On 5 July 1943, the first day of Operation Citadel (5–16 July 1943), the German code name for the Battle of Kursk, in the "Großdeutschland" area of operations, the Panther battalion got bogged down in the mud near Beresowyj and failed to support the "Füsilier"s attack. Nipe indicates that often "Oberst" Karl Decker and "Oberstleutnant" Meinrad von Lauchert have been made responsible for this failure. However, Nipe argues "that it can safely be assumed that Strachwitz was present; thus, any responsibility regarding actions of "Großdeutschland"s Panzers belongs to the Panzer Count." Following the battle, Decker wrote a letter to Guderian complaining about the unnecessary losses incurred by the "Großdeutschland" division. In this letter Decker stated that how Strachwitz led his tanks on the first day of Kursk was "idiotic". Strachwitz was wounded again on 10 July. His battle group had been ordered into combat by Hörnlein. The objective was to capture Hill 258.4, about west of Werchopenje. The battle group encountered roughly 30 Soviet tanks on evening of 9 July. An attack proved unfeasible due to the settling darkness. During these events he received news that his son, Hyacinth, had been severely wounded. At dusk on 10 July he ordered the attack on the Soviet tanks. The first T-34s had been destroyed and Strachwitz was directing the attack from his command Panzer and had ordered his gunner to hold fire. Strachwitz was carelessly resting his left arm on the gun-breech. The gunner, without orders, fired the gun, causing the recoiling gun to smash his left arm. Strachwitz was immediately evacuated to a field hospital. Strachwitz's arm was put in a cast and against medical advice he returned to his regiment. When Hörnlein learned of this he gave Strachwitz a direct order to return to the field hospital.