How effective was 12SS Panzer Divison (ie Hitlerjugend) esp. the soldiers were mainly teens?

Answer 1

The HJ division was comprised of German soldiers drawn exclusively from the class of 1926, when the division went into combat in 1944, they were all 18.

Of the battles around Caen, it was said by a former opponent "The 12th SS-Panzer Division, which defended this sector, fought with a toughness and intensity which was not encountered anywhere else during the entire campaign."

Answer 2

Just to echo the answerers above, they were fanatical opponents. Of the 17,000 who went into battle the days after June 6, 1944, only 2,000 survived out of the Falaise Pocket, either MIA or KIA. Although the majority were the raw 18 year olds, many seasoned veterans had been transferred from other divisions, both SS and Wehrmact. It's last commander ("Panzer" Meyer was the youngest divisional commander of both sides at age 33). Their fanaticism threw the Canadian/British timetable off by their defence of Caen. Overwhelming Allied air and naval gunfire decimated the division.

Answer 3

They were extremely effective because of their skill and fanaticism (aged 18 also).They fought to defend Caen persistently and weren't beaten until 3000 planes of USAF bombed the hell out of them.They were brave boys indeed.