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[Toten Tanz]

From the Regimental Combat Diary of the 28th/18 Panzer Regiment, Col Eckhardt (Toten Tanz) commanding

Date: July 3, 1941
Location: Lipki, Belarus
Weather: Clear with a slight haze, visibility good.
Entry Time: 13.30 hours (Turn 8)

Stukas arrived overhead and attacked the Russian armor concentration on Lipki Ridge. They scored a direct hit on a T-34, reducing it to a flaming wreck. Col Eckhardt sent 2Plt, 2Co, I/28 to drive back the T-26s on the high ground to the E of Lipki. Long range cannon fire forced one platoon to displace, and afforded Col Eckhardt's positon some relief Russian observation.

In light of the Russian build up to the E of Stayki, Cpt. Gebhardt order his units to withdrawl back into Stayki. He began setting up a defensive line runing through the village, facing SE. The PzJdg1s of 88th/18 AT Blt. were placed in the woods 1KM S of Stayki, in an ambush position., along with a platoon of armored cars from 2 Co, for security. A Russian armored car platoon was seen moving W of Stayki.

It was becoming apparent to Col. Eckhardt that the Russians meant to hit his units simultaniously from the E/SE at Stayki and from Lipki Ridge. An airstrike was called against the company of T-26's on the high ground E of Lipki, in order to eliminate, or at least blunt, that threat before the main Russin blow fell upon his forces.

The units of 88th/18 Recon Btl to the N of Lipki realigned their positons to support 2 Co's. attack to the E and to deal with the T-26 platooon that had attacked 3 Co. to the W of the road to Pogodista. This T-26 platoon withdrew to the SE and took up a blocking postion astride the Pogodista road. In addition to these tanks, a total of 20 T-26s, could be seen massing on the high ground E of Lipki. Two trucks towing small caliber ATGs could be seen moving N towards 3 Co. on the Pogodista road, as well.

The Russain attack on Lipki Ridge began. Nine T-34s drove down the Moscow Motor Hiway and recaptured the Regimental objective on the ridge. During his reshuffling in preperation for the attack, Col. Eckhardt had repositioned 5 Co. II/28 PZ some 500m to the SW and brought the remaining tanks of 2 Co., I/28PZ to the base of the ridge. This left both companies in good position to counter the Russian moves.

German Losses:
4 x PzIIF
12 x PzIII of various models
1 x Pz IV
1 x ATG
Cpt. Fegelien - KIA

Russian Losses:
16 x BT-7
3 x T-34M40
8 x Trucks
10 x BA-20
32 x Inf Squads (approx 250-KIA/WIA 50-PW)