at British Hospital No. 99. The driver, Franz Elmer, had bailed out and probably gotten help …
SS-Oberscharführer Brandt assumed command and attacked the Canadian 1st Hussars, who were attempting to cross the Laison at Rouvres. The Laison proved itself to be an armor obstacle, even though it was only about two meters wide and less than one meter deep. The Canadians employed fascines that they carried on their tanks. Despite this, several tanks bottomed out. In all, some nineteen tanks were knocked out by the Tigers. Despite this, the Tigers had to pull back to avoid being outflanked—the river line had been crossed at several places by the enemy.
The 85. Infanterie-Division in the center sector also suffered losses. In the first assault of the Canadians, there were some 1,010 prisoners. The 12. SS-Panzer-Division “Hitlerjugend,” which was being held in readiness behind the infantry division, had only fifteen operational tanks.
Starting at 1400 hours, heavy bombers were employed once again. This time it was 669 aircraft dropping 3,723 tons of bombs. Once again, friendly Allied forces were hit at several locations, with approximately 400 friendly soldiers being killed or wounded.
Once again, the Canadians did not succeed in forcing a rapid breakthrough to Falaise.
On 15 August 1944, Brandt’s vehicle and another Tiger were in position on Hill 160 east of the Caen–Falaise road. The enemy walked right over the accompanying infantry and encircled the tank company’s headquarters section. The two Tigers knocked out twelve enemy tanks and then broke out. Brandt towed the second tank out.
Six Tigers of the 3./schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 102 under SS-Hauptsturmführer Heurich were in position southeast of Hill 160, where they knocked out several enemy tanks.
By the morning of 16 August 1944, the enemy reached the following line: Soulangy–Epancy–Perrières–Sassy–Ernes (including all locations). Forces from the Polish Armored Division had broken through as far as Jort. The breakthrough had started.
The operations along the Laison were the last coordinated offensive actions of schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 102. A gigantic pocket began to be formed southeast of Falaise. This was, of course, the result of the unsuccessful Operation “Lüttich” in the area of Mortain and the subsequent rapid advance of the Americans.
The abandoned Tiger 304.
View of the open terrain approaching Falaise, which enabled the Allied forces practically unimpeded opportunity for maneuver and gave the defender little opportunity to establish blocking positions.
Two images of Tiger 211, which was abandoned south of Potigny on 14 August 1944.
Schwere Panzer-Kompanie 316, which was never really ready for deployment, trained at the Bruck an der Leitra Training Area during its activation.
INTERMEZZO IN CHATEAUDUN
At this point, we will briefly discuss the fate of the five Tiger II’s of schwere Panzer-Kompanie (FkL) 316.
In April 1944, the company had five Tiger II’s and three old Tiger I’s. It was conducting training in Bruck an der Leitha (Austria). The Tiger II’s were among the very first models of this tank produced, and they were continuously subject to mechanical failure. On 9 May 1944, the company was moved by rail to Verdun.
Because the Tiger II’s were not considered suitable for employment at the front, there were deliberations made whether to send them back to Germany or to destroy them. After a series of wanderings on rail transport in July, the Tigers finally wound up in the French region of Eure-et-Loire.
The five Tiger II’s arrived at Chateaudun on 13 August 1944. They were integrated into the defensive positions of the city for use against the advancing Americans. Tiger 10 was located in the northwest along the RN 1555; Tiger 13 in the west along the RN 827, Tiger 12 at the crossroads of RN 10 and RN 824; and Tigers 02 and 11 screened towards the north across the Loire at the Place Le Mail. The leader of the group was Leutnant Schneider.
On 15 August 1944, a reconnaissance patrol of the U.S. 3rd Armored Cavalry encountered Tiger 12 as it approached from Montigny-le-Ganellon. Three U.S. vehicle crews were taken prisoner by the infantry covering the tank. A jeep and an M8 armored car were halted through turret machine-gun fire. Later on, the tank pulled back to the Rue de Varize.
On 16 August 1944, Tiger 13 was taken under artillery fire. Tiger 12 turned back an enemy advance by means of several rounds from its main gun. Tiger 10 left its position towards evening and closed up with Tigers 02 and 11 at Le Mail.
During the night of 16–17 August 1944, both Tigers 12 and 13 were abandoned by their crews. Tiger 12 was set on fire. Around 0300 hours, the remaining three Tigers moved to Boulevard Kellermann. Tiger 11 broke down there and was left behind. The other two Tigers headed east along the RN 155. Varize was reached the following night. Tiger 10 also broke down there and was taken in tow by Tiger 02.
Around 2000 hours on 18 August 1944, Tiger 10 was blown up. Tiger 02 continued to move in the direction of Janville. Outside of Toury, it drifted to the left due to steering problems, knocked over a tree along the road and stopped. The crew abandoned it.
What happened to the three Tiger I’s is not certain. They were not at Chateaudun. One was located at Semousy (between Avesnes-sur-Elpe and Beaumont in Belgium).
Tiger 10 moves through Chateaudun prior to the fighting.
Tiger 12, abandoned at the intersection. (RN10/RN824)
In the above photograph, Tiger 11 is seen in its position along the Loire. It was to the right of Tiger 02 during the fighting.
Not much was left of Tiger 10, since it was blown up by its crew.
This sketch map is from the article by Eric Santin in Issue 157/158 of the French periodical, 39-45, published by Edition Heimdal. Santin correctly researched the actions of the five Tigers of schwere Panzer-Kompanie 316 in the village.
This series shows Tiger 02, which was abandoned at Toury.
THE FRONT COLLAPSES
In the course of Operation “Tractable” and subsequent operations, the German front increasingly dissolved. What was left of the German armored formations fought their way—sometimes as individual tanks—towards the Seine.
Even if the Allies did not succeed early on in closing the pocket that was forming in the area around Falaise—thanks to the miscalculations of Montgomery and Bradley—it was the sole objective of the German formations in the coming weeks to get over the Seine in one piece.
On 16 August 1944, Generalfeldmarschall von Kluge was able to achieve what Jodl called “a certain amount of freedom of action” after repeated conversations with the OKW, which continued to make completely unrealistic assumptions. Von Kluge ordered a withdrawal to the following line: Morteaux–Trun–Gacé–Laigle. Even this decision was completely divorced from reality. From the German perspective, a new defensive line should have been established along the Seine, if even there. To have done that would have required a timely withdrawal of powerful combat forces, however.
As a result, completely burned-out remnants reached the Seine with their increasingly depleted inventories of heavy weapons. The next day, Generalfeldmarschall von Kluge was relieved by Generalfeldmarschall Model. On the trip back to Germany, Generalfeldmarschall von Kluge committed suicide.
It was not until 18 August 1944 that the Allies made serious efforts to close the pocket. By then, nearly 50 percent of the almost encircled forces had been able to escape. It was only the devastating aerial attacks that were causing the high losses in materiel and personnel up to that point. On 18 August 1944, there were 3,057 sorties flown; on the next day, the number decreased to 2,535. These figures do not include fighter-bomber sorties. Aerial attacks on the Seine crossing points (e.g., at Rouen) also led to similar success. It was not until around noon on 21 August 1944 that the pocket was closed.
Previously demanding respect—like this Tiger of schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101—even the proud Tigers were fleeing after the collapse of the front.
WITHDRAWAL TO THE SEINE
Only a few tanks even reached the Seine. A large portion of them were lost in the pocket that was being formed around Falaise or as the result of aerial attacks. The greatest number was lost, however, to mechanical problems or a lack of fuel. All the bridges along the Seine had been blown up and there was virtually no ferrying capability of this lift capacity. Only a few tanks were ferried across, often only to be lost during the continued withdrawal in the direction of Belgium. The individual fates of the three Tiger battalions provide insight into the occasionally adventurous odysseys of the withdrawing German armored formations.
Let us start with schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101.
On 16 August 1944, a towed and damaged tank of the 3rd Company— engine damaged on 9 August 1944 at Cintheaux—could not be crossed over the Seine at Rouen and had to be set on fire by its crew.
The remaining Tigers assembled at L’Abbaye on 17 August 1944. The battalion’s Flak platoon was destroyed on the road from Vimoutiers to Orbec after downing a Spitfire.
One Tiger remained behind at Livarot on 18 August 1944 due to track damage.
Two Tigers supported the breakout of the 3. Fallschirmjäger-Division from the Falaise Pocket on 19 August 1944; two additional tanks linked up with Kampfgruppe Olboeter and cleared a path through the enemy by fire, during which eight enemy tanks were knocked out.
Three Tigers stopped the attack of the 1/7th Queens at Livarot.
On 20 August 1944, several Tigers were employed south of Lisieux with elements of the 12. SS-Panzer-Division “Hitlerjugend.”
Two Tigers of the 2nd Company were employed west of Vernon on 23 August 1944.
One Tiger was knocked out by an M10 “Achilles” of the Norfolk Yeomanry eight kilometers north of Montfort-sur-Risle on 24 August 1944.
Several Tigers of the 3rd Company reached the Seine, where they were abandoned. Two of those—Tigers 321 and 332—had to be blown up as a result of transmission or engine problems. The company commander of the 3rd Company was captured by the Americans while conducting reconnaissance. Tiger 324 was abandoned in Rouen.
Several Tigers crossed the Seine at Rouen and Elbeuf. They pulled back to Songeons, where they had billeted prior to the start of the invasion. They later had to be abandoned.
On 27 August 1944, Kampfgruppe [Oberst] Schrader of the 49. Infanterie-Division conducted a counterattack along the Gisors to Vernonnet road. Three Tigers were in support. The lead tank, Tiger 222, was penetrated three times by a 6-pounder when it rounded a curve. The antitank gun was firing newly introduced sub-caliber sabot rounds from virtually pointblank range. The Tiger caught on fire, but the crew was able to bail out. A short while later, the second Tiger pulled forward, eliminated the antitank gun and its entire crew and then blew apart “D” Company of the 1st Worcestershire Regiment. The remaining English fled in a panic. Because the German infantry did not follow, however, the Tiger pulled back and later had to be abandoned.
On 28 August 1944, a counterattack was conducted against the bridgehead at Vernon with two Tigers from the 2nd Company (Brandt). Two enemy antitank guns, four carriers and one scout car were destroyed. On 29 August 1944, both of the Tigers covered the withdrawal of friendly forces and decimated an enemy infantry battalion. Another Tiger, which had belonged to Kampfgruppe Schrader, was knocked out south of Tilly. On 30 August 1944, the two Tigers turned back enemy attacks in the Gisors and Beauvais areas, one in the morning and one in the evening. Due to a lack of fuel, both Tigers had to be blown up.
During a maintenance halt, one Tiger of the 3rd Company was caught by surprise outside of St. Martin by a U.S. Sherman and set alight.
One Tiger with old running gear was left behind at Marle.
Another Tiger was abandoned at the Bois Bourdon (north of Maubeuge).
The withdrawing Tiger crews attempted to get their vehicles back to the Seine, either individually or in tow. They hoped to be able to escape by getting over to the other side. In the following photograph, a vehicle from the former 1st Company attempts to tow a badly damaged comrade form the 2nd Company. It gives up the effort in Livarot and leaves it behind.
Several Tigers from schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101—on the left, Tiger 321 and, on the right, Tiger 332—also reached Elbeuf on the Seine, where they had to be abandoned for the lack of crossing capacity. (BA)
Tiger 223 in an open field; the exact location cannot be verified.
German vehicles, including a Tiger and Panther, await a ferry across the Seine—usually in vain.
Two Tigers that were left behind in Rouen, surrounded by other abandoned German vehicles and equipment.
Tiger 221, employed with Kampfgruppe Schrader at Vernonnet, was knocked out by an antitank gun. (Grubb) Below: This was the Tiger that was left behind at the Bois Bourdon. (de Meyer)
This Tiger from the former 1st Company was left behind in Marles. The civilians appear to be wearing “Free French” armbands that identified “Resistance Fighters.”
This Tiger was abandoned at Genval in Belgium and was rendered combat ineffective by blowing up the main gun. The tank belonged to schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101. This can be determined by the fact that the mounting points for the tow cable brackets are flat and not cut into the vehicles as on later models. Only that battalion had that particular version of the Tiger. (de Meyer)
WHAT HAPPENED TO SCHWERE SS-PANZER-ABTEILUNG 102?
On 14 August 1944, the battalion still had thirty-one Tigers on its books, although most of them were undergoing repair. The operational tanks on this day numbered thirteen. The battalion was strewn throughout the greater area of Falaise. Former SS-Unterscharführer Streng has provided the following firsthand account:
On 14 August 1944, the order to pull back to the northeastern outskirts of Falaise arrived.
The Tigers moved in a southerly direction in the pale gray of morning. We were surprised by a heavy fighter-bomber attack while we were still on the feeder road of the western bypass into the main road to Falaise: Rockets slammed into the road and the field; trees burst apart; branches, rocks and clumps of dirt twirled around the fighting vehicles, which were fortunately able to flee into a patch of nearby deciduous woods.
We received a new combat mission in the Falaise area. We were given the mission of defending against armored attacks in the area of Tournebous.
Short after 0600 hours there was heavy fog, reinforced by artificial smoke, across the entire sector. The few friendly infantry were soon bypassed and, suddenly, enemy infantry was in front of the company command post, which had shrunk to three Tigers. The attack waves bogged down in the fire of our tanks, whereby the English brought up antitank guns and tanks under the concealment afforded by the bushes and the hedges. Münster’s tank [Tiger 212] was attacked by hand-held antitank weapons and was soon hit in the turret, whereby a part of the crew became casualties.
Schroif and Loritz each set an enemy tank on fire. Shortly thereafter, Loritz’s tank [Tiger 331] was hit and destroyed from short range. The first round landed in the turret and must have killed the entire crew or at least have badly wounded them, because none of the hatches were opening. Seconds went by. A second hit, this time in the engine compartment. The gasoline caught on fire!
The Tiger in which the crew of SS-Untersturmführer Loritz was killed on 14 August 1944.
Engulfed in a sea of flames, the Tiger burned out accompanied by numerous explosions with its entire crew on board. Both rage and sorrow accompanied this message of bad news for the company—it had lost one of its best!
A German immediate counterattack launched from the rear only got as far as the tanks with weak forces and bogged down there, because the English defensive fire was overpowering. In order to provide immediate support to the fighting elements, Oberhuber’s tank—Tiger 222—which had just been released from the Maintenance Company, was ordered to the front via radio.
Five Panthers that were employed to the right were also pulled out during the afternoon. It was at this point that the enemy began to attack this area with heavy bomber formations. Coming from the east, masses of bombers dropped their rows and carpets of bombs on the German defensive lines and sowed death and destruction with brutal force along the German front …
At this point, we pulled back to the rear with grenadiers who had mounted up. It was right at 1800 hours that we were ordered with our tank to Hill 184 north of Soulangy, where we were employed. Friendly infantry came running back from the front in battalion strength at this location. They were followed by 12 Shermans. At last light we set three of them alight in quick succession, at which point the German infantry started to dig in on the hill.
One Tiger screened along the main road between Soulangy and St. Pierre. Late in the afternoon, it freed a shrunken grenadier company from the 12. SS-Panzer-Division “Hitlerjugend” by means of an immediate counterattack. The company was about to be taken in a pincers by six advancing Shermans. All six of the enemy tanks were knocked out. A short time later, an enemy halftrack column was also eliminated. Because the tank’s engine had problems, however, it had to be towed after the onset of darkness by the company commander’s tank, which was in position on the western outskirts of St. Pierre.
On 15 August 1944, Tiger 134 turned back an enemy infantry attack on Versainville; there was a firefight against enemy tanks, of which four were knocked out. At this point, the tank was completely surrounded by Canadian infantry and was being approached by tank hunter/killer teams. It pulled back to Versainville, where it covered the withdrawal of the German forces to Eraines. Two more Shermans were knocked out. Following this, Tiger 134 also pulled back to Eraines, where the tanks of the battalion commander and Schinhofen were already in position.
The rest of the 1st Company and two remaining operational Tigers from the 2nd Company were in position on the northern outskirts of Potigny. An enemy tank was knocked out there. Starting at 1430 hours, the enemy fired smoke rounds throughout the sector. Following a heavy artillery preparation, he broke through the German defensive lines on the right flank.
The German tanks then oriented towards the northwest and conducted a firefight, inasmuch as the visibility allowed it. Towards 1900 hours, Oberhuber’s Tiger was lost as the result of several hits. At the onset of darkness, the German infantry pulled back further to the south in order to avoid being outflanked. Schroif went to the battalion command post in Versainville and received new orders there.
Around 0300 hours on 16 August 1944, the Tigers moved to Vignats; the crossroads 1,500 meters south of Aubigny were blocked by Tiger 001 and Tiger 241. They defended against an attack by the Canadian South Saskatchewan Regiment that was supported by “B” Squadron of the 27th Armoured Regiment. Although two enemy tanks were knocked out, the Canadians advanced past the Tigers. As a result, the Tigers pulled back to the dominant hill at Villy and Fresné-la-Mère.
Following this, these two Tigers were employed in Falaise to support Kampfgruppe (SS-Obersturmbannführer) Krause of the 12. SS-Panzer-Division “Hitlerjugend.” They were involved in the street fighting at Eglise St. Gervais and then pulled back to the southern edge of the city at the onset of darkness.
Any type of further coordinated action was ended by the battalion on this day. The commander issued orders to all personnel to try to fight their way through the enemy on their own in the general direction of Vimoutiers.
The two Tigers pulled back to Villy by 0230 hours on 17 August 1944 and were resupplied one last time. Orders arrived to cover the northern outskirts of Villy along with three assault guns. A reconnaissance effort by the Canadian Algonquin Battalion was turned back. So was a tank attack around 1630 hours by the Canadian 4th Armoured Brigade from the area north of Damblainville. Liebeskind’s Tiger was knocked out. Around 1800 hours, an enemy supply column was destroyed.
At 0200 hours on 18 August 1944, Tiger 241 received orders to pull back to the Chateaux two kilometers south of Fresne-le-Mere and then screen north from there. The 1st Company was to be on the right. When the enemy penetrated into La Hogouettes at noon, the tanks were ordered to move to the railway/road crossing west of Abbaye. Tiger 124 was towed along towards the northwest outskirts of Abbaye. The tanks defended against an enemy attack around 1700 hours. After darkness had fallen, Tiger 124 was ordered to be blown up and the remaining tanks ordered to the battalion command post 500 meters east of Vignats. What was left of the battalion was supposed to support the attacks aimed at breaking out of the pocket on 20 and 21 August 1944.
On 19 August 1944, the 2nd Company received the mission of advancing via Vignats to Necy with two drums of fuel in order to link up with the 1st Company, which had run out of fuel. After they were refueled, three Tigers withdrew to the northeast. There was enemy contact with forces of the 2nd Monmouthshire Regiment west of Brieux.
In the book, The Battle of the Falaise Gap, this engagement is described in detail:
At about 0600 hours, they could hear the sounds of tanks to the north. Some thought it was Churchills, but the unmistakable rattling [of a Churchill] could not be heard. A few minutes later, three … Tigers came into view. They were immediately engaged with all available weapons, machine guns and submachine guns, but they moved undamaged through “D” Company and reached the crossing, where “C” Company and the battalion staff were located. The road was blocked by the halftrack of the forward observer.
The lead Tiger rammed it and pushed it through the wall of a barn until it had enough room to move past it. Then it attacked the battalion commander’s carrier, which had been hastily abandoned … in the meantime.
When the path was clear, it moved on to “B” Company. An industrious radio operator had warned the company. One soon heard three loud booms. The battalion staff believed that the Tigers had opened fire with their 8.8-centimeter main guns, but the company commander of “B” Company reported a few minutes later that he was sorry to report that one of them had escaped. That was an understatement.
The lead tank had missed the trigger mechanism of the “Hawkins grenades” [antipersonnel mines] that had been placed on the road in the vicinity of the company command post, but the second Tiger [that of SS-Untersturmführer Schroif] ignited two of them and ran off the side of the road.
The third tank [that of SS-Unterscharführer Glagow], which was also moving at high speed like the other two, ran into the tank ahead of him, which had been hit by a PIAT [the British bazooka] in the meantime. The muzzle of his main gun jammed underneath the stowage box of the tank ahead of it. The PIAT round had not penetrated the armor, [however] both crews dismounted as quickly as they could. Those who were not killed were taken prisoner. [Reverse-translated into English from the German text.]
The tank in front, commanded by the commander of the 1st Company (SS-Obersturmführer Kalss), was able to break through. Schroif and his loader were able to make their way on foot through to the German lines, even though lightly wounded.
Recently promoted, SS-Obersturmbannführer Weiß, the battalion commander, had a worse time of it. His liaison officer, SS-Untersturmführer Scholz-Klink, had been captured only recently during a trip to the front. On 19 August 1944, Weiß’s small battle staff headed for Vimoutiers in order to assemble the last Tigers and lead them within the framework of a II. SS-Panzer-Korps counterattack. Weiß was wounded at Trun; one of the wounds to his head was bleeding profusely.
The battalion surgeon, Dr. Grünwalder, gave him a shot and intended to have him taken to a clearing facility on a medical SPW. Before they could depart, however, an artillery barrage commenced. Dr. Grünwalder’s arm was torn off and his abdominal wall ripped open. The SPW driver applied immediate first aid and then took off. On the way, Dr. Grünwalder died. His remains were transferred to a clearing facility. The driver, the commander and other soldiers who had joined them attempted to breakthrough. In the process, SS-Obersturmbannführer Weiß was shot through the lungs and had a bullet lodged in his pelvis. Unable to move, he was taken prisoner by the English.
Tigers 214 and 222 were employed on the road from Trun to Vimoutiers; one enemy tank was knocked out. There were several air attacks. To the surprise of all, however, dozens of Messerschmitts also attacked ground targets.
One Tiger was destroyed by infantry with hand-held antitank weapons during the attack of the South Alberta Regiment against Saint-Lambert-sur-Dive.
While safeguarding the headquarters of the 12. SS-Panzer-Division “Hitlerjugend” at Necy, three Tigers were lost.
On 20 August 1944, several Tigers conducted an immediate counterattack from Vimoutiers to Trun. There was enemy contact at Champosoult, and several enemy tanks were knocked out. One Tiger, that of Reißke, was abandoned at Vimoutiers, presumably from a blown piston due to a lack of oil, although the tank had frequently been with the maintenance personnel due to dubious mechanical problems. It is still there to this day as a battlefield memorial.
The 21st of August saw several Tigers in action at Coudehard and Champosoult. After an engagement with U.S. tanks, Lenz’s Tiger received a hit in the engine compartment and had to be towed by Kalss’s tank. Both tanks then moved to the area west of Aubry-le-Panthous. In the end, they were blown up there due to a lack of fuel. Two towed tanks of the 3rd Company got as far as Le Sap. Two Tigers—Rosowsky’s tank with a shot-up turret with Streng’s tank in tow—were able to get fuel from a column from the 9. SS-Panzer-Division “Hohenstaufen.” They continued to move in the direction of Broglie. The two tanks got to the village of Broglie early in the afternoon of 22 August 1944. The Maintenance Company had moved in the meantime, however.
Other tanks made it through to Rouen. One tank of the 3rd Company was left behind at the edge of Mandeville. It became immobilized after having knocked out three Canadian tanks. Three tanks remained at the former location of the Maintenance Company at Aubry-le-Pantheou.
The towing duo of Rosowsky and Streng reached Brionne on 23 August 1944, after passing a column of vehicles—including medical vehicles—that had been shot-up by fighter-bombers. The commander of the 1st Company, SS-Obersturmführer Kalss, was awarded the Knight’s Cross that day.
On 24 August 1944, Rosowsky and Streng linked up with the 2nd Company with both of their tanks. Streng’s Tiger got as far as Elbeuf and had to be blown up there on 25 August 1944. The company commander’s tank of the 1st Company was already on a ferry there, but the ferry sank (the crew was not on board).
Elements assembled at Fleury and made their way east towards the rally point of the battalion west of Amiens. Tiger 223 was abandoned at Tostes.
Tiger 001 sank in the harbor at Rouen during a crossing attempt on 28 August 1944. That same day, a rail transport with three damaged Tigers was stopped by the U.S. 486th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion at Braine, when the gunners shot up the locomotive with their 37mm antiaircraft cannon. Later on, Free French forces set the tanks alight.
The battalion was alerted at its rally point near Amiens and assembled for further movement. The road march started on 29 August with wheeled vehicles. It left from the area north of Albert (not far from Bapaume) for Arras, where personnel availed themselves of items from the abandoned supply depots. Moving through Vimy, Lens was reached in the evening.
The majority of the remaining Tigers on the Seine had to be blown up (a total of five in all).
On 1 September 1944, the march continued from Roubaix through Ath and Enghien and into the area around Leeuw. It then proceeded through the outer districts of Brussels, past Mechelen and continued to Diest.
A single Tiger engaged the lead elements of the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment outside of Seclin and just before the Belgian border. It got as far as Genval, where it was left by its crew after the main gun had been rendered unserviceable by means of explosives.
On 3 September 1944, the remaining crews —all without tanks—moved to Limburg (near Maastricht).
Some of the remaining elements of schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 had even farther distances to move to get to the supposed safe harbor of the Seine.
13 August 1944: Elements of the 1st Company —Tigers 112, 113 and 124— were at Trun. Tiger 100 was abandoned in St. Pierre-la-Rivière.
16 August 1944: Several tanks reached Ticheville.
18 August 1944: Tiger 111 was abandoned in Le Billot; Tiger 113 in Ommoy; and an unidentified Tiger II at the entrance to Vimoutiers.
20 August 1944: Tigers 112 and 124 were blown up at Orville. Two tanks of the 2nd Company were abandoned in the vicinity of the Ferme du Bois Belloir near Montrieul-l’Argillé. Tiger 213 got as far as Bourgtheroulde.
24 August 1944: Two more Tigers were abandoned in Bernay and in the vicinity of Menneval (near the Chateau Danger). Three Tigers—including 224 and II—had to be abandoned at the Caudebec ferry site at Elbeuf.
25 August 1944: Tiger 222 was able to cross the Seine at Poses. However, it had to be abandoned at Saussay la Champagne (northeast of Les Andelys).
28 August 1944: The tankless crews moved from Pontoise to Germany for the battalion to be reconstituted.
30 August 1944: Tiger 324 was destroyed and then abandoned between Goincourt and Aux Marais (west of Beauvais).
One Tiger II of the 1st Company also made it out of the Normandy area on rail transport. It traveled via Orleans to as far as the area of Gien. In 1947, it was transported to Sweden, where it was then tested. It was later used for firing experiments, before it was unfortunately sold for scrap sometime in the 1970’s.
These sketches demonstrate that individual tanks were still involved in combat activities; some even contributed significantly to the fighting to break out of the encirclement east of Falaise. Also characteristic is the unshakeable determination of the crews not to abandon their tanks, if at all possible. It represented not only a means to fight but also a means of transportation. It allowed them to escape from the possibility of being captured.
The Tiger of SS-Oberscharführer Reisske, which was abandoned in Vimoutiers. It is on display today in the village, painted in a ghastly camouflage scheme.
What remained of the Tiger destroyed in Saint-Lambert-sur-Dive.
One of the Tigers abandoned at the maintenance facility in Aubrey-le-Pantheou.
Most of the Tigers attempted to make their way back to the Seine individually. Most had to be abandoned due to a lack of fuel or mechanical problems.
One of the Tigers that was left behind at Montormel.
The precise location of this Tiger is unknown.
The train that was stopped at Braine with the three damaged Tigers can be seen in this photo and the next two.
Tiger 223, abandoned at Tostes, is seen in this image and the next. (NAC)
One of the Tigers of the battalion making its way through Enghien. (de Meyer)
This Tiger II was moved to a maintenance facility at Tron, where it is awaiting evaluation.
Tiger 100 was abandoned in St. Pierre-la-Rivière. (Bovington Tank Museum)
One of the two Tigers of the 2nd Company abandoned at the Ferme du Bois Belloir (near Montrieul-l’Argillé).
Tiger 111, seen in this photo and the next three, was abandoned at Le Billot. (NAC)
Tiger 113 was abandoned in Ommoy after it had track problems on the right side. A piece of track can be seen on the front slope. Apparently, the crew attempted to repair the damaged track. The mounted tow hooks also indicate an effort to tow the vehicle. Prior to leaving the vehicle, the front part of the main gun was blown up.
There is a series of photographs of the Tiger II that was left outside of Vimoutiers, still attached to its tow vehicle, a Bergepanther. Vehicles from the Canadian Regiment Maisonneuve move past the two German vehicles in these images. (NAC)
The Tiger abandoned at Bernay. (Wirton)
Tiger 222 was abandoned at Saussay la Champagne. It appears that a demolition charge was placed above the third roadwheel.
A former tank of the 3rd Company—Tiger 324—was redesignated as 121. It made it the farthest to the east, being lost just beyond Goincourt outside of Beauvais on 30 August 1944. (GEMOB).
One Tiger II of the battalion was discovered in the village of Gien. Apparently, it was a disabled tank that was supposed to have been transported there by rail. The “combat” tracks have been reinstalled, but the track guards were not.
The tank was transported to Sweden by ship, arriving in Stockholm on 27 November 1947. The tank was later transported to the Swedish armor school at Skövde and underwent extensive tests. During the trials, an unexploded hand grenade was found in the tank’s interior.
Especially noticeable on this particular tank were the large noise dampeners that had been welded on the exhaust stacks in France. The round opening at the bottom of the rear hull is for insertion of the hand starter, which enabled the tank to be started whenever battery power was not strong enough. (SPHF)
Tiger 03, along with the five Tiger II’s of schwere Panzer-Kompanie (Fkl) 316, was assigned to Panzer-Lehr-Regiment 130 of the Panzer-Lehr-Division, which was originally earmarked to receive an entire battalion of Tigers. This tank was found in Nogent-le-Rotrou; no other details are known.
A “hybrid” is seen here in this Tiger that was discovered near Semousy (between Avesnes-sur-Elpes and Beaumont in Belgium). It has a new hull with steel-rimmed roadwheels, but an older turret with a submachine-gun opening on the left rear. This unusual combination is indicative of a Tiger that came from depot-level repair. Three of those “used” Tigers were also issued to Panzer-Lehr-Regiment 130.
After leaving behind its remaining Tiger I’s, the 3rd Company was transported to Camp Mailly right after Operation “Goodwood,” where it received fourteen new Tiger II’s. The company then had a few days to get ready before moving back to the front.
Compared to operations around Caen, the time spent at the training area was a time of pure relaxation for the tankers. They were able to do things that they had only dreamed of for a long time. Apparently, there was no danger of being attacked from the air there.
Since the tanks were delivered in goldoliv (gold-olive) color, the crews had the obligation of applying camouflage to them. To that end, air guns were connected to the tire air compressor on a truck (in the background).
With the exception of the company command group and one other tank, the remaining eleven Tiger II’s of the company were all equipped with the Porsche turret. Tiger II’s 300 (below) and 301 had the mass-produced Henschel (series) turrets.
Especially important in the case of new tanks is the justification and calibration of the new main gun and machine guns. To that end, the tanks fired at calibration targets at precisely 500 and 1,000 meters. Depending on the fall of the rounds, the gun sight optics were adjusted to bring the rounds closer to the center of mass of the target.
Gunnery training with the main gun and machine guns was also part of the program.
Towards the end of the stay at Camp Mailly, a live-fire exercise was conducted for war correspondents. Two of the tanks broke down and had to be left behind when the company moved out.
The tanks are still factory fresh and have no scrapes or dings. On 11 August 1944, the companies were loaded on trains and sent to Paris.
The crews still seem relaxed; even the air guard does not appear to take his duties too seriously.
One of the rail transports was attacked by fighter-bombers outside of Esternay on 12 August 1944. Tiger 311 was knocked off its rail car, landing on its turret. Although it was later turned upright, it fell into the hands of the advancing Americans.
For propaganda purposes, the company marched down the Champs d’Elysées in Paris. One crewmember took a series of photographs form his tank. In the previous photograph, the company is on the Boulevard de la Chapelle on its way to the Saint-Lazare train station.
After detraining, the company seemed to march somewhat aimlessly through Paris. With the Allies approaching, it was an effective propaganda move. Initially, it was unclear what mission the company would receive.
The column along the Porte Vilette. The column stops on the Rue de la Chapelle. Since Paris was spared Allied aerial attack, the Germans were able to move about freely without fear of being attacked.
Hauptmann Scherf, the company commander, and his company spent several idle days in Paris.
The crews hid their tanks in Parisian parks and waited for a mission.
The company spent considerable time in the Bois de Vincennes.
ATTACKS AGAINST THE SEINE BRIDGEHEAD
The reconstituted 3./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 and the 1./schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 attempted to reduce the American bridgehead across the Seine at Mantes for about a week (22–29 August 1944). These engagements are not a part of the “Normandy” area of operations, of course, but they are closely related to it. For this reason, we will review them briefly.
The 1./schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 had turned over its last three Tiger I’s to the battalion’s 3rd Company on 4 July 1944. The 1st Company arrived in Paderborn on 9 July 1944 and started its training on the Tiger II. From 12 to 19 July 1944, the tank commanders and drivers were trained at the Henschel factory in Kassel. From 28 July to 1 August 1944, fourteen Tiger II’s were accepted by the company at Camp Senne. The company was loaded on trains at Camp Senne on 5 August 1944 started to head west.
It was not until 18 August 1944 that the company detrained thirty kilometers northeast of Paris. The Normandy front had collapsed, and the Falaise Pocket was starting to form. The original employment for which the company was intended was overcome by events.
On 23 August 1944, the company received the mission of moving to the area south of Magny-en-Vexin in order to be employed against the US bridgeheads over the Seine. On the way there, seven tanks fell out due to mechanical problems. There were several air attacks against the company in the area of St. Souplettes on 25 August 1944, with the company suffering several soldiers killed and wounded. The remaining tanks reached Arthies and bivouacked there.
On 26 August 1944, the company moved forward to Drocourt and then supported the counterattack of the 18. Luftwaffen-Feld-Division west of Sielly against the U.S. 79th Infantry Division at Limay. The 3./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 was employed farther to the southeast.
The 3./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 had been moved to the French Training Area of Mailly le Camp at the end of July. On 31 July 1944, fourteen Tiger II’s arrived. Starting on 11 August 1944, the company was loaded on trains; two of the tanks that had mechanical problems during a demonstration for a propaganda company were left behind.
The company’s train was attacked by fighter-bombers between Sezanne and Esternay on 12 August 1944. In attempting to conduct an emergency detraining, Leutnant Freiherr von Rosen’s tank—Tiger 311—came off the rail car and flipped onto its turret. Although it was later righted, it fell into U.S. hands on 13 August 1944.
The company was detrained a few days later in Paris. In accordance with directives received from the local area commander, the company bivouacked in the Bois de Vincennes and was “forgotten” there.
On 21 August 1944, Hauptmann Scherf, on his own initiative, decided to move the company to the right bank of the Seine. It marched along the Boulevard de la Chapelle to the St. Lazare train station. From there, it proceeded along the Madeleine to the Place de la Concorde. (Tiger 334 was left behind at the Porte Maillot, where it suffered transmission problems. A few days later, it had to be blown up.) The company then marched along the Champs Elysées, the Place de l’Etoile, Maillot and to the Pont de Neuilly, where it crossed to the righthand side of the Seine in the direction of Pontoise.
Another tank remained behind at Thermicourt. Hauptmann Scherf tried to contact the battalion and went ahead to the command post of Gruppe Schwerin at Magny-en-Vexin in order to get oriented on the overall situation. (Gruppe Schwerin had been formed on 20 August 1944 to combat the American bridgeheads over the Seine.)
The company was immediately “impressed into service” and directed to support the 18. Luftwaffen-Feld-Division. The march column was turned around and reached a bivouac site at Gaillonet (east of Oinville) late in the evening. The company had its own supply elements and was therefore self-sufficient for operations for a few days. The company was directed to bring Luftwaffen-Jäger-Regiment 35 forward across the wooded and barely accessible Bois des Blancs Soleils Hill in the direction of Limay. Following that, it was intended for the company to support the attack of Luftwaffen-Jäger-Regiment 36 at Fontenay.
On 22 August 1944, the terrain between Fontenay, Guitrancourt and Garganville was reconnoitered by Luftwaffen-Jäger-Regiment 33 and Luftwaffen-Jäger-Regiment 36. That same evening, around 2040 hours, the first battalion-size attack was supported by five Tigers against the U.S. 314th Infantry at Fontenay. The attack was turned back.
Starting at 0700 hours on 23 August 1944, Luftwaffen-Jäger-Regiment 33 attacked across the Bois des Blancs Soleils Hill in the direction of Limay. Two platoons of Tigers supported this effort by moving on both sides of the light infantry. The platoon attacking on the right reached the Melier Estate, where it received heavy defensive fire from American tank destroyers that had a magnificent position on the rise at Les Rues.
The four tanks of the lefthand platoon reached the Bois des Blancs Soleils Hill, where they knocked out an M10 tank destroyer. They then went into position along the southern edge of the wood line, where they received heavy defensive fire from tank destroyers posted along the outskirts of Limay. The Americans were pushed back to Limay.
At the same time, the I./Luftwaffen-Jäger-Regiment 33 attacked from Guitrancourt through the Vallée aux Cailloux in the direction of the RN 190. It was supported by one Tiger. Once there, it swung to the west and reached the eastern outskirts of Limay after knocking out an M4.
In the meantime, all of the available U.S. artillery was firing at the Tigers in their positions on the hill and damaged almost all of them. Around noon, the righthand platoon received the mission of supporting the attack of Luftwaffen-Jäger-Regiment 36 at Fontenay. Around 1610 hours, the remaining Tigers were withdrawn. As if by miracle, the company did not suffer a single wounded soldier. All of the attacks described above were also greeted with massed fighter-bomber attacks.
On 24 August 1944, the operational Tigers screened at Guitrancourt and Fontenay. All of the forces in position were again subjected to continuous fighter-bomber attacks. The company finally established contact with the battalion; superfluous crews were sent there.
The company continued to screen on 25 August 1944 at Guitrancourt and Fontenay. In the meantime, the 1./schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 also arrived.
On 26 August 1944, both of the Tiger companies—a total of fifteen tanks—attacked together through the woods at Montgison towards Fontenay. The Tigers of the 3./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 formed the left-hand group and attacked the Le Moucel section of Fontenay at the water tower. Around 1625 hours, fighter-bombers attacked this group. The Tiger of Feldwebel Weiland was damaged; while dismounting, the tank commander was mortally wounded by a burst from a submachine gun. It was later possible to evacuate the tank.
Tiger 332 of Unteroffizier Schmidt was lost at the water tower; Tiger 112 of the 1./schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101, which came to its aid, was not able to recover the tank. Snipers constantly took the crews under fire, so it became impossible to attach the tow cables.
Tiger 301 of Feldwebel Neeb received five direct hits, of which none penetrated. After darkness had fallen, the attack was called off and the immobilized tanks were recovered. The Army company bivouacked in Gaillonat.
The Tigers of the 1./schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 moved out as the right-hand group via Montgison in the direction of Fontenay St. Pere. The attack was conducted together with two battalions of Luftwaffe field soldiers. The attack proceeded across the Maison Blanche crossing near the Du Mesnil castle, where it turned left. It also moved along the road from Montgison to Fontenay St. Pere.
The tanks had to pull back, because the friendly infantry suffered heavy casualties. There was another attack in the evening. The Tiger of SS-Untersturmführer Stamm was hit by an antitank gun and set alight as it moved on the D 193 in the direction of Maison Blanche. It was hit in the flank as it crossed the roadside ditch; the tank commander was killed.
A Sherman was knocked out at the Bois Clair. Farther to the northeast, Tiger 124 of SS-Oberscharführer Zahner, which was bringing up the rear of the column along the Sailly–Fontenay road, was attacked by fighter-bombers. After two near misses by bombs, it crashed into a roadside ditch and landed on its righthand side.
From alternating positions on 28 August 1944, the operational tanks supported the forces in position. Starting at 0145 hours, artillery fire was already pouring down on the German positions. When it dawned, the fighter-bombers joined in and fired at everything that moved. There were signs that the American offensive to break out of the bridgehead was starting. The operational tanks of the 3./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 were in ready positions at Sailly.
At 1600 hours, the entire front exploded. Concealed by artificial smoke, the Americans stormed the German positions. American bombers attacked at 1700 ours. The attacking Americans suffered heavy casualties, and it was only at Guitrancourt that they made progress towards evening. Two Tigers were badly damaged by the continuous artillery fire. The Tigers resupplied in Sailly during the night.
The defensive positions were reoccupied during the morning of 28 August 1944. The Americans continued their attacks in the morning. A counterattack in the direction of Montgison was launched; the lead Tiger was a total loss after it received several hits. Tiger 123 of SS-Hauptscharführer Hibbeler was separated from its company and joined up with the 3./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503. It received two hits at Sailly. Together with Tiger 301 of the 3./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503, it was set alight and had to be abandoned. (Tiger 123 is presently in the French armor museum at Saumur, where it can move under its own power.)
In the meantime, Hauptmann Scherf in Tiger 300 and three other Tigers were employed in the area between Fontenay and Sailly. The tanks had to pull back through the woods under heavy enemy pressure, where they finally got to the main road. Tiger 300 fell out due to running gear problems at the entrance to Oinville. Probably as a result of knocking down numerous trees, the final drive on the lefthand side got blocked and broke the track. The tank was destroyed in the face of the advancing enemy.
On 28 August 1944, the remaining operational tanks of the 1./schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 under SS-Hauptsturmführer Möbius were counterattacking west of Magny-en-Vexin with the 18. Luftwaffen-Feld-Division. An enemy antitank-gun belt that was not recognized in time fired into the right flank of the tanks, and several Tiger II’s were immobilized. Because two of the tanks could not be recovered, they were blown up.
Tiger 104 of SS-Oberscharführer Franzl received slight damage to its running gear west of Magny-en-Vexin after engaging in a firefight with Shermans. From a beet field, the tank engaged enemy in a farmhouse. When it started to pull back, it took a curve too sharply and the final drive broke. The tank was destroyed by its crew. While dismounting, the crew was engaged by French partisans and two of the crew killed. Sergeant Roberts of “A” Squadron of the 23rd Hussars engaged the abandoned tank after the fact and report the “kill.” The tank currently resides at Shrivenham in Great Britain.
In the sector of the 3./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503, Leutnant Rambow was involved in defensive fighting with three tanks along the road from Vigny towards Gadancourt around 1800 hours. One of the tanks was hit so badly outside of Avernes that it had to be abandoned.
The company’s logistics elements were located in the park of the castle at Marines. The tank of Feldwebel Müller had to be blown up there, because it could no longer be repaired. The same fate was shared by a tank near the village of Santieuil, which had broken down during the march.
Three Tigers that only had limited amounts of fuel and ammunition supported a counterattack of Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon Reiter at Gadancourt around 2030 hours. There they engaged Shermans of the U.S. 743rd Tank Battalion. Following this, they fell back to the Bois de L’Aunaie when they started to be engaged from the air. When a bomb detonated next to a tank, the crew left the tank and set it on fire. The two remaining Tigers broke down during the march between Marines and Auneuil and had to be abandoned the following morning.
Two Tigers of the 1./schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 under SS-Oberscharführer Brandt were in action along the D 981 in the direction of Gisors on 30 August 1944. They knocked out three enemy tanks and prevented the Kampfgruppe from being outflanked. After Gisors was lost, the tanks pulled back to Trie-Chateau. Tiger II 111 was knocked out by several British Shermans outside of Beauvais near Goincourt. Tiger 324—one of the few Tiger I’s to make it over the Seine—was also knocked out in the vicinity.
The right track on a Tiger II of the 3./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 broke in Beauvais in front of the courthouse on the Rue Antoine Caron. The crew was working frantically to repair the damage, when the first tanks of the 4th/7th Dragoons penetrated into the town. A few minutes later, the tank was knocked out by a Firefly.
Several Tigers of the 1./schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 were employed at Lamecourt on 31 August 1944.
During the evening of 2 September 1944, Tiger 113 was abandoned at Jemappes on the Avenue Foch.
Two Tiger II’s knocked out several U.S. tanks at Brunehamel, some seven kilometers northeast of Rozoy. The remaining U.S. tanks pulled back.
SS-Hauptsturmführer Möbius succeeded in getting to the Meuse at Huy on 4 September 1944 with two Tiger II’s. They had to be left behind there.
Tiger 121 of SS-Oberscharführer Zahner was stranded without fuel on the embankment at La Capelle on 5 September 1944. The crew damaged the main gun, placed charges in the engine compartment and abandoned the tank. U.S. Army forces pushed the obstacle off to the side of the road, where the tank flipped over. The tank is now located in the Armor Museum at Münster (Germany.)
Only one Tiger II succeeded in getting back. SS-Unterscharführer Salomon’s tank was later loaded on a train at Siegburg and sent to the SS tank replacement battalion at Augustdorf. Two Tiger II’s of the 3./schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 were able to be evacuated to Reims thanks to the initiative of Leutnant Freiherr von Rosen. The Tiger of Leutnant Rambow got as far as Amiens, where it had to be abandoned due to a lack of fuel.
The reconstituted company’s first loss: Tiger 322 at the Fontenay water tower. Heavy enemy fire prevented its recovery.
During the failed attempt by German forces to reduce the American bridgehead over the Seine at Mantes, there was the rare occurrence of two Königstiger companies being employed at the same time. From schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503, it was the reconstituted 3rd Company; from schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101, it was the reformed 1st Company.
Gefreiter Jung, the driver on Tiger 301, points out the hits his tank suffered during the attack on the American bridgehead. None were sufficient to penetrate the thick frontal armor of the hull. This photograph was taken while the company was in its assembly area near Sailly after the fighting.
These three photographs show SS-Untersturmführer Stamm’s Tiger, which was knocked out by an antitank gun on the D 913 near Maison Blanche. The hit to the flank set the vehicle on fire.
Tiger 124 was knocked into a roadside ditch during a fighter-bomber attack and remained on its side. Remnants of this tank were found by the French amateur historian, Bruno Renoult, in 2001.
Tiger 123, which got separated from the 1./schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101, and temporarily joined schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503, had to be abandoned after receiving two hits at Sailly. The same fate befell Tiger 301 of the Army battalion (following two images).
Tiger 300, the command tank of Hauptmann Scherf, at the entrance to the village of Oinville. Hoping to be recovered, the crew mounted tow cables.
SS-Oberscharführer Franzis’s Tiger 104 had to be left behind west of Magny-en-Vexin after developing running-gear problems. It was recovered by the British. Today, it is on display at the Royal College of Military Science at Shrivenham (Chassis number 280093).
These poor-quality images date from a periodical published in 1947 and show Tiger 104 being loaded on a seventy-ton trailer of the Royal Engineers.
Abandoned Tiger 114 in an unidentified French village.
Feldwebel Müller’s non-operational Tiger had to be abandoned by logistical elements on the palace grounds at Marines. It was one of the few tanks in the company to be equipped with the Henschel-production turret.
The tank in this image the previous is Tiger 111, which was knocked out by several Shermans near Goincourt.
This tank from the 3rd Company of schwere Panzer-Abteilung 503 was knocked out by a Sherman Firefly shortly after it had lost its track in front of the court building on the Rue Antoin Caron in Beauvais and was immobilized. The main gun was apparently blown out of the turret by the force of the hit. (GEMOB)
Tiger 113 moves through Beauvais, but it had to be abandoned by its crew on 2 September 1944 in Jemappes when it ran out of fuel.
Later on, the righthand track was cut—it may have been frozen in place—to facilitate the removal of the tank from the road, which was blocking traffic. In the end, the main gun barrel was also cut off.
Leutnant Rambow’s Tiger was also stranded for a lack of fuel, in this case at Saint-Pol-en-Ternoise, north of Amiens. The crew had optimistically traversed the turret to one side to allow faster access to the fuel tanks. Apparently, no more fuel could be found.
These two images also show Rambow’s tank. The tanks were often left abandoned and in place for long periods of time. With ammunition and, potentially, weapons on board, they were not the ideal playground for children.
Despite their terrible quality, these photographs are of interest because they show the recovery of Tiger 121 of the 1./schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101, which was abandoned without fuel on 5 September 1944 at La Chapelle. Since it was blocking the road, it was pushed aside, rolling down the roadside embankment and landing on its turret. The crew had placed demolition charges in both the main gun (front portion blown off) and in the hull. Later on, the tank was turned over to the U.S. Army. Today, this tank is on display at the German armor museum at Munster. These photographs were also taken from a Royal Engineer publication (1946).
The terrain in Normandy is marked by innumerable hedges and clumps of vegetation, which only rarely allowed extensive fields of vision. Consequently, well-camouflaged close-in weapons, such as the antitank gun in the lower photograph, had a distinct advantage.
