In 1942 at Stalingrad the german 6th Army was surrounded and needed help if it was to extract itself from its gloomy looking fate. A plan was concieved of trying to break into the "Kessel" (or cauldron) from the outside using the 4th Panzer Army commanded by General Hoth. This plan envisioned not only to open a path into/out of the kessel, but also to bring immeadiate supplies to the units fighting within to hold off the Soviets until as much as possible could get out. This operation was called "Winter Tempest".
The schwerepunkt of this force was made up of the 17th, 6th, and 23rd panzer Divisions, and attacked abreast of each other in the previous chronological formation.
One other feature of this plan was for a "mobile" force of the 6th Army within to fight out to meet this relief column. This part was called operation " ( Donnerschlag) or Thunderclap".
Would anybody here happen to know the composition of these forces or even the books & other sources to obtain it?
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by jb on Sun Dec 28, 2008 6:22 am, edited 1 time in total.
There were two operations planned. Wintergewiter (linkup) and Donnerschlag (Thunderclap-retreat). Paulus would not order Donnerschlag without Hitlers giving the word. As the situation in Stalingrad November-December was very bad, (shortage of fuel/food/ammo, wounded, etc), there was a specific time when it HAD to be launched. The initial fuel reserves inside the pocket were 20km. They needed at least twice that. The breakout should have been launched immediately (November 23rd).
Strength at the last possible time it could be launched (December) were:
Personally, I think Paulus wanted Hitler to ‘take the responsibility’ for ordering it, should the thing turn into a disaster.
On the 23 of December, the 6th Panzer (4th panzer Army), re-crossed the Mishkova river to shore up the crumbling left flank (Italians), effectively dooming the 6th Army.
From all my sources, the mobile force was never actually formed up as all but the 14th Panzer, 29th mot and 9th FlaK were actively engaged in defensive operations.
From all my sources, the mobile force was never actually formed up as all but the 14th Panzer, 29th mot and 9th FlaK were actively engaged in defensive operations.
Troy
Thanks for the info Troy.
I did end up ordering a book from that site; Winter Tempest.
It would be interesting to know what Paulus would have had for a breakout/linkup force.
Of course there would still be sacrficial units within the Kessel regardless of any escape or releif efforts. Sounds like a great scenario for a game...
Our group is looking at doing this type of scenario. We want to initially use two battlefields; one replicating the 6th Army "breakout/linkup" force and the other battlefield somewhere on the Mishkova river. This second one would be the area to be reached when Paulus should have started the 6th Armies' effort.
Right now I'm trying to find out how many of the 6th Panzer divisions tanks were Pz38ts...
Troy,
Thats a great help. As you can guess I don't have any real access to more detailed information on the Divisions of the period. I just ordered Panzer Truppen vol 1&2
Thanks for the help in that direction.
The 6th Panzer Division was initially outfitted with Pz 35T tanks, not Pz 38T tanks. I was checking out another book called Wehrmacht Panzer Divisions by Jorge Rosado and Chris Bishop. I picked this one up about a year ago from Brookhurst Hobbies. It is a nice liitle book with color plates and capsule histories of all the German Wehrmacht panzer Divisions. The 6th Panzer had Pz 35T tanks during Barbarossa - the only Panzer Division to use them as far as I know - but due to lack of spare parts these were mostly gone by the end of 1941. At some point the division re-equipped with Pz III's; my guess would be early 1942. The Pz 35T went out of production once the Pz 38T went into use so that explains the lack of spare parts. I hope this helps. Have a great day!
I remember reading someplace that both 6th and 7th Panzer Divisions were intended to participate in Winter Tempest as well as the brand new SS Panzerkorps. In the end the SS units were not ready until February, and the 7th wasn't ready until January. It was hoped that the situation could be maintained until all of these units could be assembled.
The 6th panzer had been fighting in the area of Hoth's 3rd Panzer Army after the failed attempt to take Moscow in the winter of '41. As for her original Pz35 tanks, there is a somewhat humorous quote from Oberst a.D. Helmut Ritgen's history of the 6th Panzer Division:
The very last tank of 6th Panzer, named "Anthony the Last", broke down on 10 December near Klin, which was given up a few days later.
After this it was a panzer division in name only and was eventually withdrawn from the Russian front and sent to Paris France of all places in April 1942 - the troops referred to this as "fairyland." From this point until November of 1942, the division was completely rebuilt and re-equipped with the 11th panzer regiment being reduced to two battalions equipped as follows:
Also, the II/114th panzergrenadier regiment was equipped with APC's at this time. Both panzergrenadier regiments also had their infantry gun companies upgraded to have six 15cm IG's each.
The 41st tank destroyer battalion was equipped with 75mm PaK 40 guns, with one of the companies being in self-propelled Marder II's.
The 6th motorcycle battalion was amalgamated with 57th recce battalion to form 6th panzer recce battalion; this combined-arms unit had both recce vehicles and panzergrenadiers mounted in APC's.
76th artillery regiment kept it's three battalions, two equipped with three batteries each of 10.5cm leFH.18 howitzers and one with three batteries each of 15cm sFH.18 howitzers. Self-propelled guns were not issued until the spring of '43.
On November 5th, a warning order was issued for the return to Russia.
The above info is from Ritgen's book on the 6th Panzer Division and from Thomas L. Jentz's book Panzer Truppen, vol.2.
Sounds like a great scenario for a game...