on Cherbourg Naval Base, where additional British evacuations were underway as part of Operation Aerial. The division advanced in 24 hours, and after two days of shelling, the French garrison surrendered on 19 June. The speed and surprise it was consistently able to achieve, to the point where both the enemy and the OKH at times lost track of its whereabouts, earned the division the nickname Gespensterdivision ("Ghost Division"). After the armistice with the French was signed on 22 June, the division was placed in reserve, being sent first to the Somme and then to Bordeaux to re-equip and prepare for Unternehmen Seelöwe (Operation Sea Lion), the planned invasion of Britain. This invasion was later cancelled as Germany was not able to acquire the air superiority deemed a necessity for a successful outcome. In February, the division was placed in reserve and returned to Germany, with General Hans von Funck assuming command. The unit was stationed near Bonn while preparations were being made for an invasion of the Soviet Union. For reasons of deception and security, it remained in Bonn up until 8 June 1941, when the division was loaded onto 64 trains and transported by rail to the eastern frontier. The division assembled in East Prussia southeast of Lötzen in preparation for Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. Eastern Front Operation Barbarossa began at 03:05 on 22 June 1941. Resistance at the border was weaker than expected and brushed aside, the tanks of the division raced forward, covering the 60 km to reach the Neman River at Olita (Alytus) by midday. The Soviet 5th Tank Division stationed on the east bank of river at Alytus was completely taken by surprise, and the Germans were able to capture two bridges and establish bridgeheads across the river. Shortly thereafter, the Soviets initiated a series of fierce counter-attacks, bringing the German advance to an abrupt halt. The 5th Tank Division was well equipped with 300 tanks, of which 55 were of the new T-34 and KV-1 types. Firing from hull down positions on the reverse slopes of hillsides, they caused the panzer forces their first combat losses. Reinforced in the afternoon by tanks from 20th Panzer Division's 21st panzer regiment, von Funck could fend off probing attacks from the Red Army tanks and pressure the east bank, but decided to delay further advance until his supplies caught up with him.