Battle of Dompaire

Battle of Dompaire
Part of World War II

Panther tank knocked out in the village of Madonne-et-Lamerey during the battle
Date12–13 September 1944
Location
vicinity of Dompaire, France
48°13′21″N 6°13′23″E / 48.2225°N 6.2231°E / 48.2225; 6.2231
Result Allied victory
Belligerents
France
 United States		  Germany
Commanders and leaders
Paul de Langlade Nazi Germany Horst von Usedom
Nazi Germany Hans von Luck
Strength

Groupement Langlade

  • 60–80 tanks[1]
United States 406th Fighter-Bomber Group

Nazi Germany 112th Panzerbrigade

Casualties and losses
44 killed
7 tanks destroyed
1 fighter bomber[3]		 350 killed
1,000 wounded
69 tanks destroyed[3]

The Battle of Dompaire was fought between French and German armoured forces near the town of Dompaire in France. It took place between 12 and 14 September 1944 during the Lorraine campaign on the Western Front of World War II.[4] The battle saw a new German Panzer brigade hastily set up by the Wehrmacht to stop the Allied advance after the collapse of the Normandy front, and a unit of the French 2nd Armoured Division under General Philippe Leclerc.

The inexperienced 112 Panzer Brigade suffered from a series of ambushes by French armoured units with American air support. The French tank crews and US fighter bombers combined destroyed much of the German brigade with few casualties in return. The Germans were forced to fall back which delayed a planned counter-offensive in Lorraine.[5]

  1. ^ Ludewig & Zabecki 2012, p. 56.
  2. ^ Jarymowycz 2001, p. 224.
  3. ^ a b Zaloga 2013, p. 62.
  4. ^ Bauer, Eddy (1962). La guerre des blindés: L'écrasement du IIIe Reich (in French). Payot. p. 489.
  5. ^ Cole, Hugh M (1993). United States Army of World War II. The European Theater of Operations – The Lorraine Campaign. Washington: Historical Division United States Army. pp. 199–202. Archived from the original on 28 February 2009.