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Tank ace 19446/18/2023 ![]() ![]() In the response, Americans retreated and called up the tactical fighter support and Barkmann's Panther was damaged and some of the crew members were wounded. ***Also attached below, a war time photo of Ernst Barkmann.*** Depicted is Ernst Barkmann's (Das Reich, 2nd SS Panzer Division) famous day long solo engagement against an American Armoured breakthrough towards St. ***"Barkmann's Corner", painting by David Pentland, ATTACHED BELOW. When the American column approached, Ernst Barkmann opened fire, knocking out two leading tanks and then tanker truck.Two Shermans tried to go around burning wreckage that blocked the road and one of them was knocked out followed by the other one. Then Barkmann moved his tank up the road to the crossroad where he positioned his Panther in the surrounding oak trees, awaiting the enemy. They soon returned with news of American column made up of some 15 Shermans and other vehicles approaching. On his way back, near the village of Le Lorey, Barkmann was stopped by the retreating German infantrymen who reported that Americans were closing in.Įrnst Barkmann decided to send two of his men to verify that report. By the dawn of July 27th, his Panther was repaired but he was cut off from the rest of the Kompanie and was on his way to rejoin it. On July 26th, Barkmann's Panther suffered from engine problem and was sent to field workshop.When mechanics were working on it, field workshop was attacked by Allied fighter-bombers and Barkmann's Panther was hit in the engine compartment. Once again he succeeded and in the evening his own Panther was returned to him from the workshop. On the same day at noon, Ernst Barkmann was ordered by the Regimental Commander SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Tychsen to recover wounded German soldiers from their American captors. He succeeded in his task and added three more Shermans to his score. After a day of rest, in morning of July 14th, Barkmann was ordered to recover four Panthers that had been cut off behind enemy lines. After that engagement his Panther ended up in the workshop for repairs. He decided to abandon his burning Panther and along with his crew he quickly put out the fire. After that Ernst Barkmann's tank was hit by an anti-tank gun which caused fire. During that engagement Barkmann moved his camouflaged Panther to ambush position and awaited for more Allied armor, knocking out three Shermans. On July 12th, he destroyed two more Shermans while disabling the third one. On this day, Ernst Barkmann knocked out his first Allied Sherman tank near St.Lo. On July 8th, Barkmann's Kompanie was a spearhead of Regiment's attack on the advancing American units. In early July of 1944, Das Reich was moved to Saint Lo to halt the advance of the US Army's 9th and 30th Infantry Divisions and the 3rd Armored Division. Following the D-Day (June 6 of 1944), 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich was ordered to move northwards and was committed to battle. In early 1944, the entire division was transferred to Bordeaux area in southern France for rest and refitting as a panzer division. In late 1943, Ernst Barkmann was promoted to the rank of SS-Unterscharfuhrer. In mid 1943, Barkmann was transferred to 4th Kompanie which was equipped with new Panther tanks. In early 1943, 2nd Panzer Regiment took part in the Battle for Kharkov, where Barkmann won the Iron Cross (First Class). Barkmann's unit was equipped with tanks Panzerkampfwagen III with 50 mm guns which were outclassed by Soviet T-34 and others. Ernst Barkmann returned to the Eastern Front in winter of 1942 and was transferred to 2nd Kompanie of 2nd Panzer Regiment of 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich. In late 1941, Barkmann was transferred to Holland as an instructor of European SS-Volunteers but in early 1942, he volunteered for service with division's Panzer Regiment. In Autumn of 1941, Barkmann was seriously wounded during fighting near Dnieprpetrowsk (Operation Barbarossa) and received the Iron Cross (Second Class). Barkmann took part in the Polish Campaign of 1939 serving with 9th Kompanie of SS-Standarte Germania as a machine gunner and was wounded there. On April 1st of 1936, Ernst Barkmann joined SS-Standarte Germania as a volunteer and, after three months of training, joined the III Battalion of the Standarte at Radolfszell. The following is an interesting post on SS tank ace, Ernst Barkmann, by "Panzerknacher", which can be found at:Įrnst Barkmann was born in Kisdorf in Holstein on August 25 of 1919. ![]()
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