23. Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

The 23. Panzer Division was formed in France in September 1941 from the 101. Panzer Brigade, which was an occupational unit, outfitted with captured French tanks. By March 1942, the division was fully refitted with German tanks and deployed to Army Group South in July at Kharkov.
Tank strength: 34 PzKw II, 112 PzKw III, 34 PzKw IV.
Attached to Kleist's 1st Panzer Army, the division advanced toward the Caucasus in the Summer of 1942 until the Soviets counterattacked forcing them back to the Don River with heavy losses. 23. Panzer Division was down to only 30 functioning tanks.
In early 1943 began to refit. In March, the remnants of the disbanded 22. Panzer Division were absorbed. By Summer, the division was fitted with 1 battalion of Pzkw IV and 1 Battalion of Panthers (PzKw V). The 23. Panzer Division was back in action after Kursk on the Mius River front. The rest of the War followed a series of defensive battles and retreats through the Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria.

Components
201. Panzer Regiment
128. Panzerjager Battalion.

Sources: Wehrmacht Panzer Divisions 1939-45; Rosado/Bishop.