Destroyed Panthers (M.A.N., 10-11.44 prod.) from SS-Pz.Rgt. 12. Lausdell, 19 December 1944.
Spoiler
"On 18 December 1944, we carried out the ill-fated attack on Krinkelt–Rocherath, a perfect “Panzer graveyard.” The tanks of 1. Kompanie led the way, followed by our Kompanie under Brödel. I was lined up behind [SS-Oberscharführer Johann] Beutelhauser’s tank, my Zug leader. When I got to the vicinity of the church, I saw a theater of horror. Beutelhauser’s tank was hit in front of me. I could barely make out the position of the enemy antitank gun that hit him. Beutelhauser was able to jump off his tank and get to safety. I moved my tank to the protection of a house, unaware of what I would do next. Next to me was Brödel’s burning tank; he was slumped lifeless in the turret. Along the road in front of me, all the tanks had been knocked out and four of them were burning. Only one tank was still moving, I think Freier’s, and it withdrew towards the battalion command post under my covering fire.
The surviving Panzer crews used this opportunity to withdraw under the protection of our tank, barely avoiding being taken prisoner by the encircling American riflemen. [Battalion commander] Jürgensen’s tank showed up behind me. I was determined to get out of this hopeless situation and withdrew back beyond the cross-roads. But the crossroads were targeted by the American antitank gun. The first round missed and the second struck the track and hull on the side. Luckily none of the crew was killed. The radio was wrecked and the track broken. I followed Jürgensen’s instructions and backed up; the track slipped off and the tank bogged down once the road-wheels reached the mud." - Willi Fischer, a Panther commander, 3./SS-Pz.Rgt. 12