On the 18 January 1943 the forces of the Leningrad and Volkhov fronts met at the recapture of Poselok No 5. The Russian forces then pushed south towards the Sinyavinskye Heights. The heights are the only hills in the area and their capture was strategically vital if the newly established link to Leningrad was to remain open. Defending the Heights near the town of Sinyavino was the 4th SS Polizei Division supported by the 502nd Heavy Tank Battalion (schwere Panzer Abteilungen).
The 502nd was raised on the 5th May 1942, under the command of Hauptmann Wollschl�ger, and was one of the first units to be equipped with Tiger I tanks. The unit was originally formed with two Tiger tanks and two Panzer III tanks in each platoon and it was only after initial combat reports that the Panzer IIIs were replaced by Tigers.
Commanded by Generaloberst der Polizei Alfred W�nnenberg, the 4th SS Polizei Division as attached to the 18th Army, part of Heersgruppe Nord. Earlier in 1942 the Division had taken part in the destruction of the 2nd Shock Army in the Volhov pocket. On the 20th January the 2nd Shock Army had a chance for revenge when, joined with the 67th Army, it assaulted the Sinyavinskye Heights.
After it's defeat at the Sinyavinskye Heights the Polizei Division retreated to the west of Kolpino (40km west of Mga), where it held it's position.