Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6 and 21.Panzer-Division in Normandy

Messerschmitt pilot Ludwig Franzisket of Jagdgeschwader 27 Afrika

Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 6 became known as The Lions of Carentan

21.Panzer-Division descended from Rommel's legendary Afrika Korps

From the first moments of the airborne invasion of France paratroopers of Major baron Friedrich von der Heydte's elite Fallschirmjägerregiment 6 was in action against American paras from the U.S. 101st Airborne Division. Scattered fire-fights continued throughout the night until about 0600 in the morning of June 6 1944 when the German paras or Fallschirmjägers was given orders to assemble and clear the region between Carentan and St. Mere-Eglise of enemy troops. The total fighting strength of the regiment at this time was 3,457 officers and men. For the first day of the Allied landings the 21.Panzer-Division operated alone on June 6 1944. It launched several counterattacks during the afternoon which effectively blocked the road to Caen. Hampered by enemy air strikes, the 21.Panzer managed to find and engage British Paratroop forces at Ranville. The division gave the British a hard fight until it received orders to withdraw. Allied air power were the decisive factor for the Allied victories in the Normandy Invasion and subsequent operations. Allied sea and air power halted every major German attack. This was to be typical of the German experience of Allied air power in Normandy and the Ardennes. After the invasion of Normandy, Allied troops found themselves unable to penetrate German defenses. Top image: Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 of Jagdgeschwader 27 Afrika piloted by Luftwaffe fighter ace Gruppenkommandeur Major Ludwig Zirkus Franzisket in 1944. JG 27 was among those wings rushed into Normandy to stem the invasion, but the USAAF, RCAF and RAF and subordinated foreign elements had already achieved air supremacy over Western Europe by June 1944. Zirkus Franzisket was credited with 39 aerial victories, plus four further unconfirmed claims. All of his victories were claimed on the Western Front and include three U.S. B-17 four-engined bombers. Franzisket survived the war and became a Professor and director of the Westfälisches Museum für Naturkunde and died aged 71 on November 23 1988 in Münster. Credit: Rui Manuel Candeias. c. Bundesarchiv. Middle image: German paras wearing the Feldgendarmerie gorget review battle plans with their commanding Luftwaffe officer in Normandy 1944. Credit: Ghermán Mihály. c. Bundesarchiv. Bottom image: battle-hardened members of Panzer-Regiment 22 of the 21.Panzer-Division. The young Leutnant wears a fallschirmjäger tunic with Heer eagle and panzer collar tabs applied. Photo taken by KB Karl Müller. Credit: Slyhoogus. c. Bundesarchiv.