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12th Regiment out of the I Panzergrenadier-Battalion. This offensive developed into fiercely contested battles fought over the bridges crossing the Rządza River in the vicinity of Dybowo, a village the Germans had succeeded in taking. Due to the concentric attack, the Soviet 103rd Tank Brigade’s units were forced to turn back toward Wołomin, and in doing so, simultaneously abandoned a considerable amount of war materials on the battlefield. In the evening, Colonel Christern’s kampfgrupp, having split into two separate assault units, attacked Ciemne and Dobczyn. (The first unit was made up of the II Panzer-Regiment 35 together with the Panzergrenadier- Regiment 12 from the I Panzergrenadier-Battalion – the second unit consisted of the I Panzer-Regiment 35 and Panzergrenadier-Regiment 12 from the II Panzergrenadier-Battalion.) The re-taking of Radzymin meant that the vital road between Warsaw and Wyszków could be re-opened and that contact between the 9th and 2nd Armies could also be re-established.
    A PzKpfw “Panther” tank Sd Kfz 267 from the 3rd Panzer-Regiment 35. The photo is probably taken during the course of fighting in the vicinity of Radzymin during the first ten days of August 1944. (MWP)
    Further south, enemy positions outside Wołomin were attacked by Division “Hermann Göring” from Zielonka, and by the 3rd SS-Panzer-Division “Totenkopf” from the area around Tłuszcz. This time, the Soviet tank troops from the 51st Tank Brigade and the infantry from the 57th Mechanised Brigade proved to be the more skilled combatants. They inflicted heavy casualties on their attackers and forced them to quickly retire. The 5th SS-Panzer-Division “Wiking” (II SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 “Wiking” and the grenadier battalions from SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 9 “Germania”) also participated in the attack and tried to break through the 3rd Tank Division’s positions around the village of Poświętne. This effort was only partially successful. Clearly, the Soviet forces withdrew from Międzyleś, Wólka Dąbrownicka and Pośwętne, but they succeeded in setting up another defence line. SS-Gruppenführer Gille could not commit his entire division to battle because he was also responsible for the defense of the battlefield outside Warsaw between Mińsk Mazowiecki and Kałuszyn (SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 10 Westland,” which had also been reinforced, completed its transport across the Bug that same day and only just now was able to join up with the rest of the formation). On August 2, components within the 5th SS-Panzer-Division “Wiking,” together with soldiers from the 3rd SS-Panzer-Division “Totenkopf,” were positioned along this stretch to repel attacks from the 8thTank Guards Corps supported by the Soviet 47th Army’s frontline units. By reason of the above-described situation, the Germans were not in a position to launch a new attack against Okuniew.
    A PanzerbefehlsWagen III ausf M has fallen through a bridge. The crew had a huge job in front of them, either to lift it up and transport it back to their unit, or destroy it so that it did not fall into the hands of the Russians. Eastern Poland, August 1944. (Leandoer & Ekholm Archive).
    Soviet units crossing the Wisła at Puławay in August 1944. In the foreground is an amphibious vehicle, model Ford GPA (WAF)
    A command vehicle, PzBfWg V Sd Kfz 267 “Panther” (tactical number “R 02”), from the command company, SS-Panzer-Regiment 5 “Wiking”, August 1944. On the right, a KIPzBfWg Sd Kfz 265 from Panzer-Regiment 35. (MWP)
    At the same time, the Soviet the 16th Tank Corps, which fought side by side with the 73rd Infantry Division, slowly began to approach Praga. Once in the vicinity of the city, Soviet units were fiercely attacked by the German infantry supported by a small number of armoured vehicles. The commander of the