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General Erich von Manstein LVI Motorized Corp was advancing toward Novgorod with his only panzer division (8Pz - General Erich Brandenberger) in the lead.
The left flank was covered by 3rd Motorized Division (General Kurt Jahn), but on the right flank the SS Division Totenkopf (General Theodor Eicke) was very behind, so the LVI Corps fighting several attacks from Morozov’s 11th Army around Soltsy was in danger of becoming isolated.
At 0300 on the 15th, von Manstein received the following message at his headquarters west of Soltsy:
“Rear areas of the 8th Panzer Division are defending against an enemy attack with machine guns and mortars.”
This attacks along the 8th Panzer’s supply lines effectively isolated the bulk of the division’s combat forces. Von Manstein decided that Soltsy was to be abandoned.
Jahn’s 3rd Motorized Division was also facing heavy enemy attacks as it attempted to move north.
In effect, the Soviets saw the opportunity to isolate and destroy the entire corps.
First elements of the Totenkopf were sent north, but General Theodor Eicke had been wounded when his command car hit a mine on July 6.
His replacement, General Georg Keppler, wasted precious time in getting the rest of his division going.
Moving up the Dno-Soltsy road, the division slammed into several minor russian infantry units and so only on July 17 the first elements arrive on the scene.
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