12e Panzerdivision SS Hitlerjugend - Camp de Mailly

[Geoffrey M.]

My grandfather was in the 12e Panzerdivision SS Hitlerjugend.
From mid-1943 to some point in 1944, he was training in the Camp de Mailly.

The story that he told was that he was in the Camp de Mailly and one day the british planes sent a tract over the camp, saying in german : "the babies of the milk soup, you will soon be shelled". So the next day, his division left the camp quickly, and they went to Normandy.

Another division from the Wehrmacht came in the camp and were shelled instead. That was probably the 3-4 may 1944.

Does that sound possible ? Does anybody has more information to confirm or not this story ?

Thank you
Geoffrey

[Reader3000]

The approximate date is correct. The division was transferred to the Normandy area in early May 1944 to further intensify maneuvers. In Mailly were the I./SS-PzRgt. 12 and elements of the SS-PzGrenRgt. 26 if I'm not wrong.

[Michael Kenny]

Bombing raid on Mailly Le Camp ( Night of May 3/4 1944)



"218 were killed or missing, 156 wounded ; mainly NCOs. 102 vehicles were destroyed, including 37 tanks. All buildings in the camp - barracks, messes,workshops and offices, were destroyed ( 80% ) or badly damaged ( the rest )."

from:
http://www.ww2f.com/information-request ... 944-a.html


Another book:
http://www.alternativebookshop.com/Book ... ookid=1246

The top pic is after the raid and the lower one is before the bombing

[Geoffrey M.]

ok thanks guys that is helpful
anybody has heard about this tract "the babies of the milk soup, you will soon be shelled" ?

[Reader3000]

Thanks, Michael, for the photos. I did not know that they bombed those barracks.

[jan willem stokkers]

The HJ Division was moved to Leopoldsburg in Januar 1944 to come to Beverloo.The move back to Belgium was part of the Aufstellung of 12.SS.Pz.Div. Transport back to France started at the first of April 1944. I've you take for example 3.Kp.Pz.Rgt.12 HJ they came with there transport at the 11.04.1944 back to France at the place of Bernay and moved with there panzers to the village Harcourt. I've take the today routeplanners it will cost you with a car more then 3 hours driving to get from Harcourt to Mailly le Camp. So i've they should have left in a hurry ( personally do not believe that for example Pz.Rgt.12 has been at that stage near M.l.C. it was not done to lieve in a hurry. Also because they should have moved by train back into the Normandy. At that time, that period, that much bombardings, i personaly can't belief this.

Further more there was training ofcourse but not on a high level because there was still a shortage of fuel and much was done by foot. Also 3.Kp. received the rest of there Panzers just in Mai of 1944. The member of 3.Kp. i have been writing or talked with never told anything about a second time in M.l.C. and from the other Abt. i also hot have any information about M.L.C.. AA.12 HJ was only on training in the Normandy and member of the different Pz.Grd.Rgt 25/26 also have never spoken about M.L.C. I personally as said before think the distance was not much far away for any training on high level. III./Pz.Grend.Rgt.26 was at that time near the Pz.Rgt.12 HJ in Houdan.

Maybey the Allied commanders still thougt that HJ Division was at M.L.C. but wenn you see the work of the France resistance i also can't believe that.


Jan Willem

[Geoffrey M.]

Very interesting answer Jan, sorry I am a bit late to reply

My grandfather was driving an ammunition truck.
Would that be possible that the truck was left in Mailly during training in Belgium ?
You mention that there was a shortage of fuel.
Maybe for that reason a part of the staff stayed in Mailly or returned later to Mailly ?

Would anybody know ?
Thank you