Battlion Combat Report 16 Apr 1945

The "History of the Panzerkorps Großdeutschland" by Spaeter, Helmuth cites a report written on April 17th by Hauptmann Erdmann, the battalion commander of II./Regiment Poeschmann :

In the morning of 6. April 1945 at 1030hrs:

The enemy began with an artillery barrage from the direction of Dreierwalde (SW) toward the church, into the center of the entire section of the battalion. At the same time 1st Battalion, observed the enemy attempting a flanking move on the road from Dreierwalde. The armoured force totalled approximately 6 tanks, rolling up from direction of  Dreierwalde against the southwest exit of Hopsten.  After the initial artillery fire, the enemy charged the front lines on the right wing of the battalion.

Despite covering fire from 2 Shermans this attack was completely cut off and petered out. Thereupon the enemy separated.  However after 3/4 hour attacked later with more adequate infantry and under the protection of a tank machinegun attempted to hit again at the right wing, clearly recognising the joint between I. and II. Battalion.

This attack was also beaten off, however, with substantial losses suffered by 5.Kompanie due to massed artillery and tank machine gun fire.  With these losses, the right wing of the 5th became substantially weakened, so that a renewed enemy attack finally reached their lines.

Under the protection of the enemy tanks the infantry at the right wing of the company penetrated into 5 Kompanie lines and took 2 prisoners.

At this point our artillery seized the situation and blanketed the hostile tanks under well placed fire, which compelled the infantry to retreat to the south.

Second lieutenant Järschke used this instant, along with 2 men with a cry of "Hurra" to  counterattack at this threatened wing, encouraging his men on, who had expended their ammunition and were courageously still in their their (fox)holes singing "Wacht am Rhein" at this point, to move forward and into the breach settled into close combat.

The counterattack was successful, restabilising the frontlines and accounted for 42 enemy dead left behind.