SS-Panzer-Regiment 12 in the Normandy

[Michael Kenny]

Air views of the German attack on June 7th

[Nathan72]

Hi Michael,

Thanks for sharing. Very nice aerial reconnaissance photo's of Cambes & La Bijude on the day. Presumably these would be taken by the RAF or?

In addition, the unidentified vehicles approaching Cambes from the East/SE, presumably these would be German albeit their identity is not clear from the photo images?

Many thanks

R

[Michael Kenny]

There is another June 7th view that shows a burning vehicle east of Cambes

note that the field to the left (on the photo) now has signs of an artillery bombardment



These June 7th views appear to show several vehicles moving in from the east and before the artillery strikes in the field

The wreck is still there in later air views

[Nathan72]

Hi Michael,

Great follow up images. Knowing the outline of the battle as you do, would you guess the AFV's identifiable from your latest images are from 1st ERY approaching Cambes from the north or ?

As regards your latest image with the evidence of a greater shelling from June 12th, this would seem to be in addition to the initial bombardment by Panzerartillerie Regiment 155/21st Panzer & Batterie 'Graf Waldersee' on the mustering of 2nd Batt/RUR in the woods at Le Mesnil, being discussed on a previous chat on the forum

viewtopic.php?f=70&t=179853&start=75
a) Given the extent of the shell crater damage, could this image indicate aerial bombing or shelling from the Royal Navy?

b) Are you in a position to identify the fields (from the aerial images in your latest posts) with those aerial photo images sourced by ERY Historian Ben Mayne's outline of the battle photo (from the 2 Batt/RUR & 1st ERY perspective) from his recent twitter feed on the battle?
https://twitter.com/BattlefieldBen/stat ... 5125623816

c) Would you happen to have the Kriegsgleiderung for either:-

i) 1st Abt/Panzer Grenadier Regt (PGR) 125/21st (Panzer grenadiers) - June 6-10th? and/or
ii) I Abt/PZ Regt 100/Panzer Regt 22/ 21st Panzer - June 6-10th?

The latter who were said (by 12th SS) to have been located in the neighboring village of La Bijude (250 m to the south of Cambes on the evening of June 7th.

Many thanks in advance

Cheers

[Nathan72]

There is another June 7th view that shows a burning vehicle east of Cambes

June 7th La Bijude, Cambes.jpg

note that the field to the left (on the photo) now has signs of an artillery bombardment

Hi Michael,

Attached please find an extract from 2nd Batt/War Diary June 8th, from which you will make out Cambes and its environs became the target of all the [3rd Infantry] divisional artillery (3 x filed regiments - Royal Artillery/1 x AT Artillery/ plus the guns of 1 x 'D' Class 6' Cruiser HMS Danae (allocated to 3rd Division area - Ford (2004) PP 28,47 - which would account for the visual increase in shell holes in the fields outside your images of Cambes after June 7th

Reference

Ford (2004) Sword Beach - Battle Zone Series (edited by S. Trew

Best

2nd Batt RUR War Diary Attack on Cambes + 1 (June 8th 1944).pdf

(294.94 KiB) Downloaded 39 times