1st Cavalry Division (Germany)
Encyclopedia
The 1st Cavalry Division was formed in October 1939. It fought in Holland, Belgium, France and on the Eastern Front
. It was officially transformed into the 24th Panzer Division in late 1941.
and attempted to capture a bridge across the Loire but the attack failed when it was blown up with a patrol still on it. The division reached La Rochelle
when the fighting in France ended.
After the French capitulation the division was stationed in France on occupation duties until the early summer of 1941 when it was moved east in preparation for the attack on the Soviet Union. It was assigned to the XXIV. Armeekorps in the opening stages of Operation Barbarossa
, the invasion of the Soviet Union. The division fought in the southern sector of the front, seeing action around the Berezina and Dniepr rivers, especially in efforts to clear the Pripet Marshes of by-passed Red Army
units.
It was withdrawn to France in November 1941 and its 17,000 horses were handed over to infantry divisions. The “Schlußappell”, the last divisional parade, was held on 5 November at Gomel before it was finally disbanded and reformed as the 24.Panzer-Division
.
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
. It was officially transformed into the 24th Panzer Division in late 1941.
Formation
The division was formed on 25 October from the 1. Kavallerie-Brigade and expanded on 20 November with the addition of Reiter-Regiments 21 and 22. It was reconstituted in February 1940 when II\Reiter-Regiment 21 was disbanded and distributed to other regiments.Operational history
The campaign in Western Europe began in Holland before it was assigned to the 4.Armee and sent to France. The division crossed the Somme on 7 June and fought near Meulen. On 18–19 June it fought around SaumurSaumur
Saumur is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.The historic town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc...
and attempted to capture a bridge across the Loire but the attack failed when it was blown up with a patrol still on it. The division reached La Rochelle
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
when the fighting in France ended.
After the French capitulation the division was stationed in France on occupation duties until the early summer of 1941 when it was moved east in preparation for the attack on the Soviet Union. It was assigned to the XXIV. Armeekorps in the opening stages of Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
, the invasion of the Soviet Union. The division fought in the southern sector of the front, seeing action around the Berezina and Dniepr rivers, especially in efforts to clear the Pripet Marshes of by-passed Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
units.
It was withdrawn to France in November 1941 and its 17,000 horses were handed over to infantry divisions. The “Schlußappell”, the last divisional parade, was held on 5 November at Gomel before it was finally disbanded and reformed as the 24.Panzer-Division
24th Panzer Division (Germany)
The 24th Panzer Division was formed in 1942 from the 1st Cavalry Division based at Königsberg.-Service:It served under the Fourth Panzer Army in Army Group South of the Eastern Front. In late December 1942 it was encircled in the Battle of Stalingrad and destroyed...
.
Area of operations
- Holland and France (May 1940-Jun 1941)
- Eastern front, southern sector (Jun 1941-Nov 1941)
Order of battle
- Reiter-Brigade 1 (2x regiments); Reiter-Regiment 1; Reiter-Regiment 2; Reiter-Regiment 21; Reiter-Regiment 22
Units Battalion BattalionA battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...Regiment RegimentA regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...General