4. Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)

The 4. Panzer Division was established on 10 November 1938 in Wurtzberg. Panzer component was the 5. Panzer Brigade commanding the 35. and 36. Panzer Regiments. Each regiment contained 2 battalions made up of 4 companies.

Fall Weiss - The Polish Invasion, September 1939. The 4. PD fought alongside the 1. PD forming the vanguard of the 10. Armee. By September 9th, they reached the outskirts of Warsaw. Several assaults on the Capitol City achieved little and resulted in high losses. The Poles capitulated on 20 September and the fighting ceased. The 4. PD had suffered 94 tanks damaged or destroyed out of 305 tanks and over 1000 men killed or wounded.

Fall Gelb - Invasion of the Low Countries and France, May/June 1940. The 4. PD invaded Northern Belgium as part of the feint to draw French mobile units in that direction. On 12 May 1940, 35. PRgt engaged French tanks in the first major Tank Vs Tank Battle of WWII near Hannut and the next day at Merdorp destroying 39 French tanks. 4. PD started the campaign with 314 tanks (151 Pzkw I, 112 Pzkw II, and 51 medium tanks, Pzkw III and IV) and they incurred over 2000 casualties and 86 tanks lost.

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Sources: 4. Panzer-Division on the Eastern Front 1941-1943. Robert Michulec. Concord Publishing.