Long familiar thanks to the old Bellona Handbook and Esci 1/72 SdKfz 250/9 (Ausf A) kit instructions, this Pz AA 116. SdKfz 250/9 Ausf B was found abandoned in the village of St Anne (the only place of this name in the right area is east of the Falaise Pocket, 19km south of L'Aigle - see map below). Apart from the widely published multiple views taken by a US Army Tech Intell team, Fred Deprun has also located a shot taken some time after the US Army passed through and the locals had helped themselves to more of its wheels, etc:





The rear of the vehicle carries a yet-to-be positively identified insignia, which in all respects appears to me to be a bird perched on a branch. While my eyes at first suggested a cartoon parrot, due the the stumpy beak and what appears to be a dark head crest, a keen eyed bird of prey would perhaps seem more appropriate, given the recce role of this vehicle's unit. Indeed, Hans Weber has since explained to me the German unit insignia authorities Schmitz & Thiess have already published speculation it depicts a hawk. On this basis I've generated the following interpretation of this theory:



Although the cropping unfortunately shows no unit insignia, for the record the intrepid Fred Deprun also located a further 250/9B belonging to PzAA116 (as characterised by the distinctive meticulously applied camouflage scheme, block-style font used in the tac numbering and centrally placed Balkenkreuz between the stowage bin doors):



This SdKfz 250/9 was photographed in Reffuveille on the 3rd of August 1944 in the wake of the US Army's breakout - just prior to the ill-fated German "Lüttich" counter offensive, launched nearby in the Mortain area:



While the location and date of the next photo is not confirmed, another vehicle which seems to show a darker version of this bird insignia similarly placed on the RH rear, is this vividly painted Sdkfz 251/8 Ausf D ambulance; of which one would have been theoretically assigned to the Stab of Pz AA 116:



In support of this darker bird insignia being the Stabs Kompanie variation the of Pz AA 116. marking, is this exceptional SdKfz 234/1 located by Jean-Léon Gantier on the following interesting website:

http://www.1142combatengineers.com/index2.htm



Apart from the bird-like insignia being located on the RH rear once again and the distinctive block-style font of the tac number, the location of this 234/1 being near Lippstadt fits perfectly with the disposition of Pz AA 116. in the final days of WWII. According to Heinz Günther Guderian's excellent 116. Pz Div history, elements of the unit were able to escape the Ruhr Pocket in the vicinity of Lippstadt, ultimately capitulating in the Harz mountains.

On a related note, readers may be interested to see the images below showing a genuine unadulterated relic of the Falaise Pocket photographed in 2004. Although after 60 years the paint is understandably the worse for wear, the yellow of the 'Windhund' marking on the sidecar's rear is still quite vibrant. Just a hint of the same markings appears on the nose of the sidecar. The Bundesarchiv photo shows another 116. Pz Div combination, albeit with the 'Windhund' marking placed lower:



Baz

I mentioned earlier the initial impression that the unidentified 'bird-like' insignia looked possibly like a parrot, due to the stubby beak. This was originally discussed with other members of this forum off line, where Hans Weber raised the issue of Schmitz/Thiess' speculation of it being a hawk.

Just to show a parrot may be an arguable alternative, this interpretation is included:



As it so happens, subsequent to our discussion, Hans (who is surely part blood hound ) then located this intriguing piece of information below, published in rare book entitled Finale der Invasion, by Kurt Wendt. Here we see a series of caricatures of 116. Pz Div personalities, rendered by 116. Pz Div Ic Karl-Heinz Jahn in 1944:



In amongst them is the rendition at lower right, which bears a marked similarity to Major Eberhard Stephan, for the majority of time the commander of PzAA 116. Note the parrot he is patting on his shoulder, shot with an arrow!



Major Stephan succeeded Hauptmann Kurt Zehner as CO of PzAA 116., the latter having been KIA very early in the division's deployment in Normandie. We have not been able to locate a good photo of Hauptmann Zehner to compare to the caricature unfortunately, however Major Stephan's dark angular eyebrows, cheek/jaw line, distinctive nose and mouth all seem to fit perfectly.

It would seem on balance the probability of the mysterious 'bird-like' unit insignia being a parrot afterall is very high. The added impression from the three SPW/PSW photos above that the bird insignia appears in different colours, depending on Kompanie (eg possibly the Stabs version may have been green) also fits well with a parrot mascot.

Baz