Identified Turret Numbers (1944)

Turret Number Vehicle Notes
1. Kompanie/Panzer-Abteilung 5
101 Pz Kpfw IV lg
111 Pz Kpfw IV Ausf. H
115 Pz Kpfw IV Ausf. H Named Ede
121 Pz Kpfw III Ausf. L
131 Pz Kpfw IV Ausf. G
133 Pz Kpfw IV Ausf. G
134 Pz Kpfw IV lg
135 Pz Kpfw IV Ausf. H Named Moritz or Maritz
2. Kompanie/Panzer-Abteilung 5
222 Pz Kpfw III Ausf. N
234 Pz Kpfw III
3. Kompanie/Panzer-Abteilung 5
321 Pz Kpfw IV lg
322 Pz Kpfw IV lg
324 Pz Kpfw IV lg
325 Pz Kpfw IV lg
331 Pz Kpfw III Ausf. N
332 Pz Kpfw III Ausf. N
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 1033
321 Pz Kpfw IV lg
Partially identified
?02 Pz Kpfw III Possibly 002. Seen with 331.
? Pz Kpfw III Ausf. N Named Mäuscher. Seen in same group as vehicles of 3. Kompanie.
33? Pz Kpfw III Ausf. N
? Pz Kpfw IV Ausf. D With add-on armor on driver's front plate. Seen in same group as vehicles of 3. Kompanie.
?14 Pz Kpfw IV lg

Final Days

Armor Strength, 20 April 1945

Unit Pz III L/42 Pz III 7,5 Pz Aufkl 381Listed as 7,5 cm L/24 Pz.Aufkl. in the original document, indicating a reconnaissance vehicle based on the Pz Kpfw 38 (t) chassis and armed with a 7,5 cm Kw K L/24. This does not match the allocation of mounted weapons, however, and post-war photographs instead show a vehicle armed with a 2 cm Kw K 38. Pz IV L/24 Pz IV L/43 Pz IV 3,7 Flak Sturmgeschütz III L/24 Panzerjäger I Marder III (7,5 cm Pak 40) Jagdpanzer 38 Marder III (7,62 cm Pak 36) Sd Kfz 221 Sd Kfz 223 Sd Kfz 232 (6 Rad) Sd Kfz 233 Sd Kfz 261 Danish Sd Kfz 250/1 Sd Kfz 250/10 Sd Kfz 251/1
Pz Abt 55 2 18 - 3 2 4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Pz Gren Rgt 50 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1
Pz Gren Rgt 83 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 33With wood gas generators.
Pz Gren Rgt 42 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 194Of which four with wood gas generators.
Pz Jäg Abt 1033 - - - - - - 1 - 4 2 3 - - - - - - - - -
Pz Aufkl Abt 233 - - 1 - - - - - - - - 2 1 2 1 1 4 3 1 -
Pz Nach Komp - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1
Begl Komp - - - - - - - 3 - - - - - - - - - - - -
Total 2 18 1 3 2 4 1 3 4 2 3 2 1 2 1 1 4 3 1 215Of which seven with wood gas generators.
Combat ready 1 16 1 2 2 2 1 2 4 2 3 2 1 1 1 1 3 3 1 186Of which six with wood gas generators.

Changes after 20 April 1945

The following excerpts are from the preliminary war diary of the Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen (Inspector General of the Armored Forces).

20 April 1945

2. Two armored infantry regiments (moving on foot) are to be accelerated by Panzer-Ersatz-Brigade Großdeutschland through Wehrmachtbefehlshaber Dänemark and sent to Oberbefehlshaber Nordwest for inclusion in Panzer-Division Clausewitz.

24 April 1945

1. Both of the replacement infantry regiments being created from Ersatz-Brigade Großdeutschland, until now intended for Panzer-Division Clausewitz, are to be sent to Kampfkommandant Berlin.

2. The remaining parts of Großdeutschland, 5. Panzer-Division, and 24. Panzer-Division that have been transported from Eastern Prussia are to be sent and included in 233. Panzer-Division.

30 April 1945

4. Oberbefehlshaber Nordwest informs through telex:

a.) By command of Oberkommando der Wehrmacht/WFSt all forces under the command of Oberbefehlshaber Nordwest, including all newly formed units intended for other areas of combat and the units being transported to Denmark, are put under the command of Oberbefehlshaber Nordwest.

4 May 1945

1. Command from Oberkommando der Wehrmacht/WFSt:

On 5 May 1945 at 08:00 German daylights saving time there is a cease fire against the troops of Field Marshall Montgomery. It includes all units of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Waffen-SS in The Netherlands, Friesland including the Western and Eastern Friesland islands and Helgoland, Schleswig-Holstein, and Dänemark. This is to be announced to all subordinate units.

Units are to remain in place with their weapons. Transport movements of the Navy at sea are to proceed. There are to be no destruction, ship sinking or declarations. All provisions are to be secured. Obedience and descipline is to be upheld with iron strength. Further commands will follow.

3. As a result of the changed situation, the order to set up a combat group from 233. Panzer-Division and the officer school in Haderslev for the area of Schleswig is cancelled. The components are to remain in their current areas in Denmark.

Notes

  1. Listed as 7,5 cm L/24 Pz.Aufkl. in the original document, indicating a reconnaissance vehicle based on the Pz Kpfw 38 (t) chassis and armed with a 7,5 cm Kw K L/24. This does not match the allocation of mounted weapons, however, and post-war photographs instead show a vehicle armed with a 2 cm Kw K 38. Back
  2. With wood gas generators. Back
  3. Of which four with wood gas generators. Back
  4. Of which seven with wood gas generators. Back
  5. Of which six with wood gas generators. Back

Sources

  1. Kriegsgliederung. Silkeborg : Wehrmachtbefehlshaber Dänemark, 1944. 40 p. Wehrmachtbefehlshaber Dänemark Ia Nr. 2180/44 g.Kdos.. NARA T78 R410.
  2. Vorentwurf K. T. B.. Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppen, 1945. 10 p. NARA T78 R619.
  3. Zustandbericht der 233.Pz.Div.. 1945. 8 p. 233. Panzer-Division Abt.Ia Nr. 369/45 g.Kdos.. NARA T78 R617.