ELEFANTS/FERDINANDS AT KURSK: ONLY ONE (1) LOST TO INFANTRY ATTACKS

This is one of the perennial myths that seem to live on in cyberspace. During the Kursk battle, 13 guns were lost, only one of which can be credited to close combat infantry assault (The gun was blinded by a smoke grenade and fell into a ditch - crew bailed). Another three guns were destroyed by their own crews after being immobilized in minefields (with a bit of a stretch, the claim could be made because of enemy infantry threat, but would be pure speculation)

Other causes of losses were:

- Artillery round into open drivers compartment.
- Artillery round through fighting compartment roof.
- Crushed by flying Pz III, falling onto gun/engine deck.

Pz III was advancing on top of an embankment, the Elephant was behind the embankment and traveling parallel to the Pz III. The Pz III was hit by Soviet AT fire and flew through the air landing forward of the armored casemate.
- Friendly (sic) Pz IV fire.
- Generator fire.

All info: "Combat History of SchPzJgrAbt 653" by Karlheinz Munch.