THE ATTACK ON THE SZOLNOK BRIDGEHEAD (HUNGARY) AND THE FIGHTING ON THE = 17 October 1944
It had already been determined the previous evening that the enemy had drawn strong forces from the Debrecen area to throw against this advance that endangered his flank. As a result, stronger enemy opposition had to be reckoned with that day. In the gray light of dawn, the 3rd Company took over the point of the attack. Whereas the tanks had, until that point, advanced to the south-east, they then made a 90-degree turn and attacked toward the northeast. Orders gave the city of Turkeve as the new objective of the attack. From there the attack was to continue as far as Kisujszallas. The lead tanks were already being fired on by antitank guns after the first 500 meters. The enemy had worked his way and close during the night. The situation was serious, since the route of the advance there ran along a cause way with marshy terrain on both sides. The 3rd Company could not deploy. Only the lead tanks could engage the enemy. Six antitank guns on both sides of the road opened fire on the Tiger by surprise. They were eliminated in less than ten minutes, but the Russians had additional antitank guns organized in depth. They defended themselves bitterly and with stubborn determination. The tanks of the 3rd Company took many hits. If the Panzer IVs of the 24th Panzer Division had been forced to take the lead, not a single one of them would have made it through. The strong frontal armor of the King Tiger withstood the antitank rounds. Nothing could stop them and the tanks at the point chewed their way right through the strong antitank defense until they could gain open and negotiable terrain. However, the satisfaction at the success did not last long, for within a few kilometers they came up against the next antitank gun belt. Again, the lead tanks were hit dead on. Again, several tanks were disabled with damage to guns or tracks. That defensive belt was also penetrated. Within a few kilometers the company found itself in the midst of an infantry position with tank hunter/killer teams. They attacked the Tigers with satchel charges and Molotov cocktails. There was only one way to deal with that, blast through at full throttle and with all machine guns blazing. The battle group approached Turkeve. We had planned to bypass the city on the left and then attack it from its rear. But that was easier said than done since the entire outskirts of the place were thick with antitank guns. The tanks again took frontal hits with the result that gradually, almost all of the tanks were disabled. Leutnant von Rosen's tank received a hit directly beneath the main gun, preventing the tank from firing. However he continued to lead the attack. Finally, there were only three King Tigers from the 3rd Company left in the attack. The company commander covered the last 1,000 meters to Turkeve with them. He then reached the northeast out-skirts of the city and advanced into it from there. The Russians began to clear out. During the nearly five hours of attack, the 3rd Company had destroyed thirty six antitank guns, thereby chewing its way kilometer by kilometer through the enemy in uncommonly tough and bitter fighting. The company had several wounded, but no men were killed and none of the tanks were total losses. During the hours that followed, individual tanks that had succeeded in repairing their damage linked up with the company. As a result, the company had six tanks operationally ready. That was a particularly praiseworthy accomplishment for Feldwebel GroBmann, who was always at the very front with his maintenance section and accomplished miracles of repair. As noon approached, the division commander came forward with praise for the company and a short discussion of the continued attack. The second intermediate objective was the city of Kisujsza-11a. It was important the success should be rapidly exploited and the enemy denied further time for renewed defensive measures. Apparently, the King Tigers had had a significant effect on his morale and he slowly began to soften up.