Williamb
Posts: 594
Joined: 1/4/2001 From: Dayton Ohio Status: offline
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The ground war launched the same dawn as the air strikes. OKH's strategy was to crack open the lines with several successive infantry attacks. As one German General stated. ""Klopf an die Tür mit der Faust, dann tritt sie mit den Füßen ein." (knock on the door with (ie your) fist then kick it (ie in) with your feet !) In the north the attack was launched by Armee Gruppe Nord commanded by GenFM Ritter von Leeb. The northern most attack was by the 291st Infantry Divison commanded by General der Artillerie Kurt Herzog The 504th Infantry Regt backed by the OKH 53rd Nebelwerfer Battalion launched the northern most attack. Also"Kampfgeschwader 1 "Hindenberg" supported it with a Stuka attack Defending was the 10th Rifle Divison and the 9th AT Regiment of the Soviet 8th Army Commanded by Gen Major I.I. Fadeyevii. The first wave of the attack hit a reinforced Rifle battalion. Russian morter fire slowed the Regiments advance until German artillery responded with counterbattery fire silencing the morters. But that was countered with russian heavy guns hitting the werfers. 2 guns were damaged before German stukas stopped this attack. The Regiment was able to push in 2 miles but was halted by a counter attack by the Russian divisons engineers. The 504th and artillery reported 52 dead and 140 wounded. 12 German engineers were also wounded when artillery struck their truck. In equiptment the Germans lost 1 motorcycle,1 155mm wefer, 1 210 mm werfer, 1 truck and 2 stukas were damaged. The soviets had stopped the attack but took heavy damage. 150 Soldiers were dead, 80 were captured and 100 others were wounded. In the attack by the soviet engineers 12 were killed and 18 wounded. The 10th rifle also suffered heavy equiptment losses. Their infantry force lost 5 MMGs, 17 HMGs, and 6 45mm atgs. Their Mortar battalion was decimated. 9 50mm morters, 9 82mm morters, and 5 120mm morters were lost to either German artillery or infantry. Their artillery battalion lost 5 76mm Guns,7 dual AAMGs, 2 37mm AA,and 10 horseteams. The 9th AT Regt also lost 6 76mm ATGs,26 ATRs,and 1 BA10 Armored car.
< Message edited by William Amos -- 7/8/2006 8:23:23 AM >
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