Background
Fritz Bayerlein was born on January 14, 1899 in Germany.
Fritz Bayerlein was born on January 14, 1899 in Germany.
Fritz Bayerlein began his military career as a 16-year-old private in the British sector of the western front. Entering the Rcichswehr in 1921 and soon selected for the GGS, he was attracted to the armored forces.
Major Bayerlein (1 June 1938) was with a panzer division in Poland then became Guderian’s operations officer. After the French campaign Oberstlcutnant (1 Sep 1940) Bayerlein was with Gudekian in Russia through the Kiev encirclement. Ordered to North Africa, in Oct 1941 he became Cruewell's CofS in the Afrika Korps and was awarded the RK on 26 Dec 1941 for action at A1 Agheila. He was promoted to full colonel on 1 Apr 1942.
When Rommel’s Italian CofS was wounded on 29 May 42, Nehring took over the Afrika Korps from Cruewell (captured), and Bayerlein became Rommel’s acting CofS. Oberst Bayerlein became acting commander of the Afrika Korps on 30 Aug 1942 when Nehring was wounded at the start of the battle of Alam Haifa. Early the next day Rommel was about to call off the attack when Bayerlein convinced him to modify the planned turning movement toward Tobruk and attack British armor around Alam Haifa. But because of British bombing and shelling through the night of 1-2 Sep 1942, ‘the worst the Afrika Korps had ever experienced ..., by dawn everyone, including Rommel, had had enough”.
Von Thoma took over the Afrika Korps but was captured at El Alamein on 4 Nov 1942. Bayerlein commanded the decimated force during the next few hectic weeks of retreat until Gustav Fehn arrived on 23 Nov 1942 as Thoma’s permanent successor. The Bavarian returned to his staff position, remaining as commander of German units after MESSE succeeded ROMMEL. After being seriously wounded he was flown out of Tunisia shortly before the surrender on 13 May 1943. After recuperating, Oberst Bayerlein was German CofS of the new 1st Italian Army in Sicily, winning his Oakleaves and promotion to Generalmajor on 6 July 1943.
After the Allies took Sicily and began moving up the boot of Italy, Bayerlein went to the Ukraine as CG 3d Pz Div 21 Oct 43-4 Jan 1944. When the Panzer Lehr Div was formed of “school troops” from various training centers, Bayerlein took command of this elite unit on 10 Jan 1944, four days before his 45th birthday. Promoted to Generalleutnant on 1 May 1944, when his Panzer Lehr moved temporarily from France to Budapest, Bayerlein turned the division over to Strachwitz on D+2 of the Normandy campaign and moved up to head the 7th Army’s 53d Corps Hq. In early Dec 1944 he returned to command the Panzer Lehr, which was being refitted near Paderborn after being severely mauled around Caen and St Lo.
In the Ardennes counteroffensive that started on 16 Dec 1944 the Panzer Lehr had a major role as spearhead of the 47th Pz Corps in Man-teuffel’s 5th Pz Army. Bayerlein bypassed Bastognc to the south and got within 10 miles of the Meuse. Generalleutnant Bayerlein left his shattered division on 19 Jan 1945 and again headed the 53d Corps until taken prisoner in the Ruhr on 15 Apr 1945. His postwar interrogations and writings have been invaluable to historians.