U.S. M8 Greyhound Near the German Border

Image size: 1600 x 1320 pixel. 682 KB
Date: Friday, 26 January 1945
Place: Near the Luxembourg-German border
Photographer: Unknown

Near the German border. January 26, 1945. An M8 Greyhound of U.S. 80th Infantry Division. Three crew members wear the helmet Mk 1 for British motorcyclists (Dispatch rider). The soldier who climbs the vehicle carries a set of USA winter suit. The German sign at left prohibits stopping and parking. In the Battle of the Bulge, The 80th was moved northward to Luxembourg and was hurled against the German salient, fighting at Luxembourg and Bastogne. By Christmas Day, men of the 80th were side-by-side with the tanks of the 4th Armored Division, battering forward through murderous opposition to help the 101st Airborne Division, besieged in Bastogne. Over frozen, snow-covered terrain, the attack gained nine bitter miles despite constant machine gun and mortar fire. The next day, the gap between the rescuers and the besieged was narrowed to 4000 yards. On 28 December, the 80th broke through, bringing relief to the 101st before driving the enemy across the Sure to Dahl and Goesdorf, 7 January 1945, and across the Clerf and Wiltz Rivers by 23 January. On 7 February 1945, the division stormed across the Our and Sauer Rivers at Wallendorf (Eifel), broke through the Siegfried Line, pursued the fleeing enemy to Kaiserslautern, 20 March, and crossed the Rhine, 27–28 March, near Mainz.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/80th_Division_(United_States)
http://www.panzernet.com/foro4/showthread.php?11073-Uniformes-mezclados/page3

Oberst Walther von Hünersdorff Discussing Strategy

Image size: 1600 x 1061 pixel. 575 KB
Date: January 1943
Place: Novo Marjewka, Soviet Union
Photographer: Helmut Ritgen

Oberst Walther von Hünersdorff (right), Kommandeur Panzer-Regiment 11 / 6.Panzer-Division - and of the division from 7 February 1943 to 14 July 1943 - holds a front-line orders group during a January 1943 attack on the Soviet position known as "Rabbit Farm". During the costly fighting between the Don and the Donets that winter Von Hünersdorff commanded Kampfgruppe (armoured battle-group) of 6. and 7. Panzer-Division and Army reserve assault artillery units. Not satisfied with their victory at Stalingrad, the Soviets plunged southwestward in an attempt to cut off Heeresgruppe A (Army Group A) in the Caucasus and collapse the entire German southern wing on the Ostfront, perhaps ending the war in early 1943. But German Field Marshal Erich von Manstein implemented a bold plan to first slow and then reverse the Soviet thrust. In two brutal battles in January at Tatsinskaya and Novo Marjewka the 6. Panzer-Division succeeded in stopping the Soviet thrust between the Don and Donets Rivers. Later, the depleted division still played a key role in the counteroffensive that re- took Kharkov in March.

Source:

Helmut Ritgen photo collection
Book "The 6th Panzer Division: 1937-45" by Oberst a.D. Helmut Ritgen

http://www.blowtorchscenarios.com/Baeke%20Battles_Der%20Mensch%20on%20the%20Ost%20Front/Baeke_Battles_Der_Mensch_In_The_East_series.htm

Panzergrenadiers with the Wrecked T-34

Image size: 1600 x 1235 pixel. 757 KB
Date: December 1942
Place: Verkhne-Kumskiy, Volgogradskaya Oblast, Soviet Union
Photographer: Helmut Ritgen

Near the Don, winter 1942-1943: the costly fighting following the attempt to open a corridor to the trapped 6. Armee at Stalingrad. A wrecked Soviet T-34/76, with some of its ammunition spilled on the snow, is surrounded by the curious Panzergrenadiers of 6. Panzer-Division dressed in the reversible combat suit. Operation Winter Storm (German: Unternehmen Wintergewitter) was a German offensive in World War II in which the German 4th Panzer Army failed to break the Soviet encirclement of the German 6th Army during the Battle of Stalingrad. In late November 1942, the Red Army completed Operation Uranus, encircling some 300,000 Axis personnel in and around the city of Stalingrad. German forces within the Stalingrad pocket and directly outside were reorganized under Heeresgruppe Don (Army Group Don), under the command of Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein. Meanwhile, the Red Army continued to allocate as many resources as possible to the eventual launch of the planned Operation Saturn, which aimed to isolate Heeresgruppe A (Army Group A) from the rest of the German Army. To remedy the situation, the Luftwaffe attempted to supply German forces in Stalingrad through an air bridge. When the Luftwaffe proved incapable of carrying out its mission and it became obvious that a successful breakout could occur only if launched as early as possible, Manstein decided on a relief effort. Originally, Manstein was promised four panzer divisions. Due to German reluctance to weaken certain sectors by redeploying German units, the task of opening a corridor to the German 6th Army fell to the 4. Panzerarmee (4th Panzer Army). The German force was pitted against several Soviet armies tasked with the destruction of the encircled German forces and their offensive around the lower Chir River. The German offensive caught the Red Army by surprise and made large gains on the first day. The spearhead forces enjoyed air support and were able to defeat counterattacks by Soviet troops. By 13 December, Soviet resistance slowed the German advance considerably. Although German forces took the area surrounding Verkhne-Kumskiy, the Red Army launched Operation Little Saturn on 16 December. Operation Little Saturn defeated the Italian 8th Army on Army Group Don's left flank, threatening the survival of Manstein's entire group of forces. As resistance and casualties increased, Manstein appealed to Hitler and to the commander of the German 6th Army, General Friedrich Paulus, to begin the 6th Army's breakout; both refused. The 4th Panzer Army continued its attempt to open a corridor to the 6th Army on 18–19 December, but was unable to do so without the aid of forces inside the Stalingrad pocket. Manstein was forced to call off the assault on 23 December and by Christmas Eve the 4th Panzer Army began to withdraw to its starting position. Due to the failure of the 6th Army to breakout and the attempt to break the Soviet encirclement, the Red Army was able to continue the destruction of German forces in Stalingrad.

Source:

Helmut Ritgen photo collection
Book "The 6th Panzer Division: 1937-45" by Oberst a.D. Helmut Ritgen

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Winter_Storm