501st heavy tank battalion (Germany)
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| 501st heavy tank battalion | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1942 to 1945 |
| Country | Germany |
| Allegiance |  Nazi Germany |
| Branch | German Army (German: Heer) |
| Type | Armored |
| Size | Battalion |
| Equipment | Tiger I, Tiger II |
| Engagements | Tunisia, 1942 to 1943, Eastern front, 1943 to 1945 |
The 501st Heavy Tank Battalion (German: Schwere Panzer-Abteilung 501) was a German World War II independent armoured battalion (German: Abteilung) equipped with heavy tanks. The battalion was the first unit to receive and use the Tiger I or Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. E heavy tank. It fought in Tunisia and the Eastern front. Following losses on the Eastern Front, on 11 February 1945 it was reformed as the 512th Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion. Over its history the Battalion lost 120 tanks and destroyed 450 enemy units[1] one of the lower ratios of German Heavy Tank units during World War II.
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[edit] Formation
The first heavy armor units in the German Army were the 501 and 502 Heavy Tank Companies, which were combined into the 501st Heavy Tank Battalion. The 501st was promised to Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in North Africa and was prepared for tropical operations. Following the Allied landing in French North Africa the battalion was quickly moved to Tunisia. Initially the battalion consisted of 20 Tiger I and 25 Panzer III Ausf N, all the Tigers and 16 Panzer III's[2] arrived in Tunisia between 23 November 1942 and 24 January 1943[3].
[edit] Operations
[edit] North Africa
Initially only 3 Tiger I's of the 501 landed at Tunis on 23 November 1942. These first elements of the battalion, were involved in fighting just over a week after arriving in North Africa during the Axis counterattack on December 1. During the rest of December and January the 501 in Tunisia expanded as the remaining tanks arrived. During late January and early February several tanks were lost in skirmishes with the British. On 26 February 1943, the 501 was redesignated III./Panzer-Regiment 7 and was moved into of the 10.Panzer-Division[2] at the end of the Battle of the Kasserine Pass. By March 1943, even with Panzer IV reinforcements, the 501 only had 6 Tigers, 12 Panzer IIIs, and 7 Panzer IVs operational[2]. On the 12 May 1943, the 501 surrended as part of the 275,000 Axis soldiers who surrendered to the Allies following the Allied capture of Tunis.
[edit] Eastern Front
On 9 September 1943 the 501 was refomed from a few remnants of the old battalion. It was constituted with three companies for a total of 45 Tiger I tanks (3 Companies of 12 tanks with a 3 tank Command unit)[3]. Between Decemberr 5th and December 12th, 1943 the Battalion was transferred to the Vitebsk region in north-west Russia (modern Belarus). Throughout 1944 the 501 engaged in several battles including Vitebsk and Gorodok[4]. In the summer of 1944 all the Tiger I's in the Battalion were transfered, replaced with Tiger II's or destroyed. By 7 August 1944 the Battalion was back up to full strength with 45 Tiger II's.
On 5 August 1944 the Battalion was ordered to southeastern Poland to join the Army Group North Ukraine. Following several battles including Radom, Sandomierz and Kielce[4] the Battalion was down to 36 out of 53 Tiger's operational by 1 October 1944[2]. On 21 November 1944 the Battalion was redesignated the 424th Heavy Tank Battalion and assigned to the XXIV Panzer Corps. On 11 February 1945 the first and second companies of the Battalion were reorganized as the 512th Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion. The third company remained in Paderborn, and together with tanks from the 500th Tank Training Battalion (German: Panzer-Ersatz-und Ausbildungs Abt. 500) fought an short unsuccessful battle against british forces[2].
[edit] Commanders
- Major Erich Löwe (September 1943 - December 1943)
- Oberstleutnant von Legat (January 1944 - August 1944)
- Major Saemisch (August 1944 - December 1944)[4]
[edit] Medals
- Major Erich Löwe (Knights Cross, 24 December 1943, Oak leaves 8 December 1944)
