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By Lone_Sentry_Admin, on November 27th, 2009 The U.S. military intelligence articles from Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 38, November 1943 have been added to the main website:
By Lone_Sentry_Admin, on November 25th, 2009 Photographs of Pz.Kpfw. III Ausf. N of sPzAbt. 501 in Tunisia:
 |
03 |
 |
04 |
N/A
|
05
Picture of 05 does exist in private collection.
|
 |
07 |
 |
113 |
 |
124 |
 |
133 |
 |
134 |
 |
143 |
N/A
|
222
Picture of 222 does exist. To be added.
|
 |
242
Knocked out by the British in January 1943. |
 |
832
Knocked out near Beja during Operation Ochsenkopf. |
 |
844
Knocked out, probably during Operation Ochsenkopf. |
By Lone_Sentry_Admin, on November 19th, 2009 The following table shows the organization of sPzAbt. 501 in Tunisia. This organization is consistent with existing photographs, however, considerable disagreement remains among researchers on the tactical numbering of the panzers in the command Trupp of each Kompanie.
[Updated with discovery of a photo of Tiger #02 and #213.]
In the chart below:
- Black icons = photographic evidence.
- Grey icons = no photographic evidence.
| Stabskompanie |
|
01 |
02 |
|
03 |
04 |
05 |
06 |
07 |
| 1st Kompanie |
|
11 |
12 (?) |
13 (?) |
|
111 |
112 |
113 |
114 |
|
121 |
122 |
123 |
124 |
|
131 |
132 |
133 |
134 |
|
141 |
142 |
143 |
144 |
| 2nd Kompanie |
|
21 |
22 (?) |
23 (?) |
|
211 |
212 |
213 |
214 |
|
221 |
222 |
223 |
224 |
|
231 |
232 |
233 |
234 |
|
241 |
242 |
243 |
244 |
An original German report lists the tactical numbers of all nine Tigers in 1. Ko. including Tiger #11.
Thomas Anderson in “Des Tiger dans les Djebels” identifies the following panzers as confirmed (“Numéros confirmés par photographies ou rapports originaux”): 01, 02, 03, 04, 07, 111, 112, 113, 114, 121, 122, 123, 124, 131, 132, 133, 134, 141, 142, 143, 144, 213, 222, 223, 231, 232, 233, and 242.
References:
By Lone_Sentry_Admin, on November 5th, 2009 sPzAbt. 501 received 20 Tigers—2 Tigers in September 1942, 8 Tigers in October, and 10 Tigers in November. The Tigers of the 501st were transferred to Tunisia between November 1942 and January 1943. Two Tigers served in the Stab [01 and 02], 9 Tigers in the 1st Ko. [11 (source: Jentz), 111, 112, 121, 122, 131, 132, 141, 142] and 9 Tigers in the 2nd Ko. [21, 211, 213, 221, 223, 231, 233, 241, 243). The Tigers of the 1st Ko. and 2nd Ko. were extensively modified and are easily distinguished from other units.
For a good selection of sPzAbt. 501 Tiger photographs, see Tiger im Focus – sPzAbt. 501.
Photographic Record:
- Only one confirmed photograph of a Stab Tiger exists (01), so the exact features of the Stab Tigers are unknown. [Note: a photograph of Tiger 02 has been discovered.]
- Identifiable photographs exist of all the 1st Ko. Tigers except Tiger 11. Tiger 121 is unique among the 1st Ko. Tigers in having the shovel mounts on the front glacis plate.
- Identifiable photographs exist of 2nd Ko. Tigers 231, 241, and 243. Tiger 231 and 243 carried spare track links on the lower front plate, while Tiger 241 did not.
- In February 1943, the 501st was redesignated as the 7th Ko. and 8th Ko. of 10th Panzer Division. Presumably the 1st Ko. Tigers were also renumbered at this time, although no photographic proof exists that the Tigers were renumbered before the additional reorganization described below. For example, a photograph exists of Tiger 142 during Operation Ochsenkopf alongside photographs of renumbered 8th Ko. Tigers.
- The Tigers of 2nd Ko. were renumbered as 8th Ko. and identifiable photographs exist of 813, 823, and 833. 823 is noteworthy in having the reinforced mantlet. 833 is noteworthy in having the new hinged front mudguards.
- After the heavy losses in Operation Ochsenkopf, the Tigers were consolidated into a single company and renumbered as 7th Ko. Identifiable photographs show Tigers 712 [formerly 2 Ko.], 724 [formerly 112 as recognizable from battle damage], 731 [formerly?], and 732 [formerly 1 Ko.].
Tiger Characteristics:
The following characteristics are visible in photographs of Tigers of the unit:
| No. |
Cross Size |
New Mud Guards |
Reinf. Mantlet |
Front Shovel |
Notes |
| 01 |
small |
? |
N |
? |
|
| 02 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 111 |
large |
? |
? |
? |
|
| 112 |
large |
N |
N |
N |
|
| 121 |
large |
N |
N |
Y |
|
| 122 |
large |
N |
N |
N |
|
| 131 |
large |
N |
N |
N |
|
| 132 |
large |
N |
N |
N |
|
| 141 |
large |
N |
N |
N |
|
| 142 |
large |
N |
N |
N |
Destroyed near Beja. |
| UNK1 |
large |
N |
N |
Y |
Destroyed near Beja. |
| UNK2 |
small |
N |
N |
Y |
“Heidi” on front plate. |
| UNK3 |
small |
N |
N |
? |
Tiger painted behind headlight. |
| 21 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 22? |
? |
N |
Y |
? |
|
| 231 |
? |
N |
? |
? |
|
| 241 |
? |
N |
? |
? |
|
| 243 |
? |
N |
? |
? |
|
| 811 |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Destroyed turret photographed near Beja. |
| 813 |
small |
? |
? |
? |
|
| 82? |
small |
N |
Y |
Y |
Photographed on road near Sidi Nsir. May be same as 823. |
| 823 |
small |
N |
Y |
? |
Destroyed near Beja. |
| 833 |
small |
Y |
N |
? |
Destroyed near Beja. |
| 843 |
|
|
|
|
Turret shell destroyed near Beja. |
| 71 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 712 |
small |
Y |
N |
Y |
Aberdeen Tiger. Formerly 2 Ko. |
| 724 |
large |
N |
N |
N |
Formerly 1 Ko. Tiger 112 (from battle damage). |
| 731 |
large |
N |
? |
N |
Norbert? Characteristics of both formerly 1 Ko. and 2 Ko. |
| 732 |
large |
N |
? |
? |
Formerly 1 Ko. |
By Lone_Sentry_Admin, on November 2nd, 2009 In an effort to extend the Tunis bridgehead, the Germans launched Operation Ochsenkopf in February 1943. Kampfgruppe Lang, containing sPzAbt. 501 and elements of 10th Panzer Division, struck at British forces at Sidi Nsir. After a hard battle, the German forces overran the British infantry and artillery and captured Sidi Nsir. The British resistance gained time to establish defenses at Hunt’s Gap which halted Kampfgruppe Lang’s advance toward Beja.
The Bundesarchiv archive contains several photos of the aftermath of the Battle of Sidi Nsir.
 Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-557-1020-05A, Appe. (Creative Commons License.) |
101I-557-1020-05A
German soldiers and wounded British soldiers at the northeast end of the Sidi Nsir station. |  Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-557-1020-18A, Appe. (Creative Commons License.) |
101I-557-1020-18A
Another view of the British wounded and German soldiers at the northeast end of the station. A Kubelwagen ambulance has arrived and one stretcher has been loaded. The name of the station, Sidi Nsir, is visible on the station sign. |  Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-557-1020-20A, Appe. (Creative Commons License.) |
101I-557-1020-20A
A German halftrack tows an antitank gun through a gap in the British wire. The halftrack has just passed through the intersection and is moving toward the Sidi Nsir station. The road to the left goes to Tebourba while the road to Beja is barely visible in the background behind the halftrack. |  Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-557-1020-26A, Appe. (Creative Commons License.) |
101I-557-1020-26A
Another view of the group of German soldiers shown beside the halftrack. The rocky hills behind the soldiers are also shown in photograph 05A. |  Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-557-1020-27A, Appe. (Creative Commons License.) |
101I-557-1020-27A
A photograph showing the southwest end of the train station along with motorcycles, halftrack, Kubelwagen, and a captured U.S. halftack in German service. In the background are the sheds and boxcar visible in other photographs. |  Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-557-1020-33A, Appe. (Creative Commons License.) |
101I-557-1020-33A
A column of German troops and British prisoners leaves Sidi Nsir heading along the railroad tracks in the direction of Mateur. The Sidi Nsir station is visible in the background. |  Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-557-1023-27A, Appe. (Creative Commons License.) | 101I-557-1023-27A
German light flak setup in the road intersection. On the left, behind the 20-mm flak, is the road to Tebourba. The road and railroad to Beja is visible in the background with traffic moving in both directions.101I-557-1023-26A is a nearly identical photograph of the same scene. |  Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-788-0032-19, Dullin. (Creative Commons License.) |
101I-788-0032-19: A photograph from a second photographer showing a PzKpfw. III Ausf. N belonging to sPzAbt. 501 parked at the southwest end of the Sidi Nsir station. |
By Lone_Sentry_Admin, on November 1st, 2009 Photo P30 (see “Tiger Grave at Beja” and “Video of sPzAbt. 501 Tigers in Tunisia“) shows a slightly better view of the detached Tiger turret in the ditch at the front of the column.
By Lone_Sentry_Admin, on November 1st, 2009
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