"Germans at the Battle of Bure" Topic

This battle (3 – 5 Jan 45) between elements of 6 Ab Div and German forces during the Battle of the Bulge is quite famous. One incident in particular gained medals for a RAMC sgt and a padre when they took an ambulance forward to collect the wounded and were told by a German tank commander on his Panzer to collect up their people but not to come back, 'It is not safe'.

Frustratingly I am away from my books on holiday so I want to ask a couple of questions of those who have access to theirs.

Firstly, who were the Germans involved? I have seen both Panzer Lehr and 2nd Panzer mentioned. Given the answer to that question, what tank is most likely to have been involved in the 'gentlemanly' exchange with the medic and the padre? Both a Tiger and a Panther are mentioned in some accounts but given the propensity for allied infantry to see Tigers everywhere, who knows? If it was an unreinforced 2 Panzer then Panther seems the likely answer. However, did they have had a Schwere Abteilung in support?

Anyone care to make a guess?

2nd Panzer didn't have any Tigers, but did have a full battalion of Panthers so my vote would be for a Panther.

ORBATS from the V3 FOW book The Ardennes Offensive .

2. Panzerdivision .

Kampfgruppe von Böhm
Commander: Major von Böhm (2. Panzer Aufklärungs-
abteilung)
Units: 2. Panzer Aufklärungsabteilung (including an armoured car company); and one Company of I. Abteilung/3. Panzer-Regiment with 14 Panther G tanks.
Kampfgruppe von Böhm was the advance guard of the division's attack and led the way through the American lines. Their advance was halted at Foy-Notre-Dame and Dinant on 24 December 1944.

Kampfgruppe Cochenhausen
Commander: Major Ernst von Cochenhausen (304. Panzergrenadier-Regiment)
Units: II. Bataillon/304. Panzergrenadier-Regiment; two companies of I. Abteilung/3. Panzer-Regiment with 32 Panther G tanks; I. Bataillon/74. Panzer Artillerie-Regiment with 10 Wespe and 6 Hummel self-propelled guns; one self-propelled Battery of 273. FlaK Bataillon; 38. Panzerpionier-Abteilung.
Kampfgruppe Cochenhausen followed behind Kampfgruppe von Böhm as the division's armoured battle group. However, all of the battle group's panzergrenadier were mounted in trucks.

Kampgruppe Holtmeyer
Commander: Hauptmann Friedrich Holtmeyer (38. Panzerjäger Abteilung)
Units: 38. Panzerjäger Abteilung with 21 StuG G assault guns; II. Bataillon/2. Panzergrenadier-Regiment; I. Bataillon/304. Panzergrenadier-Regiment, II. Abteilung/3. Panzer-Regiment with 28 Panzer IV J tanks and 27 StuG G assault guns; III. Batailon/74. Panzerartillerie-Regiment. It also contained the 3. Panzer regiment's staff and anti-aircraft tanks. It was further supported by 1124. Artillerie Batterie with four 12.8cm K81 guns and 5th and 6th Batteries of 766. Volks-Artillerie-Korps armed with 15cm sFH18 howitzers.
Kampfgruppe Holtmeyer was formed from the division's tank-hunter battalion, a battalion of tanks, and a battalion of panzergrenadiers pulled out of Gutmann's command to make a relief attack and allow Kampfgruppe von Böhm and Kampfgruppe Cochenhausen to retire. Unfortunately they were too late and both groups were cut off by American and British forces.

Kampfgruppe Gutmann
Commander: Oberst Joachim Gutmann (2. Panzergrenadier-Regiment)
Units: 2. Panzergrenadier-Regiment (one battalion detached on 25 December to Kampfgruppe Holtmeyer); one company of 38. Panzerjäger Abteilung with 10 StuG G assault guns; 1st Company, I. Abteilung/3. Panzer-Regiment with 14 Panther tanks; II. Bataillon/74. Panzerartillerie-Regiment; one battery of 15. Volks-werfer-Bataillon; one company of 38. Panzerpionier-Abteilung.
As 2. Panzerdivision advanced west towards Foy-Notre Dame, Kampfgruppe Gutmann was deployed south of the town of Marche for flank protection.

Panzer Lehr Division

Kampfgruppe von Fallois
Commander: Major Gerd von Fallois (130. Aufklärungs Lehr Abteilung)
Units: 130. Aufklärungs Lehr Abteilung; 8th Company of 130. Panzer Lehr Regiment with Panzer IV J tanks; 3rd Company of 130. Panzerjager Lehr Abteilung with Panzer IV/70 (V) tank-hunters; 4th Battery of 130. Panzerartillerie-Regiment; one company of 130. Panzerpionier-abteilung.
Kampfgruppe von Fallois led the advance of Panzer Lehr Division.

Kampfgruppe 901
Commander: Oberst Paul Freiherr von Hauser
Units: 901. Panzergrenadier Lehr Regiment (armoured); 6th Company of 130. Panzer Lehr Regiment with Panzer IV J tanks; II. Bataillon/130. Panzerartillerie-Regiment with towed guns; 243. StuG-Brigade (18 StuG G).
When Panzer Lehr was directed to continue to advance on the Meuse on 22 December, Kampfgruppe 901 was attached to 26. Volksgrenadierdivision to continue the attempts to take Bastogne.

Kampfgruppe 902
Commander: Oberstleutnent Joachim von Poschinger
Units: 902. Panzergrenadier Lehr Regiment (motorised); 5th and 7th Companies of II. Abteilung/130. Panzer Lehr Regiment with Panther G tanks; I. Bataillon/130. Panzerartillerie-Regiment with towed guns.
Kampfgruppe 902 attacked with Kampfgruppe von Fallois westwards, skirting south of Bastogne.

Divisional Reserve
130. Panzerjäger Lehr Abteilung with Panzer IV/70 (V) tank-hunters. 559. Schwere Panzerjäger Abteilung was assigned to the division for the offensive, but did not arrive at the division until 25 December 1944.

Okay. Looks like no Tigers which seems the most probable. So we just have to pin down which division…

There are a few mentions of a Tiger that remained in the village. 16 Sherman's were lost. This Tiger was part of the final defence. It is also mentioned as the one that spoke with sgt Scott and padre foy.

That's what I am trying to get to the bottom of. Given the proximity of the tank and the prevalence of 'Tiger fever' those two worthies could be forgiven for remembering it as a Tiger and not a Panther. If it was a Tiger, where did it come from? As we have identified, there were no Schwere Kompanies in 2 Panzer or Panzer Lehr.

Did you see the story about Grupont? It was a village near Bure and used as the base of operations for the defence of Bure with the German supplies and medics based there. The signs mention Panzer Lehr.

The signs for Bure mention the British being taken under the fire of the "chars Panther allemand". (I like the comment about universal carriers. They were able to drive around because they were low enough to go under the fire between british tanks and German guns!)

There is no mention of a Tiger on the sign about the Bure battle but the Panther is mentioned and there is a photo of a Panther.

So maybe Panzer Lehr and a Panther is the right answer.

There is a copy of the Fife and Forfar yeomanry war diaries for early january 1945 on this post on WW2 talk (4th post down):

link

I'm not a member so can't download them to read them. They were the ones who lost 16 Shermans in Bure so it would be interesting to read.

This is the war diary held at the (british) national archives:

WO 171/4700 2 Fife and Forfar Yeomanry 1945 Jan.- 1946 Jan.

All in all, looks like Panthers from 2nd Panzer. Thanks everyone.