Kampfgruppe von Hauser and other German forces, Feb 19-20 1945

[Seroster]

Hi all,

I am wondering if there are any good accounts or if there is any solid information about the German side of the counter-attacks against the Essex Scottish and Royal Highland Light Infantry, February 19-20 1945. The main counterattacking force is described as Kampfgruppe (von) Hauser in a Canadian account[1] which quotes Major Helmet Hudel ("CO, Panzer Lehr Regiment") as follows with regards to the size of this force.

- mention of 1st Battalion of the Panzer Lehr Regiment arriving at Marienbaum with 14 Panther tanks ("two" companies...?) and 14 Jagdpanthers (one company?)
- the commander of 1st Battalion (Horst Hanemann) recorded as saying they took command of two Grenadier battalions
- then again Hudel noted on the 19th that they were reinforced by one company of Panzer IVs (no number given) and four anti-aircraft tanks. "There were in all 22 tanks ready for action that day."

I have also seen somewhere in the Canadian accounts a reference to 40 "tanks". This is very off the cuff thinking, but if the figure 22 above was accurate and referred to only tanks proper, the numbers seem like they could be made up as follows:
14 Panthers
8 Panzer IVs
14 Jagdpanthers
4 anti-aircraft vehicles

Despite all that though, I am wondering if anyone knows whether it would be right to say the group had three infantry battalions under command or not.

And is there any accurate count of their losses? They seem to have been tremendous, although the numbers would come not just from the battlegroup but also the other units in the line.

[1] Rhineland by W.D. and S. Whitaker

[Jan-Hendrik]

KGr. von Hauser:

- I./PzLehrRgt under Hauptmann Scholze (two Pzkpn. and one Jagdpantherkp.)
- PzJgLehrAbt
- PzGrLehrRgt 901
reinforced by 8./PzLehrRgt

Source:
Helmut Ritgen Die Geschichte der Panzerlehrdivision im Westen 1944- 1945, p.273

Jan-Hendrik

[Seroster]

Than you Jan-Hendrik!