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CONTACT: hawkml@bentonrea.com marcin@oregontrail.net |
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Operational History:Early Campaigns: The 2nd Panzer Division was formed on October 15th, 1935. During the annexation of Austria in 1938 the division was moved and stationed in Austria, drawing many reinforcements from this area. In 1939 the division took part in the campaign in Poland, seeing some of the hardest fighting. In 1940 2nd Panzer was part of the 12th Army in the invasion of France, part of the spearhead armored units that pushed to the English Channel. The division captured Abbeville sealing the pocket around Dunkirk in May 1940. In Spring 1941 the division was tranferred to Romania as part of the of Balkans offensive. 2nd Division again was at the fore-front, capturing Athens as part of the conquest of Greece. Eastern Front: As part of Operation Barbarossa the 2nd Panzer Division served with Army Group Center, probing to within sight of Moscow. The unit then fought throughout 1942 and 1943 in the massive battles on the Eastern Front as part of Army Group Center, including the Kursk offensive in July 1943. As with all units there were heavy casualties to the division in both men and machines. Western Front: 2nd Panzer Division was withdrawn from Russia in early 1944 and stationed in France to refit and be brought up to strength. The division was stationed inland during the Normandy invasion in June as part of the German strategic armored reserves. The division fought throughout the Normandy campaign, finally having to break out of the Falaise Gap after suffering near total loses. The division was rested in Western Germany, where it was combined with the remnants of the 352nd Infantry Division. 2nd Panzer then took part in the Ardennes offensive in the winter of 1944-1945, emerging from the battle almost destroyed, with a total strength of only several hundred men. The remaining units surrendered to American forces in April 1945 in Germany. |