The Hegyfarok Hayfork WTO (id:#67210)

(Schwerpunkt #25 ID: SP295)   [next]   [previous]

Near Bélla, Hungary 1945-01-07 (8 others)

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Overview:

The Hungarian Division Szent Lászlo was defending the hilly, vineyard covered area north of the Danube known as the Hegyfarok. Captain Edomér Tassonyi was holding the left flank with his paratroopers at Libad, while Captain Sandor Palfi defended the right flank at Bella with the remnants of his Air Force Rifle Battalion and some paratroops. At 0730 hours, the Russians launched a massive, multi-pronged counterattack that penetrated the axis lines like the tines of a hayfork. This disrupted the combined German/Hungarian effort to relieve Budapest. Lend Lease Sherman tanks of the 46th Guards Tank Brigade supporting the 6th Guards Airborne Division attacked Libad while Major General Evstafii Grechanyi's 409th Rifle Division attacked Bella. Heavy fighting raged throughout the day. The German forces immediately started withdrawing north while the Hungarians conducted a brief delaying action with their paratroops and anti-tank guns. A few armored cars from the 8th Panzer Division arrived just in time to cover the withdraw of the Hungarians. Libad and Bella both fell to the Russian onslaught but a precious few German and Hungarian troops made it to new positions on the high ground north of Sárkányfalva and Köbölkút.

Defender: German/Hungarian ((Hungarian) 1st and 2nd Battalions, 1st Parachute Regiment, Division “Szent László” and (German) Radfahr Zug, Fusilier Battalion, Volksgrenadier Division 211 with Aufklärungs Abteilung 8, Panzer Division 8)  

Errata (source)