1st Chronicles Of V Panzer Army DAR

[Cole]

The past three turns I have had reinforcements from the north in the form of Kampfgruppe Telkamp. This was welcome because for the last five or so turns I noticed a long time lag during the replay and figured the Americans had some help coming.

Steve spotted me as last turn there was a mortar strike and I noticed movement of one unit. Couldn't figure out who the spotter was.

I was cautious in bringing on my forces, consisting of many Panthers and lots of Panzergrenadiiers but this past turn I have taken a chance that a surprise does not wait for me in the woods and rushed forward without setting aside op fire. Hopefully I can dominate the ridge line to the NW of Born before having to engage those 80 Shemans.

Did a quick search on the web for Kampfgruppe Telkamp and what I found is not so comforting. Statements such as "almost 80 Shermans and tank destroyers" and "...fighter-bombers swooped down in waves and massacred his column"

Link is HERE

Relevant section from the link copied below and screen shot below that:

The advance to St Vith

Four days into Operation Autumn Mist, it was becoming clear that I SS Panzer Corps was stalled. Peiper's kampfgruppe was stuck at La Gleize, and the Hitlerjugend was getting nowhere on the Elsenborn ridge. The rapid advance of Peiper created one opportunity for Dietrich. The US 7th Armored Division and parts of three other divisions were still holding out in the town of St Vith, and Bittrich's mission was to push his two panzer divisions to the north and south of the St Vith salient, trapping the American force, before continuing westwards to the Meuse. It looked good on a map, but Das Reich and Hohenstaufen's kampfgruppen had to contend with a road network that was hopelessly overloaded.

The Hohenstaufen led the northern pincer, pushing through Recht to attempt to seize Vielsalm. SS-Sturmbannführer Eberhard Telkamp led the Hohenstaufen's panzer regiment into action on 21 December, and it soon ran into a strong 7th Armored Division Combat Command, with almost 80 Shermans and tank destroyers.

The battle came to a climax on Christmas Eve, when Telkamp ordered an all-out effort to break through to Vielsalm. Just as his panzer regiment was forming up to attack, USAAF P-47 fighter-bombers swooped down in waves and massacred his column. Now the Hohenstaufen's northern pincer was well and truly blocked.