Panzer Lehr halftrack help please

Discussion in 'Weapons, Technology & Equipment' started by Michael Thomson, Jul 15, 2020.

  1. Hi. I'm researching a specific Panzer Lehr Pz.Gren regiment 901 Sd.Kfz.251, registration WH281704.

    I've so far only found one photo of it, from the rear, and would be extremely grateful if anyone is able to post any other photos of this vehicle.

    Thank you in advance.
     
  2. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Please post the photo you have - it will help locate others (background etc etc). And where was your photo taken?
     
  3. I'm struggling to attach the photo but I believe it was taken at Cristot, Normandy on 17th June 1944. For what it is worth, the vehicle carries the name "Zita" and the number "black 3"...
     
  4. m kenny

    m kenny Senior Member

    This is the full photo B5651 Cristot, Midgley, June 17th B5651  Cristot Midgley, June 17th (1).jpg
     
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  5. That is brilliant, thank you m kenny. Do you know if any photos exist of this vehicle from other angles?
     
  6. m kenny

    m kenny Senior Member

  7. m kenny

    m kenny Senior Member

  8. Screenshot_20200715-221625~2.png This is really excellent help, thank you m kenny. I now see that it is "613" and not just "3".

    I believe the 901 Pz. gren. Regiment used a specific emblem, the "Scholze" emblem. Is there any evidence at all that this vehicle carried this emblem? Most of the Sd.Kfz.251s of the 901st Pz.Gren. regiment that I've seen seem to have had it.
     
  9. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Further to M Kenny posts, I think there is another photo that shows the front of the vehicle. Can't remember where I've seen it but possibly in one of Stephane Jacquet's and others excellent books on the battles in the Tilly sur Seulles area. I think it has several 49th Division chaps around it? Sorry I can't be more specific at this stage but at least it's a starter.
     
  10. m kenny

    m kenny Senior Member

    tHERE
    It may be the other one just around the corner THE BRITISH ARMY IN NORMANDY 1944
     
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  11. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Yes, that's the one. I remember the photo because the 49D arm badges/insignia are very clear in the chap standing on the right hand side of the photo.
     
  12. Thank you SDP and m kenny...your help has been greatly appreciated.
     
  13. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake All over the place....

    If the vehicle was in Cristot it poses a question or two. According to the account in the HJelion German military studies book Panzer Lehr Division. p40 PGR Regiment 901 was halted at Cheux while II/PGR 902 was in the Brouay area where it was engaged by artillery. I am not sure what the orders were for the 901 PGR, but they seem to have been to press towards Bayeux on the east bank of the Seulles. They were caught up with the British 8 Armoured Brigade thrust to Tilly. Maybe this vehicle was lost in the abortive advance on Bayeux.
     
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  14. stolpi

    stolpi Well-Known Member

    Map taken from Helmut Ritgen's Die Geschichte der Panzer Lehr Division, im Westen 1944-1945 (History of the Panzer Lehr Division in the West 1944/45) re the operations on 8 and 9 June 1944

    Pz Lehr Norm.jpg

    Pz L.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2020
  15. stolpi

    stolpi Well-Known Member

    Ritgen also gives details of the I. SS Pz Korps operation order (as far as Panzer Lehr is concerned) for the German counterattack on 8 June 44 against the British bridgehead:

    Ritgen 1.jpg Ritgen 2.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2020
  16. SDP

    SDP Incurable Cometoholic

    Definitely Cristot. Very characteristic church and with that damage visible on other photos.
     
  17. stolpi

    stolpi Well-Known Member

    Some more details of the German counterattack from the perspective of the Panzer Lehr as given in Ritgen's more recent book: Westfront 1944.
    West 6.jpg

    West 1.jpg West 2.jpg West 3.jpg West 4.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2020
  18. Sheldrake

    Sheldrake All over the place....

    That is what I understood was ordered too. The Helion book also includes extracts from an interview with Kramer from I SS Corps who says that this plan did not happen and 901 PGR did not advance beyond Cheux. P41 of the Heilon Book - sourcing Ritgen, Perigault and H Meyer says that 1 SS Corps ordered an attack for the 9th with the Panzer Lehr either side of the Tilly Baeyux highway. KG Schonberg on the left of the River Seulles and PGR 901, reinforced with the panzer jaeger battalion on the right. II/902 are extracted from, Brouay as the SS PGR 26 fills to its left and the 12 SS recce Bn protects the left flank. That might look like the following sketch.
    9 June 1944 .jpg

    Imagine yourself as the Ops officer for PGR 901 the two battalions of PGR 901 have lots of vehicles. This is bocage country and only a limited number of roads that allow for a move from Cheux to jojk an attack astride the Tilly Bayeux highway. One of the routes would pass through Cristot.
    routes.jpg
     
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  19. stolpi

    stolpi Well-Known Member

    Ritgen mentions that the II./902 did advance toward and attacked Brouay, but then was badly mauled by enemy artillery fire (among which ship artillery) & 'friendly fire' (artillery) from the 12.SS.

    In the early stage of the attack, during an 'O' group, an enemy shell scored a direct hit on the command group which wounded the Bn CO, Oberst Gutmann, and knocked out several of his Coy commanders. Subsequently enemy artillery scored direct hits on the CP in the Chateau of Brouay which 'destroyed' the Bn staff. On top of this all the II. Bn was attacked from the rear by troops of the III./26. SS-Pz Grenadier Regt (more 'friendly fire').

    The battalion had high casualties in men and officers and the combat effectiveness of the unit was severely affected by this for some time.

    PS. I'm not that familiar with the Normandy operations so cannot verify if Ritgen is right about the Brouay attack
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2020

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