Tank ace 1 michael wittmann. Michael Witman

MICHAEL WITTMAN IN WILLER BOCAGE

Michael Wittmann

Michael Wittmai was a professional soldier who entered the German army as an infantryman in 1934 at the age of 20. In 1937, he transferred to the first division of the SS troops, the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, and by the time the war began in 1939, he had risen to the rank of SS Unterscharführer and commander of an armored vehicle. In 1941, Wittmann was assigned to a self-propelled gun in the Balkans, on which he entered the southern borders of Russia at the time of the start of Operation Barbarossa. It was then that his career began as a famous destroyer of enemy armored vehicles, which resulted in 138 enemy tanks (and 132 artillery pieces). However, he could not really turn around until 1943, when he was already twice wounded junior officer, awarded the Iron Crosses I and II class and appointed commander of the brand new "Tiger" in the 1st SS Panzer Regiment.

Michael Wittmann with his crew. In the background is his "Tiger"

Wittmann participated in the victorious operation near Kharkov, in the futile attempts to break through the Soviet defenses on the Kursk Bulge, and in the winter campaign that followed the German retreat to the west. On a single day - January 13, 1944 - he destroyed 19 Russian tanks and three heavy self-propelled guns. For this episode, Wittmann was awarded the Knight's Cross and promotion, becoming an SS Obersturmführer. He was then recalled to the West to join the 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion with a base northwest of Paris, where in April Wittmann was appointed commander of the 2nd company.

On D-Day, June 6, the battalion was called to Normandy. However, he came under attack by aviation, and it was already June 10, when the reduced unit reached the border of the combat area. One of the tanks was commanded by SS-Oberscharführer Baltosar Woll, a gunner at Wittmann during the Russian campaign. Woll, who himself had every reason to be considered an ace and even deserved the Knight's Cross - already an event for a non-commissioned officer rank - took a place in the commander's tank.

On 12 June, Wittmann received orders to move into position northeast of Villers-Bocage to counter an expected British armored breakthrough to the north. Wittmann's formation consisted of six PzKpfw VIs and at least one PzKpfw IV. On the right flank, he stationed the 1st company of SS Hauptsturmführer Möbius.

At 08:00 on June 13, enemy armored vehicles: squadron "A" of the 4th Volunteer (Yeomanry) Regiment of the County of London (CLY) - Cromwell tanks and at least one Sherman Firefly - began advancing along the road with stops. Apparently, Wittmann decided to go on reconnaissance and bypassed the enemy in order to enter the village. Almost immediately, he spotted three of the four enemy tanks that were there and put them out of action with the fire of an 88-mm cannon.

Wittmann advanced past the center of the village and came into fire contact with the tanks of squadron "B", received at least one hit from the Sherman-Firefly tanks. At this stage, the Tiger retreated and rushed straight at Doyezo's tank, withstanding two shots from his 75-mm cannon, after which he destroyed the Cromwell.

The grave of Michael Wittmann and his crew in the village of Gomenil (France)

Whitman pulled off the road and moved up the hill among the houses. He shot at the half-tracked armored car at the tail of the column, and then turned his attention to the Fireflies of A Squadron. After that, it was the turn of the rest of the squadron's vehicles. Wittman walked slowly down the entire length of the column, shooting down 25 vehicles before returning to the village, this time in the company of two more Tigers and a PzKpfw IV. But Wittmann did not know that the path leads him directly into a trap, where a shot from an anti-tank gun awaited him, breaking the left track.

Wittmann and his crew abandoned the car and, realizing the opportunity to stop the advance of the British on the bottom sector, went on foot to the headquarters of the Training Panzer Division, located 6 km to the north. He returned with a company of PzKpfw IV, which was soon reinforced by the Möbius Tigers, and without much difficulty took possession of the village, recapturing it from the enemy. Two days later, Wittmann was again promoted in rank and awarded swords to the Knight's Cross.

All that remains of Wittmann's "Tiger". He and his crew perished in it.

On August 8, Wittmoi captured the village of Sento on the Kai-Falaise road, but in the evening he fell victim to the Shermans. He destroyed two of the eight and disabled the third when his tank came under fire from the other five. None of the tankers in the Tiger survived, and Wittmann and his crew were buried in a mass grave in the village of Gomenil. A week later, the lid of the Fales boiler slammed shut, and soon all the "Tigers" in this area somehow shared the fate of Wittmann's car.

Wittmann Michael (1914-1944) - the greatest tanker of the Second World War, was born on April 22, 1914 in Vogeltal, in the Upper Oberpfalz region.

Having received a secondary education, he worked at his father's farmstead, in 1934 he briefly joined the Volunteer Labor Service (FAD or Freiwillige Arbeits Dienst). and in the same year he was drafted into the army. After serving 2 years in the 19th Infantry Regiment in the Munich Military District, he received the rank of non-commissioned officer. He volunteered for the SS in 1937 and was assigned to the Leibstandarte "Adolf Hitler", which provided personal protection for the Fuhrer and later became the 1st SS Panzer Division, stationed in Berlin-Lichterfeld.

A calm, balanced, modest and conscientious young man was brought into the ranks of the SS by the camaraderie (on which special emphasis was placed there) that existed among the SS men, and not least the beautiful black uniform, which at that time attracted many German youths to the SS. (Even Manfred Rommel, the only son of the legendary Desert Fox, considered joining the SS at a young age.)

By the time World War II broke out, Wittmann was already an SS-Unterscharführer in the division's artillery battalion. Having sniffed gunpowder in Poland, France and Belgium, he received a self-propelled gun with which he participated in the Greek campaign. He did not stand out among his comrades until the Leibstandarte crossed the border of the Soviet Union in June 1941. Unlike tanks, German self-propelled guns were used mainly as vehicles, as anti-tank guns and as an organized mobile reserve for the divisional commander.

Unterscharführer Wittmann soon gained a reputation as a brave, cold-blooded and determined warrior. Possessing strong nerves, he allowed enemy tanks to close range and knocked them out with the very first shell. In the summer and autumn of 1941, he destroyed several Soviet tanks in this way, but in August he was slightly wounded. Once Wittmann held back an attack by eight Soviet tanks. He coolly let them in close range and opened fire. Six of them caught fire, and two fled. In 1941 he was awarded the Iron Cross of both classes, as well as the badge of an attack tanker.

In mid-1942, after the Leibstandarte "Adolf Hitler" was transferred back to France for rest and re-formation, Wittmann was sent to Germany to study at a military school in Bad Tölz. After his successful graduation, he was awarded the title of SS Untersturmführer - this happened on New Year's Eve 1942. Then he returned to the Eastern Front.

In Russia, Wittmann was given command of a "Tiger" platoon in the 13th Panzer Company (Heavy Tanks) of the 1st SS Panzer Corps. Although these monster tanks moved slowly, had poor maneuverability and often broke down, they were protected by thick armor and equipped with powerful long-barreled 88mm guns.

Michael Wittmann has become a recognized virtuoso of this deadly weapon. On July 5, 1943, on the first day of the Battle of Kursk, he personally destroyed 8 Soviet tanks and 7 artillery pieces. Always calm and methodical, Wittmann determined his tactics and the degree of his own risk according to the combat situation. This approach, coupled with daring, and the concerted action of his highly trained crew soon earned Wittmann an almost legendary reputation as the greatest tank warrior in all of military history. During the Battle of Kursk, he alone destroyed 30 Soviet tanks and 28 guns.

After the failure of Operation Citadel, the Nazi legions turned back. Michael Wittmann was one of those who remained on the front line and close to it, covering the retreat of the troops, or undertaking counterattacks if the situation required it. For example, in one of the battles of the winter campaign of 1943-44, in just one day, he personally knocked out ten Soviet tanks. It is noteworthy that on January 14, 1944 he was awarded the Knight's Cross, and sixteen days later he was presented to the Oak Leaves. A few days later, Wittmann was awarded the title of SS Obersturmführer. In April 1944, when Wittmann left the Eastern Front, he had 119 destroyed Soviet tanks on his account. But he faced the most difficult trials on the Western Front.

On June 6, 1944, the 501st battalion was stationed in Beauvais (France), when the landing of the combined forces of the allies took place - D-Day. The next day, the SS heavy tank battalion marched to reunite with the I SS Panzer Corps in Normandy. The task was not easy. Allied aircraft destroyed most of the bridges south of Paris and made advances extremely dangerous during the day. After the 2nd Company was taken by surprise in the open area near Versailles and destroyed by attack aircraft, the 501st Battalion moved only at night. The "spearhead" of the battalion - Wittmann's company arrived in the combat zone on the night of June 12-13 and took up camouflaged positions northeast of Villers-Bocage on the left flank of the rear of Dietrich's corps.

Wittmann intended to devote the next day to repairing tanks damaged by bomber raids. However, the British forced him to change his plans. On the morning of June 13, a strong battle group of the British 7th Armored Division found a gap in the extended German defense line and, launching an offensive along the entire left flank of the SS training division, infiltrated the German rear, bypassing Villers-Bocage. They, rounding the flank of the I Panzer Corps, headed for Caen - the key position of the Wehrmacht in Normandy and the main obstacle between the troops of Montgomery and Paris. They were about three miles east of Villers-Bocage when they were discovered by Lieutenant Wittmann, whose own position was unenviable. At his disposal there were only five "tigers" that were not injured after a difficult transition. The remaining forces of the battalion were still at some distance from him, and the reserves of the training tank division and I Corps were sent to check the furious onslaught of the British in the areas of Tillie and Caen. In other words, a handful of Wittmann tanks were the only German force preventing Montgomery's troops from encircling most of the SS corps and capturing Caen. The SS decided to attack immediately. This marked the beginning of one of the most outstanding feats of the German army in the Normandy campaign.

The guards of the British column, which included the 22nd Armored Brigade and parts of the 1st Infantry Brigade, did not expect to meet resistance here and lowered their guard. Wittmann opened fire on the first British Sherman from a distance of 80 meters, instantly turning it into a pile of burning metal. In just a few seconds, he knocked out three more Shermans and crashed into the convoy at full speed. The British were horrified when Wittmann's "Tiger" crushed the first armored vehicle. Many British soldiers jumped out of their armored vehicles and fled, Wittmann approached them at a distance of 30 meters, stopped, fired, watched his target explode into millions of pieces, and then headed for his next victim.

A British Cromwell tank fired at Wittmann's Tiger with its 75mm gun, but the shell bounced off the thick armor of the giant German tank without causing the slightest harm. Wittmann pointed his 88-millimeter gun at the Cromwell and set it on fire. And the Wittmann crew, meanwhile, was pouring machine-gun fire on the British infantrymen and vehicles, which lost their distance and huddled together. The light tanks of the British 8th Regiment were attacked by four other "Tigers" of Wittmann's company, and soon more Allied tanks were set on fire. Wittmann broke the wedge of enemy troops and slowly advanced towards Villers-Bocage, while destroying several more tanks and armored vehicles of the enemy.

Hauptsturmführer Adolf Möbius from the 501st tank battalion arrived to help Wittmann and joined four Wittmanns with his eight "tigers", after which the SS tanks went straight to Villers-Bocage. Having burst into the city, the Germans entered into battle with British tanks, anti-tank units and infantrymen in its narrow streets. With bazooka shots from windows and doorways of houses, the British knocked out two "tigers" and damaged the rest, but during the battle they were completely dispersed. Wittmann's "tiger" was also put out of action, on which he drove into the city from the other side. Pursued by English infantrymen, Wittmann was able to join Möbius, was forced to leave his tank and headed north, where an SS training panzer division was still holding out. Wittmann and his crew had to make a ten-mile march before they got to the German lines.

Wittmann's counterattack halted the British breakthrough, and by nightfall Villers-Bocage was again in German hands. “By his decisive actions,” Dietrich wrote that night about Wittmann, “against the enemy far beyond his own positions, acting alone, on his own initiative, showing great personal courage, he destroyed most of the armored vehicles of the British 22nd Armored Brigade on his tank and saved the front of the I SS Panzer Corps from the imminent danger that threatened it." He presented Wittmann for the award of the Swords to the Knight's Cross.

Lieutenant General Fritz Beyerlein, commander of a tank training division, gave Wittmann exactly the same recommendation. Michael Wittmann received the award on 22 June and was promoted to the rank of SS-Hauptsturmführer a few days later. By June 14, 1944, he had destroyed 138 enemy tanks and 132 artillery pieces.

Despite the urgent advice of Rundstedt, von Kluge, Dietrich and others, Adolf Hitler refused to give permission for Army Group B to retreat from the barrage-carved fields of Normandy to positions beyond the Seine. Ultimately, the German troops on August 8 were dismembered and destroyed. On August 9, the Canadian II Corps, with air support from five hundred British heavy bombers and seven hundred aircraft of the USAF, destroyed the German 89th Infantry Division and broke through the German front. But the Allies, with some delay, activated their armored reserve - the 4th Canadian and 1st The "tanker" Kurt Meyer did not fail to take advantage of this hitch, realizing that the only correct course of action should be a counterattack by the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitler Youth", which would pin the allies before they could retreat south to the rear. After two months of continuous fighting, only 50 combat-ready tanks remained in the 12th SS division, including the company of Michael Wittmann, which the corps headquarters temporarily attached to Meyer. The young SS general divided his assault forces into two battle groups - under the command of Wittmann and SS Sturmbannführer Hans Waldmüller (58). - and made an immediate attack (58).

On the last day of his life, Captain Wittmann was in command of the Hitler Youth battle group, which recaptured Sintje and let off steam from the Allied advance.

The allies restored the balance with a counterattack on the ruined village, throwing six hundred tanks there, after a battle that lasted several hours, they were able to retake their previous position. But they did not have time to develop success, because the Germans brought up reinforcements.

When the "tanker" Meyer retreated under the onslaught of the 85th Infantry Division, the German front was no longer threatened with disintegration. However, Wittmann was no longer with him. He was last seen alive when he commanded the rear guard and his lone "Tiger" got involved in a furious battle with five "Shermans".

It was reported that he went missing that evening, as was believed for the next 43 years.

Born April 22, 1914 in Bavaria. From 1934 he served in the Wehrmacht, from 1936 - in the SS troops. Participated in operations against Poland, France, Greece. During the invasion of the USSR, he commanded a platoon of assault guns, participated in the Battle of Kursk.

Since the spring of 1944 - in Normandy. Here Wittmann became famous in the famous battle at Villers-Bocage on June 13, 1944, where both the skill of Wittmann and the technical superiority of the Tiger tank over the Allied vehicles were clearly manifested. He is on his own for 15 minutes.
"Tiger" No. 007 in the city of Villers-Bokkaj destroyed 11 tanks, 2 anti-tank guns and 13 armored personnel carriers, completely defeating the reconnaissance of the 7th armored division of the British, the so-called "desert rats", which brought a lot of trouble even to Rommel himself and which became famous back in Africa. Due to Wittmann's actions, the British breakthrough was eliminated.

Wittmann died on August 8, 1944 in a counterattack on Hill 122, near the city of St. Aignan de Cramesnil. The most common version of death is that a sub-caliber projectile from a 17-pound gun of an English Sherman Firefly tank hit the side of the Tiger, commanded by Wittmann, as a result of which the ammunition detonated instantly and the car exploded, destroying the entire crew. At the same time, the tank turret came off.

Participation in hostilities: Poland (1939), Balkans (1940/41), Eastern Front (1941-1944), Normandy (1944).

Account of destroyed enemy equipment: 141 tanks, 132 anti-tank guns. Most of them were destroyed on the Eastern Front.

Wittmann Tigers:

July 5, 1943 - Kursk, Tiger No. 1331, commander of the 3rd platoon, 13th company, 1st regiment of 1 LSSAH. The second part of the number "31" was indicated by smaller numbers.

November 1943 - Tiger No. S21. Used by Wittmann during the Soviet autumn offensive in 1943 (exact date unknown).

June 13, 1944 - Villers-Bocage (Normandy), Tiger No. 222. Wittmann switched to it at the last minute due to an engine failure on his Tiger No. 205.

Awards
Iron Cross (1939)
2nd class (July 12, 1941)
1st class (September 8, 1941)
Ring "Dead Head"
Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (1944)
Knight's Cross (14 January 1944)
380th, Oak Leaves (January 30, 1944)
71st, Swords (June 22, 1944)
badge "For the wound" black (1941)
badge "For a tank attack" in silver (1941)
Medal "For the winter campaign in the East 1941/42" (1942)
Commemorative medal (1938)
Commemorative medal of participation in the Anschluss (1938)
SS Long Service Award
Mentioned in "Wehrmachtbericht" (January 13, 1944)

Michael Wittmann - master of tank battles

“He was a fighter to the tips of his nails. He lived and died in battle...

SS Obergruppenführer Josef "Sepp" Dietrich after Wittmann's death.

Hauptsturmführer Michael Wittmann became the most successful and famous tank commander of the 2nd World War. Wittmann was born on April 22, 1914 in the town of Vogelthal, not far from Beilngries (Upper Palatinate). He was the son of a local farmer, Johann Wittmann. On February 1, 1934, Wittmann joined the Reichsarbeitdienst (RAD) - German Workers' Association, and served there for six months, until July 1934. On October 30, 1934, he was called up for military service (for 2 years) in the German army, in 19th Infantry Regiment. Witman completed his military service on September 30, 1936 with the rank of non-commissioned officer (Unteroffizier). A short time later, on April 5, 1937, Wittmann joined the 1st Assault Group of the 92nd Standard, elite divisions of the "SS" (Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler), and received the number SS 311623. At the end of 1937, Wittmann underwent driver training on SD. Kfz. 222 (lightly armored four-wheeled armored vehicle), and then to Sd. Kfz. 232 (heavy six-wheeled armored vehicle). He showed excellent results. After that, Wittmann entered the 17th company, which was a reconnaissance (Aufklarung) tank company in the LSSAH. In the summer of 1938, his unit was reorganized into a reconnaissance tank platoon. In September 1939, SS-Unterscharführer Michael Wittmann took part in the Polish campaign as commander of an Sd. Kfz. 232, which was part of the LSSAH intelligence unit.

Wittmann.

In October 1939, Wittmann was transferred to the 5th Panzerspahkompanie (reconnaissance (patrol) armored company Leibstandarte), stationed in Berlin (Lichterfelde), which was considered an "academy" of assault guns. In February 1940, Wittmann was assigned to the newly formed assault gun battery (SS-Sturm-Batterie) of the LSSAH. The new battery of self-propelled guns was armed with StuG. III Ausf. A. The reasons for the transfer to the new unit were a three-year service in the rank below an officer and experience in command of armored vehicles. At the same time, Wittmann became friends with Hannes Philipsen, Helmut Wendorff, Alfred Gunther and other colleagues at the new duty station. At the end of 1940, in the Balkans (Greece and Yugoslavia), Witmann's real tank career began. In Greece, Wittmann commanded a StuG platoon. III Ausf. A (as part of the LSSAH SS-Sturm-Batterie), where he served until mid-1941. On June 11, 1941, Witman, together with the LSSAH division, was sent to the east, where preparations were in full swing for an attack on the USSR (Plan Barbarossa), which began June 22. The LSSAH division was ordered to advance into the southern regions of the USSR. July 12, 1941, for the destruction of Soviet tanks, Witman received the Iron Cross of the 2nd degree. Some time later, Witman was wounded in action, but remained with his unit and received a wound medallion. On September 8, 1941, Witman received the Iron Cross, 1st class, which was followed, after the battles near Rostov, by the Tank Assault Medallion (for the destruction of 6 Soviet tanks in one battle). Wittmann was also introduced to the rank of Oberscharführer SS (Oberscharfuhrer SS). With his unit, Wittmann fought in the USSR until June 1942. On June 5, 1942, in connection with his outstanding services, Wittmann was accepted as a cadet for officer courses at the SS Junkerschule in Bad Tolz (Bavaria). On September 5, 1942, Wittmann left the officer school in Bad Tolz as a tank instructor (SS-Panzerausbildungs ​​und Ersatz-Abteilung).

In the autumn of 1942, the 1st Waffen-SS Motorized Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" was renamed the Panzer Grenadier Division. And the additional 13th company was armed with the PzKpfw VI Tiger. Training sessions began in Paderborn (Germany), and then continued in Ploermel "e (France). At the end of January 1943, the Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler was sent to the Eastern Front. The command of the 13th company was entrusted to SS Hauptsturmführer Heinz Kling.

On December 21, 1942, Wittmann was promoted to the rank of SS Untersturmführer, and on December 24 he was assigned to the 13th company of the Waffen-SS Panzer Grenadier Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler". Michael Wittmann was given command of a Panzer III Ausf L/M platoon in Tiger Company. The platoon had the task of providing rear lines for the Tigers and protecting them from infantry destroyers and other troubles. In the early spring of 1943, Wittmann was transferred to the Tigers and left his Pz. III from the support platoon. On July 5, 1943, Witman began his combat career on the Tigris during Operation Zitadelle (Kursk Bulge). LSSAH was located on the southern part of the salient front. On the first day of the battle, Wittmann destroyed 2 anti-tank guns and 13 T-34 tanks while rescuing Helmut Wendorff's platoon, which was in trouble. On July 7 and 8, Witman destroyed 2 T-34s, 2 SU-122s and 3 T-60s and T-70s. July 12 Witman destroyed 8 Soviet tanks, three anti-tank guns and one gun battery. This operation, including the battles for Kharkov and Kursk, ended on July 17, 1943. During this time, the Witman Tiger destroyed 30 Soviet tanks and 28 guns. On July 29, 1943, the 13th company was used in the formation of the 101st SS heavy tank regiment, which was included in the LSSAH. In August 1943, the LSSAH was transferred to Italy for rearmament and replenishment, as well as for use in the occupied territory.

In October 1943, the 1st SS Panzer Grenadier Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" was reorganized into the 1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler" ("LSSAH").

In the newly formed sSSPzAbt 101 (101st SS Heavy Tank Battalion), Wittmann (Tiger No. 1331) served with other tank aces such as Franz Staudegger (Tiger No. 1325), Helmut Wendorff (Helmut Wendorff, Tiger No. 1321) and Jurgen Brandt, Tiger No. 1334. The command of the unit was entrusted to SS Hauptsturmführer Heinz "u Kling" (Tiger No. 1301). In October 1943, after the start of the Soviet autumn offensive, the LSSAH was sent back to the Eastern Front (near Kyiv). Also in the fall, Wittmann changed his Tiger number 1331 to another one, number S21, and also received under his command the Tiger of Jürgen Brandt (No. S24). On October 13, 1943, the Wittmann Tiger destroyed 20 T-34 tanks, along with 23 infantry and anti-tank guns. In December, Witman took part in several battles and destroyed many Soviet tanks and guns. On January 13, 1944, Wittmann received the Knight's Cross for his outstanding services to Vaterland.

From July 1943 to early January 1944, he destroyed 56 enemy armored units, including T-34 tanks and heavy self-propelled guns. On January 8 and 9, 1944, Witman's platoon stopped and prevented an attempt to break through the Soviet tank brigade, destroying more than ten enemy armored units in this battle. On January 13, Witman destroyed 19 T-34 tanks and three heavy self-propelled guns. By this time, his personal account of the destroyed equipment is 88 tanks and self-propelled guns - German radio transmitted on January 13, 1944. On January 15-16, 1944, Wittmann's gunner, SS Rottenführer Balthasar (Bobby) Woll, received his Knight's Cross. He was an outstanding gunner, able to shoot accurately even on the move. On January 20, 1944, Wittmann was promoted to the rank of SS Obersturmführer. Two weeks later, on January 30, 1944, Wittmann received a telegram personally from Adolf Hitler with the following content: “In recognition of your heroic actions in the battles for the future of our people, I award you, as the 380th soldier of the German Wehrmacht, with Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross. Adolf Gitler". On February 2, 1944, Wittmann received the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross from Hitler's hands in his bunker "Fuhrerhauptquartier Wolfsschanze" (East Prussia).

By the time the photograph of the Witmann crew was taken, there were 88 white rings (victories) on the gun barrel of his Tiger. The photo was taken by the propaganda company (Propaganda Kompanie - PK) SS-Buschel. On February 28, 1944, Wittmann's unit, commanded by SS Hauptsturmführer Heinz Kling, consisted of five knights of the Knight's Cross. They were Untersturmführer SS Staudegger, Untersturmführer SS Wendorf, Rottenführer SS Woll, Obersturmführer SS Wittmann and Hauptsturmführer SS Kling. Wittmann was the only owner of the "Oak Leaves" to the Knight's Cross. Between February 29 and March 2, 1944, most of Wittmann's unit was transferred to the city of Mons, in Belgium. During the redeployment, Wittmann received under his command the 2nd company of sSSPzAbt 101 from the LSSAH. After Wittman left the Eastern Front, he said that Soviet anti-tank guns were harder and more desirable targets than Soviet tanks. On March 1, 1944, Wittmann married Hildegard Burmester, and his gunner Balthasar Wohl was a witness at the wedding. At the same time, Michael Wittmann became a national hero, and his portraits could be seen everywhere in Germany. The propaganda machine made him the hero of an entire nation. In April 1944, Wittmann visited the Henschel und Sohn factory in Kassel and spoke to the workers, thanking them for their tireless work on the production of the Tiger I tanks. During his visit, he saw the assembly line of the late Tiger I Ausf E. In May 1944, Wittmann returned to his unit - sSSPzAbt 101 as part of the LSSAH, which by that time was stationed in the area of ​​​​the city of Lisieux, in Normandy (France). At the same time, his gunner, Bobby Woll (Iron Cross 1st and 2nd Class and Knight's Cross), received his own Tiger under his command. He took part in the fighting in Normandy, where he was wounded (as a result of an air raid) and remained in the hospital until March 1945. After that, he returned to the unit and took part in the last battles on the Western Front. Wol survived the war and became an electrician in peacetime. He died very recently, in 1996.

The LSSAH was part of the tank reserve, which also included the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" and the Panzer Lehr Division. Around this time, the command of the sSSPzAbt 101 unit was entrusted to Heinz "y von Westernhagen" (Tiger No. 007), and the first company came under the command of Hauptsturmführer Mobius (Mobius). June 6, 1944 (D-Day, Allied landings in Normandy) Wittmann received a new late version Tiger number 205. From June 6 to 12, 1944, sSSPzAbt 101 was redeployed to Normandy to repel the offensive of the Allied landings. During the redeployment, due to air raids by allied aviation, the 2nd company of Witman was reduced to six Tigers. Wittmann's 2nd company, along with the Panzer Lehr Division and the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend", became part of the Heeresgruppe under the command of Erwin Rommel. On June 13, the battle began near the city of Bayeux. At this time Wittmann's 2nd company was at Villers-Bocage, south of Tilly-sur-Seulles (near Caen). On June 13, Wittmann's company completely destroyed the 4th Panzer Regiment County of London Yeomanry, following road No. 175 to Villers-Bocage, on Hill No. 213.

Wittmann at Villers-Bocage On June 13, 1944, early in the morning, having bypassed individual isolated enemy tanks, the lead regiments of the British 7th Armored Division (the famous "Desert Rats" ("Desert Rats") moved along a winding highway lined with tall chestnut trees, and entered Villers-Bocage, where they were greeted with joy by the locals. At about 0900, some crews got out of their vehicles, and the commander of the 4th battalion of the 22nd armored brigade, Lieutenant Colonel Lord Cranley, who arrived with a Cromwell tank company, reconnaissance vehicles and a motorized infantry company from an infantry brigade, decided to examine the path to Caen - the road going along the edge of the woods, and his designated final object, Hill No. 213. On that day, Montgomery transmitted the following telegram to his chief of staff, de Gigand, at his main command post in England:

“In this way, the pincers with which I hope to capture Caen are taking the desired shape, and therefore there is a clear possibility that it will not be so easy for enemy divisions to wriggle out of these pincers ...” (a very presumptuous statement, especially , in the light of subsequent events). However, Nemesis had already lifted her hand over the hopes of the British associated with the mastery of Villers-Bocage. This hand of Nemesis is in the form of a single German Tiger, under the command of SS Hauptsturmführer Michael Wittmann, commander of the 2nd company of the 501st SS heavy tank battalion, consisting of 5 tanks. On June 7, his company left Beauvais and, having been badly hit by air raids near Versailles on June 8, began to move only after dark to reach their assigned location by June 12. They were going to devote the day of June 13 to the repair and preventive maintenance of their tanks and weapons. June 13 In 1944, a week after the Allied landings in Normandy, Wittmann's company was on Hill 213 (near Villers-Bocage). in this 4 Tigers and 1 - Panzer IV. The company was preparing for battle: Wittman had orders to stop the advance of the guards, not let them into the city and not let them outflank the German positions. orogu on Caen. Wittmann's company at that time consisted of his commander's Tiger No. 205, Tiger No. 234 Unterscharführer SS Stief "a, Tiger No. 222 Sowa, Tiger No. 223 Oberscharführer SS Brandt" and Tiger No. 233 Lotzsch "a. The latter had damage to the track. Wittman stood in the turret of his tank and watched intently as the English column of tanks in Villers-Bocage calmly went about their business.

"They act like they've already won the war," gunner Woll (SS Rottenführer Bobby Woll) grumbled. “Now we will show them that they are wrong,” Wittman replied. At this time (at about 8.00 am) he noticed a column of English armor moving along the road near Villers-Bocage at a distance of 150 - 200 m from his position. Wittmann did not know the combat situation that morning, he only vaguely imagined the general state of affairs on this sector of the front. Fascinated, he looked at the colossal column of Cromwells and Shermans, moving freely in company with Bren self-propelled guns along the national road towards Caen. It was a full armored regiment of the British - the famous "Desert Rats". Wittmann's position was disguised, he contacted the headquarters by radio, reported the situation and requested reinforcements. But Wittman would not have been Witman if he had remained passively watching the development of the situation. He decided to attack: alone, one tank against an entire English armored brigade. He knew that under normal conditions he had no chance against such an armada of steel. By all the laws of military science and a simple comparison of forces, Wittmann's attack appears to be pure suicide. Wittman viewed the English column from his vantage point, about 150 meters from Hill 213.

Michael Wittmann said after the fight:

“Yes, I must say that the decision to attack was very, very difficult. Never before have I been so impressed by the strength of the enemy as when I looked at the moving tanks on the road to Caen. Still, I decided to attack."

Wittmann fired up his Tiger No. 205, which was camouflaged in a bend in the road, but discovered a problem with the engine. He quickly moved to Tiger No. 222 Kurt "and Sowa, ordered the rest to hold their positions, and he started the engine and led the Tiger to meet with the English column to start one of the most productive fights that he had a chance to fight in the entire war. After waiting until the distance between his Tiger and the column will not be reduced to 100 meters, Wittmann destroyed the first two tanks and one at the tail of the column, thereby blocking and eliminating the rest of the retreat. Wittmann moved his Tiger closer to the rear half of the British column and, under the cover of low trees, destroyed every British vehicle that appeared in his line of sight. The British panicked. Attacking stationary targets, he sent shell after shell at tanks and armored vehicles almost point-blank closest distances, and at the end rammed another Cromwell, knocking him on his side, as he blocked his entry to the main avenue Villers-Bocage.

During these 20 minutes, Wittmann destroyed 21 Cromwell, Sherman and Firefly tanks, as well as 28 units of other armored vehicles (14 half-tracked transporters and 14 Bren self-propelled guns) of the 4th County of London Yeomanry Regiment ("Sharpshooters") from the 22nd Armored Brigade 7 British 1st Armored Division. After which Wittmann retreated without any damage.

In the meantime, the remaining 3 Tigers and Pz IVs were covering fire from height No. 213, and eight more German tanks (from the 1st company) entered the Villers-Bocage to knock out other British tank units from it. Wittmann also directed his Tiger towards the city center. There he destroyed three more tanks of the headquarters group of the 4th regiment of the 22nd armored brigade; the fourth tank remained unharmed, as the driver reversed it into the garden, unable to open fire on the Tiger due to the fact that the gunner remained outside the vehicle. The commander of Sherman "a from B Company, 30-year-old Londoner Sergeant Stan Lockwood, having heard the shooting that had begun nearby, directed the tank around the building. Ahead, about 200 meters, the Wittmann Tiger, facing him with the side, fired along the street. Gunner Lockwood's tank fired four 17-pounder shells at the Tiger, one of which ruptured one of the "tracks" of the tank: the Wittmann Tiger was immobilized. Two more Tigers were knocked out by the British infantry, with the help of PIAT rockets. The return fire of the Wittmann Tiger did not take long wait: he brought down half the building on Sherman and completely filled it up. Wittmann continued to fire, destroying everything within range, although contact with the company had already been lost. He also managed to destroy the last Cromwell of the 4th Regimental Headquarters Group. The commander of this tank, Captain Pat Dice, got out of the tank with the help of a local French girl, who helped him get to another tank of B Company, from which he reported by radio to his commander, Lieutenant Colonel Cranly, about the catastrophic events that had happened at Villers-Bocage. In response, the lieutenant colonel said that he was already aware of this critical situation and that at that moment he himself, together with the tanks of A Company, was repulsing the attack of other Tigers. This was the last radio call with Dies. Soon he was taken prisoner along with other English soldiers and officers from the column, defeated east of the town. In the end, Wittmann's crew had to abandon the car, which was not hit (except for damage to the track). Wittmann believed that he would return to the city for his Tiger. Returning to his position, Wittmann got into his Tiger (No. 205), replenished his ammunition, refueled and joined the other four Tigers and the German infantry in a timely manner. They fell on the surviving British troops in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bHill No. 213. In the afternoon, Wittmann, as expected, returned to Villers-Bocage, along with the forward elements of the 2nd Panzer Division, which was approaching the combat area. However, this time the British were already prepared to meet them. And yet, by the evening, Villers-Bocage was in the hands of the Germans. The British lost 25 tanks, 14 half-tracks, 14 Brens and hundreds of soldiers. The capture of the village by the German 501st tank battalion cost the loss of 6 precious Tigers, but the British were still very cautious in their attacks on Villers-Bocage for many weeks later. The English advance on Villers-Bocage and Caen was stopped by Wittmann's bold attack. Wittmann's main achievement in this battle is that he was opposed by the English elite tank guards - the famous "Desert Rats" ("Desert Rats"). The results of the collision with Wittmann were deplorable for them.

Awarding with Swords to the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

On June 22, 1944, after a successful operation at Villers-Bocage, Wittmann received the "Swords" to his Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, after being presented personally by the LSSAH commander, SS Obergrupenführer and Waffen SS Panzergeneral Josef Dietrich. The ceremony took place on June 25, 1944, and Hitler personally attached the swords to Wittmann's uniform. After that, Wittmann became the most honored German tanker of the Second World War.

“By his decisive actions against the enemy far beyond his own positions, acting alone, on his own initiative, showing great personal courage, he destroyed most of the armored vehicles of the British 22nd Armored Brigade on his tank and saved the front of the 1st SS Panzer Corps from the menacing him in imminent danger."

SS Obergruppenführer Joseph Dietrich
(From the presentation to the awarding of Wittmann with the Swords to the Knight's Cross)

At the same time, he also received the rank of SS-Hauptsturmführer. Wittmann was offered a position as an instructor at a training school, but he refused and, on July 6, 1944, returned to the front in Normandy, where he took part in the Battle of Caen (June 3-10). Throughout July, Wittmann fought near Caen. At the same time, he received a new Tiger, number 007. In early August, Wittmann, along with his sSSPzAbt 101 unit, was transferred to the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe city of Cintheaux. At this time, the Germans tried to recapture Caen, which was completely destroyed due to the ongoing fighting. On August 8, 1944, a new battle began at Cintheaux. This was Wittmann's last battle. At 12:55 (according to the report of SS Hauptscharführer Hoflinger "a (Tiger No. 213, which was behind the right of the Wittmann Tiger)) in a field next to the Caen-Cintheaux road, the Wittmann Tiger was destroyed and his entire crew died. After the battle, the remains of Wittmann and his of the crew were buried unmarked next to what was left of their Tiger.Until 1983, the destruction of the Wittmann Tiger was a mystery even to his colleagues in sSSPzAbt 101. Many sources claimed that the Wittmann Tiger was destroyed by Firefly tanks from an ambush, but too many military units take credit for this merit, including the 1st Polish Armored Division, the 4th Canadian Armored Division (Canadian Sherman's supposedly surrounded the Wittmann Tiger and blew it to pieces) or the 33rd English independent armored brigade. In the memoirs of a former employee, Mr. F.R from sSSPzAbt 101, it is indicated that the official version at that time was that the Wittmann Tiger was destroyed by an aerial bomb. To prove this version, two photographs of the Tiger without a turret with a gun barrel lying on the hull were presented. In fact, it turned out that both photographs depict the Tiger of SS Untersturmführer Alfred Gunther, which was indeed destroyed by an air bomb near the town of Evrecy. In addition, there were also such units of the allies who attributed the destruction of the Wittmann Tiger to themselves, although at that moment these units were not even close to the battlefield. Both main versions of the death of the Wittmann Tiger were refuted in 1945 by Serge "m Varin", who found the remains of Tiger No. 007. Varin became interested in this tank, since its turret was torn off and lay to the side of the hull. Varin examined the Wittmann Tiger and found that he had not received any holes during the battle. The only damage was a large hole in the back of the hull, next to the engine. Upon further examination, Varin concluded that the damage had been inflicted from the air. The missile hit the rear wall of the hull (armor thickness - 25 mm), pierced the air intakes and exploded. This caused an explosion in the engine compartment and in the fighting compartment, where the ammunition detonated. The explosion of detonated shells destroyed the crew and blew off the turret. The Wittmann Tiger was destroyed by a missile launched from a Royal Air Force ground attack aircraft, a Hawker "Typhoon" MkIB. "Typhoons" were armed with HE (High-explosive) missiles and inflicted heavy losses on German tanks during the battles in Normandy (for example, on August 8, 1944, "Typhoons" destroyed 135 German tanks, among which was Wittmann's Tiger No. 007). Michael Wittmann and his crew died on August 8, 1944 in the town of Gaumesnil near Cintheaux. In 1983, the unmarked burial of the crew of Tiger #007 was found during road construction and exhumed. According to the records of the dentist's card, the remains of Michael Wittmann and his driver Heinrich Reimers were identified. After that, Wittmann and his crew were officially reburied at the German military cemetery "De La Cambe" in Normandy (France). The cemetery is located at National Road 13 (Rue Nationale 13) between the cities of Isigny-sur-Mer and Bayeux. Michael Wittmann is buried in square no. 47, row no. 3, grave no. 120 ("De La Cambe" cemetery). The last location of the Wittmann Tiger and the reasons for his death are fully confirmed today.

On August 8, 1944, the crew of Tiger No. 007 from the 2nd company of schwere SS-Panzer Abteilungen 101 as part of the LSSAH were:

Navigator SS Rudolf "Rudi" Hirschel (radio operator) 01/03/1924 - 08/08/1944 (20 years old)
Unterscharführer SS Henrich Reimers (driver) 05/11/1924 - 08/08/1944 (20 years old)
SS Unterscharführer Karl Wagner (gunner) 05/31/1920 - 08/08/1944 (aged 24)
Navigator SS Gunther Weber (loader) 12/21/1924 - 08/08/1944 (20 years old)
SS Hauptsturmführer Michael Wittmann (commander) 04/22/1914 - 08/08/1944 (aged 30)

Wittmann.

Wittmann ended his career as commander of the 2nd company of the schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung 101 (from the 1st SS Panzer Division "LSSAH"). SS Hauptsturmführer Michael Wittmann is recognized as the most outstanding tank ace of the Second World War. His friends said that he was a very calm person, even in difficult combat situations, and he had a sixth sense that helped him know where and how to destroy the enemy. Wittmann had an excellent crew that could intuitively predict his next order. The authorities highly appreciated and admired Wittmann, paying tribute to his merits. Wittmann became a real hero who selflessly fought for the Vaterland, despite the approaching bitter end of the existing Germany. Wittmann's personal courage is undeniable and his place in military history is well deserved.

Based on materials from the site http://tankfront.ru

The famous SS man, tank ace, who crushed the lands of France, Poland, Greece, the Soviet Union (Kursk Bulge) with caterpillars, served the Wehrmacht until 1936, after - until his death - in the SS. He ended up in the USSR as a platoon commander. In the spring of 1944, he was transferred to Normandy, where he showed that he was significantly superior to all the vehicles used by our allies. His name is included in all military encyclopedias - this is Michael Wittmann.

Tank ace

He covered himself with special glory near the town of Villers-Bocage, where a demonstration battle was given: in fifteen minutes, Michael Wittmann disabled 11 tanks, 13 armored personnel carriers and 2 anti-tank guns. Thus, he almost completely destroyed the intelligence of the British, not just intelligence, but also very glorious since the time of the African campaign, the very one that was called "desert rats". As a result of the actions of one "Tiger", the breakthrough of the British army ceased to exist.

St. Aignan de Cramesnil - a town in Normandy, where in 1944 the brave soldier of the SS group of troops Michael Wittmann laid down his head. The tank, in which the German ace was located, was destroyed by a direct hit: the ammunition detonated, the tower was torn off. Everyone in the tank was simply smeared.

During the period of hostilities, Michael Wittmann, a master of tank battles, personally destroyed 132 anti-tank guns and 141 tanks. Most of the personal account of this ace is recorded on the Eastern Front.

short biography

The most productive tank commander of the Second World War - Michael Wittmann - was born in April 1914 in the family of a farmer from the Upper Palatinate. At the age of twenty, he joined the Workers' Association (RAD - Reichsarbeitdienst), where he served for six months, after which he was called up for military service in the German army.

In 1936, Michael Wittmann ended his service as a non-commissioned officer, and already at the beginning of 1937 he became an SS man under the number SS 311623. Here he began to train to drive an armored car, in which he showed excellent results.

Poland, Greece and other Europe

The Poles in 1939 had an army, if inferior to the Wehrmacht, then quite a bit. Nevertheless, the German campaign in Poland answered all the signs of a blitzkrieg. In September of this year, Michael Wittmann, the newly minted SS Unterscharführer, as part of a reconnaissance unit in an armored Sd. Kfz. 232 with constant triumph went through the territory of a neighboring state.

Already in October 1939, Wittmann went up the corporate ladder. First, he was transferred to the fifth reconnaissance armored company in Berlin, where there was a kind of "training" for assault guns, then to a newly-made battery of self-propelled assault guns. Here he met and made friends with the future aces, whom he would later overtake and overtake: these are Hans Philipsen, Helmut Wendorff, Alfred Günther and some others.

Path to the tank

The real tank career of Michael Wittmann began. At the end of 1940, in Greece and Yugoslavia, Michael Wittmann was already in command of a platoon of StuG self-propelled guns. III Ausf. A, where he stayed until June 1941. Already on June 11, the LSSAH division, where he served, withdrew from positions and went east, where the Barbarossa plan was awaiting implementation. At first, Michael Wittmann fought in the southern regions of the USSR.

For the destruction of Soviet tanks on July 12, 1941, Witman had already received the Iron Cross of the II degree, was slightly wounded, but remained in the ranks, and on September 8 he received the same award of the I degree. The battles near Rostov brought him the Tank Assault Medallion (for 6 tanks destroyed in one battle at the same time) and the title of Oberscharführer. So he fought until June 1942, after which he entered the cadets for officer courses in Bavaria for outstanding services. In September 1942 he graduated from there as a tank instructor.

Tank of the Grenadier Division

After redeployment and reorganization in the spring of 1943, Michael Wittmann began his combat career already on the "Tiger", which ironed the heights on the southern ledge of the front. On the very first day, Wittmann managed to disable 13 T-34 tanks and 2 anti-tank guns. At the same time, he helped to survive the platoon of Helmut Wendorf, who got into big trouble. For all the time of the battles for Kursk and Kharkov, at the end of the operation until July 17, 1943, Witman's "iron tiger" destroyed 28 Soviet guns and 30 tanks.

In August, the division was transferred to Italy for replenishment and rearmament, from where it was also used to control the occupied territories. In the newly formed SS heavy tank battalion, Michael Wittmann served with such legendary killers as tank ace Franz Staudeger, Helmut Wendorf, Jurgen Brandt. This unit was commanded by SS-Hauptsturmführer Geiz Kling on the "Tiger" under the number 1301.

Autumn offensive of the Red Army in 1943

The German invaders with bloody battles retreated from Soviet soil. The tank battalion, where Michael Wittmann served, was sent again to the Eastern Front - near Kyiv. Replacing his "Tiger" with a younger beast, in just one day on October 13, Wittmann shot 20 T-34 tanks and 23 anti-tank guns. In January he received a knight's cross from his native Fatherland.

In early January, Soviet troops planned a breakthrough for a tank brigade, but Wittmann's Tiger stood in the way of the breakthrough. By January 13, as the German radio joyfully reported, Wittmann's personal account for destroyed equipment amounted to 88 units of tanks and self-propelled guns. Wittmann's gunner Balthasar Woll also received his knight's cross, as he was able to hit a moving target even on the go. Then Wittmann became an SS Obersturmführer. Personally, Adolf Hitler congratulated the tank ace, thanked him for his heroic actions and awarded him the Oak Leaves to the knight's badge. Below you can see: at the head of the crew - Michael Wittmann. The photo shows his "Tiger", on the gun barrel of which 88 rings are drawn, denoting victories.

Division of the Knights

At the end of February, the unit had five Cavaliers Staudegger, Wendorff, Woll, Kling and Wittmann. But only the latter had a reason for special pride - oak leaves for this cross. And in early March, all these knights left the Eastern Front. Michael Wittmann, whose quotes were now collected, said that Soviet tanks were easy prey, Soviet anti-tank guns were harder to take.

On March 1, 1944, Wittmann married a girl named Hildegard Burmester, and tank knight Balthazar Woll, his gunner, was present at the wedding as a witness. By this time, Michael Wittmann, SS Hauptsturmführer, had become a national hero, his portrait could be seen literally in every home. The propaganda machine has done its job. By the way, gunner Voll survived the war, fought until the last day. Died in 1996.

Towards the main triumph

In April 1944, Wittmann visited the Henschel plant in Kassel, talked with the workers, praised the "Tigers", which were made by their own hands, thanked them for their work, examined the new versions of these tanks. When the hero of Germany Michael Wittmann said anything, his statements were scrupulously recorded.

In May 1944, Wittmann returned to the unit - not to the Eastern Front, but to France, to the Norman town of Ligier, and on June 6, the allies of the USSR landed in Normandy. Wittmann received a brand new "Tiger" of the latest version. During the redeployment, air raids by allied aviation greatly thinned out the orderly ranks of German tanks. There were only six "Tigers" left in Wittmann's company. Nevertheless, on June 13, the remnants of this company completely destroyed the entire 4th tank regiment of the British. It was so.

The British have not yet won the war

The British entered the town of Villers-Bocage early in the morning. The head regiments of the "Desert Rats" (7th British Armored Division), having met with the locals delighted at their arrival, got out of the tanks and slightly relaxed. Or not even slightly, considering what happened next. At this time, the 4th Battalion, with a tank company of Cromwells, reconnaissance and motorized infantry, decided to move on to survey and clear the way to Caen if they had to. Montgomery was transmitting at that very time to the chief of staff de Gigand a telegram about how well he was able to capture the enemy in pincers.

And again, at the same time, from a high-rise nearby, Michael Wittmann was watching the whole picture from the tower of his camouflaged Tiger, and Koll was checking the readiness of the guidance system, grumbling that the British were behaving as if they were already won the whole war. Wittmann had 5 tanks: 4 "Tigers", one of which was with a damaged track, one "Panther". Against a myriad of tanks of the entire British army. Nevertheless, everyone was preparing for battle in order to prevent the British from outflanking the German troops.

"They're Wrong"

It was with this phrase that Michael Wittmann, SS Hauptsturmführer (this time there was no one to write down quotes), answered Koll's grumbling. A column of tanks of British intelligence at that time had already approached the height occupied by Witton by 200 meters. The Desert Panthers rode quietly along the winding highway, and the tall, beautiful trees growing on both sides of the road pleased their eyes. Well, the review was closed, of course, almost completely.

Witton did not know the situation on this sector of the front at that moment, he himself made his way here from Paris only at night, but still seriously suffered from the raids of English air aces. Nevertheless, he calmly counted in this approaching colossal caterpillar of all the Cromwells, Shermans, Brens - a full armored regiment. Reinforcement by radio had already been requested, there were two options left: wait or attack. The second is pure suicide.

The choice is made

Wittmann could not start his tank, so he moved into the car of a subordinate, told what to do to the others in the position, and led the "Tiger" towards the enemy. Shortening the distance to a hundred meters, he knocked out the two leading British tanks, then the last tank in the column, blocking the rest on the narrow space of the road lined with trees, which Wittmann's tank both protected and hid. Going to the tail of the column, Wittmann shot at point-blank range every British car that appeared in the line of sight. A couple of "Cromwells" simply rammed so as not to interfere with progress.

After 20 minutes, almost everything was over with the British 7th Armored Division. Completely out of order: 21 tanks, 28 vehicles of other armored vehicles, 14 self-propelled guns and 14 half-tracked armored personnel carriers. After that, Wittmann retreated slightly. Without the slightest damage. The four tanks remaining on the high-rise covered the commander. In the meantime, reinforcements also arrived - 8 more tanks from the first company entered Villers-Bocage from the other side in order to drive other British units out of the town.

Here are the promised "pincers"

Wittmann interrupted his retreat and rushed to the city center. There, three of the four English tanks that got in the way, he knocked out, and the fourth disappeared behind the wall of the garden. He could not shoot: his gunner did not have time to return to his post. Relaxed the British, indeed, to the fullest. But there was also a fifth "Sherman" that crept around the building and fired four shots at Wittmann's car almost at point blank range, and the "Tiger" at that moment opened its side for the enemy tank. One shell hit, breaking the "caterpillar" of Wittmann's tank.

Wittmann, of course, immediately answered: half of the building collapsed on the Sherman and completely filled it up. And continued to fire. The last "Cromwell", which is without a gunner, was also found and smashed. The immobilized tank was bitterly abandoned by Wittmann. He returned to the high-rise, nevertheless started his "Tiger", refueled and managed to join the approaching reinforcements, in the ranks of which he again fell upon what was left of the English division. For this daring, Hitler also awarded Wittmann with "Swords" to the "Oak Leaves" to the Knight's Cross. Thus, there was no more deserved tanker than Witton in the German army. However, the next big British military operation in the west ended in failure. At the beginning of August 1944, the tank, in which the entire crew of Michael Wittmann was located, also died.

Michael Wittmann - the legendary German tanker of the Second World War. He died in the rank of SS-Hauptsturmführer (Captain). Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords.

Michael Wittmann: biography

Born 04/22/1914 in Vogeltal, Bavaria. The family of Michael Wittmann - father Johann and mother Ursula - was engaged in farming and trade. 02/01/1934 he joined the paramilitarist Imperial Labor Service, where he worked for six months. On October 30 of the same year, he volunteered for the German army. On September 30, 1936, he completed his service with the rank of non-commissioned officer. In October 1936, he joined the SS, and on April 5, 1937, Wittmann was assigned to the LSSAH unit - the first Panzer Division "SS Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler". Later that year, he trained on a four-wheeled Sd.Kfz.222 armored vehicle, and then on a six-wheeled Sd.Kfz.232. After that, Wittmann was assigned to the LSSAH tank reconnaissance company.

The beginning of the war

In September 1939, SS-Unterscharführer Wittmann was the commander of a reconnaissance unit that took part in the invasion of Poland. This did not last long, because already in October he began training in the SS assault battery LSSAH on the Sturmgeschutz Ausf A armored assault artillery self-propelled gun. Wittmann's tank career began in the autumn of 1940 in Yugoslavia and Greece. There he acquired his own team - a platoon of assault guns Sturmgeschutz III Ausf. BUT.

On the Eastern Front

06/11/1941 Wittmann went east with the LSSAH to prepare for Operation Barbarossa, which began on 22 June. In July, for the destruction of 6 Soviet tanks, Michael was awarded the Iron Cross II class. When he was wounded, he refused to leave his unit. On September 8 of the same year, for the destruction of six more combat vehicles in the battle near Rostov, he received the Iron Cross, 1st class. He was awarded the title of SS Oberscharführer. Thanks to his success in June 1942, Wittmann received officer training. On September 5 of the same year, he completed his training and became an instructor. In the fall of 1942, the LSSAH was reorganized into a Panzergrenadier Division. The 13th company was added to it, consisting of heavy Pzkpfw VI "Tiger". On December 21, Wittmann was promoted to the rank of SS-Untersturmführer and appointed its commander, having received a Pzkpfw III medium tank at his disposal. After the LSSAH exercises in January 1943, she was sent to the Eastern Front. In the spring, Michael finally moved to his own "Tiger".

Operation Citadel

07/05/1943 during Operation Citadel, Wittmann destroyed 13 T-34s and 2 anti-tank guns. A few days later, on July 7 and 8, he shot down 7 more Soviet armored fighting vehicles (three T-60/70s, two SU-122s, two T-34s). On July 12, he disabled 8 enemy tanks, 3 anti-tank guns and an artillery battery. On July 17, when the operation came to an end, Michael's result was 30 tanks and 28 guns. On 07/29/1943, the company was reformed to become the 101st SS Heavy Assault Tank Battalion of the LSSAH. In October, the Panzergrenadier Division was reorganized into the 1st Panzer Division of the LSSAH. In the same month, the division was again sent to the USSR. By October 13, the SS-Untersturmführer had destroyed 20 T-34s and 23 guns.

01/13/44 Michael Wittmann was awarded the Knight's Cross. According to the data announced then by radio, the total result of the ace was 88 destroyed tanks and self-propelled guns. A few days later, his gunner SS-Rottenführer Balthazar Woll was awarded the Iron Cross First Class for his great marksmanship while on the move. On January 20, 1944, Wittmann was promoted to the rank of SS-Obersturmführer. Two weeks later, on January 30, he received a telegram from Hitler informing him that he had become the 380th German soldier to be awarded the Oak Leaves to the Knight's Cross. On February 20, he personally accepted the award from Hitler at the Fuhrer's main headquarters "Wolf's Lair".

national hero

Until 03/02/44, most of the LSSAH units were relocated to Mons, Belgium. At the same time, Michael Wittmann was appointed commander of the 2nd company. On March 2, he married Hildegard Burmester, whom he had met a year earlier. His witness was gunner Bobby Woll. Meanwhile, German propaganda made Wittmann a national hero. In April, he visited the Henschel & Son plant in Kassel, which produced the Tiger I. Here he was shown the latest Ausf. E. In May, Wittmann returned to the location of the 101st Panzer Battalion near Lisieux in Normandy. Around the same time, Bobby Woll, his trusty gunner, was given the Tiger I in his own command. He fought in Normandy and was wounded near Bayeux during a fighter-bomber raid. Woll fought in the Battle of the Bulge in late 1944 and died in 1996.

During the Allied landings on 06/06/44, the 101st SS Panzer Battalion was in reserve as part of the Leer division. The battalion was under the command of Heinz von Westernhagen. The commander of the 1st company was Hauptsturmführer Rolf Mobius, the 2nd - Obersturmführer Michael Wittmann and the 3rd - Obersturmführer Hanno Raasch. On June 6, Michael received a brand new "Tiger", on which he went to the front line. During the deployment, six of the twelve tanks under his command were lost. This was due to the actions of Allied fighter-bombers and a technical malfunction of the equipment. On June 12, the unit stopped for the night northeast of Villers-Bocage. And the next day, Wittmann wrote his name forever in the history books.

The legendary battle at Villers-Bocage

06/13/44, a week after the Allied landing, having moved from the city of Beauvais under constant air attacks, the 2nd company, consisting of six "Tigers", was located in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe 213th height in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe commune of Villers-Bocage. She was ordered to stop the advance of the 22nd Tank Brigade of the British 7th Armored Division (the famous "Desert Rats"), advancing through the town, bypassing the German defense line towards the road to Caen. Wittmann's company, hidden by vegetation, noticed an enemy column passing by at a distance of 200 meters.

At about 8 a.m., the commander attacked the British column on the main road, while the remaining 4 Tigers (one was out of action) operated from the 213th height. Wittmann destroyed the Sherman Firefly and Cromwell IV and headed south to attack the rest of the column. Having knocked out eight half-tracks, four universal transporters and 2 anti-tank guns, he reached the intersection with the road at Tilly-sur-Selle. Here he destroyed 3 "Stuarts" from the reconnaissance unit and went to the outskirts of Villers-Bocage. In the city of "Tiger" Michael Wittmann knocked out 4 "Cromwell IV" and one half-tracked vehicle and turned onto Pasteur Street. Following it, he destroyed the Cromwell IV and Sherman and reached the main road. At the end of Pasteur Street, Wittmann's Tiger was hit by a Sherman Firefly, and the commander decided to turn back, as he drove too far and was in a built-up area without infantry support.

Unequal battle

Turning towards Kahn, he wanted to join his company. On the way back, Wittmann's Tiger was attacked by another Cromwell IV, which was also destroyed. Back at Tilly Crossing, British soldiers from the 1st Rifle Brigade opened fire on a German tank with their 6-pounder anti-tank guns, immobilizing it. Wittmann and his crew managed to escape - they got on foot to the positions of the Leer division, 7 km from Arbois. The rest of the "Tigers" of his company at Hill 213 neutralized the rest of the squadron of the 4th London Yeomen district, including 5 tanks "Cromwell IV" and "Sherman Firefly", capturing 30 people. In this short period of time, Wittmann's unit destroyed 4 Sherman Fireflies, 20 Cromwells, 3 Stuarts, 3 M4 Shermans, 14 half-tracks, 16 Bren universal transporters and 2 6-pounder anti-tank guns. The attack of the 2nd company was followed by another - "Tigers" of Hauptsturmführer Rolf Mobius and PzKmpfw IV, but it was repulsed by anti-tank guns of the 22nd tank brigade. The next day, the British withdrew from the city, surrendering it to the Germans, who occupied it for another two months. The British advance on Villers-Bocage and Caen was frozen by Wittmann's attack and the German army's subsequent actions.

Michael Wittmann - Hauptsturmführer

After the success at Villers-Bocage on 06/22/44, Wittmann's Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves was supplemented with Swords (on the proposal of the commander of the Leer Panzer Division, Lieutenant General Fritz Bayerlein) from the hands of SS Obergruppenführer and SS General of the Army Josef Dietrich, commander of the LSSAH. On June 25, the solemn ceremony was repeated when he received the same swords from Hitler (photo of Michael Wittmann during the award is given in the article). Thus, he became the most titled tanker of World War II. He was also awarded the title of SS Hauptsturmführer.

Michael Wittmann was appointed to the position of instructor, but instead of teaching, he chose the front and returned to Normandy. In July 1944 he fought in the Battle of Caen. In early August, Michael, as a unit commander, received a new "Tiger I", on which he was on August 8 in the Sento area. At 12:55 Wittmann's tank was knocked out in a field along the Can Cento road near Gomesnil. The explosion completely separated the turret from the hull, and all crew members were killed. After the battle, the corpses were buried in a pit next to the remains of the "Tiger" with the number 007. In March 1983, during roadworks on the N158 highway, human remains were found. After their study, it was concluded that they belonged to Wittmann and his crew.

Versions of death

For many years it was unknown where Wittmann's body was buried. The reasons for the destruction of his tank were also unknown. One of the assumptions was the destruction of the Tiger by a fighter-bomber. After investigating Serge Varin, who found #007, he came to the conclusion that he was hit by a missile fired from the Typhoon. He found no shrapnel marks, only one large hole in the thin 25mm engine cover. August 8 "Typhoons" put out of action 135 German tanks. But there were other units that claimed the elimination of No. 007, such as the 4th Canadian and 1st Polish armored divisions.

Today, it is generally accepted that Michael Wittmann and the crew were killed by a Sherman Firefly from 3rd Troop A Squadron of the Northamptonshire Yeomanry. This tank, Velikie Luki, under the command of Sergeant Gordon, moved with other Fireflies and met with three Tigers. Shooting began, and all three German vehicles were destroyed in a few minutes. The first of them was hit at 12:40, and the second, although it returned fire, was destroyed at 12:47. The third Tiger, probably #007, was disabled by two rounds fired by Joe Akins from Sergeant Gordon's tank. So it is written in the official journal of the squadron A.

Burial place

After the remains of Wittmann and his crew were found, they were transferred to the German military cemetery at La Cambe, where they attract many visitors. Unfortunately, there are people who believe that fascist symbols should be brought to the grave. Wittmann was a fanatical SS man and fought for a rotten regime. But because of this, one should not forget about his heroism. He was very popular among his comrades and sometimes, during the fighting on the Eastern Front, his human side also showed up. For example, Michael Wittmann rescued Russian tankers who had jumped out of a T-34 he had shot down from fire and handed them over to military doctors. But he was a cold-blooded soldier whom nothing could stop, which led to his death. The German cemetery at La Cambe can be found on the N13 between Bayeux and Carentan. Wittmann and his crew are buried in the 3rd row of lot 47, in the 120th grave.

In total, Michael Wittmann, a tanker, by 08/08/44 destroyed 141 armored fighting vehicles and 132 anti-tank guns. Most of his victories were made on the Eastern Front.