SS-Panzer-Brigade “Gross”
HistoryThis unit was formed on 8 August 1944 from elements of the SS Panzer TroopTraining and Replacement Regiment at Dondangen, Latvia, along with SSPanzer Troop Training Regiment ‘”Seelager”. By 16 August, the brigade hadattained a personnel strength of 2500 and was attached to a new andtemporary Divisional Command: Panzer-Division Strachwitz. The entire formation first went into action against the Soviet 51st Army units in andaround the town of Tuckem on 20 August. In September, Brigade Gross wasdetached from Pz.Div.Strachwitz and dispatched to the Dorpat area to counteranother Soviet offensive. The brigade fought in the Baltic area duringSeptember to October 1944. In November the unit was withdrawn from theBaltic and sent to the Waffen SS Troop training Area Sennelager near Danzig,Prussia. From there it was sent to another training area in Westphalia.There the brigade was broken up and its sub-units were used as replacementsfor the 6th Panzer Army. OrganizationAufklarungs-Abteilung with a Kradschutzen-Kompanie, an armored car companyand a RAD/Kettenrad company. Panzer-Abteilung with two companies with atotal of 10-15 Pz.III’s and Pz.IV’s. Two Panzer Grenadier Battalions eachwith four SPW companies. Two Artillery Batteries form the 19.SS-Div.s.SS-Pz.Kp.(assigned on 15 August 1944 from s.SS-Pz.Abt.103) Kp/ss-StuG-Abt.1a provisional Pioneer company with a mot pioneer platoon and an armoredrocket launcher platoon. Flak Company with four platoons (the platoons camefrom the Luftwaffe and from SS-Flak Battalion 54) CommandersMartin Gross |