The Combat History of German Heavy Anti-Tank unit 653 in World War 2 by Karlheinz Munch. German Heavy Anti-Tank Unit 653 was equipped with the heaviest tank destroying vehicles of the German armed forces. Initially activated as an assault gun battalion and redesignated in April 1943, the 653 received its first Ferdinand tank destroyers (later modified and renamed Elephants) in May 1943 and went into action on the Eastern Front a month later. In 1944, the unit converted to the even more massive Jagdtiger. The seventy-five-ton, heavily armoured Jagdtiger was the behemoth of the battlefield and boasted a 128mm gun -- as opposed to the Ferdinand's 88 -- with a range of more than thirteen miles, making it deadly despite its limited mobility. Outfitted with these lethal giants, the 653 saw service in Russia, Italy, Austria, and Germany. Chapters are; Establishment and operational deployment of Sturmgeschutz-Abteilung 197 Nov 1940 to Jan 1943 Formation and employment of schwere Panzerjager-Abteilung 653 April 1943 to Dec 1943 Overhaul of the Ferdinande at St Valentin, Austria Jan to March 1944 Operations in Italy by the 1./schwere Panzerjager-Abteilung 653 Feb to Aug 1944 Operations in the Soviet Union 2. and 3./schwere Panzerjager-Abteilung 653 April to Oct 1944 Movements and combat operation of the 2./schwere Panzerjager-Abteilung 653 and schwere Panzerjager Kompanie 614 sept 1944 to may 1945 Training organization and operations of schwere Panzerjager-Abteilung 653 with the Jagdtiger tank destroyer 1944-1945

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