1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler"

1st SS Panzer Division "Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler" History

LAH took part in the Polish Campaign as a Motorized Rifle Regiment. It was composed of four infantry battalions with supporting artillery, anti-tank, pioneer and reconnaissance units.

After the Polish Campaign, the LAH was pulled back into Germany for rest and refitting. The LAH then took part in the Western Campaign, first against the Low Countries and then against France. The LAH was initially in Army Reserve, while one of its motorcycle battalions linked up with the Fallschrimjager troops that had jumped into Rotterdam. After a lull in action for the LAH, it fought against the shrinking beach-heads of the evacuating British Army at Dunkirk, but were only able to maintain pressure against their lines. During the second phase of the Campaign in France, the LAH was once again organized as an independent regiment, this time under 14 Armee Korps (mot). 14th Armee Korp initially attacked south from a bridge-head at Amiens, but was stopped by severe French resistance. After limited successes and little advance, the 14th Armee Korp was withdrawn and transferred 75 miles to the East. This time the attack was very successful and the 14th Armee Korps rapidly advanced, crossing the Seine River, and moving to cut the retreat of numerous French units at Loire. After the Armistice was signed ending the Campaign in the West, the 14th Armee Korps continued down the French coast to the border with Spain, securing the rest of occupied France.

After the Campaign in France ended, the LAH was stationed in France for rest and refitting. Initially, the LAH was going to be given a partial lead role in the planned invasion of England. To prepare for the upcoming invasion, the LAH trained extensively in amphibious warfare. In August, 1940, the LAH was raised to brigade status, although its title did not reflect this change.

The invasion of England was canceled, and in March of 1941, the LAH was moved to Rumania where it was to take part in the invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece. Now under the 40th Armee Korps, the LAH first broke into Yugoslavia, met the retreating Italians (Who the Germans were now rescuing), and then moved into Greece. The LAH then used a number of flanking maneuvers that continuously pushed the British further south into Greece, literally chasing them through Greece in 18 days. The LAH then crossed the Gulf of Corinth in fishing boats rather than follow the British to Thermopylae and managed to meet the retreating Allies on the Peloponnesus. By the end of April, the British had been forced into another situation like that at Dunkirk, this time at Kalamata, where they barely managed to retreat to the Island of Crete.

After the successful Campaign in Yugoslavia and Greece, the LAH was refitted and brought up to Divisional status, but only in name, and then attached to the 54th Armee Korps for the invasion of the Soviet Union. The LAH was part of Amy Group South, and as such, did not itself see combat until it was used to assault the Tarter Ditch blocking the way into the Crimea. Next, LAH was transferred to Panzer Group 1 to take part in the massive encirclement of the Kiev Pocket. Still under Panzer Group 1, the LAH then took part in the drive on Rostov. The LAH took Rostov, but was forced out by Soviet counter-attacks, pushing the LAH back across the Mius River where it set up defensive positions. In the Summer of 1942, the severely mauled LAH was pulled back to Paris to refit, and was upgraded to a Panzer-Grenadier Division in name, although it had the strength of a full Panzer Division at the time. In 1943, the LAH was again recalled to the East Front where it took part in the massive battles for the recapture of Kharkov and in the largest tank battle in History during the epic struggle for Kursk in the Kursk Salient. After being stopped by fierce Soviet resistance in the Battle for Kursk, the LAH was pulled out and moved to Italy to be used in anti-partisan operations. Reequiped and renamed as a full Panzer Division the LAH was sent to rescue the crumbling situation on the Eastern Front. Another massive Soviet Winter offensive then managed to encircle the LAH, and a counter-attack by the II. SS-Panzer-Korps rescued the nearly destroyed LAH from certain death. Once again, the LAH was moved to France for rest and refitting.

After the D-Day invasion by the Allies on the Normandy coast in June, 1944, the LAH was committed in August to fighting in Caen, Falaise and Argentan. Continuously pushed back, the LAH was brought back behind the Siegfried Line in Germany. Parts of the LAH where then committed to the Battle for Aachen. In December, 1944, the LAH was attached to the I SS Panzer Korps for the Attack in the Ardennes region of France. Highly successful in that attack, elements of the LAH Panzer Division, namely Kamfgruppe Pieper, punched nearly all the way to the Meus River, being stopped only by blown bridges, lack of supplies and Allied Air power. After the failed attempt to punch through the Ardennes in France, the LAH was moved one last time to the East to confront the Soviets, this time in Hungary, and took part in the last official German offensive of the War in an attempt to rescue the besieged forces in Budapest. Failing that, the LAH was pulled back to Austria to await the coming Soviet onslaught. Soon after, the LAH moved itself into position in Austria to surrender itself to the Americans.


PRIMARY SOURCES:

Feldgrau

"Hitler's Teutonic Knights" by Bruce Quarrie  pages 10-45

Tactical Organization of the 1st SS Panzer Division "LAH" at specific times.

August, 1938 (SS Leibstandarte "Adolf Hitler")

I.Bataillon
MG.Kompanie
Inf.Kompanie
Inf.Kompanie
Inf.Kompanie

II.Bataillon
MG.Kompanie
Inf.Kompanie
Inf.Kompanie
Inf.Kompanie

III.Bataillon
MG.Kompanie
Inf.Kompanie
Inf.Kompanie
Inf.Kompanie

IV.Bataillon
MG.Kompanie
Inf.Kompanie
Inf.Kompanie
Inf.Kompanie

13.Infanterie Geschutz-Kompanie
14.Panzerjager-Kompanie
15.Kradschutzen-Kompanie
Aufklarungs-Zug
Pioneer-Zug
Kradschutzen-Zug
Nachtrichten-Zug
Music-Zug
leicht Infanterie-Kolonne


May, 1941

Stab mit Musikzug

I.Bataillon
Stab
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie
4.Kompanie
5.Kompanie

II.Bataillon
Stab
6.Kompanie
7.Kompanie
8.Kompanie
9.Kompanie
10.Kompanie

III.Bataillon
Stab
11.Kompanie
12.Kompanie
13.Kompanie
14.Kompanie
15.Kompanie

IV.Bataillon
Stab
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie
4.Kompanie

Sturmgeschutz-Batterie
leicht Infanterie-Kolonne

Aufklarungs-Abteilung
Stab
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie

Artillerie-Regiment
Stab
I.Abteilung
II.Abteilung

Pionier-Bataillon
Stab
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
Brucken-Kolonne
le. Pionier-Kolonne
Nachrichten-Abteilung
Fernsprech-Kompanie
Funk-Kompanie

Nachschub-Dienste
Stab
Werkstatt-Kompanie
Betriebsstoff-Kolonne
1.Kw.-Kolonne
2.Kw.-Kolonne
3.Kw.-Kolonne
Sanituts-Staffel


February, 1943

Divisions Stab
Karenstelle
Musikzug

SS-Grenadier-Regiment 1
Regiment Stab
Stabskompanie
I.Bataillon
Stab
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie
4.Kompanie
5.Kompanie
II.Bataillon
Stab
6.Kompanie
7.Kompanie
8.Kompanie
9.Kompanie
10.Kompanie
III.Bataillon
Stab
11.Kompanie
12.Kompanie
13.Kompanie
14.Kompanie
15.Kompanie
Flak-Kompanie
Infanterie-Geschutz-Kompanie
Panzerjager-Kompanie

SS-Grenadier-Regiment 2
Regiment-Stab
Stabskompanie
I.Bataillon
Stab
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie
4.Kompanie
5.Kompanie
II.Bataillon
Stab
6.Kompanie
7.Kompanie
8.Kompanie
9.Kompanie
10.Kompanie
III.Bataillon
Stab
11.Kompanie
12.Kompanie
13.Kompanie
14.Kompanie
15.Kompanie
Flak-Kompanie
Infanterie-Geschutz-Kompanie
Panzerjager-Kompanie

Panzer-Regiment 1
Regiment-Stab
Stabskompanie
I.Abteilung
Abteilung-Stab
Stabskompanie
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie
II.Abteilung
Abteilung-Stab
Stabskompanie
4.Kompanie
5.Kompanie
6.Kompanie
schwere Panzer-Kompanie
Panzer-Pionier-Kompanie
Panzer-Werkstatt-Kompanie
1.leicht Panzer-Kolonne
2.leicht Panzer-Kolonne
Sturmgesch?tz-Abteilung
Stab
Stabsbatterie
1.Batterie
2.Batterie
3.Batterie

Aufklarurungs-Abteilung
Stab
Nachrichten-Zug
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie
4.Panzer-Sp?h-Kompanie
5.Kompanie
leicht Kolonne Panzer-Aufklarurungsabteilung

Artillerie-Regiment
Stab
Stabsbatterie
Beobachtungs-Batterie
Werfer-Batterie
I.Abteilung
Stab
1.Batterie
2.Batterie
3.Batterie
II.Abteilung
Stab
4.Batterie
5.Batterie
6.Batterie
III.Abteilung
Stab
7.Batterie
8.Batterie
9.Batterie
IV.Abteilung
Stab
10.Batterie
11.Batterie
12.Batterie

Panzerjager-Abteilung
Stab
Nachrichten-Zug
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie
Flak-Abteilung
Stab
Stabsbatterie
1.Batterie
2.Batterie
3.Batterie
4.Batterie
5.Batterie
2cm Flak-Zug

Pionier-Bataillon
Stab
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie
4.Kompanie
Bruckenkolonne
leicht Pionier-Kolonne
Nachrichten-Abteilung
Stab
1.Panzer(Fe)-Kompanie
2.Panzer(Fe)-Kompanie
leicht Panzer-Nachrichten-Kolonne

Wirtschafts-Bataillon
Stab
Verpflegungsamt
Bucker-Kompanie
Schluchterie-Kompanie
Verpflegungskolonne

Sanituts-Abteilung
Stab
1.Saniturs-Kompanie
2.Saniturs-Kompanie
Feldlazarett
1.Krankenkraftwagen-Zug
2.Krankenkraftwagen-Zug
3.Krankenkraftwagen-Zug
Feldpostamt
Kriesberechter-Kompanie
Feldgendarmie-Trupp
Nachschub-Deinst
Stab-Division-Nachschubfuhrer
1.Kraftwagen-Kolonne
2.Kraftwagen-Kolonne
3.Kraftwagen-Kolonne
4.Kraftwagen-Kolonne
5.Kraftwagen-Kolonne
6.Kraftwagen-Kolonne
7.Kraftwagen-Kolonne
8.Kraftwagen-Kolonne
9.Kraftwagen-Kolonne
10.Kraftwagen-Kolonne
11.(gross) Kraftwagen-Kolonne
12.(gross) Kraftwagen-Kolonne
13.(gross) Kraftwagen-Kolonne
14.(gross) Kraftwagen-Kolonne
15.(gross) Kraftwagen-Kolonne fur Beteriebstoff
16.(gross) Kraftwagen-Kolonne fur Beteriebstoff
17.(gross) Kraftwagen-Kolonne fur Beteriebstoff
18.(gross) Kraftwagen-Kolonne fur Beteriebstoff
19.(gross) Kraftwagen-Kolonne fur Beteriebstoff

Instandsetzungs-Abteilung
Stab
1.Werkstatt-Kompanie
2.Werkstatt-Kompanie
3.Werkstatt-Kompanie
4.Werkstatt-Kompanie
5.Werkstatt-Kompanie
Nachschub-Kompanie
VII.LSSAH
Bataillone Stab
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie
4.Kompanie
5.Kompanie


1944

Stab der Division

SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 1
Stab
I.Bataillon
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie
4.Kompanie
5.Kompanie
II.Bataillon
6.Kompanie
7.Kompanie
8.Kompanie
9.Kompanie
10.Kompanie
III.Bataillon
11.Kompanie
12.Kompanie
13.Kompanie
14.Kompanie
15.Kompanie
16.Flak-Kompanie
17.Infanterie-Geschutz-Kompanie
18.Panzerjager-Kompanie
19.Aufklurungs-Kompanie
20.Pionier-Kompanie

SS-Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment 2
Stab
I.Bataillon
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie
4.Kompanie
5.Kompanie
II.Bataillon
6.Kompanie
7.Kompanie
8.Kompanie
9.Kompanie
10.Kompanie
III.Bataillon
11.Kompanie
12.Kompanie
13.Kompanie
14.Kompanie
15.Fla-Kompanie
16.Infanteriegeschutz-Kompanie
17.Panzerjager-Kompanie
18.Aufklurungs-Kompanie
19.Pionier-Kompanie

SS-Panzer-Aufklurungs-Abteilung 1
Stab
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie
4.Kompanie
5.Kompanie
6.Kompanie

SS-Panzer-Regiment 1
Stab
I.Bataillon
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie
4.Kompanie
II.Bataillon
5.Kompanie
6.Kompanie
7.Kompanie
8.Kompanie
schwehere Kompanie
Pionier-Kompanie

SS-Panzerjager-Abteilung
Stab
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie

SS-Sturmgeschutz-Abteilung
Stab
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie

SS-Panzer-Artillerie-Reigment
Stab
I.Abteilung
1.Batterie
2.Batterie
3.Batterie
II.Abteilung
4.Batterie
5.Batterie
6.Batterie
III.Abteilung
7.Batterie
8.Batterie
9.Batterie
IV.Abteilung
10.Batterie
11.Batterie
12.Batterie

SS-Flak-Abteilung 1
Stab
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie
4.Kompanie
5.Kompanie
2cm-Flak-Aug

SS-Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon
Stab
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie
3.Kompanie
4.Kompanie

SS-Panzer-Nachrichten-Abteilung
Stab
1.Kompanie
2.Kompanie


PRIMARY SOURCES:

Feldgrau