Panzer-Regiment 201 Receives its First German Tanks

Image size: 1600 x 1984 pixel. 196 KB
Date: Tuesday, 23 December 1941
Place: Paris, France
Photographer: Unknown

Panzer-Regiment 201 receives its first German tanks, a Panzerbefehlswagen III. The panzer with turmnummer (turret number) "R01" is the Regiment commanders tank. Pictured from left to right: Unteroffizier Schuh, Oberfunkmeister Schündel, Unteroffizier Meyer, Oberst Heinz-Joachim Werner-Ehrenfeucht (Regimentskommandeur), and Oberleutnant Hans-Jürgen Burmester (the regiment signals officer and the commander of the headquarters company). Panzer-Regiment 201 formed on 16 December 1940 with two Abteilung (detachment), each with three Beute-Panzerkompanie. The regiment was assigned to Panzer-Brigade 100 on 1 March 1941. II. Abteilung, with 4. and 6.Kompanie, renamed Panzer-Abteilung 211 on 7 March 1941. II. Abteilung reformed from renamed Panzer-Abteilung 301 on 22 March 1941. 7. schwere-Kompanie formed on 1 April 1941 and then transferred to Panzer-Abteilung (F) 102 on 4 June 1941. New 7.Kompanie formed on 1 August 1941. The regiment was assigned to 23. Panzer-Division on 11 December 1941. Converted from French to German tanks on 23 December 1941. III. Abteilung formed on 2 February 1942 and then disbanded on 5 March 1943. II. Abteilung converted to Panthers in April 1943. Regiment was renamed as Panzer-Regiment 23 on 16 August 1943. Hans-Jürgen Burmester (11 June 1916 - 22 September 1998) would be a highly successful panzer ace and commander. He received Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes in 2 September 1944 as Hauptmann and Kommandeur of schwere Panzer-Abteilung 509/17.Armee /Heeresgruppe Nordukraine (the recommendation Submitted on August 21st 1944, preliminary document and decoration on September 7th 1944 to AOK 17). He was captured by American troops in 1945. He joined the Bundeswehr in 1956, retiring in 1974.

Source:
Book "The combat history of the 23rd Panzer Division in World War II " (page 28) by Ernst Rebentisch
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151165295643457&set=o.303273499761263&type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf , courtesy of John Winner