inspecting tanks of the battalion, Soviet Union, 1943 In April 1943, the
Waffen-SS ordered the creation of a series of
heavy tank battalions equipped with the new
Tiger I tanks — for use in offensive actions on the
Eastern Front. Each of the heavy tank battalions would be attached to a Corps of the Waffen SS. Upon formation, the 102nd was attached to the
II SS Panzer Corps. Originally, each heavy tank battalion was composed of a single company of Tiger I's, attached to each respective SS Panzer Division in the Panzerkorps. By July 1943, the predecessor of the 102nd — SS Panzer Regiment 2 of the
SS Division Das Reich — was equipped with 14 Tiger I's. Equipped with
Tiger II tanks, the battalion took part in the defense against the Red Army at the Oder front. During the
Battle of Berlin, the battalion was encircled in the
Halbe Pocket in 1945 and destroyed. ==See also==