KAMPFGRUPPE VARGYASSI

Formed 24 January 1943 from the remnants of the 2nd Hungarian army on the Oskol line.
Composition:

Name / Org. / Strength / Commander / +

Gr.Lóskay / 3 bn / 185 + 6,642 / Ferenc Lóskay, ex-comm. 12. L Div / 2 AT gun
“Oskol bn” 1 bn / max. 1,000 / unknown, based at Novij Oskol
Gr. Keseru / 1 bn / 70 + 256 / István Keseru, comm. 8/III. bn / 2. L Div
Gr. Muzsay / 1 bn / 26 + 889 / Ferenc Muzsay, comm 12. IR of 12. L Div
Gr. Szügyi / 1 bn / 48 + 1,160 / Zoltán Szügyi, comm. 43. IR of 19. L Div
=
Gr. Vargyassi / 7 bn / 400 + 1,0000 / Gyula Vargyassi, comm. 23. L Div


The unit was a brigade-sized battle group of highly independent units. These companies managed to keep their battle strength and thus joined the only fighting Hungarian unit. The group was assigned under the Corps Cramer of Army Group B and was given command of all surviving elements of the Hungarian army. The unit slowly retreated to the west under constant Soviet pressure. On the 28th January the unit retreated to the Korocha-line, prepared by Hungarian engineer forces (strength of 2,500). On the 2nd February the remnants of the 1. Armoured Division also joined in. The unit kept on fighting until the arrival of the SS Panzerkorps to the area, when it began withdrawal to the assembly area of the Hungarian Army. On the 12th the Armoured Division joined the army at Sumi, while the infantry units were still withdrawing. The next day telephone contact was made and finally on the 14th the unit entered Hungarian command at Akhtirka. By this time only 5,000 men were ready to fight and the percentage of bloody casualties was 20-25%. The unit was dissolved at Akhtirka on the 15th of February.


The information is compiled from the memoirs of Arpad Lajtos, Ia, Hungarian 2. army.