- SS Brigade Westfalen
The SS Brigade Westfalen was an adhoc unit composed of the men of the military training commands of the
Paderborn area and the 507 Heavy Tank Battalion. The unit was committed into battle in March 1945 in an unsuccessful attempt to stop American troops from encircling Army Group B in theRuhr Pocket.Assigned to lead the Brigade was
Obersturmbannführer Hans Stern, who had won theKnight's Cross in 1941 while leadingPanzer Regiment 11.The Brigade consisted of two regiments that were named after their commanders. Regiment "Meyer" consisted of three battalions: SS Panzer Reconnaissance Training and Replacement Battalion 1, SS Panzer Reconnaissance Training and Replacement Battalion 2, and an SS Panzer Reconnaissance NCO Training Battalion.
Regiment "Holzer" consisted of the SS Panzer Training and Replacement Regiment in
Augustdorf , which consisted of five battalions.
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