Operation Pomegranate.2C 16.E2.80.9317 July Second Battle of the Odon

on 16 july, xxx corps launched operation pomegranate. on right of corps, 50th (northumbrian) division had held ground north of hottot since last week of june , kept front line disturbed frequent patrols , raids, provoked several german counter-attacks supported tanks. 56th independent brigade had attacked hottot on 8 july had captured objective on main road west of hottot , been driven panzer-lehr division counter-attack, 3 infantry companies , c. 30 tanks, pushed brigade across road. on 11 july, 231st brigade attacked hottot capture village. supported tanks , elaborate artillery fire plan, 2 battalions able reach northern fringe of village. during attack on 18 july 50th division captured hottot last time, assisted german retirement caused operation goodwood , operation cobra. occupation of hottot left 50th division poised capture villers bocage , advance towards river noireau. on right flank of 50th division, 56th independent infantry brigade faced 2nd panzer division, maintained constant attacks mortars, self-propelled guns , snipers. brigade patrolled extensively , 20 july, realised enemy had withdrawn la chapelle area. patrol went forward , dug in , company advanced through bois de saint germain , dug in on southern fringe.

in centre of xxx corps, 49th (west riding) division attacked 146th brigade @ la barbée farm 1/4th battalion, king s own yorkshire light infantry (koyli), advanced @ 6:45 a.m. , reached farm east. @ 5:00 p.m. germans counter-attacked farm , surrounded on 3 sides. hallamshire battalion, york , lancs attacked vendes frontally, despite representations attack night or east less costly. attack began @ 6:45 a.m. , stopped machine-gun crossfire. attempt @ flank attack stopped @ la bijude farm , attack west through la barbée farm after had been captured failed. box-barrage around hallamshires , koyli fired twenty minutes after battalions withdrew @ 5:00 p.m. next day discovered deserters germans had withdrawn vendes , farms.

in 59th (staffordshire) division area, phase of attack began @ 5:30 a.m. 197th brigade on right attacking 5th east lancashires , 177th brigade on left 5th , 1/6th south staffords. 5th east lancashires fought way first objective east of vendes , captured part of village 8:00 a.m. @ 2:30 p.m. counter-attacked infantry , tanks, overran 1 company , forced rest of battalion start line. 1/6th south staffords captured brettevillette in costly attack 6:45 a.m. in many troops lost direction in thick dawn mist , british found area had been sown thickly mines. battalion pressed on , reached queudeville 8:45 a.m., despite of tanks in support of battalion having been knocked out in british minefield.

the 5th south staffords took orchards west of grainville sur odon , captured les nouillons noon, left 177th brigade on first phase objectives. @ 1:30 p.m. flail tanks began work through german minefield @ queudeville. phase ii delayed casualties incurred in phase @ 5:30 p.m. 2/6th south staffords attacked noyers , @ 6:15 p.m. 6th north staffords attacked haut des forges. 2/6th south staffords entered noyers later forced point 126, north of station. 6th north staffords took haut des forges against less determined opposition. 59th division had captured 369 prisoners. on 197th infantry brigade front, 2/5th lancashire fusiliers attacked phase objective @ 10:30 p.m. massed german mortar fire, prevented battalion leaving start line. @ dawn on 17 july, 2/6th south staffords , part of 5th south staffords attacked noyers , advanced close railway station, before being forced under cover , @ 1:30 p.m. withdrawn reorganise. during afternoon 5th south staffordshires attacked noyers north-east held on fringe. 1/6th south staffords advanced brettevillette towards bordel @ same time against determined resistance. when night fell british fell noyers during bombardment. in 197th brigade area, 1/7th royal warwicks, tanks of 1st northamptonshire yeomanry , churchill crocodiles attacked phase objective again @ 12:30 p.m. , captured objective; 176th brigade attacked bordel made little progress.

next day, 177th brigade attacked noyers @ 10:00 a.m. 1/6th , 5th south staffords supported conventional tanks, churchill avre , crocodile flame thrower tanks, not able advance far against determined german resistance. 5 more tanks lost , attack in afternoon failed. british retired after dark enable bombardment of village. on right flank, 1/7th royal warwicks reached ferme de guiberon nightfall , 49th division reported there had been withdrawals on front. in centre 7th south staffords of 176th brigade advanced on bordel , took village , area la senevière against few german troops artillery , mortar fire. 197th brigade relieved overnight 176th brigade , 7th royal norfolks took on 1/7th royal warwicks @ ferme de guiberon, point 124 , landet, had been taken after dark. british infantry had captured high ground south of brettevillette , took 300 prisoners on first day. next day advance continued fighting on outskirts of noyers-bocage. reconnaissance battalion of 9th ss panzer division committed defence of noyers-bocage, germans claimed have recaptured, although xxx corps had been held on outskirts having captured high ground outside village , railway station. 49th division captured vendes. 59th division took haut des forges , entered noyers repulsed village 277th division. 50th division captured hottot-les-bagues, had been fought on more month , took 300 prisoners.

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