Three Destroyed Panzer III

This first of three photos depicting destroyed Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf.Fs, shows a panzer with a heavily damaged suspension system, including broken tracks, a missing pair of front road-wheels, and a missing drive sprocket. The next photo will show how much more the vehicle was damaged. The far vehicle has suffered fire damage (as seen in the next photo), which may account for its “nose-down” attitude; intense heat could soften the torsion bars, causing the panzer to “sink” under its own weight.

This second of the three photographs depicts a total of three knocked-out Panzerkampfwagen III Ausf.Fs. The panzer in the foreground appears to have fire damage on the engine deck (note the road-wheel, minus the rubber tires to the right), while the far panzer has lost its front superstructure plate.

In this final photo of the set, a group of Heeres (Army) cavalrymen pass the panzers, no doubt wondering at the demise of such formidable machines of war, while their less-glamorous steeds plod steadily onward. In this photo, a shirtless panzer crewman (note his trousers and boots) inspects the rear deck of the burned-out panzer. It is apparent that there is a rectangular patch of white paint just below the Panzerkampfwagen IIIs commander’s cupola, whose significance is not known.

Source :
Book "Panzer Vor: German Armor At War 1939-45" by Frank V. De Sisto