s.Pz.Abt.301 (Fkl) update from Markus Jaugitz

Greetings Panzerwreckers.

Funklenk guru Markus Jaugitz recently got in touch with more information about the wrecked Tiger I on page 80 of Panzerwrecks 24. Over to Markus:

“I had personal contact with Ludwig Schreiner for years. He was adjutant in the heavy tank division (Tiger/FKL) 301 and at times battle group leader.

2 March 1945
The next morning I met Lieutenant Berger, Pius Weser and a sergeant from the 1st Company, who were placed under my command. Around 10 a.m. I received orders to contact Captain Eysser. Order: “Push off broken-through enemy from Stommeln!”

Numerous Shermans with strong infantry forces on the march to the east!

At a crossroads to Stommeln Eysser was waiting for us, he informed me that it was impossible to continue on the road. It was under tank fire from the flank. I therefore decided, after some hesitation, to drive into the terrain. Three assault guns under the command of a lieutenant were placed under my command. Shortly before Stommeln I reached the road again and saw long columns of enemy moving east at a distance of almost 3 km. Due to the difficult terrain I could not get closer.

I managed to cross the road without being fired upon, but I had the assault guns secure the left flank on a slight slope. Unfortunately, from then on I had no radio contact with the assault guns. It was due to the lack of a uniform radio frequency between the assault guns (they belonged to the artillery inspectorate) and the tanks. Heavy artillery fire on us, optics failing at Weser. Behind us were Nebelwerfer, abandoned by the operator.

I now had the commander’s Tiger, in it Sergeant Fischer and Müller, old friends from the old days. Now only Berger and I were standing there, the Tiger from 1st Company had gone back because of damage. Above us fighter-bombers, I had to give them my full attention, but must have overlooked the fact that several Shermans were following us. Over the small hill I managed to get onto a dirt track that led across a stream. At the end of this path, shortly before Stommeln, there was a transformer house. When 2 fighter-bombers flew towards me, dropping rockets and firing from all guns, I was just behind this little house, which was hit. Weser was also caught in this fighter-bomber attack, he looked out of the turret and was hit in the neck by MG shells, his Tiger tipped over into the ditch. The crew booted out, Weser I had brought to the rear on a Kettenkrad accompanying us. I had a hell of a row with Eysser, who accused me of backing down. In a rage I shot around with the Shermans who had entered Stommeln, one of them escaped behind a house. From the last houses Lieutenant-Colonel Hahn came running towards us with his men. He was grateful that we were still there. We stayed in front of Stommeln until nightfall, the Panzergrenadiers disengaged from the enemy. We drove over open ground about an hour later. overhead, salvos from our Nebelwerfer crackled. That same night, in the presence of Hahn, I had a discussion with Eysser, to whom I openly expressed my opinion. Before dawn to Sinnersdorf. Fuel and rations arrived there. The mission was to secure Sinnersdorf. Berger and I were soon at the end of our tether!”