Last Days of Tank Destruction Unit DORA II in Brandenburg, April 1945

Commando Unit 'DORA II' of the SS 500th Bewahrungs Batalion.

Under the command of Otto Skorzeny as Battalion C.O., fought at company level and commanded by Untersturmfuhrer Porsch.
Born in 1924, Porsch had joined the SS in 1941, and before his 19th birthday, was a company commander who had received the EK1. For his actions as leader of DORA II in April 1945, he also received the RK.
Porsch had already been awarded the Asaault Badge in Gold (?) and the DKiG, CCC in Gold, and no less than 4 TDBs.

A salient was forced into the German lines by armour (JS1s and T34s) and the group destroyed 125 tanks, and Porsch got his 17th.

On 28 April, with one round of ammunition left, DORA II marched into the anonymity of a Russian POW camp.

Can anyone tell me their ultimate fate? Did they ever return to Germany?

 

Careful with Herr Porsch Pzknackern, I have heard and do have a file on this guys exploits that he may have not received the RK truthfully as well as so many confirmed knocked out tanks to his credit......times were very strange in April/May of 45 and many things have not been documented fully.

I'll look ofr my file on this guy the next two days

E

 

Porsch is not recognised as a Ritterkreuztrager by the Knights Cross Winners Association as their enquiries via official records showed that the only awards he was credited with were the EK1 and EKII.

He never received the RK,DKiG or CCC in Gold and as such it is doubtful whether his late war claims to the large number of Tanks he destroyed will ever be known to be correct or not.

Paul

 

I agree with Erich. 125 tanks! That's 2 russian tank brigades, as for the 42 org., I find that unlikely.

Best regards/ Daniel

 

Hi Daniel--I found another just last night but forgot to bring the info with me. He destroyed 7 Russian tanks on the first day of battle I think at the Seelow Heights--the next day his total was I think 35. He was a Wachtmeister and commanded a Zug of Stugs or Nashhorns. Some of these russian tanks were destroyed by hand-held weapons.

 

Great, I'd be interested to hear more Carl, especially since he fought at the Seelöwer höhen. I've sent you a pm by the way.

Best regards/ Daniel

 

Ill tell you more on him if possible tomorrow. Im also in the process of starting my big offensive--as im going to be busy relocating from Thurs to Sunday.

 

Ofcourse Carl, whenever you have time.

PS. Don't forget to quickly take and keep the initiative during your great offensive.

Best regards/ Daniel

 

I've got a fair size file on the battle(s) to the east of Berlin with Seelow heights as one of the prime examples.

I did think that Porsch was just a zug leader or maybe at the kompanie level and not even sure what unit he was associated with.

Again the chaoticness then was incredible and we discussed the real problem of definitve sources and first hand accounts when it came to Daniels posting on the hand held weapons and personal tank destroyers.

heck I'll try and look tomorrow night as well if I have time. It's buried again in some other Ost front files I know. have seen a very out of focus pic of him which I am sure most of you know about showing strange looking collar tabs and sleeve markings.

Remember one thing guys, the Germans lost the Battle for Berlin and much of what we have in our hands today does and will not shed on light of what could and did happen in the hills surrounding the city and the defnsive fighting within. We only have very little and there were so many from both the Germans and Soviets which gave their lives for their cause. Sometimes it is just plain guess work until someone can bring out that old, lost document, photo or archiv if it is even available.

E

 

Sorry Guys-I only posted what I read in the book, the one I mentioned in the 'BOOKS' forum.

 

Porsch is listed in Krätschmer as Untersturmführer and Fhr. of the SS-Panzerjagdkompanie Dora II – commando unit of the SS-Bewährungsverband 500 (AKA SS-Sturmbataillon 500), though he's listed as a non-KC holder in the updates at the end of the book.

Horst Wilke (SS-Art.Rgt.32) gives the following account of the battles in Halbe pocket in Krätschmer (in the Untersturmführer Friederich Blond's chapter):
(28 April 1945) ».. two Untersturmführers were decorated with KCs, for their actions… One of them was congratulated by Brigadeführer Wagner. He was a leader of an alarm unit from SS-Ausb.-u. Ers.-Btl.1, Untersturmführer Friedel Blond… On 18 April 1945 a leader of a Panzerjagdkommandos, a young Untersturmführer, which led a unit z.b.V. (special purpose unit) which mission was to destroy broken through enemy tanks, reported to the I./SS Pz.Gren.Rgt. 86. The comrades were equipped with panzerfausts and bicycles. When Russian tank spearheads pushed into the area northwest of Spreenhagen, the Untersturmführer's Panzerjagdgruppe was constantly engaged in our sector around Senzig, east of Königs Wusterhausen, Bestensee, Dahmekanal, Prieros and Streganzermühle. They were always »hunting« for Russian tanks, and in case of an emergency, also engaging broken through enemy infantry. We were very, very happy to have had this unit fighting in our proximity and was occasionally also used as battalion's fire-brigade. The mentioned Untersturmführer was originally from Totenkopf Division came and was one damn stubborn dog (ein verdammt sturer hund) which nothing at all could bring to peace. Probably on 28 April I observed the Panzerknackers above the Dahmebrücke, west of Streganzermühle, in action, as they hunted and destroyed broken through T34s and a little later west of Hermsdorf. This special unit was active again on 29 April in the Halbe pocket and was securing the withdrawals west of Dahme against tank icursions, while the I./86 was preparing itself as a break-through unit. If I remember correctly this Panzerjagd unit destroyed 27 Soviet tanks in our area in the period from 18 till 28 April. The young leader of this unit was one of the two Untersturmführers, to whom Obergrupenführer Kleinheisterkamp gave the KCs on 28 April 1945. Its name was probably or similar to Porsch.«

Horst Wilke's accounts are also in Tieke's book Das Ende zwischen Oder und Elbe, but interestingly the author states that the SS-Sturmbataillon 500 was an organic part of the 35.SS-Pol.Gren.Div. (Pipkorn) – according to Husemann (Die guten Glaubens waren II.) this unit was formed from the two regiments of the Pol.Brigade »Wirth« and the SS-Pol.Rgt.14 (Pol.Rgt. Greise).

Back to Porsch, according to Krätschmer and his own personal accounts the company destroyed its 100 enemy tank on 18 April in Marxdorf, a dutchmen van Brink was the lucky one. (note 35.SS-Pol.Gren.Div. was deployed around 100 km further to the south on the Oderfront).