Hi Jim
Sorry for the delay in coming back to you and great news!! You're a very lucky man....that was not a cheap book even when it was in print!
There are plenty of sites out there with information on the action and in terms of the British involvement tell both the unit and squadron.
However, in terms of 654 the most they seem to say is that three tanks from the unit were responsible, plus some HQ vehicles were involved in a later part of the action - a typical example is
HERE. The gaps I am looking to close are as follows:
- Which company's tanks were involved in the skirmish? From what I have read, apparently, the 2nd & 3rd Companies, plus its HQ were in Normandy at the time and at least three tanks was knocked out in the skirmish. I'm sure I have seen somewhere it says 2nd Company tanks were responsible for the near-massacre of the Churchills but I cannot find it again - perhaps my memory is playing tricks on me! At least one wargaming site though does have them marked up as 2nd Company.
- Camo pattern. A couple of places suggest green blotches/blobs over dunkelgelb, as below. This of course assumes that the photo below is of tanks from the 1st Company of 654 as the website claims. Tanks Encyclopaedia had the same scheme plus some other examples, including a very bold tri-colour scheme but they have recently migrated servers and so the pictures are currently missing.
- The below photo also shows white numbers and what appear to be white outline balkenkreuz but these are of course from the 1st Company. Was the second company the same - assuming its tanks were responsible!
The reason I am being very picky is that some of my son's tanks for our little battles are from their opponents on the day, the 3rd Tank Battalion (Scots Guards), 6th Guards Tank Brigade and so I want to be able to react the battle as accurately as possible. The build thread is
HERE, albeit I have subsequently discovered that the engine deck on the kits is from later versions of the G2 Jagdpanther but it's too late now!
Thank you!
Andrew
