June 1944

Western Front - Battle For Caen

The next effort by the British goes forward on this day. It was planned on the 18th to be executed on the 22nd, but because of the weather it begins this day. The original plan called for the 'left hook' to be the main blow delivered from the Airborne bridgehead. Gen Dempsey, commanding the British 2nd Army, changes the effort to be made on the right because of more room to maneuver. The object is to drive around Caen, starting on the west, cross two rivers, the Odon and the Orne, sweeping around to the left until Bretteville-sur-Laize, due south of Caen, is reached. This will establish a strong force in rear of the city cutting or dominating all roads leading into it from the south. The 'left hook', with success, could cut all the remaining roads which run into Caen from the east and southeast. The battle would start on the right, since those units would have the greatest distance to cover. Three corps would be involved from the British right to the British left: XXX Corps, VIII Corps and I Corps. The 49th West Riding Division, XXX Corps, is to seize some vital high ground, the ridges of Fontenay and Rauray. When these are secured, the divisions of VIII Corps in the center will make the main effort, the crossings of the Odon and Orne. 15th Scottish Division will lead supported by 31st Tank Brigade and 4th Armored Brigade. Following up with mopping up duty will be the 43rd Wessex Division. The 11th Armored Division will advance also to be prepared to break-out for the rapidly moving left wheel around Caen from the bridgeheads secured by the infantry divisions and their armored support. Farther to the left the Canadians are to move up to the Carpiquet airfield, then the 51st Highland Division is to break out of the Airborne bridgehead to come around Caen from the other side.

The plan for the 15th Scottish Division: the 46th Brigade is to capture the village of Cheux and the 44th Brigade to clear St Mauvieu. The main objective of the 227th Brigade is to secure the crossings over the River Odon, which are to be captured by the Argylls after the 10th Highland Light Infantry prepare the way on the right with the capture of Grainville-sur-Odon. The Gordons on the left are to clear Colleville and exploit forward. Then a major blow is to be dealt by the 11th Armored Division which is to move through the gap made by the infantry and seize the high ground at Baron and Hill 112, before turning east to secure crossings over the River Orne.

The 15th Scottish Division is to leapfrog its battalions forward on a narrow front, each relieving the other after a short interval. The 43rd Wessex follows close behing with mop up duties. The 11th Armored moves with and through the advancing infantry. With everything moving up a center line through ruined villages, immovable traffic jams occur. Because the countryside is bocage mixed with corn fields, it is perfect for defense. Instead of a major all-out effort, it ends up being numerous small actions.

A couple of major differences in this battle from the two previous double-encirlcement efforts: first is the amount of men and material involved. VIII Corps alone, in the center, has 60,000 men, 600 tanks and 300 guns with support of another 400 guns from the corps on either side of them. The second difference is that the divisions involved in this effort are untried in battle.

To face the British attack in the center was the 12th SS Panzer Grenadier Division, very much understrength, running from Fontenay-le-Pesnil, where XXX Corps is due to attack, through the area of St Marvieu and Cheux, opposite the build-up of VIII Corps, as far east as the Carpiquet airfield which is an objective of I Corps. They have to face the whole of VIII Corps with the 49th West Riding Division attacking on their left. They will be helped in that area by their flank division Panzer Lehr. On their right the 25th SS Panzer Grenaduer Regiment will have to face the Canadians alone outnumbered some 5 or 6 to 1. The center is where the main effort will be. There elements of the 12th and 26th Panzer Regiments will be facing the entire VIII Corps: the 15th Scottish Division, the 43rd Wessex Division, 11th Armored Division, 31st Tank Brigade and 4th Armored Brigade. It is hoped that this attack will unbalance the enemy and seize the Rauray Spur which dominated VIII Corps's area of operations.

Expecting the main effort to be in the center, the Germans move up their 2nd Heavy Tank Company behind the main battlefield in the sector of 2nd Battalion, 26th Panzer Regiment as a moveable tank defense well camouflaged. These dispositions will be altered by the attack of the 49th Division on Fontenay. This will affect the plans all along the line. The 49th Division, supported by 8th Armored Brigade, is to take the commanding ridges of Fontenay and Rauray from which the Germans can sweep the right flank of VIII Corps in the advance to the Odon. This should be accomplished by the evening of this day, the 25th, so the main assault can be launched the next day.

The preliminary artillery bombardment begins at 0400. The infantry begin moving at 0415 to follow the rolling artillery barrage: the 11th Royal Scot Fusiliers on the left, the Hallamshire Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment in the center and the Lincolns on the right. As the two forward companies descend the slope through a cornfield, they enter a dense mist which prevents the men from seeing but just a few feet ahead. Having prepared for daylight action, companies, platoons, sections and even men soon begin to lose touch with each other. Heavy German defensive fire takes its toll of the attackers. The two battalions eventually reach their objective on the Caen-Tilly road to the west of Fontenay. The 11th Royal Scots are tasked to clear the village of Fontenay, but run into heavy resistance from the 3rd Battalion, 26th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment. The British and Germans become intermingled in the fog and hand-to-hand fighting develops. By midday a foothold has been established in the west end of the village of Fontenay. As B Company of the Hallams is headed toward its objective, the high ground southwest of Fontenay, heavy tank engines are heard. They have reached to the east of Fontenay church on the Caen-Bayeux road and are covering the road coming from Caen. 3 Tigers, probably from the 1st Heavy Tank Company, 12th SS Panzer Grenadier Division, approaches from the direction of Caen. The anti-tank gun goes into action. The first tank is destroyed on the bridge blocking the way. The second is also destroyed with two shots. The third tank is eventually destroyed by a Sherman with a 17pdr gun borrowed from the Lincolns for that purpose. The 49th Division has failed to take Rauray which is beyond and east of Tessel-Bretteville.