510th Heavy Panzer Battalion

510th Heavy Panzer Battalion
Active	6. June 1944- 8. May 1945
Country	Nazi Germany
Branch	Heer
Type	Armoured
Size	Battalion
Equipment	Tiger I (1944–45) Tiger II (1945)
Insignia
Identification symbol

The 510th Heavy Panzer Battalion (German: schwere-Panzer-Abteilung 510, abbreviated s.Pz.Abt. 510) was a German heavy Panzer-Abteilung equipped with Tiger I and later Tiger II Königstiger tanks. The 510th saw action on the Eastern Front during the Second World War.

History

The 510th was formed June 1944 in Paderborn and in July it was sent to Lithuania, where it fought in the Kurland pocket until the end of the war, attached to the 14. Panzer-Division and 30. Infanterie-Division.

Elements of the battalion were evacuated from Kurland. Via Kassel and Putlos they reached the Western Front and were engaged in the last fighting there. This group went into captivity with the Western Allies. A Kampfgruppe with the last 15 Tiger tanks did stay in Kurland, commanded by Leutnant Wise. This part of the battalion went into Soviet captivity

The personnel came from parts of the workshop company of the 504th Heavy Panzer Battalion, the company commander School Versailles and by the PzErs.-u. AusbAbt.500 Paderborn.

Engagements

• Aug 1944- East Prussia (Schaulen – Kauen – Goldap – Nemmersdorf – Gumbinnen)

• 24 Oct 1944- Latvia (Kurland)- Counterattack of the I.Armee-Korps and the 4.Panzer-Division, the 12. Panzer-Division and the 14.Panzer-Division east of Preekuln near Hill 119.7 in the direction of Memel ( the abt.510 destroyed: 9 ISU-152, 75 anti-tank guns, 5 anti-air-guns, 2 Rocket-launchers, 25 Artillery guns, 12 Heavy mortars and 44 Trucks) ((source: Bundesarchiv)) close to the Village of Vainode. The Abt.510 lost 5 Tigers.

• 28 Oct 1944- Latvia (Kurland) the 1./Abt.510 was subordinated to 30. Inf. Division (Oberleutnant Gerlach) with 4 operational tanks repulsing enemy attack on Hill 190.1 (N 56*29'05.31" E 21*46'42.13") ( the abt.510 destroyed: 14 IS2 tanks)

• 29 Oct 1944- Latvia (Kurland) the 1./Abt.510 assists in repulsing enemy attacks against 14.Panzer-Division along the line Jagmani ( N 56*28'44" E 21*51'11") -Sremoli- Bruvelini (N 56*28'25" E 21*54'20"). Several tanks (including IS2) are destroyed.

• 19-20 Nov 1944- Latvia (Kurland) the Abt.510 was subordinated to 14. Pz Division attacking the village of Cimmeri together with the 1./Panzer-Grenadier-regiment 94 and Panthers of the 2./Panzer-Regiment 36.

• 24 Jan 1945- Latvia (Kurland) Defensive operations near Valdi against enemy forces attacking North and South of Preekuln. Assembly area (AA) in the forests of Lalerie and Purmsati (N 56*24'38" E 21*28'59").

• 25 Jan 1945- Latvia (Kurland) Meeting engagement at Kaleti and Purmsati(N 56*24'17" E 21*31'31")(63 enemy tanks destroyed).

Orders of battle

October 1944, Lithuiania (Army Group North)

• Abteilung Stab Zug (3x Tiger I, 6x SdKfz 250)
• 1./sPzAbt 510 (14x Tiger I)
• 2./sPzAbt 510 (14x Tiger I)
• 3./sPzAbt 510 (14x Tiger I)

May 1945

• ?./sPzAbt 510 (??x Tiger II)

Commanders

• Major Gilbert (June 1944 - ?? 1944)
• Oberst Grässel (Mar 1945 - 8 May 1945) KURLAND
• Hauptmann Hellpup (Mar 1945 - 8 May 1945) KASSEL

External links

• Lexikon der Wehrmacht (in German)

References

• Wolfgang Schneider Tigers in Combat, Vol. 1 . PA: STACKPOLE BOOKS, 2004 ISBN 0-8117-3171-5
• Volkmar Kühn TIGER,Die Geschichte einer legendären Waffe 1942-45, ISBN 3-87943-414-X