Operation "Citadel," the last great German offensive of WWII on the Eastern Front, was an attempt by the Germans to pinch off the Kursk salient, and to destroy the Soviet ability to counterattack. As the battle started, it quickly became apparent that the Soviets were ready and waiting for the attack, and had set up a series of fortified lines to contain the German advance. In addition, Soviet armored units had been moved up positions from which they could quickly counterattack, and ensure that the Germans would not only have to advance and fight to take the Soviet entrenchments, but after doing so, they would then have to fight once again to hold on to it.
The German 48th Panzer Corps was assigned to the attack of 4th Panzer Army on the Kursk Salient from the southern flank. Attached to the 48th were the 3rd and 11th Panzer Divisions, as well as Panzergrenadier Division "Gross Deutchland." The 48th Panzer Corps' mission was to anchor the left of the 4th Panzer Army, so that the 48th had the twin missions of not only advancing into the salient but also holding the left shoulder of the attack and preventing the Soviets from counterattacking against the exposed German flanks.
The 48th attacked as planned, and soon found that their advance had bogged down. The Soviets had converted each village into a defensive hedgehog, which either had to be overrun, or an alternative way found around it. Since most of the alternative routes resulted in the attacking troops arriving at yet another fortified village, the advance slowed to the point that after four days of battle, the 48th had advanced at best 10 miles into the Russian positions. On the 7th, however, a breakthrough was reported by the Grenadier Regiment of Gross Deutchland on the right of their position. The lead elements reported that they had reached Werchopenje, and that they were advancing on Nowesselowka, a village some 10 miles behind the current front lines.
A battle group was quickly formed from the Gross Deutchland's Recon and Assault gun Battalion, and sent to help the Grenadiers seize the Hill 260.8, a dominating terrain feature just to the south of Nowesselowka.
When the battle group advanced forward on July 7, they quickly discovered that the Grenadiers had lost their way and had not even reached the vicinity of Werchopenje. The battle group command however, decided to advance north on the following morning, and to try and capture Hill 260.8. On the 8th, the Grenadier Regiment moved westward to pinch off Werchopenje, while the Battle Group pushed forward toward Hill 260.8 and Nowesselowka.
More Grossdeutschland at Nowosselowska: July 8th, 1943: Hill 260.8
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© Copyright 1993 by Greg Novak.
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