9. Panzerdivision in the Ardennes

9. Panzerdivision symbol 9. Panzerdivision
During the Ardennes Offensive, December 1944

By Wayne Turner

9. Panzerdivision was on raised on 3 January 1940 from 4. Leichte Division (4th Light Division). It then played a major role in the 1940 campaign, advancing through The Netherlands, Belgium and into France with Armeegruppe B.
Bulge: German
The division travelled further than any other German division during the 1940 campaign. In April 1941 the division took part in the invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece. It then fought with Armeegruppe Süd (Army Group South) during Operation Barbarossa, the German invasion of the Soviet Union. It fought in the encirclement battles on the Dniepr River bend around Kiev. In the summer of 1942 the division took part in the drive for the Caucasus oilfields that resulted in the Battle for Stalingrad. 9. Panzerdivision avoided being caught in the Stalingrad encirclement by being transferred to Armeegruppe Mitte (Army Group Centre). In 1943 it took part in the battle of Kursk, and after the failure of the offensive spent the rest of 1943 on defence. Wrecked Panzer IV

It was withdrawn to France for rebuilding in May 1944 and by August it had been sent to Normandy to help halt the Allied invasion. Despite dwindling strength the division was kept in the line until September, by which time it had retreated to Aachen in Germany. It was rebuilt once again, incorporating 2105. Panzerabteilung and other units from the 105. Panzer-Brigade, and was back in the line at Aachen in mid-October 1944.

The division initially wasn’t going to be part of the Ardennes offensive of December 1944, instead it was earmarked to take part in an attack in the Venlo Region. However, as the Ardennes offensive made slow progress 9. Panzerdivision was transferred to the reserve of the Fifteenth Army on 18 December. It was then moved to the XLVII Korps to follow behind 2. Panzerdivision as it made its thrust towards the Meuse River. Lack of fuel and the congested roads meant that 9. Panzerdivision didn’t catch up with the main body of 2. Panzerdivision near Rochefort until 25 December. Some Panther tanks of 33. Panzer-Regiment joined Kampfgruppe Holtmeyer (2. Panzerdivision) as they tried to relieve Kampfguppen Von Böhm and von Cochenhausen. Once again lack of fuel, US artillery fire and domination of the sky by American and British fighter-bombers halted the relieving attack. It was decided to withdraw rather then risk the encirclement of the rest of 2. Panzerdivision.

Abandoned Panther

The rest of 9. Panzerdivision meanwhile set about securing the northern flank by taking Humain on 26 December. Two days later they were pushed out by Combat Command A of the US 2nd Armored Division.

The division was reassigned to the LVIII Korps on 29 December. They continued to fight in the line until 14 January 1945, retiring to the Eifel Region in Germany, where the division distinguished itself. It fought against the Allied bridgehead at Remagen in February, by which time it was just a battalion-sized kampfgruppe of 600 men and 15 tanks. It was forced to retreat in March and was encircled and captured in the Ruhr Pocket in April 1945.

9. Panzerdivision
(Generalmajor Freiherr Harald von Elverfeldt)

33. Panzer-Regiment (Oberst Werner Streit)
10. Panzergrenadier-Regiment (Oberstleutnant Dr. Johann Reich)
11. Panzergrenadier-Regiment
102. Panzerartillerie-Regiment
9. Panzeraufklärungsabteilung (Hauptmann Heinrich Voutta)
50. Panzerjägerabteilung
287. FlaK Abteilung (Hauptmann Rolf Schmidt)
86. Panzerpionier-Bataillon

In Flames Of War

You can field 9. Panzerdivision using Bulge: German.

Notes: 102. Panzerartillerie-Regiment had no Wespe self-propelled guns available during the Ardennes offensive. They did have nine Hummel self-propelled heavy howitzers, so you can still take a Hummel Artillery Battery. The Division did not hace any Sd Kfz 234 or Puma armoured cars, but did have Sd Kfz 250 half-track armoured cars. The division did no have any StuG assault guns available.

9. Panzerdivision symbol


Last Updated On Tuesday, May 24, 2022 by Wayne at Battlefront