503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion

The unit was created on May 4, 1942, in Neuruppin. After releasing all Panzer IIIs, the unit consisted of 45 Tiger Is on May 10, 1943. The 503rd was the second Tiger detachment promised to Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel for service in North Africa. The 501st Heavy Panzer Battalion was already in action in Tunisia. The detachment was to be formed of Porsche-manufactured Tigers, but the cancellation of Porsche's "Tiger (P)" meant that the deployment was delayed. Instead, the unit was equipped with Henschel Tigers. As it was then too late for the 503rd to assist in North Africa, the unit was instead deployed to Generalfeldmarschall Erich von Manstein's Army Group Don.

Clan Website: http://503rdheavypanzerbattalion.weebly.com/