Rick is pretty much right...
The first mention of combat found in the 654th Abteilung book dates from 30th of July. Before that day the battalion had been harrassed by aircraft when on transport, mainly damaging other vehicles (3-ton, 18-ton prime-movers (so Sd.Kfz 11 and 9), motorcycles, Maultiere and trucks.
Just a few dates: untill 27th of June assembling at Rockigny then untill July 6th at Mainbressy to await entrainment to the front. There they stay in the orchards near the station.
Departed from the vicinity of Paris to the front on July 13th. They moved to the front at night (between 21.30 and 05:00 (roughly))
On July 20 they report the first harassing artillery fire, battalion HQ is located at le Mesnil-Hervieu. They were supposed to support 276th infantry division).
On July 23rd officers are reconnoitering the approach from the assembly area to the front.
first combat: On July 30th 2 Jagdpanther are ordered to move to the front to support the infantry against an English attack, rest is put on standby.
At 07:15 these two Jag[anther knocked out 3 churchills, the first tanks killed in the West.
THe battalion was broken up in Kampfgruppen of 2-6 Jagdpanther.On August 21 they had crossed the Seine.
The picture Rick has shown was taken in September in Beauvais. The arrangement of he tools, as as seen on the picture, was standard for this unit. And most likely the JP's in combat in Normandy had this arrangement, as the unit, since starting combat, had not had the time to rearrange the tools (planned was two to three days per vehicle), as they had been repairing JP's constantly (up to 50% was in long or short term repairs).
Hope this helps a bit....
