Aspects of the event
Description
This is the 501 battalion's first complete loss of a Tiger.
During Operation "Eilbote 1", Kampfgruppe Weber ran into strong enemy opposition on the evening of 22 January 1943. Several Pz.3 were disabled. Fighting continued the next day, when Tiger 122 was hit by artillery at its rearmost right-hand road wheel, denting the hull. A fuel tank ruptured. The leaking fuel exploded while the troops were driving the tank away to prevent its capture. The fire could not be put out.
According to the German after-action report (NARA document 8710710); "During the night, this Tiger was hauled out of the enemy's sight by two tractors. The still usable outer parts of the running gear were used as a spare part reserve, the turret with its gun was tested for possible reuse, and the chassis cut up with a welding torch so that no part of this tank could fall into enemy hands." The turret was eventually found by British forces in a repair yard.
The book 'Tigers in Combat 1' reports this loss as Tiger 121, but that must be an error because 121 was photographed at later events.
Photos
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