"Looking for more info on Operation Mitten/ Aberlour" Topic

Hi guys, I came across Operation Mitten reading Delaforce's Monty's Ironsides book, but there's very little info. I know 8 Brigade and some Crocodiles were involved, as well as some Staffordshire Yeomanry Shermans I believe, but I have failed to find anything about the Germans, where the start positions were, where the enemy positions were etc. I have the 1:25000 map of the area so I can see the ground and I'd like to run a scenario based on this Operation, or Aberlour which was cancelled due to the casualties and slow progress of Mitten.

Does anyone have anything they could add that I might find useful?

The defenders belonged to 21. Panzer-Division. Specifically, these were Hauptmann Kerber's 5. Kompanie & Oberleutnant Walter's 7. Kompanie of Hauptmann Rusche's II. Bataillon (Rusche replaced Hauptmann Zippe on 8th June) of Oberst Rauch's Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 192 (aka Kampfgruppe Rauch).

These were motorised panzer-grenadiers, equipped with various softskins – mainly ex-French halftracks. They were backed up by Pzkpfw IVs of Panzer-Regiment 22 (Oberst von Oppeln).

There were no battalion support elements present (they were busy at Herouville), but regimental support included 9. Kompanie, with 6x Lorraine SP 15cm howitzers and 10. Kompanie, equipped with 4x 8cm Reihenwerfere (multi-barrelled mortars on armoured halftracks). I've got no specific information on these being involved in the battle, but it seems likely.

Artillery support was provided by Hauptmann Thannenberger's II. Abteilung of Panzer-Artillery-Regiment 155, equipped with two batteries of Lorraine SP 10.5cm howitzers (6 per battery) and one battery of 6x Lorraine SP 15cm howitzers.

The defenders were later reinforced by elements of Panzer-Pioneer-Bataillon 220 (who might or might not have had armoured Somua halftracks – there was a company of each with Kampfgruppe Rauch).

Thank you RMD. Do you have any ideas of the start line(s) and the initial positions of the Germans? Also, can I ask what sources you got the above from as I'm looking to expand my experience in this area.

That's mainly from Perrigault's (French language) history of 21. Panzer-Division. However, he doesn't go into much detail regarding the battle – just that 5 & 7 companies were defending, 5 company fell back then re-took its position and that they were later reinforced by pioneers.

One I forgot to add is that Panzerjaeger-Abteilung 200 also had detachments screening all along the front, so I'd expect there to be at least one or two 8.8cm PaK 43/41 in the area.