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Zerstört Puma ( destroyed Puma, German phonetic for destroyed is Zer - Shutort ), St. Lo sector - Normandy, probably caught out in the open and knocked-out by rocket-firing Allied ground-attack aircrafts given open hatches of rapid crew evacuation, along with gapping penetration hole in front hull driver area, smaller holes around fender and bumper rod from canon caliber fire. Rubber tires still intact which meant there was no major secondary fire after initial explosion.
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Rollover : ( Rollover JPG link ) | Purported to be the same Puma before its battle destruction, photo taken by German combat camera crew upon its arrival in Normandy. It had light foliage wrapped around gun barrel and rear spare tire, probably remains of heavy foliage cover on vehicle. In view of Allied air supremacy, German forces in Normandy place roadside placards with signage " ACHTUNG ! TIEFLEGER " ( Attention ! Low-Casually... but colloquially meant Low Flying Aircraft ), warning units as they moved among heavy canopy bocage terrain into open terrace farmland.
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Thus, one crewmen on each mechanized vehicle was tasked to watch the skies for marauding Allied ground-assault aircrafts to give crew time to evacuate vehicle and let escorting FLAK crews deal with the threat. There was often debate among German tank crews which was best option during such aerial assault... evacuate vehicle and hide in nearby terrain, or just sit tight inside armor enclosure and let the bombs and rockets rip. Both options had its benefits and risks... so it was your call if you want to hunker down or take flight.
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Gruß und Blick | German culture, being precise - professional - punctual in all formalities, had its share of " dry humor ". Hence, there was a play-on-words used by German veterans, which stated along with " der deutsche Gruß " ( the German Salute... as in Nazi-style stiff arm Hitlergruß or Nazigruß. BTW " ß " character is rendered as " ss " phonetic ), this aerial recon stance complements the salute as " der deutsche Blick " ( the German Glance ). FYI, this is where English word " Blink " is derived from German word " Blick ".
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Sdkfz 234/2 with heavily foliage camouflaged to conceal from marauding Allied aircrafts, its 5cm Kwk39/1 gun pears through the foliage growth.
Saukopf ( pig head ) gun mantle housed both 5cm gun and coaxial MG42 7.92mm machine gun.
German Luftwaffe was virtually non-existent during Normandy battles, its resources were heavily tasked to fend-off Allied bombing campaigns against industrial targets & urban centers, couple with 1944 Soviet Summer Offensive ( Operation Bagration ).
Hence, German Normandy ground forces were significantly hampered throughout its 3 month campaign in holding back Allied Normandy enclave.
British/Commonwealth doctrine for tactical air power in Normandy. | TAT
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 Puma #112 of German 2nd Panzer Division transversing through Paris onto Normandy front in June 1944 ( not to be confused with 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich ).
2nd Panzer Division (Germany) | Wiki 2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich | Wiki
Contrary to common misconception, in early hours of D-Day Normandy invasion, German 192th Panzer Regiment - 2nd Panzer Division was able to drive onto Normandy coastline circa 4:00am, secure French town Plumetat, and prevented linked up British and Canadian landings at Sword and Juno beaches. 2nd Panzer Division History | 2PD
However, British 6th Airborne Division began glider landings west side of River Orne behind 21st Panzer Division, fearing possible encirclement, 21st Panzer ordered to withdraw from this gap, thereby allowed Brits/Canadians to merge line of advance.
Airborne Assault of 6th Airborne Division (UK) | WCC
Dogfaces and DogOne Beach - Normandy | UweM
Another contribution of 2nd Panzer Division was that it contributed combat experienced NCO / senior officers to fill ranks of newly formed 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend ( Hitler Youth ), which saw extensive battles around the Caen - Normandy sector, especially for defense of Hill 112 southwest of Caen city.
THE BATTLE FOR HILL 112 | H112
Operation Epsom, Baron-sur-Odon and the Battle for Hill 112 | SDC
The Battle for Hill 112 | BNT
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12 June 1944, Caumont - Normandy | Destroyed Puma of 2nd Panzer Division lies derelict after street battles with 2 British soldiers posing for pictures during lull in fighting. Puma was hit in rear engine section ( penetration hole next to left muffler ), as its turret transversed towards rear for gunnery engagement. Puma was probably used as mobile pillbox during Caumont street battles, by turning rear towards enemy, any penetration would rip into engine mount and not crew compartments, thus allow crew time to evacuate.
CAUMONT L'EVENTE/SALLEN Calvados - 23 km east of Saint-Lô | N44
US 1st American Infantry Division " Big Red One " attacked Caumont-l'Éventé ( or Caumont ) on 12 June 1944 with its 18th and 26th Infantry Regiments. By mid-day 26th Infantry Regiment entered the city, but German Gen. Huebner counter-attacked with 2nd Panzer Division and repelled American forces. Next day on 13 June 1944, US reinforced with 743rd Tank Battalion finally drove German defenses out of Caumont.
1st US Infantry Division WWII Combat Film | CRC
Given American Normandy offensive was vested in western hedgerow countryside, British Gen. Montgomery in command of British 21st Army Group ( which American Army was subordinate in Normandy up until August 1944 ) ordered American forces to give up Caumont sector ( and its related road junctions ) so that British/Commonwealth armor forces could transit through area for flank assault on German positions in eastern Normandy. Thus, major UK offensive which used Caumont as launch point was Operation Bluecoat, 30 July 1944.
Bluecoat Day | SDC
Operation Bluecoat, Normandy, 30th July 1944 Military Painitng | CMP
ST-LO (7 July - 19 July 1944) | HAM
Note that there are multiple " Caumont " towns in France, hence one has to specify Caumont-l'Éventé of Calvados, Basse-Normandie region.
Caumont ( variations ) | Wiki
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2 Pumas burnt-out on Normandy roadside, then bulldozed to edge to make way for Allied mechanized advance. Photo taken near towns of Mossiy - Chambois / Normandy, between 19 to 21 August 1944.
CHAMBOIS/SAINT-LAMBERT-SUR-DIVE Orne - 13 km north-east of Argentan | N44
Chambois Map — Satellite Images of Chambois | MPC
This would put the 2 derelicts as part of German formation fighting their way out of the Falaise Gap ( or Falaise Pocket ) battles. Constraint to small French roads leading German columns eastward, they were mercilessly pounded by Allied ground and air assaults, to which surviving German veterans called these escape paths " Totengang " ( death passage or death alley ).
Falaise pocket | Wiki
Falaise pocket - Chambois | Wiki
Chambois town sat in middle of German escape route and was occupied by elements of US 90th Infantry Division & 10th dragoons - 1st Armoured Division ( Poland ) on 19 August 1944. For next 2 days, these Allied units fired tank and artillery rounds into escaping German column, which at sametime repeatedly assaulted by German forces to drive them off Hill 262 high ground.
Hill 262 | Wiki
Battle of Normandy - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Normandy
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26 July 1944, St. Lo sector - Normandy | Puma wreck of Panzer Lehr division between St. Lo & Marigny region.
This division was caught within Allied carpet bombing of western St. Lo frontlines, then overran by US armored forces in subsequent " Cobra " offensive. Puma was probably one of those overran units.
Saint-Lo Map — Satellite Images of Saint-Lo | MPC
Marigny Map — Satellite Images of Marigny | MPC |
 Abandoned Puma with bundles of sandbags on front hull for extra protection, in Paris - Luxembourg Sénat district, August 1944. immediately after German garrison surrender of city. Liberation of Paris 1944 | Wiki
Paris city battle took place 15 - 25 August 1944 when French Communist Partisans began city insurrection against German garrison. Although Free French partisan argue it began when French Police refused to carry out orders from German garrison as sign of peaceful public protest.... so take your pick.
French Resistance | Wiki
Little know fact was that US Gen. Eisenhower ordered all Allied forces to by-pass Paris for fear city conquest would loss momentum of advance towards German border, and may draw Allied units into Stalingrad-style street battles. However, upon hearing Paris uprising, Free French Forces mutinied, ignored Allied commands, and drove straight into Paris ( lest the Free French did not want French Communist to get all the liberation credit ).
Battle of Stalingrad: the Street Fighting map September 12 - November 18, 1942 | OWC
Free French Forces (1940-1944) | FOTW
German Gen. Dietrich von Choltitz : commander of Paris garrison, was under orders from German Chancellor Hitler to destroy city outright block by block to prevent captured by Allied forces ( like Germans reprisals against Warsaw-Poland uprising which initiated in 1 August 1944 ).
Dietrich von Choltitz | Wiki
German garrison undertook token city destructions, such as detonating mine-laden barge against Windmills ( which control river flow ) in Pantin - Paris northeast sector. Grand Palais building complex was torched since it was local Free French Forces partisan HQ. By in large, Gen. von Choltitz ignored Hitler's standing order for wholesale city-wide destruction, and surrendered city intact to Allied forces on 25 August 1944. Postwar in 1964 when questioned in documentary interview why he elected to disobey Hitler, he replied " Because I knew that Hitler was insane ".
Pantin | Wiki
Pantin (France) | NONA
Grand Palais - Paris | GPF
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Murky photo shows Puma outline in open field, Mossiy - Chambois region - Normandy, 19 - 21 August 1944 during German retreat out of Falaise Gap.
Road of Death in the Falaise Gap | NBG
Normandy - Falaise - Canadians at War | WW2CA |
End of WW2 armor collection point for surrendered German vehicles or battlefield derelicts. Photo caption reads " Beute-Kraftfahrzeuge und Panzer Der Deutschen Wehrmacht "( Captured vehicles and Tanks of the German Armed Forces ). Photos shows interior of 8cm schwere Granatwerfer 34 auf Panzerspähwagen AMR(f), or in English 80mm heavy mortar type 34 on Armor Recon vehicle AMR ( French ). Note AMR refers to French-title Automitrailleuse de Reconnaissance Renault ( armor car of recon renault ), or Renault light tanks built in mid-1930s for French Army.
AMR 35 | Wiki
This provided self-propelled mobility for heavy mortar crew and its ammunition, rather than slugging in tow trailer - manhandle unhitch weapon - plant its base - aim its target - then finally fire off rounds. Or in American lexicon, one can " shot and scoot"before enemy counter-battery fire rains down on your position.
8cm schwere Granatwerfer 34 auf Panzerspähwagen AMR(f) plan | CCN
11. Pz Div Sd.Kfz 251/22 in dump | N54
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From front angle showing same 8cm schwere Granatwerfer 34 auf Panzerspähwagen AMR(f) in typical German camouflage of African Yellow base color with Red Brown thick moth lines. Germans deployed various mortars for close-in infantry support, including 50mm Granatwerfer 36, 80mm Granatwerfer 34, and 120mm Granatwerfer 42.
German Infantry Weapons | TEF
Interestingly, German 120mm Granatwerfer 42 is actually derived from captured Soviet versions. During 1941 Soviet Union invasion, Germans captured large stock of Soviet PM 38 120 mm mortar and was impressed with its caliber / design layout. Germans quickly impressed captured Soviet versions into combat via title 12 cm Granatwerfer 378 (r)... "r" for " russisch" or Russian, while German manufactured versions titled 12cm Granatwerfer 42 ( literally meant 12cm Grenade Thrower Model 42 ).
120mm WWII German Granatwerfer 42 Mortar (12cm GrW 42) | YouTube
Not to be copy outdone, 1938 Soviet 120mm PM38 mortar was allegedly derived from 1935 French mortier Brandt de 120 mm modèle 1935. Weapon was in various prototype stages until production rollout in 1940, which in turn used in limited basis by French Army before her June 1940 surrender to Germany.
Mortars in Minature ( models ) | MIM
Soviet regimental 120mm mortar M1938 | B45C
BTW, in photo if the 8cm schwere Granatwerfer 34 barrel did not protrude out of hull armor plating, one could readily misidentify vehicle as Munitionschlepper auf Ausführung Selbsfahrlafette 38(t)... or Munitions Carrier of Model Self-Propelled Carriage 38(t)... derived from Panzer 38(t) light tank.
Captured & converted French vehicles in German service | AHC
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Same WW2 end German armor collection point, this photo showing French Renault AMR tank captured in 1940 France defeat, impressed into German armor forces as mobile mortar carrier. Note angle side armor to enhance ballistic deflection of light enemy caliber rounds. Its French AMR33/35 lineage indicated by its suspension design.
Renault Modèle 1935 ZT, AMR 1935 | WW2V
Forgotten Artillerie - The Official Werfer-Artillerie Thread | FGN
Even before WW2 onset, French AMR33/35 light tanks had significant problems with its suspension resilience, namely it was too weak to withstand rugged cross-country drives. Thus, new suspension design was ordered which ultimately incorporated into AMR R35 light tank design.
Renault R35 | Wiki
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Though not a Puma armor car, it does showcase German ingenuity in building fake wooden tank facades as encountered by US forces as they push into Germany interior. These wooden mock-ups placed over regular automobiles ( right front view panel cut-out for driving vision port ). They were probably used as tank driver training or target practice for weapons training. And with marauding Allied aircrafts overhead, they were used as bait to draw aircraft closer for ground Flak units or to save off real Panzers from being " shanked " via enemy air assault.
Russische wooden panzer ( modern ) | PAC
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