Panzer-Lehr-Division SdKfz 251 markings December 15 ... - PALA 130

According to this Gliederung, the 3. Batterie had 6 vehicles and 1. and 2. Batteries were still being equipped.
According to Leonard Paul, who kindly forwarded this gliederung to me, the July gliederung reflects the same
composition. Also of interest is the written note showing that there were 2 Beobachtungs Panzer IIIs, 6
Hummels, 4 Munitionträger Hummels and 2 Munitionträger Wespes on strength in the I. Abteilung.
116 Panzer Division:
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Zetterling (Pg. 379) and Guderian place the Hummels in the I. Abteilung (Pg. 5), but the Batterie is not
specified. Both the English and German versions of Guderian state that there were two Batteries of Hummels
(15.0 cm self-propelled, Pg. 5). I assumed that this was a typo but considering the information regarding this
possibility with 9. Panzer and that Dugdale also indicates an allocation of two batteries for 116. Panzer, it is a
possibility. Guderian also states that on 7 June this division was still short 5 Hummels (Pg. 38 - English) and
that all SP guns of the 1. Batterie were rendered useless on 25 August and the crew crossed the Seine that
night (but no clarification as to whether the 1. Batterie was equipped with Wespe or Hummel - Pg. 98).
According to Zetterling, Pg. 381 (quoting from "Anlagen zum KTB LXXXI. A.K. Ia, Meldungen der Divisionen,
Gliederung der 116. Panzer-Division, Stand 22.8.1944"), on August 22 the Artillery Regiment only had one
Hummel. It is not stated, however, if this number does or does not include any vehicles that are in short or
long-term repair. Tessin is not clear. Again, nothing of any certainty is known of 116. Pz. Hummel markings.
According to Dugdale (Vol. I, Pg. 61) 116 Panzer was allocated 12 Hummels (two batteries) but on Sept. 14,
1944 they reported 0 Hummels on hand. Again, it is not clear if the division was allocated the two Hummel
batteries during the entire Normandy campaign. If allocated two Hummel batteries, were both present in
Normandy? Again, any information that might clear up this question is extremely helpful.
Panzer-Lehr-Division:
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Zetterling (Pg. 385) supports the "Nuts & Bolts" conclusion of having the Hummels in the II. Abteilung,
although originally they were in the I. Abteilung. Once the I. Abteilung was equipped with its Wespes and
Hummels in Germany, it rejoined the Division in the region of Vire on June 20. In the meantime, the original
II. Abteilung became the I. Abteilung and the I. Abteilung became the II. Abteilung (see Zetterling, Pg. 384).
Furthermore, he states that the Hummel Batterie was the 6. Batterie (Pg. 387) and on 21 July there were
only two Hummels (it does not state if the other 4 were total losses or in repair). Perrigault (Pg. 129) also
places the Hummels in II. Abteilung, as does Ritgen (Pg. 51). Tessin (Vol. 6) also states that the II. Abteilung
was the self-propelled abteilung. According to Perrigault, most artillery was lost between the fighting from
Tilly-sur-Seulles to St. Lô.
This photo may or may not be of a Pz Lehr Hummel. It is labeled as such in Perrigault's book and in Ritgen's,
but the date and location are not indicated: