URL : https://www.valka.cz/Tankova-brigada-101-1944-1944-t146769#471037
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In response to Soviet successes during the initial phase of the Belarusian Strategic Offensive against the Army Group Center (Operation Bagration) ordered Hitler 2.7.1944 to build small, highly mobile armored combat groups capable of responding quickly and effectively to enemy breakthroughs. July 11, 1944 Armament Department of the OKH and the Headquarters of spare units received orders to form 10 tank brigades numbered 101 to 110.
The formation of the Panzer-Brigade 101 began on July 21, 1944 in the military training areas of Mielau and Arys in Military District I. The brigade was composed of surviving members of tank and grenadier units Group of Army Central, destroyed at the beginning of Operation Bagration, and members of reserve and training units. The staff of the brigade with the command platoon and staff company was formed from the staff of the abolished Regiment of heavy tank fighters 656 and was supplemented by members of the staff Tank Brigade 10. The core of the brigade became Tank Division (Panther) 2101 armed with 36 tanks Pz.Kpfw. In Panther, his team was composed of members of the Replacement and Training Section of Tank Fighters 1 and 13. According to the organization chart, he still had a light company with 11 tank destroyers Jagdpanzer IV, but they were not available in sufficient numbers at the time of the brigade. Battalion of tank grenadiers 2101 consisting of two companies on armored personnel carriers Sd.Kfz.251 and companies of mortars and self-propelled guns was reorganized from the remaining members 36. infantry division and supplemented by a team of spare units.
In mid-August 1944, before the end of training, the brigade received an order for rail transport to Latvia. Units of the Narva Army Division helped open supply routes from East Prussia to besieged Riga during the Operation Doppelkopf. She then moved to Estonia to an area southwest of the city of Dorpat (today's Tartu). From August 26, 1944, it reflected Soviet attempts to break through the front west of Lake Peipus.
In September 1944, the brigade was subordinated to I. Army Corps. It waged defensive battles between Lake Wirz and the area west of Dorpat - Pernau. When the Red Army launched an operation to clean up Estonia on September 17, the brigade covered the retreat of German troops heading for the port city Pernau, the evacuation site for most troops Army Squad Narva. At the end of September 1944, the brigade then retreated through Livonia to the area around Riga and defended the position southwest of the city. Between October 6 and 8, 1944, she worked closely with 5. tank division deployed in defensive battles along the road Schaulen - Kelme - Tauroggen. She took part in several counterattacks at Skaudvile and Girsdiske. From October 9, 1944, the brigade was deployed in defensive battles near Kvederne, 40 kilometers west of Girsdiske, then withdrew to East Prussia to Tilsit. In mid-October, the brigade was involved in counterattacks in the area north of Wirballen (Virbalis) and west of Gumbinnen and tried to prevent Soviet breakthroughs in the direction of Nemmersdorf (Mayakovskoye) - Goldap.
Weakened by losses during two months of continuous defensive operations, the brigade was transferred to the Army Group Center reserve at the end of October 1944, and an order was issued in mid-November to disband it. Most of the brigade has moved to the Military Training Area Arys, where it served to supplement 20.tank division, which suffered heavy losses in northern Romania.
Panzer-Brigade 101 Despite its small strength, it withstood a critical situation during the retreat in the Baltics and defended the concept of deploying small armored combat groups against the Soviet superiority.
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Tankova-brigada-101-1944-1944-t146769#654043
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