Die Totenkopf Bruecke ETO (id:#66460)

(Grumble Jones ID: GJ119)   [next]   [previous]

Murafa, Ukraine 1943-08-11 (3 others)

Overview:

In mid-August 1943, the fourth battle of Kharkov was in progress. Lt General Vatntin was sending his 1st Tank Army across the entire front. Two major rivers were found in the contested region, the Merla and the Merchik, a tributary of the Merla. Stretched thin due to a lack of infantry, the SS Divisions in the region, Das Reich and Totenkopf had all available grenadiers in the front and next to no available reserves to counter any breakthroughs. On the 11th, the Russians, gathered tanks and assault engineers to make an armored strike to seize a bridge over the Merchik at Murafa. Infantry detachments of the Totenkopf Division were defending the bridge and the Russians assumed it had been wired for demolition. They believed a quick strike with T-34's loaded with assault engineers, could seize the bridge and clear the demolition charges before the Germans could destroy the bridge.

Defender: German (SS) (SS Grenadier Regiment 6, 3rd SS Panzer Division)  

Errata (source)