Second Army's massive offensive to destroy Panzergruppe West further expands to two Corps (XII and XXX) w. 4 Divisions involved in 3 Operations; Greenline, Pomegranate, & Cormorant.
Troubling reports reach Army Group B's Headquarters that some form of breakout looms.
Luftflotte III readies every available fighter and pilot, cancelling all rest and maintenance, to throw in a mega counter-strike. /2
One snapshot sees a massive armoured engagement swirling between the villages of Gavrus & Bougy as 153 'Essex' RAC's Churchills duke it out with 9th SS-Panzer's Panthers and StuGs at close range...
Will Panzergruppe West... and by extension Army Group B, survive? /thread
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Special Interrogation Report
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Generalleutnant Edgar Feuchtinger commander of 21st Panzer Division in Normandy
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What does he have to say???
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A brief thread on Sir Tasker Watkins' VC action in 1944.
It's undeniable that Sir Tasker is one of the greatest Welshmen of the 20th Century, but there remains no biography & description of his VC action is just lazy copypasta of the original citation. /1 #WW2#SWW#History
So first off, there are two slightly variant citations kicking about - with one different phrasing on display at Ashcroft's gallery at IWM.
The original eye witness statements have been lost by MOD, are currently not at Kew & god-knows where.
Here is one of the variants. /2
In addition several other crucial files relating to Welsh soldiers were lost by MOD.
Panzergruppe West launches a major counter-attack against Op Epsom, aiming to break VIII Corps, eliminate the Scottish Corridor & drive the British back. /1 #WW2#SWW#History
This ultimately dooms Army Group B to a grinding battle of attrition & dashes any hopes of a major counter-strike to the sea.
German ops don't go well... to the extent that Lt-Gen Miles Dempsey doesn't actually believe this is the main counter-strike.
It's too crap. /2
Staggered, uncoordinated, messy & piecemeal commitment of units doesn't help.
I & II SS-Panzerkorps completely bugger it.
A more assertive attempt on 1 July runs into more messy problems, e.g. Rauray.
This is arguably *the* decisive campaign battle for both sides. /thread