Further treatment of his head wound and subsequent participation in a training course for battalion commanders at the Armored Forces School in Paris delayed his arrival until 13 February 1944.

[3] The 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion was heavily engaged during the Normandy campaign, and lost virtually all its equipment in the retreat across France in August 1944.

Between 0200 and 0300 hours on 7 June, the Tiger battalion set off for the invasion front, under its own power, due to the extensive damage to the railway network northwest of Paris.

By the time the battalion has reached its designated assembly area during the night of 12 June 1944, it had suffered total casualties of twenty-seven, including nine killed.

The advancement conducted without additional reconnaissance was a costly mistake for the British as they were oblivious to the presence of 2nd Company, 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion.

[8][9] The British withdrawal indicated the end of the post D-Day "scramble for ground" and the start of the a grinding attritional battle for Caen.

[citation needed] The plan for the Ardennes Offensive was to deliver a powerful blow and to regain the initiative on the Western Front.

However the battalion was plagued with maintenance problems and mechanical breakdowns, it is probable that only around 30-35 Tigers actually participated in the initial advance of Kampfgruppe Peiper.

However, after leaving the hilly section of the offensive zone the Tiger Battalion was to be moved forward and spearhead the breakthrough to the Meuse.

[13] On 16 December 1944, due to 12th Volksgrenadier's (VG) slow progress in breaking through the American lines thus opening a gap for Route D, the Tiger battalion just started to roll out from its assembly area at Tondorf.

On 19 March 1945, Westernhagen received an order to leave the battalion and join the officer reserve; SS-Sturmbannführer Heinz Kling assumed command.

According to the official statement, Westernhagen was killed by an aircraft bomb, however Wolfgang Schneider in his book Tigers in Combat (Volume Two), with almost daily activity account of 101st/501st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion, has clearly indicated that Westerhagen committed suicide after being relieved as battalion commander: "In fact, he shoots himself with his own pistol.