Light snowfall at night, deep cloud cover. Temperature at 0 degrees.
The night between 20th and 21st of December was very restless. There was constant enemy artillery and mortar fire poured on the forward positions. Again and again there were clashes between outposts and Soviet patrols who tried to clarify the exact course of the battle lines, according to the report of the 1. Panzer-Division. [1]
At 0400 hours, the Headquarters of the Soviet 4th Guards Tank Corps retreated to the northeastern outskirts of Chopovychi in view of imminent threat from the enemy. Before the retreat, the joint action of the 13th Guards Tank Brigade from the north and the 111th Tank Brigade from the south ended up losses of seven tanks, as result of clashing with the enemy on the eastern outskirts of Chopovychi station. [2]
At 0645 hours, when the Kampfgruppe Bradel of the 1. Panzer-Division advanced from Chopovychi station on the intersection south of Yosypivka (Йосипівка), but hindered by enemy counterattacks in regimental-strong forces. [3] The grenadiers of the III.(gep.)/Panzergrenadier-Regiment 113, mounted on SPW, pulled the approaching enemy tanks to the front of the batteries of the II./ Panzerartillerie-Regiment 73 deployed at the train station, and eliminated the enemy tanks with direct fire from the howitzers. The Panzer IV’s of the II./Panzer-Regiment 1 also scored several kills allegedly. Later, the batteries brought another two mass Soviet riflemen assaults to a standstill by direct fire, before the SPW and tanks forced the enemy into retreat. [4]
According to Soviets, the 479th Rifle Regiment of the 149th Rifle Division and the 175th Tank Brigade of the 25th Tank Corps were ordered to attack Chopovychi station by 0700 hours. Despite failure to retake station, separated houses at the north of the railway and on the south of the station were already fell to the hands of the Soviet riflemen. [5]
At 1100 hours, in one of the many counterattacks that day, the commander SPW of the Panzergrenadier-Regiment 113 took several hits from enemy anti-tank guns at Chopovychi station. Lieutenant Colonel Bradel was badly wounded by flak fragments. His adjutant, Lieutenant Teckenburg, fell. Lieutenant Colonel Neumeister took over the command of the Kampfgruppe Bradel. [6] The 4th Guards Tank Corps reported that an enemy force of eleven tanks and five armored vehicles again burst from the station and occupied the intersection north of Chopovychi. The 13th Guards Tank Brigade, took position west of Yosypivka (Йосипівка), allegedly destroyed six of enemy tanks and drove this enemy force back to the west. Then Chopovychi station, allegedly, was completely occupied by the Soviet riflemen following the tanks. [7]
On the south of the 1. Panzer-Division, the Kampfgruppe Peiper, fighting in even more unfavorable terrain than Kampfgruppe Bradel, has not made any progress after initial success due to heavy enemy resistances. It was even forced to withdraw part of its main battle line in southwestern direction later in the afternoon. [8]
At 1213 hours, Obersturmbannführer Albert Frey reported that the SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 1 has stopped by the eastern edge of the station of Chopovychi station. Initially, his regiment, reinforced by six operational tanks, allegedly destroyed twenty-one enemy tanks during the course of morning, but only one tank was still operational at present. [9]
As for the deployment of the Soviets, the elements of the 175th Tank Brigade and 20th Motorized Infantry Brigade, both subordinated to the 25th Tank Corps, were operating in the west of the station. [10] The 14th Guards Tank Brigade who took up defensive position with three T-34’s and one SU-85 on the northwestern area of the town of Chopovychi, three T-34’s and one SU-85 stood nearby the town, and another four T-34’s and one SU-85 on the highway south of Chopovychi station. [11]
Since 1300 hours, the Panzeraufklärung-Abteilung 1 reported that the grenadiers were entangling with enemy tanks in the wood area southeast of village of Lyplyany (Липляни). Three of enemy tanks even breached the front line of the battalion. [12] The Hill 178.8 east of Lyplyany has already been seized by the 162nd Tank Brigade of the 25th Tank Corps, reinforced by the 568th Rifle Regiment of the 149th Rifle Division at dawn. [13] At the same time, the 112th Rifle Division claimed it has occupied the town of Novaky (Новаки), about 10 kilometers west to Lyplyany. [14]
By 1530 hours, the 8th Rifle Division, Headquarters located in Meleni, reported that up to one hundred fifty enemy infantrymen started an attack against its battle line. Later, a major attack reinforced by enemy’s tanks launched took possession of Chopovychi station. As the result of combat, the Division reported losses of seven killed and twenty-five wounded, but allegedly eliminated up to two companies of enemy infantry, four tanks, two armored vehicles, one other vehicle and one artillery piece in return. [15] The 226th Rifle Division, ordered to enforce the former, allegedly eliminated up to one company of enemy infantry, four machine guns and four armored vehicles, while suffered losses of two killed and nine wounded. [16]
At 1730 hours, the troops of the 25th Tank Corps operating near Chopovychi station were allegedly bombed by friendly aircraft. [17]
By 1930 hours, the Kampfgruppe Peiper was pushed back to the crossroads south of Chopovychi station in the course of the afternoon as a result of flanking maneuvers and the attacks of superior enemy forces. Twenty-three T-34’s were allegedly shot down so far. [18]
Among the attackers who seized the station, the 175 Tank Brigade acknowledged suffering the losses of nineteen tanks burned down and twelve tanks destroyed. Twenty-eight killed with another fifty-nine wounded including the commander of the 3rd Battalion, Captain Struchalin who was seriously wounded, have been reported during the day. In return, the brigade claimed inflicting losses of five Ferdinand self-propelled guns, three Tiger tanks, seven Panzer-IV’s, two artillery pieces, six 8.8cm-FlaK, fifteen anti-tank rifles and one six-barreled mortar upon the enemy during the day. [19]
At 2345 hours, Hauptsturmführer Bormann, leading two battalions of the SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2 to relieve the Kampfgruppe Peiper, reported that he has reached the eastern exit from the Chopovychi railway complex. However, his grenadiers barely maintained the contact with the Kampfgruppe Peiper, who was at the intersection 2 kilometers east of Chopovychi station, let alone move to clear the enemy forces from the town 100 meters south of the road in front of the station. The enemy tanks were still attacking the railway from the north despite of the darkness, while three of his Pak have already being out of commission. [20]
One hour after the midnight, the last men of the Kampfgruppe Bradel, under the fire reinforcement of the II./Panzer-Regiment 1, evacuated from Chopovychi station. [21]
The Soviet 149th Rifle Division, whose regiments heavily involved in the fight around station of Chopovychi, reported that the “Russian” prisoner captured in the area of station belonged to the “3rd Company” of the SS-Panzer-Division LSSAH. By interrogation, the prisoner claimed his Company has up to twenty-five soldiers, three light and one heavy machine guns. During the fight in 21st of December, the 149th Rifle Division allegedly claimed twenty-one enemy tanks were shot down and burned, one was captured in serviceable condition and transferred to the 175th Tank Brigade. [22]
During two days (from 20th to 21st of December) of fighting, the SS-Panzer-Regiment 1 suffered thirteen killed, eleven wounded and seven missing-in-action in the area of Chopovychi. The companies of the III. (gep.)/SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 2, granted a Close Combat Day for the combat at the village of Yosypivka took heavy casualties. As an example, the 13. (gep.) Kompanie went into action in Chopovychi with some eight SPW and sixty men, came back out of this precarious area with only seven grenadiers unwounded. Seventeen killed and all the rest were wounded. [23] In return, the LSSAH claimed the booty of three T-34 tanks, five 7.62 cm artillery pieces, twelve machine-guns, twenty-two anti-tank rifles, seventy refiles, fifteen machine-pistols and fourteen trucks, along with three hundred of enemy bodies counted in 21st of December. [24]
In 21st of December, the 25th Tank Corps claimed that eleven enemy tanks and two Ferdinand self-propelled guns destroyed, along with seven guns and up to five hundred of enemy soldiers. The Corps acknowledged suffering losses of fourteen tanks burned down, six knocked out, along with two SU-85’s knocked out. [25]
[1] Stoves. R. (1961). Die 1. Panzer-Division (p. 466). Hans-Henning Podzun Verlag.
[2] TsAMO, Fund 3402, Inv 1, Case 64, Page 16. War Logs of the 4th Guard Tank Corps.
[3] NARA T-314, R-1173, F-334. Tagesmeldung an Pz.A.O.K.4, 21. Dec. 43, durchgeben 1930 Uhr.
[4] Stoves. R. (1961). Die 1. Panzer-Division (p. 467). Hans-Henning Podzun Verlag.
[5] TsAMO, Fund 1378, Inv 1, Case 53, Page 315. Doc. No. 095. War Logs of the 149 Rifle Division.
[6] Stoves. R. (1961). Die 1. Panzer-Division (p. 467). Hans-Henning Podzun Verlag.
[7] TsAMO, Fund 3402, Inv 1, Case 64, Page 16. War Logs of the 4th Guard Tank Corps.
[8] Stoves. R. (1961). Die 1. Panzer-Division (p. 467). Hans-Henning Podzun Verlag.
[9] NARA T-314, R-1173, F-337. Ia Tagesmeldung vom 21. Dec. 43. Abschrift von Fernschreiben. 1800 Uhr.
[10] TsAMO, Fund 361, Inv 0006096, Case 0011, Page 41. Battle Report of the 25th Tank Corps at 1700 hrs. 21 Dec. 1943.
[11] TsAMO, Fund 3402, Inv 1, Case 64, Page 16. War Logs of the 4th Guard Tank Corps.
[12] NARA T-314, R-1173, F-334. Tagesmeldung an Pz.A.O.K.4, 21. Dec. 43, durchgeben 1930 Uhr.
[13] TsAMO, Fund 361, Inv 0006096, Case 0011, Page 40. Battle Report of the 25th Tank Corps at 0500 hrs. 21 Dec. 1943.
[14] TsAMO, Fund 969, Inv 1, Case 23, Page 83. War Logs of the 112th Rifle Division on 21 Dec. 1943.
[15] TsAMO, Fund 1062, Inv 1, Case 90, Page 36. War Logs of the 8th Rifle Division.
[16] TsAMO, Fund 1500, Inv 1, Case 6, Page 131. Doc. No. 129. Battle Report of the 226th Rifle Division at 1900 hrs. 21 Dec. 1943.
[17] TsAMO, Fund 361, Inv 0006096, Case 0011, Page 41. Battle Report of the 25th Tank Corps at 1700 hrs. 21 Dec. 1943.
[18] NARA T-314, R-1173, F-334. Tagesmeldung an Pz.A.O.K.4, 21. Dec. 43, durchgeben 1930 Uhr.
[19] TsAMO, Fund 3238, Inv. 0000001, File 0018, Page 7. Doc. No. 2/31. Combat Report of the 175th Tank Brigade.
[20] Lehmann. R. (1990). The Leibstandarte III (p. 367). J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing.
[21] Stoves. R. (1961). Die 1. Panzer-Division (p. 467). Hans-Henning Podzun Verlag.
[22] TsAMO, Fund 1378, Inv 1, Case 53, Page 315. Doc. No. 095. War Logs of the 149th Rifle Division.
[23] Agte. P. (1999). Jochen Peiper (p. 265). J.J. Fedorowicz Publishing.
[24] NARA T-314, R-1173, F-347. Ia Tagesmeldung vom 22. Dec. 43. Abschrift von Fernschreiben. 1800 Uhr.
[25] TsAMO, Fund 361, Inv 0006096, Case 0011, Page 41. Battle Report of the 25th Tank Corps at 1700 hrs. 21 Dec. 1943.
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