Subsequent operations Second Battle of the Odon

1 subsequent operations

1.1 operation goodwood, 18–20 july
1.2 operation express, 22 july
1.3 upper odon valley, 18 july – 2 august

subsequent operations
operation goodwood, 18–20 july

after preliminary attacks, operation goodwood took place 18–20 july. viii corps, 3 armoured divisions, launched attack aiming seize german-held bourguébus ridge, along area between bretteville-sur-laize , vimont, while destroying many german tanks possible. on 18 july, corps conducted advance secure series of villages , eastern flank of viii corps. on viii corps western flank, ii canadian corps launched operation atlantic, capture remaining sections of city of caen south of orne river. when operation goodwood ended on 20 july, armoured divisions had broken through german forward defences , had advanced 7 miles (11 km) lower slopes of bourguébus ridge.

operation express, 22 july

after operation windsor 4–5 july, capture of western outskirts of caen during operation charnwood 8–9 july , operation jupiter 10–11 july, village of maltot had been taken on 272nd infantry division on 22 july 10th ss-panzer division, had moved reserve around st. martin, ready counter-attack. british planned attack maltot north-east orne on left flank. during operation jupiter, attack had come on open ground, southwards château fontaine , Éterville, seen hill 112. operation express begin louvigny. 5th wiltshire battalion (5th wilts) , b squadron of 7th royal tank regiment (7th rtr) of 31st tank brigade, capture village , orchards north of road louvigny , 4th wiltshire squadron 7th rtr, attack woods, orchards , spur south-east of maltot. 4th somerset light infantry kept in reserve, ready exploit success.

the attack began @ 5:30 p.m. , on right side of road 5th wilts advanced behind smoke screen , artillery barrage. german defenders taken surprise , @ first stunned bombardment. british moved through village, of defenders recovered , hand-to-hand fighting took place. grenadiers 10th ss-panzer division , tiger tanks 102nd schwere ss-panzer abteilung began counter-attack maltot entered , knocked out several churchill tanks of b squadron. british forward air controller saw german tanks , called in typhoon fighter-bombers, forced tigers hill 112, grenadiers reinforced german infantry in village. on other side of louvigny road, 4th wilts , squadron advanced through woods , farms, final objective south of village. infantry went first, 2 sections in front of each tank, squadron commander on foot accompanying infantry commanders.

when seen 4th wilts on other side of road, had been delayed german defence of lieu de france farm @ east end of maltot, churchill , churchill crocodile tanks advanced, bombarded , flamed defenders , overran position. advance moved woods, small parties of british , german infantry stalked each other through trees, small quarries , trenches. german defenders overrun in 2 hours; mopping began german troops held out dark fell. of surviving defenders retired château maltot on far side of road , by-passed , cut off. 4th wilts moved forward rau de maltot stream, stopped fire château. bombardment churchills had no effect, except prompt german medic emerge , request truce, offered provided german troops in château surrender. refused , @ dusk british attacked again , broke ground floor not able upstairs against showers of hand grenades. overnight outbuildings captured , château kept under fire tanks.

from 9:30–10:00 p.m., both battalions reached final objectives west of maltot , woods south. tanks withdrew behind start line, having lost 8 vehicles , after dawn, remaining germans in château gave up, having lost hope of being rescued dawn counter-attack. end of operation express, fighting in normandy had reduced 10th ss panzer division c. 15,000 men 2,289 , vital positions counter-attacked. dawn, british met sight of dead operation jupiter , long-range fire german tanks , guns on south-east ridge of hill 112, having taken more 400 prisoners, in claimed wiltshires text-book operation. commanders had studied maps, photographs , sand models, had been given time establish infantry-tank co-operation 7th rtr , conduct reconnaissance. 43rd (wessex) division withdrawn , ground taken on 53rd (welsh) division. hill 112 occupied unopposed on 4 august, germans struggled repel operation cobra , operation bluecoat further west.

upper odon valley, 18 july – 2 august

the glasgow highlanders on left flank, relieved 1/5th battalion, welch regiment of 53rd division on 17 july. 18 july, 34th tank brigade operated in close support of 53rd (welsh) division, extended line bougy orne @ maltot. 153rd rac returned line after 8 days of recuperation. on 21 july, @ 4:00 p.m. battalion attacked 10th ss-panzer division @ le bon repos , 9:30 p.m. 1 company had been overrun. germans rolled welsh front, survivors retired c company area , battalion withdrew @ 6:00 a.m. under smoke screen, having lost 140 casualties. several churchills had been lost, having been out-ranged , out-gunned 6 tiger tanks hill 112. 2 days later, 4th welch battalion 107th rac in support, raided captured positions, aided churchill crocodiles , inflicted many casualties on german defenders before retiring.

the 107th rac had no losses , recovered tank lost in previous attack. smoke barrage enabled raid made in daylight down forward slope, prevented many casualties. 49th division occupied vendes on 19 july patrols 177th infantry brigade, in 59th division area found noyers still occupied. attack cancelled xii corps commander @ noon in favour of vigorous patrolling on corps front. on 2 august, 107th rac raided esquay again area beyond bougy raided troops , 147th rac , area near maltot raided 153rd rac. until 5 august, 247 crew casualties suffered , 47 tanks knocked out, half being written off , rest repaired. in 49th division area 146th brigade advanced again on 19 july; german infantry , 2 tiger tanks had reoccupied la barbée farm , la bijude farm had been forced out artillery , mortar fire. deserters confirmed garrisons had withdrawn , 2 battalions moved forward behind sappers, lifted many mines on road château juvigny, had been german battalion headquarters; bodies of 3 men missing since 9 july found in cellars.

at end of july, 8th armoured brigade less 13th/18th hussars moved support 43rd (wessex) division , 13th/18th hussars went in support of 50th (northumbrian) division, objective dominating butte du mont à vent ridge. 43rd (wessex) division attack began on 30 july bocage, full of mines , booby traps. sherwood rangers yeomanry supported 130th infantry brigade of 43rd division in attack on cahagnes , on left flank 13th/18th hussars took saint-germain-d ectot , orbois. 12th king s royal rifle corps (12th krrc) advanced , dug in protect flank of 43rd division , 50th division 13th/18th hussars captured amayé-sur-seulles. sherwood rangers yeomanry advanced in moonlight 7th hampshires on tanks capture jurques , during day la bigne , loisonniers captured after overcoming determined german resistance. british advance temporarily halted close mont pinçon, dominated area vire odon.

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