âWikingâ forcesâ southern flank from the MiÅsk Mazowiecki direction. The 3rd SS-Panzer-Division âTotenkopf âreceived orders to attack WoÅomin, and 5th SS-Panzer-Division âWikingâ was ordered to move out quickly in the direction of Okuniew with the objective of linking up with the XXXIX Panzer-Corps. The success of this offensive operation meant that the 3rd Tank Corps was sheared off from the rest of the 2nd Tank Army. Immediately after the attack began, however, some tens of Soviet tanks from the 59th Tank Guards Brigade cropped up on SS-Gruppenführer Gilles divisionâs left flank. They were about to carry out the 8th Tank Guards Corpsâ manoeuvre against StanisÅawów on orders they had received the previous day. Confronted with this situation the SS-forces were forced to intensively defend themselves instead of attacking. Both sides suffered heavy equipment losses and both sides broke off further attacks. At this juncture, General Popov took advantage of the 5th SS-Panzer-Division âWikingâsâ aborted attack against Okuniew and re-deployed his troops precisely in that direction. In the evening, the 8th Tank Guards Corps struck back against Okuniew and drove the Kampfgruppe from the 19th Panzer-Division out from there and to some extent restored contact with the 3rd Tank Corps. Here it should be pointed out that during this time both the 3rd and the 5th SS-Panzer-Divisions âWikingâ only succeeded in setting isolated units into battle. SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 10 âWestlandâ had not yet completed the transport of its entire complement across the Bug, and the most vital troops in the 3rd SS-Panzer-Division âTotenkopfâ were still fighting east of Siedlce. In short, the contribution of the 3rd SS-Panzer-Division âTotenkopfâ to the fighting at Praga was at this time decidedly modest.
Infantry from either the 4th Panzer-Division or the 19th Panzer-Division inspecting the remains of a Soviet tank unit they had just detroyed. The wreck of a T-34-85 is engulfed in smoke. Behind it stands an SU-85. The location is east of Praga; date â August 1, 1944. This is one of the few pictures of the battle that halted the Red Army at the gates of Warsaw at the time of the Home Armyâs Uprising on August 1, 1944. It was in this battle that the 3rd Tank Corps out of the Sovietâs 2nd Tank Army sustained such heavy losses that they were actually forced to retire and relinquish newly won terrain at the outskirts of Warsaw/Praga. Thereby, the âmagicalâ Soviet retreat chronicled by historians the world over. (Leandoer & Ekholm Archive)
Another picture of destroyed Soviet equipment from the beginning of the battle for Praga. It appears to be the same location as shown above, a few days later. In front of the JS-II tank appears to be a T-34, model undetermined. (Leandoer & Ekholm Archive)
The intensity of tank battles increased. Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model ordered General von Vormann to set about annihilating the frontline troops in the enemyâs panzer corps as fast as possible, and, moreover, see to it that the Soviet bridge-defence emplacements at Magnuszew were likewise destroyed. The commander of the 9th Army reported that, due to the prevailing shortage of equipment, it was impossible to carry out both missions simultaneously. Model informed him that the VIII Army-Corpsâ command had been transferred to the 9th Army. This force would organise the defence of the WisÅa south of Warsaw (as a result of the Uprising in Warsaw, the Army-Corpsâ staff, with General Höhne at its head, finally reached the new battlefield after a delay of four days). In addition, at Wyszków a Kampfgruppe âFelzmannâ was formed drawn from units of the German 2nd Army. Incorporated into it was a Kampfgruppe from the 4thPanzer-Division that had been promised to von Vormann a couple of days earlier, along
Infantry from either the 4th Panzer-Division or the 19th Panzer-Division inspecting the remains of a Soviet tank unit they had just detroyed. The wreck of a T-34-85 is engulfed in smoke. Behind it stands an SU-85. The location is east of Praga; date â August 1, 1944. This is one of the few pictures of the battle that halted the Red Army at the gates of Warsaw at the time of the Home Armyâs Uprising on August 1, 1944. It was in this battle that the 3rd Tank Corps out of the Sovietâs 2nd Tank Army sustained such heavy losses that they were actually forced to retire and relinquish newly won terrain at the outskirts of Warsaw/Praga. Thereby, the âmagicalâ Soviet retreat chronicled by historians the world over. (Leandoer & Ekholm Archive)
Another picture of destroyed Soviet equipment from the beginning of the battle for Praga. It appears to be the same location as shown above, a few days later. In front of the JS-II tank appears to be a T-34, model undetermined. (Leandoer & Ekholm Archive)
The intensity of tank battles increased. Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model ordered General von Vormann to set about annihilating the frontline troops in the enemyâs panzer corps as fast as possible, and, moreover, see to it that the Soviet bridge-defence emplacements at Magnuszew were likewise destroyed. The commander of the 9th Army reported that, due to the prevailing shortage of equipment, it was impossible to carry out both missions simultaneously. Model informed him that the VIII Army-Corpsâ command had been transferred to the 9th Army. This force would organise the defence of the WisÅa south of Warsaw (as a result of the Uprising in Warsaw, the Army-Corpsâ staff, with General Höhne at its head, finally reached the new battlefield after a delay of four days). In addition, at Wyszków a Kampfgruppe âFelzmannâ was formed drawn from units of the German 2nd Army. Incorporated into it was a Kampfgruppe from the 4thPanzer-Division that had been promised to von Vormann a couple of days earlier, along
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