Urmel wrote:How do you know that they knew it was a 17-pdr in a tank that had knocked those Panthers out? Did you read the relevant German documents? If so, I'd be interested to see them.
At 0900 on 9 June, III Kompanie, 12 Panzer Regiment was relieved in the line by Mk IVs, and moved to Rots to la Villeneuve. The attack started at 12 hrs,( as per III Kp war diary) when twelve Panther tanks of 3 Kp moved out in a single line at right-angles to the railway embankment ( 1440 hrs given in IV Kp war diary which was on the flank)
"....The company was led by Hauptmann Luedemann, as the commander, Oberststurmfuehrer von Ribbentrop, had been wounded earlier. Though von Ribbentrop merely watched from the rear area along with Max Wuensche, he had recommended that the company drive at high speeds in a broad front — only stopping to fire their 75-mm guns. Luedemann followed Ribbentrop's advice, and the infantry were left far behind. As the Panthers approached the village, not yet facing any enemy fire, Luedemann ordered the company to swing left. The five tanks of the 3rd section hugging the rail embankment were forced to speed past the 2nd section in order to keep a solid line of tanks facing Norrey. The four tanks of the 1st section had by this point slowed to form a reserve. Although the order to swing left, presenting the Panther's thicker frontal armour to the Canadian defenders in Norrey, was an understandable action, it had consequences that the Hitlerjugend had not anticipated.
Nine Sherman tanks including several "Fireflys" equipped with the 17-pounder, were being moved towards the front to reinforce the Reginas' position in Norrey. As the tanks, from the Elgin Regiment, were making a detour in front of the village when they spotted the advancing Panthers. Catastrophically for the 3rd Panzer Company, the swing to the left, though protecting them from the 6-pounders in Norrey, exposed their flanks to the Shermans at not more than 1000 metres distance. The Canadian tanks deployed in a straight line and opened fire. A "Firefly" commanded by Lieutenant Henry hit the tank nearest the rail-line first. Adolf Morawetz thought he had struck a mine; "after a dull bang and shaking, as if the tracks had been ripped off, the tank came to a standstill." After another bang, the ammunition for the MG-42 ignited and the Panther burst into flames. Before Morawetz desperately attempted to open the hatch he had just closed, he looked through his periscope and watched as the neighbouring Panther exploded — throwing the turret into the air. Morawetz survived, but his tank and crew had been destroyed. Six other Panthers were quickly dispatched in the next four minutes. The survivors, including the badly burned crews who had bailed out of their destroyed tanks, fled back towards the underpass. The infantry were forced to join the men of the 2nd Company under the bridge, as an artillery barrage began to pound the area inflicting heavy casualties. The converging attack of the 1st Battalion of the 25th Panzer Grenadiers never materialized. The assault was a complete and total failure...." ( Oliver Haller "The Defeat of the 12th SS: 7–10 June 1944," Canadian Military History: Vol. 3: Iss. 1, Article 2.)
A history of the HJ Div notes that of 12 tanks participating, seven were destroyed, 18 men killed, and an equal number wounded.(Blood and Honor
by Craig W.H. Luther)
Pl refer to for day by day events of this regiment at Normandy: Waffen-SS Armour in Normandy: The Combat History of SS Panzer Regiment 12 ... Norbert Számvéber. Compiled from KTBs of the relevant units,
For 9 June, 1944, I. SS Panzer regiment 12, command post: le Bourg; Its given that Pz # 325, 328, 335, 336, 337 were total write offs within 5 minutes ( enemy couldn't be seen) 327 and 329 were damaged ( by anti tank fire) and retreated to their repair stations.
Like I said in my earlier post, the Germans were not clear about specifically the "17 pounder" ..but they knew enough to generate healthy respect. As borne out by Wittmann's behaviour once facing Sgt Lockwood at VB.
This pic, purportedly taken after the Norrey en bessin battle ( I cant vouch for it though) maybe of interest though not of a panzer trooper.
- https://www.tumblr.com/search/12th%20ss%20panzer%20division
- 12.ss.normandy.jpg (54.99 KiB) Viewed 525 times
Portrait of 18-year-old Rottenfuehrer Otto Funk of the 25th Pz Gr Regiment, 12th SS Panzer Division HJ, after a failed attack on Allied troops at Norrey-en-Bessin, northwest of Caen, Calvados, Lower Normandy, France. 9 June 1944.
