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A little #OTD 76 years ago #ThenAndNow thread.
This is "Elna" from I./PzRgt.6 attached to Panzer Lehr, knocked out along with "Ursula" in a field just outside Le Dezert during the division's rather ineffective counter-attack which started in the early hours of 11th July 1944. /1
This is "Elna" from I./PzRgt.6 attached to Panzer Lehr, knocked out along with "Ursula" in a field just outside Le Dezert during the division's rather ineffective counter-attack which started in the early hours of 11th July 1944. /1
Elna is something of a modeller's friend as she is a very early Ausf.A with no Zimmerit 
She and Ursula were most likely from the Aufkl.zug of the Stabskompanie and were two of several Panthers lost that day (along with numerous other vehicles). /2
She and Ursula were most likely from the Aufkl.zug of the Stabskompanie and were two of several Panthers lost that day (along with numerous other vehicles). /2
Location is le Village Fossard, the Panthers had entered this field from the road and were heading towards the farm when they were knocked out by M10s from 899th TD Bn. There are some grim photos of the remains of a PzGren on the back of Ursula which are prob familiar to many./3
To aid orientation, here's a map from the AFIA series book on St LĂ´. Le Village Fossard (really just a farm) is to the west of the road taken by "2./901 and 11 tanks" just befre the right had turn to la Caplainerie, ie almost at the tip of the arrow near the posns of I/47. /4
The two Panthers it seems were recovered fairly soon afterwards and moved to a dump near la Scellerie, close to where several more Panthers were lost. This area was relandscaped shortly afterwards with the construction of ALG A-18, although by the time it was completed.../5
.. at the end of August, it was kind of redundant and was used by liaison aircraft only, if at all. The runway is now a road. /6
The recovery wasn't without problems. The soil around Le Dezert has a high clay content, is almost terracotta in colour and is very "sticky". Ursula had advanced furthest before being his and as the field slopes downwards had to be hauled back up past Elna. /7
Here's her original location /8
The 11th of July attack failed in its objective, caused the loss of hard to replace tanks and crews. From the aforementioned "St LĂ´":
Joint efforts of air and ground forces had neutralized the Panzer Lehr Division breakthrough by 1600. The 39th and 47th IRs were then ordered../9
Joint efforts of air and ground forces had neutralized the Panzer Lehr Division breakthrough by 1600. The 39th and 47th IRs were then ordered../9
...to advance and reoccupy their positions of the morning. By 2100 their mission was completed against light opposition, and the regiments were instructed to dig in for the night in preparation for an attack the following day. /10
The net effect of the German counterattack had thus been little more than to cause a day's loss in the 9th Division's schedule of advance"
/End
/End
