Thank you Mark,
I think that you have confirmed my suspicions.
Quote:
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5 June 1944: orders issued to reorganize as part of a Type '44' Panzer Division
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It appears that the Panther Battalion was reorganized for its move to the Eastern Front, with the companies reduced from 22 to 17 tanks. The organization shown in the Bernage’s book is probably what was being sent to the Eastern Front to rejoin the 3rd Panzer Division. If 76 or 79 (with three Panthers in the Regt. HQ) were in fact being transferred, then Panzer Lehr would still be holding ten or thirteen surplus Panthers.
That leaves the door open for nine Panthers being in action at le Bergerie Ferme on the 8th of June. These tanks may have being crewed by the training staff; because, Captain Gonder of the Camerom Highlanders, is quoted as saying “The uncanny skill of those tankers in finding us and getting the range was ghastly.”
Another source of German tanks that could have being in action around Putot-en-Bessin on the 8th of June, was Artillerie-Regiment 12 of the 12th SS Panzer Division. This unit was equipped with a small number of Panzer III’s and 38t’s. These were for use by the Forward Observation Officers of the SP Hummel and Wespe batteries. In fact a Panzer III was KOed by 3rd A/T Regt early on June 8th at the railway bridge, while a 38t was KOed by the Regina Rifles in Bretteville-l’Orgueilleuse during the night of 8/9 June.