FACTS ABOUT OPERATION SÜDWIND |
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF OPERATION | Next day on 18th February 1945 the attack
of Axis Forces continued by the employment of Battle Group Staubwasser
on the right flank Tank Corps “Feldherrnhalle” which attacked the village
of Bátorové Kesy. The heavy tanks of the Tank Group “Feldherrnhalle” after
breaking of Soviet anti-tank position supported by tanks in the northeast
from the village of Nová Vieska continued toward Hill 129 however their
advance was delayed by minefields. At the same time the 1st SS Tank Division
“LAH” also attacked in its operational area and by fall of a midnight
advanced as far as the village of Mužla. 46th Infantry Division attacked
in the eastern direction and reached the line northerly from the village
of Libad. Also 211th Volks Grenadier Division continued in the attack
but it had to take the defense position to stop a few Soviet counterattacks.
12th SS Tank Division had to also stop the Soviet counterattack in the
force of the one infantry battalion supported by two T-34 tanks and several
anti-tank guns. The German Headquarters deduced that Soviets want to build
the new main defense position at the line Bruty – ¼ubá – and the north
riverbank of Danube River. Considering this situation 8th German Army
appointed following tasks: On 19th February 1945 the situation of Soviet Forces in the south sector
of the Soviet bridgehead was disastrous. At early in the morning Battle
Group Staubwasser captured villages of Búè and Bátorové Kesy and cleaned
up this area of the rest of Soviet forces. 44th RGD HuD was attacking
toward south from the village of Gbelce as for Danube River to clean up
this area from the Soviet forces. 46th Infantry Division after the successful
attack carried out at early in the morning seized the heights in the southwest
from the village of ¼ubá and reached Hron River. The Tank Group (Peiper)
of 1st SS Tank Division “LAH” continued its attack toward the town of
Štúrovo. During this attack the tank battle became between Waffen SS tank
forces and Soviet tanks. At the top of the German attacking forces were
advancing 7 pieces of Pz V Panther tanks which were a subject of flank
attack carried out by some T-34 Soviet tanks. The terrain was sopping
and mostly the German tanks moved very hardly. The one German tank was
immediately destroyed but other two German tanks reached the railway station
of Štúrovo where found the cover. In the railway station was destroyed
the one of the two covered German tanks. The second German tank bypassed
the burning German tank and from distance of 50 meters hit the T-34 Soviet
tank which was destroyed. Shortly the railway station was reached by German
heavy tanks Tiger B and a few Panthers tanks and destroyed another two
T-34 Soviet tanks. The last Soviet T-34 tank fell back and hid behind
the premises of the railway station. In this period of time the German
attack had a serious strength. The heavy tank units of the Tank Group
of 12th SS Tank Division together with Battle Group Hupe began to capture
the town of Štúrovo supported by Battle Group established from 711th Infantry
Division. |
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