Touch of History

The battle of Villers-Bocage Touch of History was heavily bombed by the British air force to prevent the arrival of German of reinforcements. arrival the prevent to force air British the by bombed heavily was Odon Aunay-sur- attack Villers-Bocage. an Caumont-L’éventé towards launched and Montgomery Tilly-sur-Seulles General between 12, June On forces. German the against blow strikeanother immediately and advance rapid this capitalizeon now must They ofoperations Start Division have advanced further than the others and are approaching Caumont-l’Eventé. area in one piece. Between and Saint-Lô, the American troops of the 1st Infantryfreed a form to expanded beaches landing various the of beachheads the days, 5 In . the defensesof German the pierce to sea, by and air by landed, men 150,000 around eastcoastCotentin. of The resources are considerable: kilometers, over 80 more than the and the of mouth the between , of Bay the in coast the on On June 6, 1944, shortly after midnight, a gigantic operation of the Allied forces began The context Attack and withdrawal of Armored 7th the Division on June 13,1944 June 13 June 11 Hauts Vents. Les called place a at tanks his hides Wittmann 175. RN the towards heads it 13th, to 12th June of night the During left. tanks Tiger 6 only are there 200km, after vehicles, armored 14 with Equipped Caen. of west 6 June on sent was Beauvais, near en-Bray at Elbeuf- stationed Wittmann, Michael by commanded 101 No. battalion tank heavy SS of Kompanie 2nd The tanks. Panther IV Panzer with equipped is it sector, Seulles Tilly-sur- the in located is Bayerlein General by commanded Division Lehr Panzer The y ao Gnrl ere Esie I is It Erskine. Georges equipped withCromwell andShermantanks. General Major by The 7th British Armored Division is commanded Cromwell Tank British forcesBritish Enemy forces Sherman TankSherman

History and Heritage Touch of History to thedevices still in combat condition. Colonel Cranley, who commands the 4th CLY, prisoner. Lieutenant- surrenders and taken orders his men to set fireare 213, hill on surrounded British, the time, this During goes to theOrboisCastle, headquarters ofthePanzer LehrDivision. He 7km. walks and away runs Wittmann placed. was gun anti-tank the where know not do WeMarket). Cocci of front in hall town the above (now the storeHuet-Godefroy of front in a caterpillar on gun anti-tank an by hit is he around, turns Wittmann the leadwithhisShermanFirefly sendshimtwo shellsbutneitherpierces thearmor. in Lockwood Stan SergeantSquare, Arc of Joan Pasteur.in rue down, to Further goes Tiger The shell. British restists the armor cm approximatelyTiger’s10 contrast, the In pierces thearmorofAlliedtanks. easily gun 88mm its with Tiger CLY, The destroyed. 4th are of They stationed. HQ are tanks, Cromwell four where Clemenceau, Georges rue enters Wittmann flames. in is vehicles of column long a crossroads, the maneuver.to to Up unable and other each behind squeezed vehicles the all one by destroys one road, the to parallel Wittmann, road, whileothertanks headright to isolate theBritishonHill213. 9:00 am, he the launches attack. In the Tiger 222 tank, he heads left towards the main Michael Wittmannsees procession thislong arrive from his command post. At around soldiers withenthusiasm. vehiclesof line long thata is It stretches for more inhabitantsThe 2km. than greet the beforehand. reconnaissance any making without 213 hill Villers-Bocage reach cross and fighting They without Caumont’Eventé. to road the by am 8:00 around arrived The first British elements (4th County of London Yeomanry / 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade) of The battle Villers-Bocage :June13, 1944 © Bundesarchiv Destroyed Tiger 222tank © Bundesarchiv British armored column on 213 hill Legend armored vehicules Destroyed allied heavy No. tanks 101 Tiger battalion SS British forces A squadron Surrounded

History and heritage Touch of History Lehr Division, descending Hill 213 through the grasslands parallel to the main road main cluttered withdestroyedthe vehicles. Others arrive from the station side. to parallel grasslands the through 213 Hill descending Division, Lehr In the begining of the afternoon, Wittman returns with reinforcements from the Panzer armored vehicles set upinthenarrow streets where theTigers cannot maneuver. into the basements and cellars, and at the windows, with machine guns and . The moves infantry The Hall. the Town around attack second a for prepare troops British ofthebattle Second step The staff decides to withdraw. The retreat is covered . by anartillery Caumont-L’EventéAmayé-sur-Seulles.between and road the on reserve in remained that division of the rest the attacking enemy the with critical, became situation The attack the road to Aunay andVire. arescattered city. throughout the 2ndTwo grenadier battalions the Panzer of Division soldiers Allied sides. all from coming reinforcementsare German the that is problem IV.Panzer 2 The and tanks Tiger 6 of total a lose Germans the works, trap British The Aerial photo of Villers-Bocage Legend ments reinforce- German vehicules armoured German Destroyed gun Anti-tank (Town Hall) fighting area Main on theSecond War at Mont Pinçon). Operation of start the at tourdiscovery our (see Vireto ruins up and Pinçon Mont to them lead will which Bluecoat, in city a liberates Division Northumbrian 50th The ofthetownThe liberation : August 4, 1944 exodus.the Thisisoneoftheonlybuildingsthatwillbesaved. before through passing civilians the accommodates and sick, and wounded the The castle is then transformed into a hospital. It shelters more than 150 people, treats to nothing. city the bring and bombs of tons 1,100 than more drop bombers more 270 move, to AtMontgomery’s request, totankscompletelyensure German be thatthe will unable destroyes alarge partofthecity. bythe terrible bombardment a Epsom, PanzerDivisions, 7th and 2nd destroyingthe at of aiming Operation bombers) Force(250 RoyalAir aspart am, 5:00 at Starting The bombingof Villers-Bocage :June30, 1944 the top ofthemain street. at roundabout the at Division, Armored 7th British the to monument memorial The - entering ontheleft -Free access duringtheopeninghours ofthe Town Hall. - The model of Villers-Bocage before bombings, in the town hall, under the stairs when Worth seeing

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This document was made by The Pays de Vire Tourist Office | Normandy Hills

Writing : Matthieu Balusson Layout : Jennifer Heurtel

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Touch of History