Sturmpanzer IV in Normandy

How did this amazing, chonky, innovative AFV completely fail to match AVRE’s success and lead to myths the Wehrmacht lacked a entirely similar AFV at all?

Both sides appreciated their specialist AFVs in distinct manners.

217 Sturmpanzer Abteilung was the sole user of Sturmpanzer IV in Normandy. Even this was a close run thing as the proposal to raise another Sturmpanzer Bn were effectively vetoed on 6 Feb ’44, as the Germans intended to discontinue production in April.

In April, a major u-turn is made and it’s decided to raise 217 Sturmpanzer Bn around a core provided by 40 Panzer Kompanie, who are fully absorbed/disbanded in the process.

By the end of May, the Bn had about 462 men.

Considering the massive fucking war on, forming 217 proved tricky. As Major Eberhard Lemor noted. Only 18 Sturmpanzers arrived for training, few wheeled vehicles, little ammunition, minimal equipment… messy.

Signals training would continue on the job in action, with mechanical difficulties complicated matters and many drivers never received proper training.

Climbing the smallest step on the road to proficiency was akin to scaling a cliff face.

Officially, only 28 Sturmpanzer were allocated. On paper 217 should have had three companies, each of three zugs (platoons), of four Sturmpanzer IV. Two extra Sturmpanzer acted as company…