Kampfgruppe von Luck

In May of 1944 Major Hans von Luck took command of the 125th Panzergrenadier Regiment of the 21st Panzer Division. These forces were stationed near Caen, France on June 6th, 1944.

Although von Luck and his men were prepared to launch counterattacks against either the nearby landings on Sword Beach, or the paratroopers who had landed inland earlier that morning, such movements against the British were delayed by the lack of authorization from higher authorities. Kampfgruppe von Luck was eventually ordered to attack the British paratroopers located on the east bank of the Orne River near Ranville.

In the film, Charlie Company is said to have captured twenty-three soldiers belonging to the 346th Infantry Division, Kampfgruppe Von Luck, during operations to clear out Sector 4 on June 9th (D-Day +3).

Kampfgruppe is the German word for battlegroup. Major von Luck's battlegroup was usually referred to as Kampfgruppe Luck.