Citations I./Panzer Regiment 24 – 116. Panzer Division Normandy 1944

3 Citations and a document with 3 days listed for the Panzerkampfabzeichen in Silber to Gefreiten Hans Brand.

Hans Brand was part of Stabschwadron I./ Panzer Regiment 24 of the 24. Panzer Division.

After receiving its Panthers, the 1st Abteilung was assigned to the reserve troops and on July 12, 1943 to the LVIII Reserve Panzer Corps. The Abteilung was deployed on the invasion front in Normandy, France.

116. Panzer Division

In the spring of 1944, the 16th Panzer Grenadier Division was reorganized as the 116. Panzer Division.

The Pz.Rgt. 16 staff was formed from the Pz.Rgt. 69 staff (FPN: 22,500).

I.(Panther)/Pz.Rgt. 16 equipped with Pz.Kw. V (FPN: 14,799).

II./Pz.Rgt. 16 equipped with Pz.Kw. IV was formed from the Pz.Ers.u.Ausb.Abt. 1, which was currently in France (FPN: 58,116).

The first commander of the Pz.Rgt. 16 was Lieutenant Colonel von Trotha, who was transferred shortly afterwards and replaced by Major Lüder. The I.(Panther)/Pz.Rgt. 16 is now in Grafenwohr for reorganization and retraining on Panzer V.

Commander I./16 Major Gerhard Tebbe,

Commander II./16 Major Friedrich August Graf v. Brühl.

When the Allies succeed in landing on the invasion front in France, the 116. Panzer Division is assigned I./Pz.Rgt. 24, which is currently in France, on July 1st, 1944 as a replacement for the absent I./Pz.Rgt. 16. It fought, mostly subordinate to Pz.Rgt. 16, in the division until November 25th, 1944 and was distinguished by its particular enthusiasm for action. Its majority came from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, its commander was Major Kuno v. Meyer.

Battles of the Panzer Regiment 16 from the invasion front:

The Division did not join the battle for Normandy until late in July. They were still conducting training exercises and were held in reserve should a British breakthrough at Caen occur. When the Americans captured St. Lo they were called up and sent into action on 28 July in the Vire River area. Heinz Guther Guderian, the 116. Panzerdivision Operations Officer and son of the famous tank commander, would later write that “fate did not smile on the 116. Panzerdivision” when describing the action of 29 July. A panzer battalion commander was immediately killed on their advance towards the American lines, halting the panzer columns and sending the supporting panzergrenadiers into hiding in the surrounding woods. Allied fighter-bombers pinned them down and force them to hold position, as breaking cover would invite further attacks. By 30 July, they saw heavy fighting against VII Corps, preventing the US 2nd Armored Division from advancing past Villebaudon and Percy. However, the combination of the Jabos (jagerbomber, American fighter bombers) and stiff resistance on the ground stopped the 116. Panzerdivision from getting further than they did the day before.

The Greyhound division changed to a defensive role along the Vire River to hold the key road junction at Pontfarcy until 3 August. Their counterattacks were all but ignored by the surging US 2nd Armored Division. The 116. Panzerdivision, which up until that point had seen little but defeat, got its chance on 7 August as part of the 3 pronged attack of Operation Luttich. Initially successful due to heavy ground fog, the 116. Panzerdivision found itself being sent back to its jump off position within two days. When ordered to remount the attack, aristocratic commanding officer Generaleutnant Graf von Schwerin refused to send his men and tanks into battle, well aware of the danger to the German army as the Allies began to encircle their positions. Corps commander Freiherr von Funck who accepted no excuses, even ones that made sense, sacked Von Schwerin.

Rumour has it that Von Schwerin then circulated a note to his troops telling them privately that they should head east at the earliest opportunity and attempt to escape from the pocket that was forming around Falaise.

Heading east fitted into high command’s plans. There was an attempt to have Panzer Group Eberbach, then comprised of parts of 1. SS-Panzer, 2. Panzer and 116. Panzer divisions, to stop Patton’s drive on Avranches. The plans for the attack were changed to a drive north in an attempt to stop the spearhead of US 5th Armored and French 2nd Armored divisions, hopefully destroying both. The attack was held until 14 August in Argentan when cooler heads prevailed. Perhaps it was the fact that the three panzer divisions could muster only 70 tanks between them convinced the German generals that it was time to head east out of the Falaise area.

On 13 September 1944, the last two operational Panthers of the I./Pz. Regiment 24 crossed the West Wall near Vaals as the last vehicles of the 116th Panzer Division. Major Hans Georg Lüder (commander of the Panzer Regiment 16) was wounded in the invasion battles.

On 20 April 1944 he was awarded;

- Kriegsverdienstenkreuz 2. Klasse Mit Schwerten, signed by Oberstleutnant Kurt Horenburg.

On 17 September 1944 he was awarded;

- EK 2, signed by Major Fritz Vogelsang. Adjudant of the 116. Panzer Division. Deutsches Kreuz Im Gold wearer and later Brigadegeneral in the Bundeswehr.

On 14 February 1945 he was awarded;

- Panzerkampfabzeichen in Silber, signed by Rittmeister and commander of I./ Panzer Regiment 24 Gerd Axel Weidemann.

One day earlier a document with 3 separate assault days are listed;

- 2-8-1944: St. Laurent

- 5-8-1944:  Champ de Boult

- 12-8-1944:  Mortee und Argentan

Unit: Versorgungs Schwadron I./ Panzer Regiment 24

Within the unit he was Panzerkampfwagen Fahrer or Armoured vehicle driver of the Abteilung doctor.

 

Rare document grouping with assault days listed in Normandy for a driver of an Armoured vehicle!

Good used condition.

Has been folded

code: B24243