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The Advance
The advance probably kicked off shortly after 0300 hrs, 09Aug44. A surviving infantry company commander reported:
" We crawled out of the harbour nose to tail, crossed the highway, and started south....At first there were frequent halts. We were in waist high wheat. The chatter over the R/T (wireless sets) was incessant. We tried to figure out what was going on ahead by what we heard over the R/T but between the excited voices and considerable static, it was difficult." (2.)
The leading tanks came under fire thirty minutes into the advance. Wheat fields caught fire, together with houses and haystacks. Fire and movement tactics were employed and haystacks concealing German defensive positions were seen exploding. The infantry, transported in half-track vehicles, followed the tank tracks as best they could under the dangerous and confusing circumstances. Often the tanks had completely disappeared from sight and the infantry was forced to try to keep pace as best they could. A tank crew member related:
"Hello all stations Able One, Sunray calling, push on. On to Hill 195. We must be half-way there now. We must be through the German defense ring. We must be getting close. We see their soft-skinned vehicles. 75 traverse left...steady...on. Enemy half-track...fire. There's a flash, burning wreckage strewn with bodies and one of our gunners claims a hit. Co-ax traverse right...steady..." (3.)
Just before dawn, the column neared the village of Bretteville-le-Rabet which Halpenny Force had yet to secure. 'C' Squadron, together with the regimental HQ tanks, was now leading the advance. Worthington Force came under fire and the column faded east to avoid it. The battle group, fighting its first battle, simply lost its way in the dark, moving across country that was virtually devoid of landmarks. Dealing with sporadic resistance further compounded difficulties. The column, with the exception of No. 2 Troop 'A' Squadron, continued moving eastward, rather than swinging to the right to cross the main highway. No. 2 Troop kept to the planned line of march and eventually reached Point 151, south of Grainville-Langannerie, which was suprisingly close to the final objective. Hopelessly isolated, however, it was forced to withdraw.
The main column, having lost all sense of direction, continued on. Worthington most probably mistook a secondary road for the main highway and shortly after crossing the road, high ground was sighted and the column headed for it. The infantry:
"...followed the tank tracks into a valley, up the far slope, past several orderly rows of trees, and finally up another slope into a rectangular field surrounded by a shoulder-high hedge." (4.)
At 0643 hrs, a message received by 4th Armoured Brigade reported:
"Objective less 1800 metres...forming up now to reach objective." (5.)
A second radio transmission received at 0655 hrs advised:
"Objective 0650 hrs. No evidence of enemy occupation - but recent signs...We are holding until our friends come forward to consolidate." (6.)
Worthington Force had taken up position close to Point 140, some 6,500 yards northeast of their objective, and at 0755 hrs, they mistakenly gave their position as map reference 0946. That was the actual reference for Point 195. The mistake was to prove fatal. Their battlefield was to consist of a sloping rectangular field, some 300 yards long by 100 yards wide. The nearest Canadians were Halpenny Force, over two miles away.
Worthington's command on Point 140 would consist of sixteen tanks of 'C' Squadron, eleven tanks of 'B' Squadron, four 4HQ tanks, one recce tank, and the majority of 'A' and 'B' Companies of the Algonquins. The infantry was sited around the perimeter of the field and dug their slit trenches. The tanks, half-tracks, and carriers were placed around the four sides of the field, in support, using the hedges and low trees for cover wherever possible.
Worthington Force had pushed through the remnants of the 89th Infantry Division and had actually penetrated the front line of 12. SS-Panzerdivision Hitlerjugend. Hitlerjugend and Schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung 101 were reserve units of I SS Panzer Corps. Both Kampfgruppe Waldmüller and Kampfgruppe Wünsche were in the area of Point 140. Altogether, Hitlerjugend had a total strength of some 1,500 infantry, 20 Panthers, 20 Panzer IVs, and a similar number of self-propelled anti-tank guns. Schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung 101 numbered some 20 odd operational Tigers.
As of 06 Aug 44, Kampfgruppe Wünsche consisted of the Staff of the Panzerregiment, the Staff of I Abteilung with 3. Kompanie (Panthers), 8. Kompanie (Panzer IVs) of II Abteilung, I./26 and III./26 Abteilungs of Panzergrenadierregiment 26 minus headquarters and one company, and 2. Kompanie and Flak platoon of Schwere SS-Panzer Abteilung 101. Kampfgruppe Wünsche was to play a central role in the forthcoming battle.
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© Chris Johnson, 1997
