Battle of Villers-Scrap-metal

The battles of Villers-Scrap-metal (June 13rd 1944) is a confrontation between the British troops and allemandes in Normandy during the Second world war.

In the morning of the June 13rd, elements of a British battalion of armoured tanks and a motorized battalion of the 7th armor-plated division approached the Villers-Scrap-metal by the North-West. The German captain Michael Wittmann had six tanks in the surroundings. During what was one of the most offensive actions carried out by a small unit during the Second world war, it charged the British column with its tank, engaging with end carrying the British vehicles before skirting and crossing the British lines in the village. The other tanks of this German small group destroyed other British vehicles. The British material losses were important.

This battle important by the number of the troops was not engaged, but by the fact that it put an end to the possibility of taking the town of Caen in the first days of the Bataille of Normandy. Caen was an objective which was to be taken as of the D-day (June 6th) by the 2nd British army. The catch of Caen in addition to the bridges on the Flowering ash taken by the British airborne troops would have given to combined more solid position on the side Is face of Normandy.

General situation

After the unloading of the June 6th 1944, the allies progress in the Norman scrap-metal during one week. In the west of Caen, a push of the first division of American infantry towards the town of Caumont-l' Éventé obliges the 352e division of German infantry to be folded up. This movement discovers the sides of German armor-plated division Panzer Lehr. A fast exploitation of this opening would make it possible to make the defensive positions German in Normandy intolerable.

The General Montgomery, conscious of this occasion, launches the Opération Perch with the 7th British division armor-plated (Rats of the Desert) with for goal to overflow German division Panzer Lehr in order to fold back itself on its backs by surprise. The hamlet of Villers-Scrap-metal is located on the way of this progression, it is the crossroads of several roads of which one carries out towards the North-East until Caen. If the surrounding city and heights are taken and held, the British armoured tanks could continue their projection towards the North-East behind the German lines and the catch of Caen would be possible.

Only, the British did not know that elements of the second company of heavy tanks of Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 (101e battalion S of heavy tanks) ordered by Michael Wittmann had received the order to take and hold the coast 213 which was located on the heights of Villers-Scrap-metal and dominated the road junction of the village. Wittmann and its armoured tanks - five heavy tanks Tiger and an average tank Panzer IV gain their position during the night without being located by the allied planes. They are posted with 150 meters in the south of the RN 175. The British forces charged to take the village and coast 213 consisted of a company of reinforced tanks and of a company of motorized infantry is approximately 200 armored vehicles.

Involved forces

Allied forces

8th King' S Royal Irish Hussars
4th County off London Yeomanry
1/7th Bn Queen' S Royal Regiment
5th Royal Tank Regiment
5th Royal Horse Artillery
Compagnie has 1st The Rifle Brigade

German forces

2nd company of heavy tanks of the Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 with the Tiger 221,222,223,231,233 and 234.
1st company of heavy tanks of the Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101
Elements of the Panzer Lehr Division

Steps of approach

Villers-scrap-metal and coast 213 was not occupied at the time of the beginning of the battle and the two camps made movement to take surrounding heights and the tactical advantage while rising. The British forces arrived the first in the Villers-Scrap-metal village, and the German troops ordered by Wittman on the coast 213 from where they could observe the allied movements.

The British entered the city were not deployed better ways and were taken in the crowd of civilians come to acclaim their liberators. The four tanks of the group of command stopped downtown and their crews reflect foot with ground. The men and the vehicles of the group of combat do not reflect in place of perimeter of protection around the city like wanted it the British military doctrines. Safety was weak and no adequate recognition was sent towards coast 213. It was finally decided to send a combined force of tanks and infantry to take coast 213.

Wittman observed the column of the 4th County off London Yeomanry leave Villers-Scrap-metal and its advance towards its tanks positioned on the coast 213 bumpers against bumper on a boxed road. The section of head made halt on the road without spreading itself in defensive position in order to let pass the half-tracked ones and transport of troop of the infantry of accompaniment to take the head of the detachment. In front of an unknown ground, this decision was a serious error.

Wittman saw in this choice an occasion for its tanks and decided to launch its attack with a tank between coast 213 and Villers-Scrap-metal to circumvent off the first section of the 4th County London Yeomanry and ordered with its two other operational tanks to keep their positions. The German commander counted on the effect of surprise to inflict the most damage with the British who awaited the arrival of reinforcements. Making the description of these events afterwards, Wittman known as: “I could not gather my company. I was to act quickly because I supposed that the enemy had located us and intended to destroy us on our positions. I made movement with my tank and ordered with the two other tanks to disperse but hold the position”.

The battle

The Tigre tank ordered by Wittman attacks at nine hours. A few minutes later, on the road of Caen, it destroys three British armoured tanks: Sherman Firefly, a Cromwell tank and another armoured tank. It carries on its road towards the village of Villers without stopping and by attacking the light armored vehicles of the brigade of British fusiliers. In all, Wittman, its crew and his tank destroy ten half-track vehicles, four Carden Loyd Carrier, two transport of troop, two anti-tank guns of six books, three light tanks Stuart. Entered only Villers-Scrap-metal, it destroys three of the four Cromwell which had given an opinion with the farm of Lemonnier.

In the street Clemenceau, it destroys two Sherman tanks of command of the 5th Royal Horse Artillery before destroying a scout because and a new half-track vehicle. While arriving on the place Jeanne-with Arc it finds nose with nose with Sherman Firefly ordered by the British Sergeant Lockwood of the group B. Firefly was one of the rare allied tanks able to destroy a Tiger of face with its gun of 17 pounds. The British tank drew four blows of which one touched the hull of the Tiger. In answer, the Tiger drew in its turn but missed its target. However, the blow touched a wall which collapsed on Sherman preventing it from continuing the combat. Witmann carried out a half-turn with its tank slightly damaged and taken again the street Clemenceau. The Cromwell tank surviving ordered by the Dyas captain opened fire with its gun of 75 mm on the Tiger and twice touched it without effect. Wittman drew only one blow which put the British tank out of combat.

Whereas Wittman was leaving the village, the left caterpillar of its Tiger was reached by an anti-tank shell of six books what forced it to stop in the street in front of the store Huet Godefroy. It engaged the targets with range then. Thinking that its Tiger could be towed and repaired later, Wittman and its crew gave up the tank without destroying it leaving the zone with feet and without weapon.

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