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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: 14.00 hours (Turn 9)

Once again, the Luftwaffe pilots were unable to find any Russian tanks. They attacked the trucks to the E of Lipki destroying both, along with their towed guns. After issuing a hasty op order, Col. Eckhardt began operations aimed at retaking Lipki Ridge.

The Light platoons of 5 and 6 Co., II/28 were sent to attack the Russian armor from the rear. The Russian commander wheeled all his tanks to face this threat. 5 Co's. tanks were driven back, and the 2 tanks of 6 Co. were destroyed, with the loss of all crew. While the Russians were busy dealing with this attack from the S, the MkIVs of 6 Co., II/28 Pz, and 2 Co, I/28, approached the Russian force from the rear. The Light and 1 Plt, of 3 Co, I/28 were pulled from the line at Stayki and sent N to act as the blocking force to the S of the Russians. 5 Co., sealed off the escape route through the woods to the E of the Russian force. Col. Eckhardt had managed to surround the Russian forces.

Main gun fire reduced the Russian tanks one by one. The Russian units were thrown into confusion as shells from the MkIVs, and IIIs pierced the thinner rear armor of the T-34s. Col. Eckhardt's counter attack ended as 3 Plt, 6 Co, II/28 Pz drove into the Russian formation and fired point blank with their short barreled 75mm main guns at the remaining Russian tanks. Eight T-34s were destroyed and one was captured, along with a high ranking political commisar, and a hand full of survivors. The commisar was summilarily executed, per OKW orders, and the remaining PWs were sent to the rear, for interrogation.

Col Eckhardt quickly attempted to get his units into order, as the KVs that had been seen to the E were still not accounted for, and he expected another attack soon.

3 Co, 88th/18 Recon Btl, was ordered via radio to move SE onto the high ground E of Lipki; a distance of approx. 2.5Km. The company commander pushed his men forward. He was attempting to get his ATGs into favorable firing positions to deal with the T-26s blocking the way S on the Pogodista road. As 3 Co. maneuvered, the Russian tanks blocking the Pogodista road withdrew.

As Col. Eckhardt organized his forces, the Russians launched the expected counter attack. A large force of Russian tanks advanced down Lipki Ridge. There were a total of 36 Russian tanks attacking Col. Eckhardt's postion from Lipki ridge, as well as from the Stayki area. The MkIIs of the Light Plt , 3 Co, I/28 Pz where destroyed by BT-7s attacking from the south. 2 Plt., 5 Co. lost 2 mk IIIs to the cannon fire of the Russian KVs.

Russian forces also launched an attack against Cpt. Genhardt's forces in Stayki. No losses were suffered, but radio contact was lost with 4 Co. , II/28 Pz. Cpt. Gebhardt was not going to be able to use its tanks in his counter attack. Radio operators worked furiously to restore communications.

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

Russian Losses:
16 x BT-7
12 x T-34M40
10 x Trucks
10 x BA-20
2 x ATG
32 x Inf Squads (approx 250-KIA/WIA 50-PW)
1 x Russian officer - KIA