217. Sturm-Pz.Abt. (217th Assault Tank Battalion)

This unit was unique in Normandy, since it was the only unit equipped with the Sturmpanzer IV. With its short 15 cm howitzer in a box-like superstructure, the StuPz IV was a very specialized vehicle. The low muzzle velocity of the weapon made it unsuitable against enemy tanks, but it was quite effective against other targets.

The battalion probably had a T/O&E strength of three companies with 14 vehicles each and three StuPz in the battalion staff. This is similar to the organization of the 216. Sturm-Pz.Abt., first employed at the battle at Kursk 1943 and also similar to the organization of the Tiger battalions.

At the end of June the unit was still located in Grafenwöhr, Germany.¹ On 24 June it was intended to send the battalion to the Conde - Le Beny Bocage - Vire area in Normandy², but on 18 July, the battalion had still not arrived³. The battalion seems never to have been employed in Normandy as a complete unit.

On 21 July one company (probably the 2nd) had arrived in 21. Pz.Div. area⁴. Two days later the 2nd company was subordinated to 21. Pz.Div.⁵ On 24 July, the company had 11 StuPz IV operational and 2 in short term repair⁶. Later, on 29 July, the company was subordinated to Leibstandarte (1. SS-Pz.Div.) and one day later its strength stood at 9 vehicles operational and 2 in short term repair⁷.

The first document found where the 3rd company is mentioned is dated 30 July. It is stated that the 3rd company is transferring from II. SS-Pz.Corps area to the 74th Corps.⁸ 2nd company remained with 1. SS-Pz.Div. and had 10 StuPz IV operational 31 July⁹. That number was unchanged on 1 August¹⁰, but had risen to 12 on 3 August¹¹, when the company still was subordinated to 1. SS-Pz.Div¹². Both strength and location was unchanged on 4 August¹³.

On 6 August 2nd company was with II. SS-Pz.Corps and had 3 StuPz operational¹⁴. Simultaneously 13 runners were with 89. Inf.Div¹⁵. Three days later ten were operational with 12 SS-Pz.Div. and just one with 89. Inf.Div.¹⁶ This shrunk to just 5 operational with 12. SS-Pz.Div. on 10 August¹⁷. On 11th it was unchanged¹⁸. This day it was also reported that the 1./Stu-Pz.Abt. 217 was subordinated to 271. Inf.Div.¹⁹

After that no documents from the staffs in western Europe mention the 217. Stu.Pz.Abt., though this should not be interpreted as indicating that the unit did not take part in the actions, since higher command echelons usually did not deal with smaller units than divisions. Furthermore, the excellent daily reports on tank strength found in Pz.Gr. West/5th Panzer Army records do only cover the period up to 11 August. Thereafter no such documents have been found. On 4 September the 217. Stu.Pz.Abt. still remained in action²⁰.

There exist however one report, dated 16 August among the files of the Inspector-General of Panzer Troops. According to this the battalion had 17 operational StuPz IV and 14 in short term repair (within three weeks). The casualties 1 - 15 August amounted to 10 killed in action, 33 wounded and 12 missing. The authorized manpower strength was 772 men, but it was short of 69 men.²¹

The 2nd company of the battalion clearly took part in the battle, but the whereabouts of the 1st and 3rd is less clear. Only on 30 July is the 3rd explicitly mentioned. Also on 6 August StuPz IV were found both with 12 SS-Pz.Div. and 89. Inf.Div. which might mean that two companies were present. However, these two divisions were quite close at the time and it is not inconceivable that they came from the same company. The total number of StuPz IV with these two divisions was 16, which exceeds the strength of a company, but it is also possible that the battalion staff was in Normandy (with three StuPz according to T/O&E). Whatever the truth, the number of StuPz IV employed certainly was small. As indicated by the table below only 28 StuPz IV were delivered before the end of the campaign in Normandy.

On 1 October, the battalion had a strength of 603 men, while casualties during September was 13 killed, 57 wounded and 53 missing.²² Only 11 men had arrived at the battalion as replacements and 36 men had left the battalion for other reasons than being casualties.²³ This indicates that the battalion had over 700 men on 1 September, which means that it was far from destroyed.

The deliveries of StuPz IV to the battalion were²⁴:

24 May	19 StuPz IV
25 June	2 StuPz IV
10 July	7 StuPz IV
18 August	10 StuPz IV
16 September	10 StuPz IV
26 September	4 StuPz IV

On 1 October the battalion had 14 combat ready StuPz IV, while 5 were in short term repair. The number in long term repair is not known.²⁵

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 Notes:

1	Gen.Inp.d.Pz.Tr. Org.Abt. (III) Nr. 7557/44 geh 28.6, BA-MA RH 10/70.
2	Ob.West Ia Nr. 4927/44 geh.Kdos. 24.6.44, T311, R25, F7029822.
3	Gliederung Pz.Gr. West 18.7.44, BA-MA RH 21-5/50.
4	Pz.Gruppe West Ia Nr. 517/44 g.Kdos. v. 21.7.44. , BA-MA RH 21-5/50.
5	Pz.Gr. West Ia, Nr. 557/44 geh. von 25.7.1944., Nachtrag zur Tagesmeldung 24.7., BA-MA RH 21-5/50.
6	ibid.
7	Pz.Gr. West Ia Nr. 665/44 g.Kdos, 31.7.44, Nachtrag zur Tagesmeldung 30.7, T313, R420, F8714049.
8	Pz.Gr. West Ia Nr. 665/44 g.Kdos, 31.7.44, Nachtrag zur Tagesmeldung 30.7, T313, R420, F8714049.
9	Pz.Gr. West Ia, Nr. 678/44 geh. von 1.8.1944., Nachtrag zur Tagesmeldung 31.7., BA-MA RH 21-5/50.
10	Pz.Gr. West Ia, Nr. 704/44 geh. von 2.8.1944., Nachtrag zur Tagesmeldung 1.8., T313, R420, F8714069.
11	Pz.Gr. West Ia, Nr. 734/44 geh. von 4.8.1944., Nachtrag zur Tagesmeldung 3.8., BA-MA RH21-5/50.
12	ibid.
13	Pz.Gr. West Ia, Nr. 758/44 geh. von 5.8.1944., Nachtrag zur Tagesmeldung 4.8., T313, R420, F8714096.
14	Pz.Gr. West Ia Nr. 801/44 g.Kdos, 7.8.44, Nachtrag zur Tagesmeldung 6.8, T313, R420, F8714118.
15	ibid.
16	Pz.Gr. West Ia Nr. 853/44 g.Kdos, 10.8.44, Nachtrag zur Tagesmeldung 9.8, T313, R420, F87141177.
17	Pz.Gr. West Ia Nr. 890/44 g.Kdos, 11.8.44, Nachtrag zur Tagesmeldung 10.8, T313, R420, F87141181.
18	Pz.Gr. West Ia Nr. 899/44 g.Kdos, 12.8.44, Nachtrag zur Tagesmeldung 11.8, T313, R420, F87141187.
19	PzAOK 5 Ia Nr 899/44 g.Kdos, 12.8.44, T313, R420, F871487.
20	Obkdo.H.Gr.B. Ia Nr. 6917/44 g.Kdos, 4.9.44, T313, R420, F8714263.
21	Report from 217. Stu.Pz.Abt. to the Generalinspekteur der Panzertruppe 16.8.44, BA-MA RH 10/219.
22	Gen.Kdo LXXXI. A.K., Zustandberichte T314, R1597, F000066.
23	Ibid.
24	Lieferungen der Panzerfahrzeuge, Bd. ab Mai 1943, BA-MA RH 10/349.
25	Gen.Kdo LXXXI. A.K., Zustandberichte T314, R1597, F000066.