24th Panzer Division ( 24. Panzer-Division ) - Wehrmacht tank division, formed in November 1941, on the basis of the 1st Cavalry Division . In memory of the cavalry origin of the division, tankers of the 24th tank regiment wore golden yellow cavalry rims instead of the pink tank ones. The division also retained the traditional cavalry ranks - captain instead of captain and wahmister instead of sergeant major.
| 24th Panzer Division 24. Panzerdivision | |
|---|---|
| Years of existence | November 1941 - May 1945 |
| A country |  Germany |
| Subordination | Wehrmacht |
| Included in | |
| Type of | division |
| Function | tank |
| Dislocation | Frankfurt an der Oder ( III district ) |
| Wars | The Second World War |
| Participation in | Eastern front |
| Marks of Excellence |  |
| Commanders | |
| Famous commanders | Maximilian von Edelsheim |
Content
Division Fight
Since May 1942 - on the Eastern Front, as part of Army Group B , an offensive in the direction of Stalingrad. Since November 1942 - in the Stalingrad boiler.
In January 1943, the division was destroyed in the Stalingrad boiler. Re-formed in April 1943, in France. Since November 1943 - again on the Eastern Front, in the Dnieper region.
At the beginning of 1944 - the fighting in central Ukraine (the defense of the Nikopol bridgehead from December 29, 1943 to February 21, 1944), then - the fighting in Romania (in the Iasi region). In August-September 1944 - fighting in southern Poland, in October-November - in Hungary, from December 1944 - in Slovakia.
In February 1945, the division was transferred to East Prussia. In April 1945, the remnants of the division were evacuated by sea to Schleswig (northern Germany), where, after the surrender of Germany, they were captured.
Division Composition
In 1942:
- 24th Tank Regiment
- 24th Rifle Brigade
- 21st Rifle Regiment
- 26th Rifle Regiment
- 4th Motorcycle Battalion
- 89th artillery regiment
- 40th anti-tank battalion
- 40th Engineer Battalion
- 86th Communication Battalion
In 1943:
- 24th Tank Regiment
- 21st Panzergrenadier Regiment
- 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment
- 89th Tank Artillery Regiment
- 24th Tank Reconnaissance Battalion
- 40th anti-tank battalion
- 283rd Anti-aircraft Artillery Division
- 40th Tank Engineer Battalion
- 86th Communication Battalion
- 89th Field Reserve Battalion
Since January 1945, the 9th Grenadier Regiment was withdrawn from the 23rd Infantry Division .
Division Commanders
- From November 28, 1941 - Major General Kurt Feldt
- From April 15, 1942 - Major General Bruno Ritter von Jauenschild
- From September 15, 1942 - Major General (from January 1943 - Lieutenant General) Arno von Lensky (captured in Soviet captivity)
- From March 1, 1943 - Major General (from May 1944 - Lieutenant General) Maximilian Reichsfreicherr von Edelsheim
- From August 1, 1944 - Major General Gustav-Adolf von Nostitz-Walvitz
- From March 25, 1945 - Major Rudolph von Knebel-Doeberitz
Awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (42)
- Siegfried Freyer, 07/23/1942 - commander, platoon commander of the 4th company of the 24th tank regiment
- Gerhard Schönfeld, 08.25.1942 - Lieutenant-Commander, commander of the 3rd company of the 40th tank sapper battalion
- Friedrich Freicherr von Breich, 08/29/1942 - Colonel, commander of the 24th Infantry Brigade
- Dietrich von der Lanken, 10.29.1942 - major, commander of the 3rd battalion of the 24th tank regiment
- Follrat von Hellermann, 11/21/1942 - Oberstleutenant, commander of the 21st Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Georg Köhler, 01/03/1943 - reserve lieutenant, commander of the 3rd company of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Paul Markgraf, 01/03/1943 - lieutenant commander of the 40th anti-tank battalion
- Ernst Neufeld, 01/03/1943 - Chief Sergeant Major, platoon commander of the 2nd company of the 4th motorcycle battalion
- Gerhard Thiel, 01/20/1943 - captain, commander of the 3rd battalion of the 24th tank regiment
- Hild-Wilfried von Winterfeld, 01/22/1943 - Oberstleutenant, commander of the 1st Battalion of the 24th Tank Regiment
- Hans Zimmermann, 01/22/1943 - Captain, commander of the 8th company of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Ernst-Hasse von Langenn-Steinkeller, 06/09/1944 - captain, commander of the 24th tank reconnaissance battalion
- Gustav-Adolf von Nostitz-Valvitz, 06/12/1944 - Colonel, commander of the 89th tank artillery regiment
- Friedrich Zalamon, 07.20.1944 - headquarters (captain of the medical service) of the reserve, battalion doctor of the 2nd battalion of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Karl-Heinz Tesch, 07/27/1944 - Staff Lance, Deputy Commander of the 7th Company, 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Gustav Koller, 08.08.1944 - Chief Corporal, Division Commander of the 1st Company of the 21st Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Karl-Bernhard Wenzel, 08/12/1944 - lieutenant commander of the 12th company of the 24th tank regiment
- Joseph Kollhofer, 08/14/1944 - Chief Corporal, gun commander of the 4th company of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Rudolf Kale, 09/02/1944 - Captain, commander of the 40th Tank Engineer Battalion
- Alfred Dannebaum, 09/17/1944 - captain, commander of the 24th tank reconnaissance battalion
- Erwin Krueger, 09/17/1944 - Chief Fenrich, reconnaissance patrol commander of the 24th Tank Reconnaissance Squadron
- Erich Staff, 09/21/1944 - lieutenant, commander of the 1st squadron of the 89th field reserve battalion
- Paul Bötther, 09/30/1944 - Chief Wachmister, commander of the 2nd squadron of the 89th field reserve battalion
- Georg Hünger, 10/06/1944 - lieutenant reserve, commander of the 1st battalion of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Egon Reifner, 11.16.1944 - lieutenant commander of the 3rd company of the 40th tank sapper battalion
- Karl-August Freicherr von Bülow, 12/12/1944 - Colonel, commander of the 24th Tank Regiment
- Julius Pöppel, 12/31/1944 - Wachmister, platoon commander of the 5th company of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Friedrich Raaf, 01/18/1945 - lieutenant, commander of the 7th company of the 21st Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Dietrich-Siegwart von Bonin, 02/18/1945 - reserve captain, commander of the 1st battalion of the 21st Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Hans Tilmann, 02/18/1945 - Major, commander of the 1st battalion of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Georg Hyöne, 02/18/1945 - Major, commander of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Wolfgang Kuls, 02.24.1945 - captain, commander of the 3rd battalion of the 24th tank regiment
- Ernst Brandes, 03/05/1945 - reserve lieutenant, commander of the 6th company of the 9th grenadier regiment
- Rolf More, 03/05/1945 - non-commissioned officer, commander of the 1st company squadron of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment
- German Blume, 03/11/1945 - captain, commander of the 24th tank reconnaissance battalion
- Herman Holz, 04/14/1945 - Chief Sergeant Major, commander of the 3rd company of the 9th Grenadier Regiment
- Hans-Egon von Ainem, 05/11/1945 - Colonel, commander of the 21st Panzergrenadier Regiment (award is not confirmed)
- Willy Bahor, 05/11/1945 - Chief Vachmistr, platoon commander of the 12th company of the 24th tank regiment
- Rudolf von Knebel-Doeberitz, 05/11/1945 - major of the General Staff, chief of the operational department of the headquarters of the 24th Panzer Division
- Heinz Ott, 05/11/1945 - Chief Vachmistr, platoon commander of the 12th company of the 24th tank regiment
- Rudolf Tessenov, 05/11/1945 - chief officer of the 11th company of the 24th tank regiment (award is not confirmed)
- Hubert Platz, 05/11/1945 - Major, commander of the 89th Tank Artillery Regiment
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves (4)
- Bruno Ritter von Howenshild (No. 129), 09/27/1942 - Major General, commander of the 24th Panzer Division
- Maximilian Reichsfreicherr von Edelsheim (No. 162), 12/23/1942 - Colonel, commander of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment
- George Michael (No. 187), 01/25/1943 - lieutenant commander of the 2nd battalion of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment
- Rudolf Trittel (No. 799), 03/23/1945 - Oberstleutenant, commander of the 9th Grenadier Regiment
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords
- Maximilian Reichsfreicherr von Edelsheim (No. 105), 10.23.1944 - Lieutenant General, Commander of the 24th Panzer Division
Literature
- Stoves, Rolf. Die gepanzerten und motorisierten deutschen Großverbände 1935-1945: Divisionen und selbstständige Brigaden. Dörfler, 2003. ISBN 978-3-89555-102-4