26th January 1944
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FPN 44744

2nd Company, Intelligence Department 128 (23rd Panzer Division)

The 23rd Panzer Division was established on the 21st September 1941 in France. It was built around the 101st Panzer Brigade and two infantry regiments and initially equipped with 'booty tanks' which were soon after exchanged for German tanks.

In March 1942, the division went to the Eastern Front near Kharkov as a subdivision of the German Sixth Army. It was to remain within the Army Group South for the major part of its service. The division took part in the German advance to the Caucasus, but was subsequently sent north to Stalingrad. It escaped encirclement when the 6th Army was trapped there, and took part in the subsequent failed relief attempt. At the end of its first year on the Eastern Front the 23rd Panzer Division had lost 90 percent of its tanks.

The 23rd Panzer Division was part of the German defence and retreat in the southern Ukraine, frequently being moved between crisis points. Between April and July 1944 it was a part of the 8th Army within the Army Group South Ukraine defending the area to the north of Jassy.

After being sent to Poland in mid-1944, the division returned to the southern sector during the collapse of the German frontline in Romania. After the retreat into Hungary the division fought in defensive battles there. The majority of the division was trapped and destroyed in Székesfehérvár in March 1945. The remainder of the division surrendered to British forces in May 1945.

Source: Wikipedia

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