They never operated in Africa correct? It was strickly France and the surrounding areas, or were they in the eastern front as well?
They saw combat from mid 1944 to the end of the war on both Eastern and Western fronts. This was long after the fall of the Afrika Korps. Production continued in Czeckosovakia after the war.
The first Hetzers were issued to units in early 1944. They were defiantely used on the Eastern Front as well as the Western Front. They wewre defiantely too late for North Africa. I would assume that some were deployed to Italy as well.
In September 1944 a captured early model was used by the Polish Home Army in the defense of the Post Office during the General Uprising in Warsaw. It was given the nickname of “Chwat”, which I believe translates as “little guy or chap”. After the war the vehicle was found in the rubble of the demolished building.
Those out can correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that the Hetzers were to be employed as organic SP-AT guns for the Heer infantry divisions.
I hope that helps you.
Mike