SS Charlemagne: The 33rd Waffen-Grenadier Division of the SS

So, at about 1500 hours, Lieutenant Fenet’s battalion turned about, emerged from the village of Redlin, and counterattacked towards the western edges of Körlin, taking the enemy in the flank. This threw back the infiltrated Soviet infantry, despite their supporting fire, and thus allowed the withdrawal of the advance units behind the Persante that had been previously unable to move. Once the counterattack was over, Fenet’s battalion returned to its original positions in Redlin.

Towards 1600 hours, part of the supply column was sent off to Kolberg, a reconnaissance patrol from the artillery battalion having reported the road again free. The patrol had got as far as the city gates at about 1400 hours, and found the Russians few in number but well equipped and already occupying the mill and the bridge over the first arm of the Persante. Before the patrol returned via Fritzow, Sergeant-Major Ranc and Gunners Blaise and Hoinard destroyed a lone Russian tank with a Panzerfaust.

A meeting was held at Divisional Headquarters at 1800 hours at which were present General Krukenberg, Brigadier Puaud, Major Vaugelas, Captains Schlisler and de Perricot, and Lieutenants Huan and Tardan. It was decided to hold on at whatever the cost. But the news coming in was far from encouraging. In fact, Headquarters 3rd Panzer Army at Plathe, which had yet to be threatened by the enemy, had intended securing the von Tettau Group and reinforcing the Munzel Corps, while hardening the front from Stettin to Belgard with elements of the 10th SS-Panzer Division Frundsberg, but were unable to do so for lack of fuel.

Only a vanguard formed from the armoured reconnaissance group of the IIIrd SS-Panzer Corps, consisting of six light armoured vehicles, a radio vehicle, two vehicles with guns and another two with machine guns, managed to reach the Neuland crossroads, where the Köslin–Körlin–Plathe and Schivelbein– Stolzenberg–Kolberg roads met some 15km southeast of Körlin. Here it encountered an outpost of the Charlemagne, Second-Lieutenant Pignard-Berthet and eighty men of the 1st March Company from Greifenberg, whose link with the rear had just been cut off by the Russian advance. This little mixed unit tried to reach Körlin, but was soon repelled by the Russians and dispersed, only to be annihilated after destroying three tanks and killing ten men in an ambush.

Following a new radio contact with the Reichsführer-SS at Army Group Weichsel, General Krukenberg and Brigadier Puad decided to break through to the west in several echelons. The 3rd Panzer Army’s main withdrawal zone was approximately on the line Greifenberg–Plathe. However, one could neither leave Körlin by the northeast, the road appearing to be definitely cut, nor to the west, where Russian forces were in position. Belgard was still held by the Wehrmacht, so they would have to leave Körlin, heading southeast as far as Belgard, and then go obliquely westwards. As most of the roads in this region were already being crossed by enemy columns, the Charlemagne would have to follow side roads or go cross-country.

The proper execution of such an operation depended upon the cover of night, and it was decided to start evacuating Körlin at 2300 hours. Nevertheless, the Charlemagne‘s resistance on 4 March had enabled some elements of the 3rd Panzer Army to withdraw. A delayed order to regroup near Plathe eventually reached the Division, but it was doubtful whether it was possible to do so. The order of march was determined as follows:

– Vanguard: Divisional HQ with Lieutenant Fenet’s 1st March Battalion.

– Main Body: Captain de Bourmont’s Reserve Regiment with the Monneuse and Defever Battalions.

– Rearguard: Captain Bassompierre’s 2nd March Battalion.

At the conclusion of the meeting, SS-General Krukenberg, SS-Colonel Zimmermann, and SS-Captain Jauss joined Lieutenant Fenet’s battalion, which left its positions in Redlin at the designated time. Brigadier Puaud declined to join the vanguard, wanting to remain until the departure of the rearguard.

Then, at about 0100 hours next day, Brigadier Puaud changed his mind and decided to leave Körlin with Major de Vaugelas and Captain Renault to rejoin the vanguard, wrongly believing that this would be the most dangerous position. However, their vehicle broke down on the Belgard road and they were then obliged to march along with Captain de Bourmont’s main body.

The vanguard column arrived at Belgard at about 0200 hours, crossed the cemetery and circuited the burning town, the roads of which were choked with abandoned vehicles and where a furious battle was in progress between the Soviets and some Wehrmacht units. The Fenet Battalion then disappeared into the countryside.