15th Panzer Division

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15th Panzer Division

The 15th Panzer Division was a German armored division in World War II. It was created in 1940 from the 33rd Infantry Division and fought in North Africa from 1941 to 1943, surrendering in Tunisia in May 1943. It did not reform after the surrender.

Background
The 33rd Infantry Division was formed in 1936 and helped defend the Saarland early in the war. It participated in the invasion of France and stayed there as an occupation force after France surrendered. It returned to Germany in September 1940 to be converted into a tank division.

North Africa and the war
The 15th Panzer Division was sent to Libya in April 1941 and joined Rommel’s Africa Korps as one of two German tank divisions (the other was the 21st Panzer). Its Signal Reserve Battalion ships were sunk by the Royal Navy on the way.
It fought in most major North African operations, arriving too late for the first one. It helped defend Tobruk against British relief attempts and fought in Brevity and Battleaxe.

In 1941–42 it took part in the push to retake Benghazi, fought at Gazala, captured Tobruk, and pushed into Egypt, where the front stalled at El Alamein.

The division suffered heavy losses at the Second Battle of El Alamein in November 1942 and retreated with the rest of the Afrikakorps. In 1943 it fought at the Battle of Kasserine Pass in Tunisia against US forces. It surrendered in May 1943 with other Axis forces in Tunisia.

Aftermath
Some survivors who were in European hospitals when the surrender happened joined the new 15th Panzergrenadier Division later in the war.

Commanders
Notable commanders included Walter Neumann-Silkow, Hans-Karl Freiherr von Esebeck, Eduard Crasemann, and Gustav von Vaerst.