7.th Panzer- Ghost Division

Photo: Rommel and some of his men in the Battle of France

Fast as the wind
The Invasion has begun
Shaking the ground
With a force of 1000 guns
First in the line of fire
First into hostile land
Tanks leading the way
Leading the way

(From the song "Ghost Division by Sabaton)

7.th Panzer led by the famous Erwin "Desert fox" Rommel got the nickname "Ghost Division" in 1940 in the France campaign. They were given the nickname because they advanced so fast that they appeared were they werent expected, and even German high command didnt always knew were they where.

The beginning:

7.panzer corps took part in the campaign in Poland, and was after that strengtened and became a full panzer division. Erwin Rommel was asked b y Hitler which command he wanted for the battle of france, and Rommel-having no tank experience choose a panzer division, and 15.february 1940 he was given command of the 7.th Panzer division which was part of the 15.Panzer Corps under General Hoth.

Ghost Division in France:

Erwin Rommel lead his division from the front, often from the top of a tank, earning him great respect from his men. This also aloud him to make decisions much faster then commanders who stayed behind the frontline. His results and his relationship to Hitler made him immune to the critism from the High Command who sometimes ment he was to independent in his decisions.

Timeline for Ghost Division in France:

  10 May 1940 - Fall Gelb, the invasion of France, is launched. 7th Panzer advances through the Ardennes.
    12 May 1940 - 7th Panzer Division reaches Dinant on the Meuse.
    13 May 1940 - Crosses River Meuse after heavy fighting.
    15 May 1940 - Reaches Philippeville and continues Westward passing Avesnes and Le Cateau.
    21 May 1940 - Reaches Arras where counterattacked by 2 British Tank Regiments. British tank advance stopped by feared Flak 88 "Tank Killers".
    5 June 1940 - Positioned near Abbeville.
    8 June 1940 - Reaches outskirts of Rouen.
    10 June 1940 - Reaches English Channel West of Dieppe.
    17 June 1940 - Reaches Southern outskirts of Cherbourg.
    19 June 1940 - Garrison of Cherbourg surrenders to Rommel.
    25 June 1940 - Fighting ends for 7th Panzer Division in France.

 7.th Panzer Division since 10th May had captured:
The Admiral of French Navy (North) and 4 other admirals,
1 Corp Commander,
4 Divisional commanders with their staffs,
277 artillery and 64 anti-tank guns,
458 trucks and armored cars,
1,500-2,000 cars,
1,500-2,000 horse- and mule-drawn wagons,
300-400 buses, and
300-400 motorcycles.

About 30 000 prisoners of war were  captured
Apart from this it had brought down 52 aircraft, captured 15 more on the ground, and destroyed
another 12. There was much more booty which could not be counted because the division moved too fast.
 

Its own casualties during the period were: 48 officers killed and 77 wounded; 108 sergeants and
above killed and 317 wounded; 526 other ranks killed and 1252 wounded. While missing included 3
officers, 34 sergeants and above and 229 other ranks

Ghost Divison after France:

From 1941 the Ghost Division-7.th Panzer was mainly in action in Russia, being one of the forced bthat came closest to Moscow. In the end, they surrendered to british troops in Germany.

7.th panzer on their way through the french countryside-possibly near Somme

Erwin Rommel in France 1940

Erwin Rommel and a Pz38t tank on a bridge passing in France 1940

The song "Ghost Division by Sabaton and a fan-made video