Kursk - Day by Day - 12th July (South)



Sunrise/Sunset/Moon/Weather

The account below is for the action on the South of the Salient - leading up to the tank battle at Prokhorovka.
Day-by-day Account, 12th July 1943
Date/Time Source G/R Note Prokhovkha?
12/00:001Starts clear; bursts of heavy rain during the day
12/00:001R31T/33G Corps engaged in heavy fighting against SST
12/00:004GSSDR holding defensive positions
12/02:301DAWN
12/03:001G6Pz takes Rzhavets by coup-de-main
12/04:001R5GT ordered to despatch reserves to aid 69 Army; 2T used
12/04:003RTank recon in force from Petrowka against I/2.LSSAH; repulsed
12/06:001R29T HQ on hill SW of Prokhorovka
12/06:003GPz.LSSAH starts its advance towards Prokhorovka
12/06:303RRgt/Bde? (of 18T) thrust against III/2.LSSAH and Pz.LSSAH with 50 tanks; fighting lasts 2 hours; repulsed with heavy lossesY
12/08:003RArty prep. begins against LSSAH; lasts 80 minutes
12/08:301RRussians cut in artillery barrage on German assembly areas
12/08:301R2GT/2T corps attack SSDR
12/09:001R29T/18T advance on SS positions; run directly into LSSAH
12/09:003GAttack against III/2.LSSAH and Pz.LSSAH finally driven off
12/09:153RAttack with 40+ tanks (of 29T) from Jamki against 1.LSSAH; repulsedY
12/09:203R35+ tanks (of 18T) attack Pz.LSSAH from Prokhorovka; of 7 remaining tanks of 6/Pz.LSSAH 4 destroyedY
12/09:203R40+ tanks (of 31T or 18T) attack towards hill 252.2 from Petrovka
12/09:303GRemaining tanks (3) of 6/Pz.LSSAH mingle with Russians attacking from Prokhorovka; 19 T-34s destroyedY
12/09:403GThe remaining 33 tanks of II/Pz.LSSAH tackle attacking Russian tanks; 60+ T-34/T-70 destroyedY
12/11:003R4 T-34s penetrate Auf.LSSAH, holding left flank and engage 8/Art.LSSAH directly; remaining 2 15cm guns of battery destroyedY
12/11:303RLocalised breakthrough into German positions near hill 252.2; repulsed
12/12:053RAttack by 40+ tanks (of 2T) against SSDR S of Winogradowka; repulsedY
12/13:002G11Pz breaks through forces on right wing of 5GT Army
12/14:103G1.LSSAH attacked by mixed infantry/tank (25 tanks) force from E; not pressed home
12/14:103RAssault by 70+ tanks (of 2T) against SSDR, attacking from E through Winogradowka towards Jasnaja Poljana; repulsedY
12/14:301R24GTB sent to support right flank of 18T near Voroshilov State Farm
12/14:301R10GMB sent to support left flank of 18T 5 miles NW of Prokhorovka
12/15:003R40+ tanks (24GTB?) attack LSSAH from N, ? near Petrowka; repulsedY
12/15:303RMixed tank/infantry (10GMB?) force attacks LSSAH from NE; repulsedY
12/16:003RArt.LSSAH fires missions on Russian tank forces forming up E of Petrowka and E of Andrejevka; no attacks launched?Y
12/20:00DUSK
12/21:001Both sides pulling back into defensive positions
12/End1G4Pz Army has 505 AFVs (-3); 2SSPz 260 (-60); 48Pz 245 (+57)Y
12/End1GSSDR reported as having 100 tanks by German PoWY
12/End3GLSSAH claims 192 Russians tanks destroyed !Y



© Alan Wilson 1997, 1998, 1999 Last update: 24/11/99 10:05:38 PM GMT