With the anticipated Allied invasion of Western Europe approaching, elements of the schwere SS-Panzerabteilung 101 in the East were ordered to the West in April 1944. It was one of Waffen-SS elite armored units, acting as a fire brigade and a crack assault unit on all fronts. The battalion was part of the I.SS-Panzerkorps. During the battle of Normandy the corps were assigned to the 1.SS-Panzerdivision Leibstandarte SS, 12.SS-Panzerdivision Hitlerjugend, Panzer-Lehr-Division and the German-Latin 17.SS-Panzergrenadier-Division Götz von Berlichingen. On June 1 1944, the schwere SS-Panzerabteilung 101 was located near Beauvais north-west of Paris. With the D-Day landings on June 6 1944, it was ordered to Normandy where it arrived on June 12 1944. Over its history, the unit lost 107 tanks for 500 enemy tanks destroyed - a kill ratio of 4.67. It was redesignated the Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 501 in September 1944. Credit: Wikipedia. Top clips: the legendary Waffen-SS panzer ace
Michael Wittmann of the schwere SS-Panzerabteilung 101 in the cupola of Tiger n°231. The sequence was shot in Normandy only a few weeks before he met his end in a fiery ambush. Footage from Die Deutsche Wochenschau. Fair use. Bottom image: Tiger n°232 was commanded by SS-Unterscharführer Kurt Kleber, called Quax for short by his comrades, and assigned to schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 of the I.SS-Panzerkorps. The panzer crews’ worst fears were vindicated when the company soon found itself the victim of a number of air attacks. During the drive to the Norman town of Villers-Bocage, five men were killed, among them Kurt Kleber – the company's first casualty of the Normandy Campaign. Due to Allied air superiority, the Tigers in Normandy were employed mainly in a static defensive role. The Tiger was introduced in August 1942 and was at that time the most powerful Panzer in the world. The success of the Tiger was so profound, that no allied tank dared to engage it in open combat. This psychological fear soon became to be known as
Tigerphobia. Both the German automotive manufacturer of luxury high performance automobiles, Porsche of Stuttgart and Henschel und Sohn of Kasseland were responsible for the chassis and automotive design. Turret and main weapon design was awarded to yet another prominent 400-year-old German firm, Krupp of Essen. This mighty Panzer was given its nickname
Tiger by SS-Oberführer Ferdinand Porsche. Photo by KB Hans Scheck in France, June 1944. Credit: Royston Leonard. Commons: Bundesarchiv.
The impenetrable armour and powerful gun of the Tiger made it a legend in its own time. They were 50 years ahead on everything.
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