CASE GUDERIAN: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF...

 

On 24 June 1941, Heinz Guderian left his headquarters at 0825 and headed for Slonim, where the 17. Panzer Division had arrived. Between Rozama and Slonim his staff unit was fired at by Soviet infantry. 

 

On 24 June 1941, Heinz Guderian left his headquarters at 0825 and headed for Slonim, where the 17. Panzer Division had arrived. Between Rozama and Slonim his staff unit was fired at by Soviet infantry. A battery from the 17. Panzer Division and the accompanying motorcyclists returned fire, together with Guderian himself, who fired at the enemy units with the machine gun on his halftrack. After some time they managed to dislodge the enemy, and Guderian was able to report at 1130 at the headquarters of the 17. Panzer Division in Slonim. During the meeting with General von Arnim, the commander of the division, Guderian suddenly heard rifle and machine gun fire. A burning truck was blocking the view, so it was unclear what exactly was happening, until suddenly two Soviet tanks emerged from the smoke. Firing fiercely, they tried to break through to the village, pursued by German PzKpfw IV tanks. When the Soviet tanks saw the German officers they immediately started shooting from very close range, wounding one officer who reacted too slowly. The tanks managed to reach the centre of the village before they were finally knocked out. 

After this brief but frenzied period of action, Guderian visited the front at Slonim and drove on board a tank through no-man’s-land to visit the 18. Panzer Division. At 1530 he was back in Slonim after he had given the 18. Panzer Division and the associated infantry division their necessary orders. He then travelled back to headquarters, but not without further incident: at the city boundary of Slonim, Guderian stumbled upon Soviet infantry who were just disembarking from a number of trucks. He ordered his driver to carry on through the Soviet troops at full speed. They were so surprised that they did not have time to fire their weapons, although the General was recognized and his death was announced a few days later in the Soviet press.
After his turbulent day, Guderian reached headquarters at 2015 to evaluate the combat situation and plan the following day