German Accounts Needed For Jul 25, 44. Verrieres Ridge!

[Incognito]

Hi, any bread crumbs especially Primary Source accounts will be gratefully appreciated. I believe theres always two sides to a story, by dismissing their accounts one tends to see the glass half empty.

David O'keefe; Ghosts of Verrieres; Although reports indicated that the Germans were using mineshafts in the area to infiltrate troops into St. Martin, a post battle study by Canadian Army Intelligence, (which interviewed local mining experts), revealed that the mine was roughly 1200 feet deep and ran from the factory to center of the ridge. However, there is no indication that access from the ridge could be made to the tunnels that would afford German troops safe passage to the “factory” and hence to St. Martin.

On July 25th 44., on the ridge of Verrieres and surrounding areas the German's had set up shop, in the mining towns. The mines had Tunnels, I know by some accounts used for shelter not movement. I need any accounts, since the 272 had USSR and Polish soldiers any account on there use of these mine tunnels would be appreciated. I have a Picture that shows the mines Vent Hole were being used for shelter a very big hole I think they mined Coal ?

Thank you for your time.

[Kingfish]

MYTH NO 6
The “Factory” and the Mineshafts:
Another myth of Operation Spring was the claim that the Germans used tunnels of a mineshaft that ran underneath Verrières Ridge to filter reinforcements into forward areas. Partially this is true, but not in the context of earlier explanations. South of St. Martin, there was a mine head whose outbuildings resembled a factory. As a result, Canadian troops dubbed the area “The Factory” as they were unaware of its true nature until after the attack. Although reports indicated that the Germans were using mineshafts in the area to infiltrate troops into St. Martin, a post battle study by Canadian Army Intelligence, (which interviewed local mining experts), revealed that the mine was roughly 1200 feet deep and ran from the factory to center of the ridge. However, there is no indication that access from the ridge could be made to the tunnels that would afford German troops safe passage to the “factory” and hence to St. Martin. In addition, no German account of actions on that day has mentioned the use of the tunnels by their troops either. In all likelihood, the Germans, who were experts at infiltration moved overland through the dense wheat fields using the water tower of the “factory” as a reference point. In addition, it is quite possible that the mineshaft was used as a shelter, rather that a `subterranean highway`, for the Germans during Allied shelling. As the Black Watch moved through the “factory” on their way to deploy for the assault, they suppressed what resistance they encountered at the Factory; but with Germans taking refuge deep in the tunnels, they did not quell resistance completely.
It is likely that there was a mixture of fire emanating from the “Factory” area as the Black Watch went up the ridge. Before Griffin gave the order to move up Verrières, he dispatched one company of the Calgary Highlanders that was still milling around in the Churchyard to St. Martin to take out any German resistance in the factory area prior to the Black Watch assault. The Calgary Highlander acting company commander, Lt. Emile Michon, conducted a small recce of the area and concluded that only a company with artillery support would be able to quell the resistance here. Realizing that this was not going to occur, Griffin arranged to have the tanks of the First Hussars meet them in the factory area prior to the assault. When the Black Watch arrived in this area, the tanks were nowhere to be seen as they were still in their harbor in St. Martin under orders from 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade not to proceed until May-sur-Orne had been cleared. In lieu of tank support, Griffin gave orders to clear the factory area as the Black Watch streamed through to their new start line in the wheat fields to the east. Roughly a half hour after the Black Watch started their assault the First Hussars arrived in the factory area where they encircled the outbuildings and riddled the area with machinegun fire. More than likely, the Germans in this area took shelter in the mineshafts and simply remained suppressed only to reappear later when the First Hussars move on. This leaves us with two possibilities for the origin of the fire that emanated from this area. Until the Hussars arrived, it is likely that small numbers of German troops armed with automatic weapons were able to pepper the Black Watch from behind as they began their assault, but after the arrival of the Hussars tanks this ceased. Any fire emanating from behind after 1030hrs could not have come from German guns as according to reports from the First Hussars, they were suppressed. In various accounts by Hussar members, it is clear that they leant fire support to the advance prior to their mad dash later that morning. As it was “mostly blind shooting” it is quite likely that the fire from behind, as reported by Black Watch survivors, was in actuality friendly fire from a desperate tank unit hoping to help.

Source:
http://ww2f.com/western-europe-1943-194 ... ridge.html

[JonS]

CMHQ has a number of docs relating to SPRING