June 1944

Western Front - Battle For Caen

In the British 2nd Army area, 30 Corps commits the 7th Armored Division to action in Tilly-sur-Seulles region, where the enemy is resisting strongly. I Corps continues to press toward Caen.

Battle Group Luck and the 346th Infantry Division again attack east of the Orne before the 51st Highland Division and the 4th Armored Brigade have a chance to assemble. The Germans gain some ground with their tanks, but their infantry losses are heavy. The attack of the 51st Highland Division is effectively spoiled as their units are committed piecemeal. The German attacks in this area will continue up to June 16th without a decision either way. The Highlanders are committed to be reinforcements for the British 6th Airborne so that they can never mount their own attack, however, a small attack is delivered on the 13th,

The proposed attack by XXX Corps on the western end of the front is disrupted by elements of Panzer Lehr coming into line and attacking. The British drive starts going, but only very slowly. The Panzer Lehr try a night drive for the coast, but quickly run into trouble. One unfortunate unit was the 98th Light Flak Unit, equipped with 20mm guns mounted on armored half-tracks. They run into real British tanks and have to retreat quickly.

In the center, to the left of XXX Corps, the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division and its supporting armor is to prepare to attack in 48 hours.

The 7th Armored Division begins what is to be the 'right hook' in the encirclement of Caen. The armor is supported by some independent infantry and a tank brigade. In their way will be the Panzer Lehr Division which is the best equipped armored division in Normandy. Their fast reliable Mark IVs are backed by a battalion of Panthers and Tigers. The 7th Armored Divisiion have left most of its equipment behind in Italy, including their Shermans. They are now equipped with Cromwells, a light cavalry tank. Ideal for fast pursuit, but unsuitable for the Normandy bocage.

The Panzer Lehr come into action opposite the Canadian sector, but are met with heavy fire. Rommel orders the division to side-step to the left and attack up the long, straight road to Bayeux. Only part of the division is in line, as many of its units are still on the road to Normandy.

Gen Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg has established an advanced headquarters for Panzer Group West near the town of Thury-Harcourt, 12 miles south of Caen. His senior officers are installed in a comfortable chateau called la Caine while 4 radio trucks providing communications links for the headquarters are deployed in a nearby orchard. Allied intelligence units soon locate the source of the transmissions and pinpoint specifically the location of Panzer West headquarters. During the evening, squadrons of rocket firing Typhoons and B-26 medium bombers begin pulverizing the headquarters and the nearby vehicles. Many senior officers are killed and the radio equipment is destroyed. The raid has inflicted a serious blow to the functioning of the German chain of command.