12/30/07

Tiger II Tanks Documented in the Ardennes Offensive (continued)

This list provides information on tanks positively identified by photographic evidence or veterans’ accounts as having been a part of s. SS-Pz.Abt. 501 during the Ardennes Offensive.  Tanks are listed by turret number and tank commander, where known.  The names of the tank commanders are taken from Patrick Agte’s book.  Disposition lists where the tank was knocked out or abandoned.  Description includes whether the camouflage paint was applied by brush or spray, whether or not the tank was painted in the “light and shadow pattern,” and other features.

2. Kompanie

204 - Company Headquarters Squad Leader (SS-Unterscharführer Eduard Stadler)

Disposition: abandoned at So l’Hesse, La Gleize, 24 Dec 44.  Recovered by US Army but left on Route 106 near Neuville when engine stalled.

Description: brush, light and shadow pattern, national cross not visible, 1. SS-Pz.Kps. insignia painted on upper right glacis plate and upper right of rear hull plate.  Seen in post-battle photographs.  204 served as SS-Hauptsturmführer Möbius’s command tank at La Gleize, after 205 had been left at another location.  204's recovery journey and photos

204 was found by the Americans abandoned in an orchard at the edge of La Gleize. (Dr. Van Heeley Collection, 30th Division "Old Hickory" website, courtesy Warren Watson)

205 - Company Commander (SS-Hauptsturmführer Rolf Möbius)

Disposition: left behind, probably due to maintenance problems, at some point prior to 18 Dec 44.  Description unknown.  Documented in the Ardennes Offensive by veteran’s account.

211 - Platoon Leader (SS-Untersturmführer Georg Hantusch)

Disposition: knocked out at Werimont Farm, La Gleize, 22 Dec 44.

Description: original paint details not visible in post-battle photograph. (This tank is listed as 221 in Agte’s and Schneider’s books.  While it cannot be certain because no photo has come to light showing the turret number, I believe this tank was 211 because Hantusch was the 1. Zugführer in the 2. Kompanie, according to the “Personalübersicht s. SS Panzerabteilung 501 während der Ardennenoffensive” listed in the references.)

Hantusch's tank knocked out on the Werimont Farm.  The fire control system was damaged by Sherman tank fire from TF McGeorge on 22 December 1944.  (December 1944 Museum, La Gleize)

211 was firing across the valley at the tanks of TF McGeorge coming from left to right along the road in the distance.  (author's photo)

213 - Section Leader (SS-Unterscharführer Franz Faustmann)

Disposition: knocked out at Werimont Farm, La Gleize, 22 Dec 44.  Removed to La Gleize village square after the war and restored by the December 1944 Historical Museum.

Description: brush, light and shadow pattern, no national cross, 1. SS-Pz.Kps. insignia not visible.  213 served as SS-Obersturmführer Dollinger’s command tank at La Gleize; Dollinger probably took over command of 213 because as a battalion staff officer he needed a tank to exercise command and manage his sector of the battlefield from, and his 009 had apparently dropped out.  This tank has chassis serial number 280273, which indicates it was completed in October 1944.

213's restoration and photos

213 with its damaged gun tube at the Werimont Farm after the battle, and (below) during restoration at the December 1944 Museum.  (December 1944 Museum, La Gleize)

222 - SS-Oberscharführer Kurt Sowa.

Disposition: disabled by tank destroyer fire at south end of Stavelot bridge, 20 Dec 44.

Description: spray, light and shadow paint dots but the pattern differs from most of the other tanks, national cross shows on left turret side underneath tactical number in post-war photograph, no 1. SS-Pz.Kps. insignia.  Seen in SS-Kriegsberichter films taken at Tondorf and Kaiserbaracke and in several photographs taken during the battle and post-war.

On a cold 16 December 1944, 222 was filmed moving through Tondorf toward the front.  Some sources say the tactical number was yellow with no outline, but it's impossible to say for certain since it appears to be different shades in different photographs.  (US National Archives at College Park, RG 242 National Archives Collection of Foreign Records Seized, 242-MID-3136)

222 was filmed again moving through the town of Deidenberg as it tried to catch up with the rest of the battalion by traveling on another route.  (US National Archives at College Park, RG 242 National Archives Collection of Foreign Records Seized, 242-MID-3136)

Another SS war reporter film crew caught 222 at the Kaiserbaracke crossroads, still moving along an alternate route.  (US National Archives at College Park, Signal Corps Collection, 111-M-1130)

Kurt Sowa's Tiger 222 made it to Stavelot, only to be knocked out on the south side of the river by a US tank destroyer.  222 is visible just south of the bridge.  (US National Archives at College Park, Signal Corps Collection, 111-SC-198340)

Closer views of 222 after its destruction.  (M. Courtejoie, Stavelot)

Today there are no remnants of the once-mighty Tiger 222.  (author's photo)

231 - Platoon Leader (SS-Hauptscharführer Georg Lötzsch)

Disposition: took part in attacks against Stavelot on 19 Dec 44.  Description and other information unknown.  Documented in Ardennes Offensive by veteran’s account (if Lötzsch was riding in his assigned tank).

2__ - Tank commander unknown

Disposition: unknown.

Description: brush, light and shadow pattern, last two turret number digits not visible, national cross not visible, 1. SS-Pz.Kps. insignia on upper right glacis.  Seen in SS-Kriegsberichter Tondorf film.  Close examination of the film shows that this tank is not 204; the camouflage pattern is slightly different and the 1. SS-Pz.Kps. insignia is slightly higher on the glacis plate than the insignia on 204.  This tank could be 213 or 211.

Another tank of the 2. Kompanie passes through Tondorf.  The first 2 of the turret number is just visible.  (US National Archives at College Park, RG 242 National Archives Collection of Foreign Records Seized, 242-MID-3136)

Go on to a listing and photos of the Tiger tanks of the 3. Kompanie documented in the Ardennes Offensive

All text copyright 2005-2008 Gregory A. Walden. All rights reserved; material from this website may only be republished with the author’s permission.