A visual guide to exactly how many tanks and other armoured vehicles
were advancing on that fateful day on 13th June 1944
In the days following the D-Day landings on 6th June 1944, the
Germans rapidly established strong defences in front of the city of
Caen. On 9th
June a two-pronged British attempt to surround and capture the city was
defeated, but on the British forces' right flank, neighbouring US units had
forced open a gap in the German front line. Seizing the opportunity to bypass
Caen's defences,
a mixed mobile force of tanks, infantry and artillery, formed around the 7th
Armoured Division's 22nd Armoured Brigade, advanced through the gap towards
Villers-Bocage.
Under the command of Brigadier William 'Loony' Hinde, the 22nd
Armoured Brigade group reached Villers-Bocage without serious incident, but as
its lead elements moved beyond the town on the morning of 13 June they were
ambushed by Tiger I tanks of the 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion. In less than
15 minutes numerous tanks and transport vehicles fell victim to the German
force, the vast majority being destroyed by SS-Obersturmführer Michael
Wittmann's tank. The Germans then launched an assault on the town. Although this
was repelled, after six hours Brigadier Hinde decided to withdraw his force to a
more defensible position outside Villers-Bocage. The British successfully
defended their position until a controversial decision was taken to pull the
Brigade group back from its salient.
7th Armoured Division at Villers-Bocage has an eight-page gatefold
depicting the brigade in battle deployment, with reconnaissance units, advance
companies, the main body, the brigade command section, plus all the supporting
engineers, signallers, artillery etc to provide a visual guide to exactly how
many tanks and other armoured vehicles were advancing on 13th June. The
description of each part includes action reports, organisation, equipment, unit
commanders and much more.
Available May 2012
