| Battle of Dompaire | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part ofWorld War II | |||||||
 Panther tank knocked out in the village ofMadonne-et-Lamerey during the battle | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 France United States |  Germany | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Paul de Langlade | Horst von UsedomHans von Luck | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
406th Fighter-Bomber Group |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 44 killed 7 tanks destroyed 1 fighter bomber[3] | 350 killed 1,000 wounded 69 tanks destroyed[3] | ||||||
 | |||||||
TheBattle of Dompaire was fought between French and German armoured forces near the town ofDompaire in France. It took place between 12 and 14 September 1944 during the Lorraine campaign on theWestern Front ofWorld War II.[4] The battle saw a new German Panzer brigade hastily set up by theWehrmacht to stop the Allied advance after the collapse of theNormandy front, and a unit of theFrench 2nd Armoured Division under GeneralPhilippe Leclerc.
The inexperienced 112 Panzer Brigade suffered from a series of ambushes by French armoured units with American air support. The French tank crews and US fighter bombers combined destroyed much of the German brigade with few casualties in return. The Germans were forced to fall back which delayed a planned counter-offensive in Lorraine.[5]
The French 2nd Armoured Division under the command of General Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque entered combat during the final stages of theBattle of Normandy where itinflicted heavy losses on the9th Panzer Division atAlençon. After the breakout in mid August the division headed towards Paris, and on 24 August after sporadic clashes on the outskirts of the capital against German rearguards, they were ableto liberate the capital. After a brief stay there, GeneralCharles de Gaulle then assigned it to the newFrench 1st Army being formed inProvence under the command of GeneralJean de Lattre de Tassigny. By then the division had the most experience out of all French units, being all US supplied: tanks, weapons, supplies, uniforms and equipment. It was made up of veterans of over three years of war, mainly from the old French formations stationed in herAfrican colonies.[6]
Leclerc had managed to persuadeSHAEF to keep his division within the American army, mainly for political reasons. His division was then sent toLorraine as part of GeneralWade H. Haislip'sUS XV Corps.[2] GeneralGeorge Patton'sUS Third Army had achieved significant successes during the first week of September. It had seized important bridgeheads on theMoselle north and south ofNancy.[7] Nevertheless the Allied advance began to slow as it outstripped its supplies and as German defences progressively strengthened. The unexpected Franco-American advance towards the Moselle put the German High Command in difficulty; Hitler andOB West were trying to assemble a substantial mechanized force to mount a counterattack in theLorraine area. Patton's army was beginning to suffer from a serious shortage of supplies, especially fuel, partly due to GeneralDwight D. Eisenhower's decision to give precedence in supplies to Field MarshalBernard Montgomery's21st Army Group, which was preparing to launchOperation Market Garden.[8]
On 8 September 1944, the 106th Panzer-brigade attempted a counter attack betweenMairy andBriey to try and block GeneralWalton Walker's USXX Corps advance towards the Moselle, but were repelled with heavy losses. Two days later the 2nd French Armoured Division split into threeGroupement tactique groups – the first, 'Groupement Langlade' led by Colonel Paul de Langlade, led the French advance towardsEpinal.[9] Further north, the other two battle groups, 'Groupement Dio' and 'Groupement Billotte' were supporting theUS 44th Infantry Division and the79th Infantry Division respectively.[10] 'Groupement Langlade' consisted of one mechanized infantry battalion theRégiment de marche du Tchad (inM3 half-tracks) and two tank battalions – the12e régiment de chasseurs d'Afrique and the501e Régiment de chars de combat.[11] These were also divided into three groups, named after their commanders,Jacques Massu,Joseph Putz and Pierre Minjonnet. Each one was made up of a few infantry companies riding in M3 half-tracks, sixteenM4 Sherman tanks and three or fourM10 Wolverine tank destroyers.[9]
'Groupement Langlade' probed forward towardsVittel splitting the German defences, and seized the town on 11 September capturing many prisoners. Around the same time, the Germans under GeneralsJohannes Blaskowitz andHasso von Manteuffel had moved their armoured forces to try to block the allied advance.[12] The latter hearing of the French advance decided to ignore Hitler's order – he instead ordered ColonelHorst von Usedom's 112th Panzer brigade to divide into two groups to recapture Vittel. On the evening of 12 September, from their base at Epinal, the 1st battalion Panzer-Regiment 29, which consisted of around 45 Panzer VPanther tanks, had entered the town of Dompaire west of Epinal. The other group, Panzer Battalion 2112, consisting of 45Panzer IV tanks, had advanced westwards towards the town ofDarney.[13]
Leclerc had set up his command post east of Vittel soon after its liberation.[14] 'Groupement Langlade' continued east and laagered that night just short of Dompaire andDamas-aux-Bois – the latter a village about two miles southeast of Dompaire. There French civilians had warned about a German advance towards the area. The Germans meanwhile had moved westward but had failed to reconnoiter.[15] The other group of the 2nd Armoured were to the north and south, where the reconnaissance unit of Lieutenant Colonel Nicolas Roumiantsoff were covering the right flank.[16]
Despite their powerful armour, the German armoured troops were inexperienced, having been formed of very young, although highly enthusiastic, recruits. In addition, compared to allied forces, the Germans lacked air support and adequate artillery units.[17]
Langlade intended to send 'Groupe Massu' commanded by Lieutenant ColonelJacques Massu, to attack the Germans concentrated in Dompaire which lay in a narrow valley. 'Groupe Minjonnet', led by Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Minjonnet, on the right intended to strike fromVille-sur-Illon to Damas which held the main road between Dompaire and Epinal. They would also occupy the partly wooded hills, around Dompaire and with these dominant positions Langlade could use his artillery against targets further downstream.[18]
On the evening of 12 September, the German tanks had reached Dompaire – Von Usedom sent the Panther tank battalion to move on and around the positions between the town and the villages ofMadonne-et-Lamerey where unknowingly they were exposed from the west. He only had with him sixanti-tank guns and fivehowitzers at his disposal. Much further to the southeast thePanzer IV tank battalion remained stationary inside Darney; the tank crews were sheltering from the rain that fell during the night. This meant that the two tank battalions were not in contact with each other. Von Usedom hoped that this weather would ground Allied aircraft.[19]
The French, having taken up positions without any difficulty, intended to take the Germans by surprise. 'Groupe Massu', had advanced to the hills south and south-west of Dompaire to take control of the town. The crews of forty Shermans and seven M10s spent the hours in the darkness refuelling and rearming.[19] In the dark on the southwestern outskirts, a French reconnaissance group from the Fourth Tank Squadron led by Lieutenant Jean Bailaud first came into contact with the Germans. In a short engagement, one Panther, which happened to be the command tank, was knocked out along with two anti-tank guns. In return one Sherman was knocked out and another damaged. The French withdrew, which allowed the Germans to continue making their way to the South West of Dompaire.[20] Both sides traded shots as darkness fell, while French artillery fired on all entrances to the village to block all possible movement. At the same time Langlade had arranged to receive Allied air support.[21]
Meanwhile 'Groupe Minjonnet' at Ville-sur-Illon sent out a reconnaissance in force towards Damas. A contingent of theRégiment Blindé de Fusiliers-Marins, manned by French navy personnel led by Lieutenant Durville in three tank destroyers namedSiroco,Mistral andSimoun, advanced towards the village but found no resistance. When they entered the suburbs they faced a group of Panther tanks.[22] In the exchange of fire, two Panzers were hit and knocked out, forcing the Germans to retreat, while the French had lost two jeeps and a half-track. The French then withdrew to Ville-sur-Illon, placing artillery batteries along the partly wooded hills South of Dompaire.[18]
The following morning, French infantry with support from five Shermans, forced the Germans out of the nearby village ofLavieville. After that, the troops made their way to Dompaire itself – the French had the town almost surrounded. Meanwhile Panther tanks had advanced south of Madonne-et-Lamerey on hilly and wooded terrain towards the eastern outskirts of the town.[3] The French had deployed their M10 tank destroyers of the Régiment blindé de Fusiliers-Marins on the slopes ready to ambush. Two tank destroyersOrage andTempête soon spotted and struck three Panthers 900 meters away, immediately halting the German advance. Furthermore, French105mm howitzers of 'Groupe Minjonnet' began to bombard the Germans, and the Groupe then attacked Damas, seizing it in less than two hours. Following this, they were able to advance out of the town and force the Germans out of the hamlet of Maison Rouges, capturing fifty Germans. As a result the French cut the main road between Dompaire and Epinal.[23]
The USTactical air liaison (TALO) communications tank commanded by US officer Colonel Tower was assigned to 'Groupement Langlade'. He had organised with Massu the coordination of air support from RAFHawker Typhoons, but they were already airborne and 'booked' on another mission.[24] Instead, he was able to coordinate attacks byP-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bombers of the406th Fighter-Bomber Group fromXIX Tactical Air Command.[25] At 8 am the P-47D Thunderbolts attacked the Panzers at Madonne-et-Lamerey with rockets, bombs, and machine-gun fire, with devastating results; according to the French the attack disorganized the German column and at least eight tanks were severely damaged, destroyed, or abandoned. The town was also severely damaged.[18]
The French mechanized groups attempted to encircle the Germans inside Dompaire by occupying the main roads. A column of M4 Sherman tanks from Lavieville advanced to the western outskirts of Dompaire. By now, other armoured vehicles and a platoon of M10s had climbed the hills towardsBouzemont behind the Germans. Durville's tank destroyers destroyed two more Panthers, while the rest of 'Groupe Minjonnet' blocked the road to Epinal.[26]
At 11 am, 13 September, P-47 fighter-bombers launched the second of what would be four attacks.[27] The French used flares to identify the targets and, despite some problems distinguishing them from the French armoured vehicles on the outskirts of Dompaire, the attacks further disorganized the German forces, which ended up in panic. Many young tankers tried to escape by abandoning their vehicles.[25]
The situation of the Panther battalion was now critical. The Panzer IV tank battalion, along with the Panzer Grenadiers stationed in Darney, was called on to help, advancing from the south towards Dompaire.[1]
As they advanced, the Germans soon put the French in difficulty; 'Groupe Minjonnet' was in danger of being attacked from two sides, and Colonel Langlade's command post, in the village of Ville-sur-Illon on the heights south of the town, was right in the path of the Germans. A German bombardment hit the headquarters of Langlade, causing some confusion. The French spotted the Germans around 13:30, but the Panzer Grenadiers decided to plunder a supply depot they encountered along the road, losing contact with the Panzers as a result.[18] Langlade reacted quickly and organized an improvised artillery barrage along the main road assisted by a small number of M4 Shermans of the12e Régiment Chasseurs d'Afrique, M10 tank destroyers and anti-tank guns.[17] The leading Panzer IV tanks ran into the barrage first of machine gun fire, then of armour-piercing rounds and immediately suffered losses: the Shermans shot at the tracks of the armoured vehicles, firstly to immobilize them and then hit them on the sides. Two German tanks were destroyed at close range, and three more were knocked out in an ambush by M10s. Meanwhile the German infantry had arrived on the field but were pinned down by French machine-gun fire from two French jeeps.[28] Langlade decided to evacuate his command post first toGelvecourt before rejoining with the bulk of 'Groupe Minjonnet' who were deployed near Dompaire. Leclerc meanwhile received news about the ongoing battle and was concerned. Nevertheless 'Groupement Billotte' under seasoned armoured veteranPierre Billotte (in 1940 at the village ofStonne he ledChar B1heavy tanks which destroyed thirteen Panzers) was brought in from the north in support; he agreed with Langlade and Massu not to fall back, and to continue to engage the Germans.[3]
Meanwhile, the Panther tank battalion blocked in Dompaire had suffered two more air attacks by P-47's in the afternoon which inflicted further damage. The German Panzers with small groups of tanks to the south and east made a series of weak attacks to try to break through the circle established by the French on the high ground. These attempts turned out to be costly – the German tanks were surprised and hit on the flanks at close range by the French armoured vehicles of 'Groupe Massu' and 'Groupe Minjonnet'. They had carefully positioned themselves on the slopes of the hills, and hidden well amongst the pines and apple trees for a well aimed killing ground.[20]
By the end of the day the German armoured brigade had lost most of its armour – the blockaded Panther tank battalion at Dompaire still only had four tanks available, while the Panzer IV battalion that had attacked Ville-sur-Illon had lost most of their tanks, and the accompanying Panzer grenadiers had been pushed back. They were left in action with only seventeen tanks.[29]
The German survivors had abandoned Dompaire having left by the north. Massu then entered Dompaire, which had been heavily damaged in the fighting; and the French found the remains of thirty-three German tanks destroyed, thirteen of which were hit by armoured vehicles. Sixteen Panthers were made inactive in some way by air attacks, as well as four abandoned intact.[29] Langlade now reinforced by 'Groupe Putz' then retook Ville-sur-Illon later that evening finding it abandoned.[30]
The German command managed to organise a relief column to von Usedom's armoured brigade at Dompaire. On 14 September, ColonelHans von Luck attempted to advance westward fromHennecourt with a kampfgruppe made up of tanks and panzer-grenadiers from the21st Panzer Division. 'Groupe Minjonnet' had also been reinforced by 'Groupe Putz' north of Ville-sur-Illon.[3] At Hennecourt the Germans were quickly pinned down by field artillery. The Panzer IV company struck towards Damas, but lost five tanks in quick succession and were forced to withdraw. Another attack towards Maison Rouge was also repelled.[31] After these failures, the German command decided to give up further attacks – the kampfgruppe fell back together with the survivors of the 112th Panzer brigade, retreating towards Epinal. Von Luck intended to save his forces for the counter-offensive in Lorraine ordered by Hitler.[29]
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The French consolidated their gains and examined the destruction. Much to their surprise they found a number of abandoned intact tanks two of which were Panthers. The French inspected the tanks and discovered that they were of very recent production; having emerged from theMAN factory inNuremberg at the end of July, and delivered on 15 August. One Panther 'AusF 332' which was captured intact in the main street of Dompaire was put on display outsideHôtel National des Invalides in Paris.[32]
For the Germans Dompaire saw the near destruction of a valuable Panzer brigade. At the end of the two days of fighting the 112 Panzer brigade went down from 96 operational tanks to 21 armoured vehicles capable of fighting.[2] German High Command admitted the loss of 34 Panthers and 26 Panzer IVs and upwards of 350 dead, 1,000 wounded and several guns.Army Group G wrote in its daily report on 13 September of "unbelievably high losses".[12] In terms of tanks – they took the heaviest losses of any single day of fighting on the Western Front. 112 Panzer Brigade never recovered and what was left was absorbed into the 12th Panzer Division.[33]
At SHAEF the German attack demonstrated that for the first time since D-Day, German withdrawal operations were being bolstered by new and unknown units.[2] For Leclerc's 2nd Armoured Division the victory at Dompaire was a huge morale booster. It had practically destroyed a German armoured brigade equipped with latest model Panzers, and demonstrated the tactical ability of its commanders and the experience and combativeness of its men.Silver Stars were awarded to Langlade and six other French soldiers, while twenty-five other members of the division received theBronze Star. Losses were low; five M4 Sherman medium tanks, two M5 light tanks, two jeeps, two half-tracks and 44 dead. The contribution of the air support provided by the US fighter-bombers was also important, having destroyed or forced the abandonment of a significant number of German tracked vehicles for the loss of only one P-47. Haislip stated this was a 'brilliant example' of effective air-land cooperation.[12]
From an operational point of view, the German defeat and subsequent retreat also had important strategic consequences: Haislip's XV Army Corps was able to reach the Moselle river by 17 September. As result a German infantry division was surrounded by a converging French and American columns, while the remnants of theGerman LXIV Army Corps were forced to withdraw. Two days later Haislip and his forces crossed the Moselle and advanced south ofLunéville, aligning with the other two US corps of Patton's 3rd Army which were already east of the river. Despite the defeat at Dompaire, Hitler did not modify his plans and ordered Blaskowitz and von Manteuffel to counter-attack Patton's army north of Lunéville. From 19 to 22 September, another armoured clash took place at thebattle of Arracourt which ended with another German defeat, this time against the American armoured units.[34] The French 2nd Armoured would continue its fight with the US XXI Corps ending atBerchtesgaden in Southeastern Germany by wars end.[35]
The Panther (Panzerkampfwagen V Ausführung G) 'AUS F 332' survived the war and was placed outsideLes Invalides until it was restored in the 1970s. It now resides today in theMusée des Blindés inSaumur.
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