Key Facts
- Dates
- 12–14 September 1944
- Duration
- 3 days
- German unit
- 112 Panzer Brigade
- French unit
- French 2nd Armoured Division
- Campaign
- Lorraine campaign, Western Front, WWII
Strategic Narrative Overview
Between 12 and 14 September 1944, French armoured units set a series of ambushes against the 112 Panzer Brigade. American fighter-bombers provided close air support, working in coordination with French tank crews. The combination proved devastating against the inexperienced German brigade, which suffered repeated strikes and was unable to mount an effective defence or organised counterattack. The Germans sustained heavy losses in armour and personnel over the three-day engagement.
01 / The Origins
After the collapse of the Normandy front in summer 1944, Allied forces advanced rapidly eastward into France. The Wehrmacht hastily assembled new Panzer brigades, including the inexperienced 112 Panzer Brigade, to halt the Allied drive and enable a planned German counter-offensive in Lorraine. Units of the French 2nd Armoured Division under General Philippe Leclerc were pushing through the region when they encountered this German force near the town of Dompaire.
03 / The Outcome
The 112 Panzer Brigade was effectively destroyed, with much of its armour eliminated for relatively few French casualties. The Germans were forced to withdraw, and the planned German counter-offensive in Lorraine was delayed as a result. The battle demonstrated the effectiveness of combined arms operations integrating ground armour with air power, and reinforced French and Allied momentum in the drive toward the German border.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
2 belligerents
Philippe Leclerc.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.