501st Heavy Panzer Battalion: Difference between revisions
Operations section added |
Finished North Africa Operations |
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===North Africa=== |
===North Africa=== |
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[[Image:TigerITankTunis.jpg|thumb|Tiger I tank in Tunisia, 1943]] |
[[Image:TigerITankTunis.jpg|thumb|Tiger I tank in Tunisia, 1943]] |
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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 [[Tunisia Campaign#Germans fall back to Djedeida and gain the initiative|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 [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|British]]. On 26 February 1943, the 501 was redesignated III./Panzer-Regiment 7 and was moved into of the [[10th Panzer Division (Germany)|10.Panzer-Division]]<ref name="Tiger I"/> 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<ref name="Tiger I"/>. |
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 [[Tunisia Campaign#Germans fall back to Djedeida and gain the initiative|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 [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|British]]. On 26 February 1943, the 501 was redesignated III./Panzer-Regiment 7 and was moved into of the [[10th Panzer Division (Germany)|10.Panzer-Division]]<ref name="Tiger I"/> 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<ref name="Tiger I"/>. On the [[12 May]] 1943, the 501 surrended as part of the [[Tunisia Campaign#Battle|275,000]] [[Axis Powers|Axis]] soldiers who surrendered to the [[Allies of World War II|Allies]] following the Allied capture of Tunis. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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*[[German heavy tank battalions|German heavy tank battalions of World War II]] |
*[[German heavy tank battalions|German heavy tank battalions of World War II]] |
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Revision as of 07:16, 6 May 2008
| 501st heavy tank battalion | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1942 to 1945 |
| Country | Germany |
| Allegiance | .svg){kind=small} 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.
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[1] arrived in Tunisia between 23 November 1942 and 24 January 1943[2].
Operations
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[1] 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[1]. 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.