2. Pz.Div. Villers-Bocage counterattack 13 - 14 June

[Cariusthebrave]

Good evening Gentlemen,
Whenever I read something about the battle of Villers-Bocage I come across the 2. Panzer-Division counterattack. But I'm never able to find detailed combat reports about this attack! Neither from the british or the german side! There are a few sentences about the 2. Panzer-Divison in Helmuth Ritgen's ,,The Western Front 1944" but nothing else. Does someone of you have more infos?

[Alanmccoubrey]

According to "Panzers in Normandy Then and Now" I./PR 3 was used in that counter attack, to the left of Panzer-Lehr but without success, Oberst Köhn being killed in the action.

[Juha]

There are a couple of pages on the counter-attack in Friedens- und Kriegserlebnisse einer Generation. - Ein Kapitel Weltgeschichte aus der Sicht der Panzerjäger-Abteilung 38 (SF) in der ehemaligen 2. (Wiener) Panzerdivision. Schweinfurt Gebundenes Buch – 1961, pp 161-162, the font is small so there is plenty of info stuffed on those two pages. The division history probably have more info but I have not seen it.

[Cariusthebrave]

Thanks for the Info! I think its quite sad that the 2. Pz.Div. is kind of unpopular if we consider that they fought quite hard in normandy, especially in august! But they didn't wore SS camo so no one cares!

[offizier1916]

Hello,
do you have the book "Die Geschichte der 2. Panzerdivison"?
https://www.amazon.de/Die-Geschichte-2- ... BGXY2WTG0X

[Cariusthebrave]

No sadly not

[Tom from Cornwall]

I’m confused, sorry.
Do you mean 13 - 14 June 1944?
Regards
Tom

[Cariusthebrave]

Oh god sorry! I mean 13 -14 June ( :") sorry

[Juha]

Oh god sorry! I mean 13 -14 June ( :") sorry

I guessed that and the pages pp 161-162 are the right ones for that

[Michael Kenny]

Ian Daglish was working on a book about this when he was killed. I had some contact with him about it and it sounded quite promising.

[Sheldrake]

There is an FMS manuscript interview with the Divisional Commander vom Luettwitz. B257. It is fairly detailed but clearly recollections rather than supported by source documents.

The first point is that the tracked vehicles of the Divisions did not arrive until 18th June, so until the the "Division" was four PG battalions, the Aufklaerungs' battalion and two battalions of artillery and a distinct shortage of anti tank weapons.

The commanding officer of the Aufklaerung's battalion was dismissed as the unit deployed and his replacement - the senior company commander incompetent.

There are British accounts claimed as the "Battle of the Box" with huge weights of fire being deployed on what must have been agricultural targets.

This may have been a case where Ultra was a hinderance more than a help.

[Michael Kenny]

This must be a part of the 'Box' at top with all the tank tracks. South of it is a lot of shell craters. Date June 24th. Amaye sur Seulles is top RH corner

[Juha]

In addition what Sheldrake mentioned in message #11 2. PzD also employed its Pz.Pion.Abt. 38, its Heeres-FlakAbt. 273 (2 heavy (8.8 cm) and 2 light batteries) and 3.K/Pz.Jg.Abt. 38 (SF) which had towed 7.5 cm Pak 40s. This according to the abovementioned history of the Pz.Jg.Abt. 38 (SF). Not all were employed against the 7th Arm.Div, some operated against US forces around Caumont.

[Alanmccoubrey]

Now that you've changed the month I should point out that the attack I told you about happened in July. In the June fighting around Vilers Bocage the same book says that only 2 PD's Panzergrenadiers were involved.

[Cariusthebrave]

Im thanking you all for these informations!