Summary: Wrecked and abandoned German tanks and assault guns are found lining the N24 bis during 159th Brigade Group's advance eastwards from Briouze to the outskirts of Écouché where units of the 1st United States Army are encountered.
Description: Among the German armoured fighting vehicles which the 3rd RTR's armour and 'soft-skinned' transport overtake are a wrecked PzKpfw. Panther Ausf A, a PzKpfw IV Ausf G or H, which have been torn apart by the 2nd Tactical Airforce's fighter-bombers, and several Sturmgeschütz III 7.5cm StuG K. L/48 assault guns, which were presumably abandoned by their crews when they ran out of petrol. Close-up shots of one particular Sturmgeschütz show respectively the German cross painted onto the dimpled Zimmerit-covered left-hand superstructure side below the commander's cupola, the 'Saukopf' or 'pig's head' shaped mantlet of the 7.5cm gun and several shells still in their ammunition bin. Three 3rd RTR 'Fireflies' join the N24 bis beyond Briouze where 9th US Division Military Policemen are on traffic duty.
Production Details: Directorate of Public Relations, War Office (Production sponsor)
Army Film and Photographic Unit (Production company)
Laws, George E J1916-02-15 (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: British Army, Royal Tank Regiment, 3rd Battalion (regiment/service)
British Army, Bde 159 Gp (regiment/service)
British Army, Div, Armoured, 11 (regiment/service)
British Army, Corps 30 (regiment/service)
British Army, Royal Military Police (regiment/service)
United States Army & Div 9 & [Military Police] (regiment/service)
Keywords: armour, German - SPG: StuG III (object name)
armour, German - tank: Pzkpfw IV Ausf H & [wrecked] (object name)
armour, United States - funnies: M4 Sherman Firefly & [British] (object name)
armour, German - tank: Panther Ausf A & [wrecked] (object name)
destruction, German military - area: bomb (object name)
operations, Allied military - movement: road (object name)
Briouze, Orne, France (geography)
Orne (River), France (geography)
