On the 19th August 1944, the Panzer Grenadier Division Grossdeutschland launched an attack towards the Lithuanian town of Schaulen. It had been taken by the Red Army on its drive towards the Baltic Sea and, aware that the Germans would try to seize it back, had fortified the town with masses of troops, tanks and anti-tank guns.

GD, without any support from other German units, battered its way towards Schaulen with tremendous cost to its men and equipment.

After many long hours of punishing combat the Grossdeutschland assault lost momentum, and the troops, exhausted and battle worn, occupied the ground they had wrestled from the Soviets and prepared for the inevitable counter attacks.