9 Panzer Division 1940-1943

Introduction

The purpose of this publication is to present a chronicle of the German Army’s 9th Armoured Division (9. Panzer-division) in the years between 1940 and 1943. This particular unit was never distinguished by a sobriquet or an alias. It did not have a coat of arms, so no sophisticated emblems were displayed on its vehicles. Yet noteworthy are the number of military decorations awarded to the personnel of this armoured division. During the Second World War 56 soldiers were honoured with one of the highest military decorations of the Third Reich, the Knight’s Cross rank of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Einsernen Kreuzes). This number is undoubtedly a testimonial to the high effectiveness of this unit. Among all the recipients of the Knight’s Iron Cross¹, four received an even higher recognition, the Oak Leaves (Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eiserner Kreuzes), and one trooper was awarded Oak Leaves and Swords with his Iron Cross (Eichenlaub mit Schwertern zum des Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes)². The number of awarded decorations places the 9th Panzer Division in second place among the Wehrmacht’s armoured divisions, right behind the 4th Panzer Division with 84 Iron Crosses³. Significantly, 56 also exceeds the number of equivalent medals received by the much glorified 1st Panzer Division of the SS Adolf Hitler Guards (SS-Panzer-Division Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler), which earned 54 Knight’s Iron Crosses.

The 9th Panzer Division emerged from the transformation of the 4th Light Division, but the history of the latter will not be covered in this publication.

The 9th Panzer Division (9 Panzer-division - 9. Pz.Div.) was an Austrian unit. It was created by means of reorganization and reinforcement of the 4th Light Division (4 Leichtedivision - 4. Le.Div.) formed in 1938, which in turn originated from the Fast Division (Schnelle Division) of the Austrian armoured forces (Bundesheer). The latter unit was established in 1935, but it was incorporated into the Wehrmacht, along with the rest of the Austrian Army, after the annexation of Austria (Anschluss) into Nazi Germany. The 9. Pz.Div. established on 3 of January 1940⁴ become an heir to the XVII Mobilisation District (XVII WK - Wehrkreis) with Vienna (Wien) as garrison town. Despite that, the unit was initially formed in the town of Frankstadt unter dem Radhoscht (Frenštát pod Radhoštĕm) in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, which was also a part of the same district. Generalleutnant Dr. Alfred Ritter von Hubicki, former commander of the Schnelle Division and subsequently the 4. Le.Div., remained at the head of the new unit. The constituents of the 9th Division were mostly the sub-units already in existence; however, their designations were changed. According to the order issued January 1 1940 the 50th Anti-tank Battalion (Panzerabwehr-Abteilung 50) and the 60th Infantry Division Supply Command (Infanterie Division Nachschubführer 60) became the 50th Tank Destroyer Battalion (Panzerjäger-Abteilung 50 -Pz.Jg.Abt. 50) and the 60th Panzer Division Supply Command (Panzer Division Nachschubführer 60 - Pz.Div. Nachschubführer 60). On the same day, the 9th Reconnaissance Regiment (Aufklärungs Regiment 9 - Aufkl.Rgt. 9) stationed in Krems, was ordered to join the 9th Division. This regiment, consisting of the I Battalion (I. Abteilung - I. Abt.) and the II Battalion (II. Abteilung -II. Abt.), was also a part of the dissolved 4th Light Division. The same directive applied to the 102nd Artillery Regiment (Artillerie-Regiment 102 - Art.Rgt. 102).

As the newly organized 9th Panzer Division underwent training, some accidents occurred. The photograph depicts a damaged truck, Ford G 917 T. A symbol used by the Division at the time -xx, may be noticed on the door of the vehicle.

A Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C tank during early divisional exercises. Wooden sticks, reminiscent of a fascine bundle, used under the tracks to assist the vehicle in negotiating muddy terrain, are visible in this picture.

On February 15, the 3rd Company of the 38th Communications Battalion (3/Nachrichten-Abteilung 38) was expanded into the 85th Armoured Communications Battalion (Panzer-Nachrichten-Abteilung 85 - Pz.Nachr.Abt. 85). On 22 April, the 86th Pioneer Battalion (Pionier-Bataillon 86) was reclassified as the 86th Armoured Pioneer Battalion (Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 86 - Pz.Pi.Btl. 86). In accordance with the order dated February 2, the 33rd Panzer Regiment (Panzer-Regiment 33 -Pz.Rgt. 33) was created to form the core of the 9th Panzer Division. The headquarters came from the Panzer Regiment Conze (Stab Panzer-Regiment Conze), the III Battalion of the 5th Panzer Regiment (III./Pz.Rgt. 5)⁵ became the I Battalion, and the 33rd Panzer Battalion (Panzer-Abteilung 33)⁶ was renamed as the II Battalion of the newly-created regiment. Each battalion consisted of three companies, the I Battalion had numbers 1 – 3, the II Battalion had 4 – 6. As of January 1 1940, the 33rd Battalion had a total of 75 armoured vehicles: 25 tanks Panzerkampfwagen I (Pz.Kpfw. I), 33 Pz.Kpfw. II, four Pz.Kpfw. III, four Pz.Kpfw. IV and nine command tanks Panzerbefehlwagen (Pz. Bf.Wg). The III Battalion of the 5th Panzer Regiment was formerly I Battalion of the Training Panzer Battalion (I./Pz.Lehr.Abt.); it had 71 tanks, 24 Pz.Kpfw. II, 36 Pz.Kpfw. III and 11 Pz.Kpfw. IV. In all, the 9th Panzer Division had 146 combat tanks available at that time.

Most likely the same Pz.Kpfw. II Ausf. C tank. Divisional symbol xx to the right of the driver’s visor, as well as the letter G are evident. It is not quite certain, but such a letter designation could have been used to warrant the right of way in traffic, on the roads leading to the front. In the back, there is an ammunition tractor Pz.Kpfw. I (A) Munitionsschlepper (SdKfz. 111).

On February 16, the 9th Rifle (Infantry) Brigade (9. Schützen-Brigade - 9. Schützen-Brig.) was created to accommodate two infantry regiments joining the 9th Division. Both of the regiments were previously part of the 4th Light Division. The 10th Mounted Rifles Regiment (Kavallerie-Schützen-Regiment 10) and the 11th Mounted Rifle Regiment (Kavallerie-Schützen-Regiment 11) were on March 18 renamed the 10th Rifle Regiment (Schützen-Regiment 10 - Schützen-Rgt. 10) and the 11th Rifle Regiment (Schützen-Regiment 11 - Schützen-Rgt. 11) respectively. On May 6 1940 the 701st Company of self-propelled heavy infantry guns (schwere Infanterie Geschütz Kompanie (mot S) 701 - sIG Kp. (mot S) 701) was incorporated into the 9th Rifle Brigade. The company was equipped with self-propelled guns 15 cm sIG 33 Sfl. auf Pz.Kpfw. I Ausf. B, referred to as Bison. The vehicles, consisting of 150 mm heavy infantry gun sIG 33 on the chassis of a Pz.Kpfw. I Ausf. B tank were intended to increase the mobility and firepower of armoured divisions. Prior to April 22, before the anticipated attack on Western Europe, six such companies were created according to the KStN 179 (Kriegsstärkenachweisung) organizational standard issued on March 30.⁷

A Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. E during exercises in Westphalia on April 2 1940. The xx symbol is painted at the unusual location, frontal lower hull armour.

Pz.Kpfw. IV tank column during cooperation exercises at the Westphalia proving grounds on April 2 1940. Location, frontal lower hull armour.

In the spring of 1940, the 9th Panzer Division consisted of:

9.Schützen-Brig. including:

Schützen-Rgt. 10 - garrison St.Pölten, including two battalions (I., II.);

Schützen-Rgt. 11 - garrison Waidhofen an der Thaya, including two battalions (I., II.);

Pz.Rgt. 33 including two battalions (I. Abt. - garrison Wünsdorf, II Abt. - garrison St. Pölten);

Art.Rgt. 102 - garrison Wien, including two artillery detachments (I., II.);

Panzer-Div. Nachschubführer 60

Aufkl.Rgt. 9 - garrison Krems, including two battalions (I. Abt., II. Abt.);

Pz.Jg.Abt. 50 - garrison St.Pölten;

Pz.Nachr.Abt. 85

Pz.Pi.Btl. 86

By the end of January 1940, the 9th Panzer Division, held as a reserve of the Army’s High Command (Oberkommando des Heeres - OKH) was transported to the region of Limburg an der Lahn, in Hesse, where the integration process continued. In February, the Division was relocated to Eifel district in Rhineland-Palatinate. As its organization progressed, the Division received additional equipment. For instance, in April of 1940 the 33rd Panzer Regiment obtained the Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. F tank, chassis number Fgst.Nr. 61023, manufactured at MAN works in Nürnberg.⁸ From the beginning of April the Division was stationed in Westfalen, conducting exercises in cooperation with its units on the local proofing grounds. In the first days of May, the Division was relocated to the Dutch border near the township of Goch.

1      In the time period covered by this publication Jan.1.1940 - Aug.25.1943, 27 soldiers from the 9th Panzer Division were decorated in such a way.

2      Between Jan.3.1940 and Aug.25.1943, Walter Gorn was the 113th Wehrmacht soldier to receive the Eichenlaub zum Ritterkreuz des Eiserner Kreuzes, and on Jun.8.1943 r. became the 30th Wehrmacht recipient of the Eichenlaub mit Schwertern zum Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzess.

3      de Lannoy F., Charita J., Panzertruppen, Les troupes blindees allemandes 1935-1945, Baveux 2001, p. 154.

4      Tessin G., Verbände und Truppen der deutschen Wehrmacht und Waffen SS im Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939-1945, III Band: Die Landstreitkräfte 6-14, Frankfurt/Main, p.136.

5      During peacetime, it was a I/Panzer-Lehr-Regiment.

6      Panzer Abteilung 33 was also a component unit of the 4th Light Division.

7      Skotnicki M., Ciężkie działo piechoty sIG 33, Nowa Technika Wojskowa 10/2002, s. 30-31.

8      Jentz T., Doyle H. L., Panzer Tracts No. 3-2 Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf. E, F, G und H, Boyds 2007, p. 18.

Western campaign

The first military engagement of the new Panzer Division took place during the operation Fall Gelb, the attack on Belgium, Holland and northern France. Army Group B (Heeres Gruppe B - HG B), under the command of Generaloberst Fedor von Bock, was to launch an attack between the coast and the Maas River. The group consisted of the 6th Army (6. Armee - AOK 6) and the 18th Army (18. Armee - AOK 18) with a total of 29 divisions, including three armoured and one motorised. The operations of Group B were intended to divert Allied attention from the main assault, and to lure as many defending forces as possible. The 9th Panzer Division was among the units of Generaloberst von Bock, serving as part of the XXIV Army Corps (XXIV. Armeekorps – XXIV AK) assigned to the 18th Army. One of its tasks was to invade Dutch territory with the assistance of paratroops.

On May 10 1940, at the start of Fall Gelb, the 33rd Panzer Regiment had 30 Pz.Kpfw. I, 54 Pz.Kpfw. II, 41 Pz.Kpfw. III, 16 Pz.Kpfw. IV and 12 Pz.Bf.Wg. tanks, while the 9th Reconnaissance Battalion had 62 armoured cars.¹ The invasion of Holland began with the attack of German paratroopers from the 7th Airborne Division (7. Flieger-Division) on the river Mass bridges near Moerdijk. After the surprise attack, their objective was to hold the bridges until the arrival of the land forces. The 9th Panzer Division advanced from the border region of Goch – Kleve² in order to join the airborne units as quickly as possible. In the morning of May 11, the 9th Division and the supporting SS Combat Division (SS-Verfugungsdivision) were able to cross Mass River in Gennep over the railroad bridge, the only one captured intact. Both German units entered the region of North Brabant experiencing sporadic opposition from Dutch troops. A bigger challenge was the terrain configuration, numerous rivers and canals impeded movement of the armoured columns. In the meantime, the Allies reacted to the German offensive. On the same day, a French Motorised Division from the 7th Army under General Henri Giraud arrived at Breda. From there, two groups were dispatched, one of them with the objective to block the German advance in North Brabant. As a counter-measure to the French move, Generalleutnant von Hubicki also divided his forces. Half of the 9th Division joined by the SS Division was directed southwest to intercept the French. The rest of the Division continued an advance towards Moerdijk in order to relieve the paratroopers. In the afternoon, the French column reached Tilburg and engaged the enemy. German tanks and motorised infantry, supported by the Luftwaffe, were able to force the French into a retreat. The success allowed the German troops to rejoin the main force the following day, May 12.³ At around six in the afternoon of the same day, the 9th Reconnaissance Regiment dispatched from the 9th Panzer Division reached the airborne troops in Zevenbergschen Hoek near Moerdijk by the river Maas. From that point the German units, grouped together, pressed forward towards Rotterdam. On the morning of May 13, the 9th Panzer Division began an assault on Dordrecht, a town along the path to Rotterdam. The exchange of