Mind you, leading from the front was not always the best idea, particularly for a senior commander. Rommel was often criticised by his colleagues for overdoing this. As for Christian Tychsen - this certainly was his style, which he carried into his (brief) period in command of “Das Reich” following Lammerding’s wounding in Normandy. Fritz Langanke, RKT - who could hardly have been criticised for lack of nerve - recalled Tychsen insisting on his leaving his Panther to receive briefing in the open, in spite of the fact that they were under enemy fire. Langanke regarded this as “crazy”, and recalled cursing Tychsen inwardly. Not long after, Tychsen was proceeding through the Bocage in a kubelwagen, accompanied only by a driver and one other aid. The kubelwagen suddenly found itself confronted by an American Sherman tank. The Sherman won. RIP. Another temporary divisional commander, Oberfuhrer Otto Baum, had to step in pending Lammerding’s recovery and return to duty, at a time at which the Division could have done with more continuity in command. Best regards, JR.
