1944.E2.80.931945 21st Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

rommel inspecting division in may, 1944.

rommel had been away front during first days of invasion on leave visit family; re-assumed command on 9 june. division grouped 2 panzer divisions, 12ss , panzer lehr, under command of sepp dietrich push northwest retake bayeux plan abandoned when divisional staff killed in air raid.

the division continued fight part of front throughout june , july. between 6 june , 8 july, 21st panzer reported loss of 54 panzer ivs, 17 panzer ivs arriving replacements. on 3 july german report stated following number of enemy tanks destroyed 21st panzer according weapon used: pz: 37, sturmgeschütz: 15, mot. pak & flak: 41, artillery: 3, infantry: 5. total 101. 27 july german tank losses continued in similar numbers.

between 6 june , 7 august, british reports based on captured vehicles suggested half of german tanks knocked out because of armour-piercing ammunition; rest equal combination of infantry anti-tank weapons, artillery, aircraft rockets or cannon, or abandoned/destroyed crews. last major action 21st panzer took part in on western front stubborn resistance gave british guards armoured division during operation bluecoat, on 1 august 1944.

the surviving forces of 21st panzer entirely lost in falaise pocket. remnants of unit merged 16th luftwaffe field division. of 223 tanks of 21st , other divisions captured in area british forces between 8–31 august, 3 quarters abandoned/destroyed crews.

in december, rundstedt decided not commit 21st offensive actions in operation wacht rhein, leaving provide flank cover, saved total destruction. on 29 december, 21st panzer reported following strength: 72 pzkpfw ivs, 38 pzkpfw vs, 8 flakpanzer iv.

from january 7 21 col hans von luck s 125 regiment of 21st took part in operation nordwind, aiming sever american supply line strasbourg. 2 weeks of heavy fighting in villages of rittershoffen , hatten followed. luck recalled stephen ambrose fifty years later battle 1 of hardest , costly battles ever raged .

on 25 january 1945 division reformed reduced panzer division , operated on eastern front unit surrendered soviet red army on 29 april 1945.