"On 15.2.1945 the Panzergrenadier-Regiment 60, with the attached
Waffenschule Fallschirm A.O.K., stood in defensive positions along the
northwest part of Louisendorf (SW of Kleve). On this day the regiment
came under fierce attack from British forces, and after a three hour
long artillery barrage they assaulted the German positions. With
telephone lines cut, and the leaders of the regiment fallen out, the
regiment was threatened with disintegration.
In the face of all this Oberstleutnant Zander decided to take control of
the situation. His initial observations confirmed that the British had
broken through everywhere and faced only scattered opposition. Moving
from company to company, he managed to rally the defenders and succeeded
in sealing off the two enemy penetrations on the right flank of the
regiment. However the attacking enemy on the left seemed to be very
close to a breakthrough, due to a lack of local reserves on the German
side.
Gathering all available messengers, communications troops and
stragglers, he launched a counterattack through a hail of mortar and
artillery fire. Joining with the remnants of the Waffenschule, the
attack succeeded in retaking the Blacknick and Bröckel farms in fierce
house to house fighting. A British attempt to retake these positions was
repulsed, with 6 of the 8 attacking tanks being destroyed in close
combat. Following up on this success Oberstleutnant Zander made contact
with additional surviving German forces and formed a new defensive line. All of the ensuing British attacks on this position, which continued
into the evening, were defeated.
Through his actions here Zander played a major role in preventing an
enemy breakthrough in the sector of his regiment, a breakthrough that
would've resulted in the rolling up of the front to the north and a more
widespread collapse of the German defensive lines. In addition to this,
the regiment could report the following enemy losses by the end of the
day.
- 14 tanks destroyed in close combat
- 2 tanks destroyed by Panzerjäger
- 2 unconfirmed destroyed tanks
- 2 AT guns that were knocked out during Zander's counterattack" from his Knight's Cross to the Iron Cross citation, awarded on April 5, 1945 as Oberstleutnant of the Panzergrenadier-Regiment 60.
- 14 tanks destroyed in close combat
- 2 tanks destroyed by Panzerjäger
- 2 unconfirmed destroyed tanks
- 2 AT guns that were knocked out during Zander's counterattack" from his Knight's Cross to the Iron Cross citation, awarded on April 5, 1945 as Oberstleutnant of the Panzergrenadier-Regiment 60.
Another capable enemy elite,
Brian
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