Panzer Lehr Mk IVs destroyed south of Bayeux

[EKB]

Seeking information about Panzer Lehr Division vehicles destroyed south of Gold Beach, during the somewhat confused battle for control of the main highway that linked Bayeux and Tilly-sur-Seulles.

Turret no. 513 was pierced through the side by a 6-pounder gun; the fatal shot probably delivered by the 6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. It appears that internal explosion blew out the vertical front plate and access hatches on the sloped front plate (see following pictures). I believe this scene is on route D6 near the intersection with the D33 (Le Douet de Chouain). The British soldier in the foreground was from the 50th Division. IWM cinefilm A70 43-4. The inset USAAF photo shows turret no. 514 from the same Kompanie of Panzer Lehr Regiment 130. Looking for names of crew members.

Another view of Panzer IV No. 513. The two men on the left wear shoulder patches of the 7th Armoured Division. The officer on the right wears a CANADA patch below the unreadable (to me) curved shoulder badge (see next image). A high-resolution copy of IWM photo B5375 is available at the Battlefield Historian site.

Zoomed from the previous image. What looks like someone with goggles peeking over the top of the turret is possibly a gas mask with a German helmet placed on top. This is also visible in IWM movie clip A70 41-4. I don’t know why a Canadian officer was at this location but he might have been a specialist observer, reporter or investigator. Inset: IWM cineflm A70 43-4.

Other views of damage caused to Panzer IV No. 513. IWM cinefilms A70 41-4 and A70 43-4.

Vehicles of the 50th Division and 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards roll south on the D6 toward Tilly-sur-Seulles. The Shermans are Duplex Drive types with the float screens removed. IWM A70 43-4

[EKB]

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Not sure what happened to this Panzer IV. Best guess is the driver lost control when the track was shot off. The tank probably swung off the road and climbed the embankment at a dangerous angle, causing a tip over. Could not identify the turret number or names of the crew. IWM A70 41-4

FACT or FICTION? This Panzer IV received a direct hit from a British warship prowling off the French coast. If the story is true, it was an amazing feat of arms. The pile of rubbish was bulldozed off the road about 17 km south of Gold Beach, using road distance that would be less if measured in a straight line. The archive caption for IWM photograph B5441 is dated June 13, 1944, although the original typed descriptions are sometimes inaccurate. Picture of the Maybach engine from Wiki. Was unable to verify the turret number or names of crew.

The officer commanding II. Abteilung of Panzer Lehr Regiment 130, Major Prinz Wilhelm von Schönburg-Waldenburg. Reportedly killed in action near Point 103 on June 11, 1944. I could not confirm the exact cause of loss, the turret number of his Mk IV tank, or pictures of the vehicle. The prince was replaced by Helmut Ritgen, who later authored a combat history of the Panzer Lehr Division. A full frame, high-resolution copy of this map is available from the Battlefield Historian. I don’t know the origin of these photos, possibly the Bundesarchiv has the originals.

I’m not certain of the time, location, circumstances of loss, or names of crew. The building in the background looks like a typical stone farmhouse in Normandy. Photo credited to the USAAF per the Lone Sentry site.

Same scene as above. Turret traverse and gun elevation has changed. Unknown photographer.

[EKB]

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Another view of the hole punched in the side of Panzer IV No. 513. A 6-pounder gun and tug of 6 DLI and a Centaur tank of Royal Marines ASG advance south, probably on route D6. IWM photos B5458, B5374 and B5376.

[Michael Kenny]

A full frame, high-resolution copy of this map is available from the Battlefield Historian.

Use this link

https://www.oldmapsonline.org/map/briti ... _7F-1_1943

and then click 'view as overlay' to get a far superior zoomable view of the modern and 1944 map using the slider

[Michael Kenny]

. A 6-pounder gun and tug of 6 DLI and a Centaur tank of Royal Marines ASG advance south, probably on route D6.

http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/nr ... ost-782427

[EKB]

I see your point. The traffic through the D6/D33 crossroads was moving in all directions and can be confusing. I started to trace the movement of the 4th/7th Dragoons and it seems that tanks went back and forth through Douet (into harbor or REME?)

I'm not sure on which corner of the street the restaurant was located.

https://www.ww2talk.com/index.php?threa ... ers.92315/

[Sam Wren]

I think the Canloan officer's regimental flash reads "Queens", 3 battalions of which formed the Inf. Bde of the 7th Armd. Div at the time.

[EKB]

I think the Canloan officer's regimental flash reads "Queens", 3 battalions of which formed the Inf. Bde of the 7th Armd. Div at the time.

Maybe he was an Army Liaison Officer like Major Gray, seen here with Squadron Leader Sutherland about to dial up an air strike from No. 83 Group.

[EKB]

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Another picture of Panzer IV No. 513. This one appears to be a still photograph, probably recorded by Sgt. Laing and made at the same time as movie reel A70 43-4 from Sgt. Ginger as seen in Post #1. If the wreck was on the main road (D6) between Bayeux and Tilly, it was probably photographed by every passing shutter bug from the 8th Armoured Brigade.