iev , ▁and ▁the ▁spring ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁retre at ▁through ▁the ▁western ▁Ukraine . ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁M ell enth in ▁followed ▁Bal ck ▁to ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Pan zer ▁Army ▁and ▁then ▁to ▁Army ▁Group ▁G ▁in ▁eastern ▁France . ▁On ▁ 2 8 ▁December , ▁M ell enth in ▁was ▁given ▁command ▁of ▁ 9 th ▁Pan zer ▁Division , ▁which ▁was ▁then ▁engaged ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Bul ge . ▁From ▁March ▁to ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁he ▁was ▁chief ▁of ▁staff ▁of ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁Pan zer ▁Army . ▁ ▁M ell enth in ▁surrender ed ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁Army ▁on ▁ 3 ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁and ▁spent ▁two ▁and ▁a ▁half ▁years ▁in ▁an ▁intern ment ▁camp . ▁After ▁his ▁release , ▁M ell enth in ▁em igr ated ▁to ▁South ▁Africa , ▁founded ▁Tre k ▁Air ways , ▁worked ▁together ▁with ▁Lux air ▁and ▁represented ▁L uf th ans a ▁in ▁Africa ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 1 ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁ ▁He ▁died ▁in ▁Johannes burg ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁ ▁Author ship ▁and ▁reception ▁ ▁M ell enth in ' s ▁book ▁P anz ersch la chten , ▁translated ▁into ▁English ▁as ▁Pan zer ▁Batt les , ▁documents ▁We hr macht ' s ▁campaign s ▁that ▁he ▁participated ▁in . ▁The ▁book ▁was ▁repr int ed ▁six ▁times ▁in ▁the ▁U .