FIRST VISIT (18 MAY 1944)
On
Thursday, 18 May 1944, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel
(Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der
Küstenbefestigungen West) visited the 21. Panzer-Division base at
Maisons-Laffitte, northern France. At 8:00 AM, when Rommel arrived at
the HQ of Panzer-Regiment 200. there was nobody! When the
Regimentskommandeur, Oberst Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski, eventually
arrived, trailing alcohol fumes, Rommel snorted: “You’re lazy stinkers!
What happens if the enemy invasion begins before eight-thirty?” The
colonel gasped, “Catastrophe!” and slumped into a chair. Amazingly, the
field marshal took no action. Ruge explained in his diary, “Rommel saw
at once that he was a good fellow, and he didn’t hold this lapse against
him.”
The reformed 21st Pz Div came into existence in Normandy
in mid-1943, and was the only panzer division over which Rommel had been
allowed to exercise any control prior to the invasion. He had practised
them when they were stationed just south of Caen, in various manoeuvres
to exploit any momentary weaknesses of the enemy just after landing.
Although the Division contained some Afrikakorps veterans, it was
equipped with poorly armoured light tanks and had been rated as unfit
for service on the Eastern Front. After the withdrawal through France it
was assigned to Army Group G. It was commanded throughout its second
existence by Edgar Feuchtinger (last rank Generalleutnant), an
artilleryman born in Metz in 1894. Most of division’s officers had never
had anything to do with tanks before. Divisionskommandeur Edgar
Feuchtinger had resourcefully mechanized the unit with an extraordinary
array of captured Czech, French and Russian tanks. If the enemy invaded
Normandy, Feuchtinger’s would be the only panzer division on the spot!
Generalfeldmarschall
Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der
Küstenbefestigungen West) shaking hands with the officers of 21.
Panzer-Division, introduced by Divisionskommandeur Generalmajor Edgar
Feuchtinger who stands behind Rommel.
Accompanied
by Generalmajor Edgar Feuchtinger (right, Kommandeur 21.
Panzer-Division) and Hauptmann Dr.-Ing. Alfred Becker (left, Kommandeur
Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 200 / 21.Panzer-Division), Generalfeldmarschall
Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der
Küstenbefestigungen West) inspecting the war machines of 21.
Panzer-Division. In the background parked a 15cm heavy field howitzer
stands on a French Lorraine Schlepper (Tank Supply Tractor).
Generalfeldmarschall
Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und
Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) inspecting the war
machines of 21. Panzer-Division, accompanied by the Divisionskommandeur,
Generalmajor Edgar Feuchtinger. In the background parked a 15cm heavy
field howitzer stands on a French Lorraine Schlepper (Tank Supply
Tractor).
Generalfeldmarschall
Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der
Küstenbefestigungen West) inspecting the war machines of 21.
Panzer-Division, accompanied by the Divisionskommandeur, Generalmajor
Edgar Feuchtinger.
Generalfeldmarschall
Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und
Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) inspecting the war
machines of 21. Panzer-Division, accompanied by the Divisionskommandeur,
Generalmajor Edgar Feuchtinger. Shown here is the Jagdpanzer Marder 1
105mm self-propelled artillery (Panzerhaubitze) based on the French H39
chassis.
Generalfeldmarschall
Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und
Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) tasting the soldier's
meal. In the background is Generalmajor Edgar Feuchtinger (Kommandeur
21. Panzer-Division).
Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und
Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) tasting the soldier's
meal. At left is Generalmajor Edgar Feuchtinger (Kommandeur
21. Panzer-Division).
Parade
of the war machines of 21. Panzer-Division in front of
Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und
Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) and Generalmajor Edgar
Feuchtinger (Kommandeur
21. Panzer-Division)
Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel (Oberbefehlshaber Heeresgruppe B und Generalinspekteur der Küstenbefestigungen West) speaks in front of the members of 21. Panzer-Division. These soldiers probably in the middle of a gas prevention training, judging from their gas-mask in use.
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SECOND VISIT (30 MAY 1944)
On Tuesday 30 May 1944, After seeing a demonstration of smoke projectors and 80mm caliber multi-rocket launchers on the Riva-Bella beach, in the afternoon Generalfeldmarschall Rommel continued his tour by inspecting war machines belonging to 21. Panzer-Division. The inspection took place at Bois de Lébisey, Hérouville-Saint-Clair (6 km north of Caen), and was Rommel's second visit to 21. Panzer-Division headquarters after the first at Rouen which took place on 18 May 1944.
Source :
Jim Haley photo collection
Bundesarchiv photo collection
"The Armies of Rommel" by George Forty
"The Trail of the Fox: The Search for the True Field Marshal Rommel" by David Irving
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo/erwin-rommel-northern-france.html?sortBy=relevant
https://www.facebook.com/worldwarincolor/photos/a.393169424146189/643834395746356/?type=3
