Most of the book is about german and allied strategy and plans. The 2d, 21st and 116th panzer divisions were assigned to army group b. In february 1941, the german high command decided to dispatch an expeditionary force to north africa in support of the italian forces which were in a difficult situation against the british. The division also had access to the dreaded 88s, towed by french laffly tractors. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel.
The invasion of normandy has been written about and analyzed in a plethora of books and articles and, at first blush, kortenhauss book would. Panzerdivision arrived in tunisia, it was put under the control of 5. So a mobile force, initially designated as schnelle division west, was created. Elements of the 21st panzer division were committed separately prior to the normandy invasion on both sides of the river orne, in the vicinity of caen. Felddivision l, which operated in close proximity and occasionally alongside elements of 21. With plenty of old french cavalry tanks at its disposal, it is very strong in phase a. In late 1943, the german command identified a need for a mobile force that could move to quickly counter amphibious landings where they might occur on the french cost. Buy the combat history of the 21st panzer division, 194345 pck harpa by werner kortenhaus isbn. The combat history of the 21st panzer division by werner. What i did not realize is that this particular volumeversion is a distillation of. The new spearhead series is designed to look at the cutting edg.
The combat history of the 21st panzer division 194345 by werner. The two card decks are the same as all the other releases. The book is about the 21st pzd, the heart of the dak but since the division took part in most of the. Panzerdivision was split into two kampfgruppen for action in the faidmaknassy engagements. Each spearhead title includes an evaluation of the units combat effectiveness as seen by the unit, its opponents and subsequent researchers, and a research section including a bibliography and a listing of museums, websites, re. The 21st panzer division reenactment group requires three things of our members. This is tremendous news for those of us who have some of the very unique kit that the 21st panzer division fielded in 1944.
In february 1941, the german high command decided to dispatch an expedi. The 21st panzer was the only fully operational panzer division to find itself within immediate striking distance of the beaches on the 6 june, 1944. At long last, werner kortenhaus history of the 21st panzer division has been published in english. Armored group west was allowed to keep only four of its original ten divisions. The combat history of the 21st panzer division 194345 book. The dak will be the 21st panzerdivision and the british will be the 22nd armoured brigade who met, i think, in what was pretty much the first armoured engagement of the battle. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. A battalion of the 9 th werfer rocket launcher brigade was also positioned near grentheville. The book has background on the 21st in normandy and lists for buete panzers, gepanzerte panzer grenadiers and panzer aufklarungs greneadier lists. The combat history of the 21st panzer division 194345 name author.
The booklet also comes with a selection of the most appropriate command cards from the dday. The combat history of the 21st panzer division werner kortenhaus on amazon. Full text of 21st panzer division rommels afrika korps. Panzer divisions were the key element of german success in the blitzkrieg operations of the early years of world war ii. Everything is printed in high gloss color with plenty of photos showing campaign maps and every new unit card and descriptions of rules. Pd was seemingly issued or acquired quite a lot of the long, openfronted luftaffe camo smocks. Panzerarmee, and then used as a number of kampfgruppen in a series of successive engagements against the allies. Ebook 21st panzer division as pdf download portable. Kortenhauss account of the divisions subsequent commitment, in the lorraine saar region alsace area provides intriguing detail on this little known sector as the southern wing of pattons 3rd army strove for the upper rhine area of germany. As the keystone of the deutsches afrika korps, this division was involved in the hardest battles in that theater of operations until it was finally driven out of the continent of africa along with the rest of the axis forces in may 1943. The combat history of the 21st panzer division with book s. Buy the combat history of 21st panzer division 194345 revised by werner kortenhaus isbn. The three battlegroups were formed using the panzer and panzergrenadier regiments as the nuclei. The 21st panzer division gained greatest fame in north africa, but also served in normandy and on the russian front.
This book is a translation of a previously published history by a former member of the 21st panzer division. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. For being handicapped by having only 96 pages, i thought mr ellis did a good job though its obvious that he had to skimp at times to fit what he wanted in those 96 pages. The combat history of the 21st panzer division 194345.
Our goal is to educate the public to the importance of preserving artifacts of the era, to sponsor the growth, development, and understanding of reenacting as a highly rewarding, enriching and educational interest. For years, one of the most essential sources for study of the normandy invasion was known. As you can see that the 21st panzer division is a unique blend of armoured mobility and firepower with strange contraptions mounted on old french chasses. Afrika korp general rommel generalfeldmarschall rommel the desert fox 21st panzer division 3rd. Battlefront has brought the 21st panzer into version 4 of flames of war. Full text of 21st panzer division rommels afrika korps spearhead see other formats. Panzer is the panzer equivalent of a light cavalry division, immediately unleashed on the allies.
The 21st panzer division was a german armoured division best known for its role in the battles of the north african campaign from 19411943 during world war ii when it was one of the two armoured divisions making up the deutsches afrikakorps dak. Helions english edition includes a large number of rare photographs and a separatelybound book of newlycommissioned colour maps. Each volume in the series examines a historic units origins, history, organization, order of battle, battle history, insignia and markings. This also lays out a pathway to add more formation options to what is provided in the army books. Search for library items search for lists search for contacts search for a library. Many photos of 21 panzer division in normandy actually show soldiers of 16. Panzerdivision adopted combinedarms battlegroups immediately following the allied invasion of 6th june. This richly illustrated book chronologically describes the course of operation. Lead many new units from the tough german 21st panzer division and show those yankees that you mean business. European theater of operations in cooperation with richard anderson. Read download 21st panzer division pdf pdf book library. But for now, lets go ahead and get into the new version 21st panzer division book and cards. The combat history of the 21st panzer division 194345 by.
A stunning look at world war ii from the other side. The bulk of this force is composed of heer grenadier squads mounted in regular sd. The dday overlord campaign book theatre selectors include a 21st panzer division panzergrenadier reinforced platoon dday page 171. The 21st panzer division, published in 2001, is the first in the series. This is not a combat history of the 21st pz division, it is a general history of the military campaigns in which the 21st took part. The combat history of the 21st panzer division, 194345. Although the 21st panzer division was the only german armored division stationed in the caen area, it stood by in frustration with engines running for hours awaiting orders for action. It also has the handy bonus of making pip roberts the perfect character to use while my inclusion of rommel is perhaps rather less based in historical fact. North of caen, to the west of the orne, along with the 12th sshitler jugend panzer division the 21st panzer division blocked the unrelenting british frontal attacks on caen that culminated in operation charnwood.
Thus it was the cornerstone of the german response capability during the critical first hours of the allied landing. From january 30th, 1943 to february 3rd, 1943, the 21. Later the waffenss formed its own panzer divisions, and even the luftwaffe fielded a panzer division. Generalleutnant feuchtinger shows off one of the divisions selfpropelled 105s from sturmgeschutz abt 200 to rommel as he inspects the unit before dday. This contingent included elements that a few months later were to form the 5th light division, and in 1942, the 21st.