TIGER I № 231 of
Schwere Panzer Abteilung 503
After Action Report of 252 hits from various calibres by Red Army anti-tank action. Submitted by TIGER I Tank Commander, Lieutenant Zabel, 1943
This is the account of the experiences of TIGER 231 of the 503th Heavy Tank Battalion, 13rd Armored Regiment Company, part of a German counter-attack on a Collective Farm west of Ssemernikovo, on the outskirts of Rostov, Russia, February 11-12, 1943.
The tank received 252 hits from different Red Army caliber guns.
After the fight at Siemiernikowo, the damaged TIGER I managed to drive 60 km and returned to the unit.
The tank was returned to German for repairs.
After Action Report | February 11-12, 1943
On February 11-12, 1943, the Kampfgruppe Sander Tigers of the 503rd Heavy Tank Battalion took part in a German counterattack on a collective farm west of Ssemernikovo, on the outskirts of Rostov.
The Kolkhoz defences were well prepared, the Tigers spearheading the attack came under withering fire from well dug-in artillery, tank and self-propelled anti-tank gun positions.
One of the TIGER I tanks advancing on the farm was that of the acting platoon commander, Leutnant Zabel.
Leutnant Zabel… reported this attack near Ssemernikovo kolkhoz, on February 11-12, 1943:
The Tiger attacking as an advance platoon left the lighter tanks behind, and attracted all the enemy fire.
The tanks received hits on the front and to the right-hand side. The enemy, with tanks, AT guns and AT rifles opened fire at a great distance.
My Tiger received a 7.62cm hit in the front of the driver’s position. The spare track links fixed there with an iron rod were ripped off. In the tank we noticed a bang and a slight shaking. The nearer we came, the stronger the bangs and shaking from the 7.62cm hits became.
At the same time we noticed considerably high dust clouds from artillery ground impacts near the tank.
Further on, the crew noticed a somewhat lighter bang followed by a burst of yellow smoke, most likely a hit from an AT rifle.
A short time later we received a hit from a 4.5cm AT gun on the cupola.
The brackets of the bullet-proof glass were smashed. The glass vision block jammed and became opaque caused by heat from the explosion.
A further hit destroyed the brackets and the hatch fell into the turret interior. There was dense smoke in the fighting compartment and the area became very hot.
The loader’s hatch was jammed and stood slightly open and it received a number of hits from AT rifles demolishing the hinges and brackets.
After the battle two 4.5cm AT guns and 15 AT rifle hits were counted on the cupola.
On both days of the attack the enemy destroyed our machine guns. The smoke dischargers on the turret were also destroyed.
The smoke in the turret caused so much trouble that the Tiger was not ready for action for some time… …all crew members nerves were frayed, we lost our sense of time.
We felt neither hunger nor any other needs. Despite the fact that the attack lasted for more than six hours, all men in the tank felt the time had gone by in a flash.
After a further 7.62cm hit on the mantlet the gun mounting bolts sheared off.
The recoil brake lost its fluid and the gun barrel remained in rear (recoiled) position. Due to electric problems the breech block could not be shut.
Due to shocks inflicted by further hits the radio system failed and the steering levers were jammed.
When the exhaust cover was destroyed, the engine caught fire. This fire could be extinguished by the fire-fighting system.
Further hits loosened some turret ring screws. The turret traversing system failed temporarily…
We counted 227 hits by AT rifles, 14 hits by 5.7cm AT guns and 11 hits by 7.62cm AT guns.
The right suspension was heavily damaged by shelling. The connecting pieces for several running wheels were ruined, two torsion bars were broken. A rear idler wheel bearing was damaged.
In spite of this damage, the Tiger was able to be driven for further 60km.
The hits inflicted cracks to some weld seams. A fuel tank began leaking due to the heavy shocks.
We noticed a number of impacts in the track links, which however did not particularly impair mobility.
Subsequently, it can be said that the armour on the Tiger had come up to our expectations.
— Signed, Lt. Zabel
