Thank you for that information.
As shown in my original post Mark Zuehlke states the following in his book “Holding Juno”.
“Unbeknown to Siebken, his flank was not threatened as feared, for a strong force of Panzer Lehr Division Panther tanks was already well north of his position grinding along a ridge parallelling the woods at la Bergerie Ferme. Captain Harold Gonder and Lieutenant Gerry Blanchard apprehensively watched this line of nine tanks cross the railroad west of Putot-en-Bessin and rattle towards their position. The 62nd Anti-Tank Regiment battery commander had only two 17-pound antitank guns and two 6-pounders from the 3rd Anti-Tank Regiment's 94th Battery capable of bringing sights to bear on the approaching Panthers.5”
In end note “5” he gives the source for the above as being an article by Tony Foulds.
“5 Tony Foulds, "In Support of the Canadians: A British Anti-Tank Regiment's First Five Weeks in Normandy," Canadian Military History, Spring 1998, vol. 7,74.”
My daughter has photocopied the article for me at the McGill University Library. In it Tony Foulds writes the following:
“At about 0945 hours on the morning of D+2 an enemy force of nine tanks and supporting infantry appeared. They had crossed the railway line to the west of Putot and now, at a distance of about 1200 yards, they commenced plastering the wood with machine gun and mortar fire. Two of the 17-pounders and two 6-pounders soon had them in their sights and opened fire. In the ensuing fight four enemy tanks were destroyed but the defenders also suffered substantial losses. When the two 17-pounders that had opened the engagement had been knocked out "E" Troop commander, Lieutenant Gerry Blanchard, assisted by Lieutenant Ray of the 3rd Anti-Tank Regiment, collected one 17-pounder and one 6-pounder from the rear of the position under intense fire and brought them into action. After resiting various anti-tank and machine guns to improve their field of fire and taking steps to deal with the dead and wounded, the "E" Troop commander set about reorganising his own crews. Serious casualties had depleted their ranks and for a time he was laying and firing one of the guns himself. The position was heavily mortared and machine gunned throughout the morning and early afternoon but the remaining German tanks did not resume their attack. By 1630 hours the action had died down and the battle had been won. That night's war diary reported "E" Troop's casualties as four killed, seven wounded and two missing. Lieutenant Blanchard was subsequently awarded the Military Cross for his part in this affair.”
As can be seen from this Tony Foulds makes no reference to Panzer Lehr or to Panther tanks, but simply refers to “tanks”. So where did Mark Zuehlke find his Panther tanks?
Even without the Panther tanks, the Winnipeg Rifles and supporting troops, in and around Putot-en-Besson were badly outnumbered and outgunned.
According to Niklas Zetterling the Panzer-Grenadier battalions opposing the Canadian defenders had the following weapons at their disposal.
II./SS-Pz-Gn Regt 26 12th SS: 69 MGs, 12 8cm mortars, 4 7.5cm infantry guns, 3 7.5cm PaK 40 and 6 flamethrowers.
III./SS-Pz-Gn Regt 26(gp) 12th SS: 151 MGs, 6 8cm mortars, 2 7.5cm infantry guns, 3 7.5cm PaK 40, Armoured haft-tracks SPWs including 4 3.7cm PaK guns on SPW and 12 7.5cm KwK37 L24 guns on SPWs (Stummel), and 12 flamethrowers.
II./Pz-Gn Regt 902(gp) Pz Lehr: 108 MGs, 6 8cm mortars, Armoured SPWs including 9 3.7cm PaK guns on SPWs and 8 7.5cm KwK37 L24 gns on SPWs (Stummel)
The “tanks” that Tony Foulds refers to are most likely SPW armoured halftracks, either from III./26 or II./902. The photo below is of a Stummel (Sd Kfz 251/9 Ausf D)
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