304Th Panzergrenadier Regiment Ww2 Lha
About 304Th Panzergrenadier Regiment Ww2 Lha
A ww2 re-enactment group based in the South of England, portraying the 304th Panzer Grenadier Regiment of the 2nd Panzer Division.
304Th Panzergrenadier Regiment Ww2 Lha Description
WE ARE A STRICTLY NON POLITICAL GROUP AND DO NOT CONDONE RIGHT WING OR RACIST ACTIVITIES
Divisional History
Formed on October 15, 1935 in Wehrkreis VIII as one of the original Panzer Divisions, the 2. Panzer Division initially included the 3rd and 4th Panzer Regiments and the 2. Panzer-Grenadier Regiment. In 1938 the Division was transferred to Vienna after the annexation of Austria and by the start of the war most of the men of the division were Austrians. The 2. Panzer Division suf-fered heavy losses in central Poland in 1939 and took part in the French campaign of 1940, where it formed part of Guderian’s XIX Motorized Corps. It was the first German troop formation to reach the coast when it captured Abbeville in May 1940. The 2. Panzer Division, after isolating the allied armies by reaching the coast, participated in the encirclement at Dunkirk.
In late 1940, the division gave up the 4th Panzer Regiment plus other cadres to the newly author-ized 13th Panzer Division and added the 304th Panzer Grenadier Regiment to its table of organi-zation. The reorganized 2. Panzer Division took part in the Balkan campaign and took Athens, Greece along with the 6th Mountain Division.
The 2. Panzer Division crossed into Russia in 1941 as part of the LXI Panzer Corps. Elements of the unit managed to reach as far as Khimki, a small river port five miles from Moscow. Elements of the 2. Panzer Division even reported being able to see the Kremilin itself, before they were thrown back by the start of the Soviet Winter Offensive of 1941-42. Remaining in the Russian central sector, the battered division took part in the defensive fighting of 1942, the Rzhev with-drawal, the battle of Kursk and the middle of the Dnieper battles of the winter of 1943-44, where it suffered heavy casualties.
Withdrawn to France for rest and refit, the 2. Panzer Division was thrown into the Battle of Normandy in June 1944. It took part in the unsuccessful counterattack at Mortain in August and, with only twenty-five tanks left, was surrounded at Falaise in August. Breaking out with loss-es, it was reformed at Wittlich in the Eifel area of western Germany, where it temporarily ab-sorbed the remnants of the 352. Infantry Division. It was sent back into combat in the Ardennes winter offensive where it was the the lead advancing element, where it again suffered heavy cas-ualties. In the last campaign the 2. Panzer Division was fighting against the Americans in 1945 and was down to a strength of only four tanks, three assault guns and two hundred men. The sur-vivors of the old division were grouped with Panzer Brigade Thuringen and ended the war de-fending Fulda in April 1945.
Divisional Commanders of 2. Panzer Division:
Generalleutnant Heinz Guderian: Formation - 28. February 1938
Generalleutnant Rudolf Veiel: 1. March 1938 - 17. February 1942
Generalleutnant Hans-Karl von Esebeck: 17. February 1942 - 31. May 1942 (Leave)
Generalmajor Arno von Lenski: 1. June 1942 - 30. June 1942 m. st. F. b.
Generalleutnant Hans-Karl von Esebeck: 1. July 1942 - 10. August 1942 (Wounded)
Oberst Vollrath Lübbe: 10. August 1944 - 28. August 1944 m. st. F. b. (Sick)
Generalmajor Arno von Lenski: 29. August 1944 - 4. September 1944 m. st. F. b.
Oberst Karl Fabiunke: 5. September 1942 - 30. September 1942
Generalleutnant Vollrath Lübbe: 1. October 1942 - 31. January 1944
Generalleutnant Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz: 1. February 1944 - 4. May 1944 (Leave)
Generalleutnant Franz Westhoven: 5. May 1944 - 26. May 1944 m. st. F. b.
Generalleutnant Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz: 27. May 1944 - 31. August 1944
Oberst Eberhard von Nostitz: 1. September 1944 - 4. September 1944 m. st. F. b.
Generalmajor Henning Schönfeld: 5. September 1944 - 14. December 1944
Generalmajor Meinrad von Lauchert: 15. December 1944 - 19. March 1945
Generalmajor Oskar Munzel: 20. March 1945 - 3. April 1945
Major i. G. Waldemar von Gazen: 3. April 1945 - 4. April 1945
Oberst Karl Stollbrock: 4. April 1945 - Until the end of the war m. F. b
Reviews
Our Der Spiess trying to out run the American Armoured divisions in the Falaise Gap, 1944. #livinghistory #304th #reenactors #reenacment #ww2 #German
Luetnant Kuertz as part of the Schreibstube of 1./PzGren.Rgt.304 in May 44 during the divisions rest and refit after being nearly destroyed in the battle of Kursk in 43'. #Germany #heer #nonpolitical #wermacht #2ndpanzer #panzer #Schriebstube #304th #livinghistory #reenacment #reenacting #reenactors
Grenadiers take a much needed rest to clean and inspect kit during the battle of Normandy. Following the invasion of Normandy, the division was moved to Normandy in June; it engaged British troops of the 50th Infantry Division and the 7th Armoured Division. It took part with its last 25 tanks in Operation Luttich, the failed German counterattack at Mortain. It was later encircled in the Falaise Gap, but broke out with heavy losses in material and troops. The division was reorganised in Germany, absorbing the depleted 352 Infantry Division. #Heer #nonpolitical #wermacht #2ndpanzer #panzer #mg42 #grenadier
The Kompanie's Der Spiess takes a break along side other remaining soldiers of the division during the defence of the Rhine, 1945. #Heer #nonpolitical #wermacht #2ndpanzer #panzer #mg42 #grenadier #heer #agfa #b&w #derlandser #304th
Just finished a fantastic training event with GR916 as partof our new Der Landser merger. Looking forward to a great season. #Germany #heer #nonpolitical #wermacht #916 #304 #derlandser #heer #training #newhavenfort #feldgrau #k98 #mg42 #reenacment #reenactors #livinghistory #ww2lha #reenacting
A few photos from our small display at at little local show.
Hauptfelbwebel Czerny and Feldwebel Topfer at our yearly training event at Newhaven Fort. This photo was taken on a period AGFA Billy camera and the result was a stunning picture with an authentic feel we don't feel you can replicate on modern cameras of software. Full period photo album will be uploaded this weekend. #billy #agfa #b&w #newhavenfort #heer #nonpolitical #wermacht #reenacment #livinghistory #photography #reenactors #training #originalcamera #German #reenacment
A young MG team take time to clean their MG42 after a training exercise while 2nd Panzer was on rest and refit during the Spring of 1944. #livinghistory #304th #reenactors #reenacment #ww2 #German #mg42 #grenadier #france #heer #nonpolitical #machinegun
As we prepare for one of training weekends this Weekend here's a flashback to one of our early events of 2018 at Newhaven Fort. This photo was taken on an original AGFA camera and we've recently had 2018s rolls devoped. Keep an eye out for all the photos as we start to hoad them over the coming months!! #916 #304 #mg42 #ww2 #ww2lha #reenactors #reenacment #livinghistory #training #originalcamera #agfa #b&w #newhavenfort #heer #nonpolitical
Harold Topfer shows the grenadiers of Erst Zug the plan for attack against Russian positions during Operation Citadel, August 1943. 2nd Pz was formed as part of the XLVII Panzer Corps of the 9th German Army of Army Group Centre. However following the operation's failure, the Red Army launched Operation Kutuzov in Army Group's Center's sector. The division retreated, suffering heavy losses which resulted in the division being sent to France in late 1943 for rest and refit. #Germany #heer #nonpolitical #wermacht #2ndpanzer #panzer #mg42 #grenadier #russian #citadel #ww2 #ww2lha #reenactors #reenacment #livinghistory
A young Grenadier takes a moment to rest in the cover of a wooded area after constant harrasment by allied air power. The 304th as well as the rest of the division took heavy casualties during the ill advised Operation Lüttich, which lasted from 7–13 August 1944 and resulting in the loses of unknown numbers of infantry & 120 tanks and assault guns destroyed or damaged which the German's could not stand to lose. #Germany #heer #nonpolitical #wermacht #2ndpanzer #panzer #mg42 #grenadier #mortain #livinghistory #ww2lha #normandy
We're very excited to announce that later on in tonight the first episode that members of the group took part in will air at 8pm on national geographic!! We very much enjoyed working with everyone on set for this show and can't wait to see the final results!! #nationalgeographic #dsp #nazimegastructures #tv #documentary #film #extras
Flash back to July last year at Capel. Photo of our Infantry gun, crew and transport courtesy of Bobs fighting 40s. #Germany #heer #nonpolitical #wermacht #916 #304 #derlandser #truck #gun #k98 #mg42 #zeltbahn #reenactors #reenacment #livinghistory #ww2lha #bobsfighting40s #grenadiers
Grenadiers prepare defensive positions whilst encircled in the Falaise pocket before breaking out and suffering heavy losses. After this the division was reorganised in Germany, absorbing the depleted 352 Infantry Division. #Germany #heer #nonpolitical #wermacht #916 #304 #derlandser #trench #mg42 #falaise #German #reenacment #reenactors #livinghistory
Grenadier Keller recently had some film from his period Russian camera develop of our event at Hugendon back in 2017!! Some good pictures including this one of our handsome Unteroffizer!! Hoping to get the 2018s period camera photos devoloped later this month!!! #German #ww2 #nonpolitical #wermacht #916 #304 #derlandser #heer #hugendon #k98 #mg42 #zeltbahn #reenactors #reenacment #livinghistory #ww2lha #camera #photography #nofilter