This account comes from the memoirs of Helmut Ritgen, who was the Regimental Adjutant of Panzer Regiment 11, part of the 6th Panzer Division. It describes the actions fought by his unit on 19 December 1942, the opening day of Operation Winter Storm - the attempt to break through to the encircled 6th Army in Stalingrad. From his viewpoint in the command tank of Generaloberst Erhard Raus he describes the initial clashes with the Soviet troops manning the frontline and the breakthrough into the open country beyond.
Wehrmacht In Action2 March 2015
Operation Sunflower
OPERATION SUNFLOWER - Jim Mclean
74 years ago, Erwin Rommel had an immediate impact on the North Africa theater in one of the great achievements of the deployment of a fluid, mobile offensive.On 6 February 1941, the order was given to deploy German troops to North Africa to shore up the Italian forces there. The operation was codenamed Sonnenblume - “Sunflower”. The initial deployment was by men of the 5th Light Division (later renamed 21st Panzer Division). By far the most important individual was the commander of these men, Erwin Rommel.