Thib Ob Sib Tw ntawm Caen: Lub Xya Hli 1944
Cromwell ntawm 7th Army Division. nas suab puam; Thawj hnub ntawm kev ua haujlwm ntawm Goodwood, Lub Xya Hli 18, 1944. Qhov teeb meem ntawm cov tshuab ntawm hom no yog, ntawm lwm yam, tias lawv cov angular silhouette zoo li German tso tsheb hlau luam, uas ua rau tuag taus.
Tom qab yuav luag ib hlis ntawm kev sib ntaus sib tua hauv Normandy, Caen tseem yog qhov chaw ntawm kev nyiam rau ob tog. Tiv thaiv cov Allied tawm mus rau sab qab teb sab hnub tuaj ntawm lub nroog, cov Germans tau sib sau ua ke feem ntau ntawm cov armored divisions ntawm no sector ntawm pem hauv ntej.
Hnub kawg ntawm Lub Rau Hli 1944, General Montgomery, tus thawj coj ntawm Pawg Tub Rog 21st, ua tiav Kev Ua Haujlwm Epsom. Wedged rau hauv German tiv thaiv kab sab hnub poob ntawm Caen, nws kos ob lub SS Panzer Corps rau hauv kev sib ntaus sib tua. Nyob rau sab hnub tuaj ntawm lub wedge, tus yeeb ncuab British yog 12th SS Panzer Corps, Obergruppenführer Dietrich, thaum lub sij hawm ntawd tau ua los ntawm cov ntshav tawm tab sis tseem sib ntaus sib tua 1st SS Panzer Division. "Hitler Youth" thiab ib pab tub rog ntawm tank grenadiers (SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt 1), uas yog tus vanguard mus rau pem hauv ntej hauv Caen 9. SS-Pz.Div. "Leibstandarte". Los ntawm sab qab teb thiab sab hnub poob, kev tawm tsam British tau tuav rov qab los ntawm II. SS-Pz.Korps Gruppenführer Bittrich ua ib feem ntawm 10th SS-Pz.Div. "Hohenstaufen" thiab 2nd SS Panzer Division. "Frundsberg", uas Kampfgruppe Weidinger yog ob pab tub rog ntxiv ntawm cov tub rog ntawm XNUMXth SS Panzer Division. "Das Reich". Tam sim no cov rog no tau sim rov qab los hauv av uas ploj lawm.
Txoj kev loj hlob no yog ib yam li Montgomery tau pom. Txij thaum pib, nws txoj kev npaj rau Normandy phiaj los nqis tes yog los khi Rommel lub armored cia ntawm Caen kom txog rau thaum cov neeg Amelikas tau npaj txhij los tawm tsam los ntawm lawv txoj haujlwm sab hnub poob thiab hauv qhov dav dav ntawm sab nraub qaum. Txawm li cas los xij, nws yog qhov kev ua si tsis zoo nrog hluav taws, vim tias cov Germans tsis txwv lawv tus kheej rau kev tiv thaiv zoo li qub. Montgomery tau hais kom Anglo-Canadian 2nd Army mus txuas ntxiv lawv cov dag zog los ntes Caen thiab siv qhov siab tshaj plaws kom nres cov yeeb ncuab rog. Nyob rau tib lub sijhawm, peb yuav tsum tau pom nws tias peb sab hnub tuaj flank tseem nyob ruaj khov. Cov yeeb ncuab tam sim no muaj lub zog loj heev hauv Caen sector thiab tuaj yeem siv lawv los tawm tsam kev tawm tsam loj. Yog li ntawd, nws yog ib qho tseem ceeb heev rau lub hom phiaj ntawm kev nqis tes ua uas cov tub rog thib 2 tsis cuam tshuam peb ntawm kev sib npaug los ntawm qee yam kev ua yuam kev.
Churchill Crocodile, armed nrog ib tug flamethrower, ntshai lub German infantry.
Dab tsi yog feem ntau nthuav tawm hauv cov ntaub ntawv raws li kev sim ua tsis tiav los ntes Caen yog qhov tseeb kev ua si pheej hmoo nrog cov tub rog tub rog ntawm Thib Peb Reich. Lieutenant General Dempsey, tus thawj coj ntawm Pawg Tub Rog thib 2, tau raug thuam rau nws qhov kev tawm tsam sai sai los ntawm qhov chaw nyob ntawm Hill 112 thiab tshem tawm cov tso tsheb hlau luam mus rau sab qaum teb ntawm tus dej Odon River. Cov xwm txheej ntawm Lub Xya Hli 1 tau pom, txawm li cas los xij, qhov xwm txheej tiag tiag yog qhov txaus ntshai uas cov neeg German yuav rhuav tshem tus choj hla dhau Odon, raug ntes los ntawm Kev Ua Haujlwm Epsom, nrog kev tawm tsam muaj zog. Thaum kaj ntug, 9th SS Panzer Division. Hohenstaufen thiab Pab Pawg Sib Tw Weidinger tau tawm tsam nyob rau sab qaum teb ntawm tus dej hauv kev sim kom rov qab tau Rore. Kev sib ntaus sib tua txuas ntxiv txhua hnub. Lub 49th "West Riding" Infantry Division, lub npe hu ua "Polar Bears", tau tawm tsam vim hais tias ntawm lub ncov qaumteb qabteb dais nyob rau hauv lub insignia. Thaum kawg, qhov kev tawm tsam German ua tsis tiav vim kev tua phom loj. Thaum tav su, Obersturmbannführer Otto Meyer, tus thawj coj ntawm SS-Pz.Rgt. 9 (cov tub rog armored ntawm lub Division "Hohenstaufen"), nws xaus lus nws ua hauj lwm daim ntawv qhia rau lub hauv paus chaw ua hauj lwm nrog ib tug quote los ntawm Dante: tso tseg tag nrho cov kev cia siab uas tuaj ntawm no.
Lub British tiv thaiv tawm tsam rov qab los ntawm txoj kab pem hauv ntej mus rau nws txoj kev kawm qub. Churchill Crocodile flamethrowers raug mob cov grenadiers nkaum hauv hedgerows, uas tom qab ntawd raug tua los ntawm infantry escorting lub tso tsheb hlau luam. Tsis ntev tom qab kev sib ntaus sib tua, qee tus Tswv Howe-Hau, uas tshaj tawm cov lus Askiv tshaj tawm hauv xov tooj cua German, tau hu xov tooj rau 49th Infantry Division. "Butchers" thiab tshaj tawm tias txij li tam sim no mus, cov tub rog raug ntes nrog lub cim ncov qaumteb qabteb yuav raug tua tam sim ntawd. Cov Germans khaws lawv cov lus. Ib tug tub ceev xwm thiab ob tug txiv neej los ntawm 1st / Tyneside Scots (1st Battalion, Tyneside Scots) uas ploj mus ntawm kev saib xyuas ob peb hnub tom qab ntawd tsis muaj kev ntseeg raug tua. Lawv lub cev tau pom nyob rau hauv qab daus ntawm lub tsev fuabtais Juvigny.
Thaum sib ntaus sib tua ntawm Rohr, 10th SS Panzer Division. "Frundsberg" rov pib qhov kev tawm tsam ntawm tus choj taub hau ntawm ntug dej sab qab teb ntawm Odon. Cov Germans luv luv nyob hauv lub zos ntawm Baron, tab sis ntawm no lawv tau tawm tsam los ntawm kev tawm tsam thiab thim rov qab tom qab Hill 112, raug tua los ntawm kev tua phom loj ntawm txoj kev. Cov tub ceev xwm Askiv tau tshaj tawm tias muaj li 300-400 tus txiv neej SS tuag nyob rau sab qaum teb. Ob tog raug kev txom nyem hnyav hnub ntawd (1 tub rog tuag hauv 132nd / Tyneside Scots), tab sis rau cov neeg German lawv hnyav heev. Kampfgruppe Weidinger, tau poob 642 cov tub rog, suav nrog 108 tus neeg tua, raug tshem tawm ntawm kev sib ntaus sib tua rau Caen thiab xa rov qab mus rau nws lub tsev faib ("Das Reich"). Ib qho ntawm cov tub rog ntawm Hohenstaufen faib (SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 20) thaum Lub Xya Hli 1 raug txo los ntawm 328 grenadiers, suav nrog 51 tua. Tag nrho cov kev faib tawm, txij li lub sijhawm lawv tau nkag mus rau hauv kev sib ntaus sib tua thaum Lub Rau Hli 29 txog rau thaum yav tsaus ntuj ntawm Lub Xya Hli 2, tau sau txog kev poob ntau txog 1145 tus tub rog thiab 16 Panthers, 10 PzKpfw IVs thiab XNUMX StuGs.
Qhov no yog tus nqi ntawm German "defensive successes". Cov Germans tsis muaj kev xav txog leej twg tau yeej qhov kev sib ntaus sib tua loj heev. Von Schweppenburg, tus thawj coj ntawm Panzer Group West, tau thov kom tshem tawm cov tub rog sib ntaus sib tua ntawm ntau yam ntawm cov tub rog tub rog.
Nws tau txais kev txhawb nqa los ntawm von Rundstedt, tus thawj coj ntawm cov tub rog German hauv Western Europe. Hitler tam sim ntawd tua ob leeg. Tom qab ntawd Rommel (tus thawj coj ntawm Pab Pawg Tub Rog B, Montgomery cov npoj yaig nyob rau sab nraud) quipped - raws li nws tau muab los ua yaj saub - Kuv tau nyob rau hauv daim ntawv teev npe.
nws hu ua ntaub pua plag
Kev soj ntsuam qhov xwm txheej hauv thawj hnub ntawm Lub Xya Hli, Montgomery tau hais tias: kev sib ntaus sib tua hauv Normandy twb tau ua raws li cov qauv tsim nyog txhawm rau txhawm rau ua ntej ntawm sab hnub poob flank. Kuv tau cia siab tias yuav pib ua haujlwm no thaum Lub Xya Hli 3rd, tab sis kev txhim kho hauv qhov xwm txheej tau pom tias cov kev xav no tau zoo dhau lawm. Qhov tseeb, qhov kev tawg tuaj tsuas yog thaum Lub Xya Hli 25. Tau kawg, kev ncua ntawm sab hnub poob flank tau cuam tshuam ncaj qha rau kev ua ntawm 2nd Army. Nws yuav tsum tso siab rau tus yeeb ncuab ntau npaum li ua tau kom nws nyob rau sab hnub tuaj.
Lwm lub hom phiaj ntawm qhov kev tawm tsam no yog lub tshav dav hlau Carpiquet, nyob rau sab hnub poob ntawm Caen thiab lub zos nyob ze ntawm tib lub npe. Tus thawj coj ntawm Canadian 3rd Infantry Division, uas tau ua haujlwm rau txoj haujlwm no, tau muab ib qho ntawm nws cov tub rog tub rog, 8th Infantry Division. Nws muaj peb lub battalions: 1st / Royal (los ntawm poj huab tais tus kheej Rifles ntawm Canada), 1st / North Shores (los ntawm North Shore New Brunswick Rgt) thiab Fabkis hais lus 1st / Chauds (los ntawm cov tub rog Le Régiment de la Chaudiere). . Lawv raug txib los ntawm brig. Kenneth Blackader. Rau lub sijhawm ua haujlwm, ib pab tub rog infantry ntxiv - 1st / Winnipeg (los ntawm Royal Winnipeg Fusiliers, ib feem ntawm 7th Infantry Regiment) - thiab peb lub tuam txhab ntawm Ottawa Cameron Highlanders, ib pawg "hnyav" battalion (hnyav Vickers tshuab phom thiab mortars) tau muab tso rau hauv nws cov lus txib.
Kev txhawb nqa armored yog muab los ntawm 10th Armd Rgt (Fort Garry Nees) - ib qho ntawm Canadian regiments ntawm 2nd Armd Bde, muaj peb pawg tub rog (txog 60 Sherman nyob rau hauv tag nrho), nrog rau peb pawg tub rog tshwj xeeb tso tsheb hlau luam (ib qho. txhua tus los ntawm Churchill AVRE, ib tug Sherman Crab rau minesweeping thiab Churchill Crocodile) los ntawm British 79th Army Division. Tsis tas li ntawd, 21 qhov chaw tua phom loj (kwv yees li 760 phom) yuav tsum tau txhawb nqa kev tawm tsam ntawm Carpiquet, ntxiv rau cov dav hlau thiab nkoj ntawm Royal Navy. Cov haujlwm pib ntawm Canadians hauv lub zos Marseilles tsuas yog 2 km ntawm lub hom phiaj ntawm kev ua haujlwm, lub npe hu ua "Windsor".
Lawv tus nrog sib ntaus yog thawj pab tub rog ntawm 26th Panzer Grenadier Regiment ntawm Hitler Cov Hluas Division (I./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 26), lossis theej, dab tsi yog tshuav ntawm nws tom qab Kev Ua Haujlwm Epsom, i.e. kwv yees li 150-200 tus tub rog (tsis yog 1000). Txawm li cas los xij, lub tshav dav hlau tau nruab nrog lub zog Luftwaffe-tsim bunkers uas muab npog los ntawm cov phom loj tua hluav taws, thiab lub network ntawm cov pob zeb ua ke tuaj yeem ua cov trench. Tsis tas li ntawd, muaj ib qho chaw tiaj tus ntawm lub tshav dav hlau, ncab ib ncig, nyob rau hauv ib lub vojvoog ntawm 2 km, muab cov phom tiv thaiv tank. thiab rau lub tank dug-in, qhov chaw hluav taws kub zoo heev. Ib lub roj teeb ntawm plaub 8,8 cm anti-aircraft squadron phom tau xa mus rau sab hnub tuaj sab hnub tuaj ntawm tshav dav hlau. Hitler Cov Hluas. Nyob rau sab qab teb sab hnub tuaj ntawm lub tshav dav hlau muaj tsib PzKpfw IVs los ntawm 9 lub tuam txhab ntawm kev faib lub tank regiment (9./SS-Pz.Rgt. 12). Kev txhawb nqa phom loj, txawm tias txwv los ntawm qhov tsis muaj mos txwv, tau muab los ntawm III./SS-Pz howitzers, art. 12 thiab ib lub foob pob hluav taws kub tub rog (Werfer-Rgt. 83) nruab nrog Nebelwerfer launchers.
Lub phiaj xwm kev tawm tsam yog rau ob lub battalions, 1st / North Shores thiab 1st / Chauds, mus tua lub zos ntawm Carpike thiab lub hangars nyob rau sab qaum teb ntawm lub tshav dav hlau. Lub sijhawm no, 1st / Winnipeg Division yuav ntes sab qab teb ntawm tshav dav hlau thiab nws qhov chaw nkaum. Txhua battalion tau txais kev txhawb nqa los ntawm Sherman Squadron ntawm Fort Harry Horse Regiment thiab ib lub tank siab. Nyob rau theem thib ob ntawm kev ua haujlwm, 1st / Poj huab tais tau dhau los ntawm kev ntes Karpike thiab los ntawm qhov ntawd tawm tsam ntawm sab hnub tuaj ntawm lub tshav dav hlau, qhov chaw huab cua tswj cov tsev nyob.
Thaum yav tsaus ntuj ntawm Lub Xya Hli 3, lub tshav dav hlau tau tawm tsam los ntawm kev sib ntaus sib tua HMS Rodney, caij nkoj hauv Gulf of Sensky. Los ntawm qhov deb li ntawm 24 km, nws tau tua 15 broadside volleys los ntawm nws cuaj phom 410-mm. Thaum kaj ntug rau lub Xya hli ntuj 4, cov Canadians tau mus tawm tsam, tom qab lub barrage tsiv. Lub 1st / North Shores thiab 1st / Chauds battalions tau coj mus rau sab qaum teb ntawm lub tshav dav hlau thiab lub zos, qhov twg txog 50 Hitler Cov Hluas grenadiers tau tiv thaiv, tsis muaj teeb meem.
Lub sijhawm no, 1st / Winnipeg Division tau raug kev puas tsuaj hnyav los ntawm mortar thiab rab phom tua hluav taws thaum nws mus txog lub hangars nyob rau sab qab teb los ntawm qhib lub tebchaws. Rau lub hom phiaj ntawm qhov kev tawm tsam, txawm tias Churchill-Crocodiles tsis tuaj yeem tshem tawm cov Germans los ntawm lub fortifications nrog lawv cov flamethrowers, thiab lub battalion retreated mus rau lawv thawj txoj hauj lwm. Nws tau sim zaum ob thaum tav su thiab lub sijhawm no tau ntsib kev tawm tsam. Panthers ntawm 1st thiab 2nd / SS-Pz.Rgt. 12 lub tso tsheb hlau luam tuav tseg hauv thaj chaw sab hnub poob ntawm Caen raug rhuav tshem los ntawm Sherman pawg tub rog, uas poob rau ntawm 15 lub tank. Ib zaug ntxiv 1st/Winnipeg rov qab mus rau square ib. Thaum kawg ntawm lub hnub, lub 8th Infantry Regiment tswj lub zos thiab sab qaum teb ntawm lub tshav dav hlau, thaum lub SS tswj cov chaw nyob rau yav qab teb ntug thiab cov vaj tse nyob rau sab hnub tuaj.
Cov Canadians poob 377 cov tub rog (tua, raug mob, ploj lawm). Qhov kev sib ntaus sib tua no raug nqi Germans 155 grenadiers los ntawm I./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 26, uas tau xyaum tsis muaj nyob. Tom qab tsaus ntuj, hmo ntuj ntawm Lub Xya Hli 4-5, SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt, raug xa mus rau Hitler Youth Division, nkag mus rau hauv kev sib ntaus sib tua rau Karpike. 1 (motorized phom loj tub rog ntawm Leibstandarte faib). Nws lub battalion thib ob tau ua haujlwm nyob rau sab hnub tuaj ntawm lub tshav dav hlau. Nyob rau tib lub sijhawm, lub battalion thib peb, txhawb nqa los ntawm ob lub tuam txhab Panther (1st thiab 4th / SS-Pz.Rgt. 12), tau tawm tsam lub zos Carpiquet los ntawm sab qaum teb, los ntawm sab ntawm Frankville. Nws poob 118 tus tub rog (tsuas yog vim hluav taws ntawm Nebelwerfer thiab cov phom loj uas yuav tsum tau txhawb nqa nws!) thiab thaum kaj ntug rov qab los ntawm txoj kev Can Baie.
Qhov kev vam meej ib nrab ntawm Kev Ua Haujlwm Windsor ua rau lwm nthwv dej ntawm kev khaus khaus hauv Allied camp. Qhov xwm txheej zoo ib yam li qhov kev ua tsov rog zoo li qub ntawm 1914-1918, uas ua rau muaj kev puas tsuaj loj rau cov neeg Askiv. Ib qho kev thuam ntxiv yog tias nyob rau theem ntawd Allied hauv av rog hauv Fab Kis tsis tuaj yeem ua dab tsi los tiv thaiv kev foob pob ntawm Askiv los ntawm V-1 foob pob hluav taws raug rho tawm ntawm thaj av Pas de Calais. Eisenhower nco qab tias thaum ib qho ntawm Churchill mus ntsib lub sijhawm no, Tus Thawj Kav Tebchaws Askiv tau hais tawm nws qhov kev poob siab rau qhov xwm txheej ntawm Caen.
Tom qab ntawd nws tau ceeb toom rau tus thawj tswj hwm tias nws muaj cai tso tseg ib tus neeg ua haujlwm uas nws suav tias yog qhov tsis txaus siab, tsis hais qib thiab haiv neeg twg. Nws yog ib qho kev qhia meej rau Montgomery, uas tau hais kom txhua yam tab tom mus.
"Lub British tseem tsis tau ua dab tsi."
Eisenhower tseem ceeb toom thiab txhawb nqa tus thawj coj ntawm Pawg Tub Rog 21st, tab sis cov neeg thuam ntau zuj zus. Nws tau koom nrog General Patton, Montgomery tus neeg sib tw tseem ceeb thaum sib ntaus sib tua ntawm Sicily, uas tuaj txog hauv Normandy thaum Lub Xya Hli thaum ntxov nrog lub hauv paus hauv paus ntawm nws 1st Army. Thaum Lub Xya Hli 3 nws tau sau rau hauv nws phau ntawv teev npe: Kuv tau noj mov nrog Bradley thiab Montgomery. Tom qab noj hmo peb mus rau lub tsev pheeb suab sib ntaus sib tua. Muaj Montgomery tawm ntawm nws txoj kev los piav qhia rau peb vim li cas cov neeg Askiv tsis tau ua dab tsi txog tam sim no. Lawv tseem tsis tau ntes Caen txawm tias lub nroog ntawd yog lawv lub hom phiaj D-Day.
Montgomery tau poob siab rau cov neeg Amelikas zoo li lawv nrog lawv. Thaum lawv ntes Cherbourg (uas tshwm sim rau Lub Rau Hli 29), nws xav kom lawv tawg sai sai hauv lawv txoj haujlwm. Lwm lub lim tiam dhau los thiab lawv cov tub rog thib 1 tseem tau daig hauv cov swamps thiab hedgerows sab qaum teb ntawm Saint-Lô, uas feem ntau ntawm txoj kev tau khiav mus rau txoj kab ntawm kev tawm tsam. Txawm li cas los xij, muaj cov tub rog me me tiv thaiv Bradley - 17th SS-Pz.Gren.Div. "Götz von Berlichingen" (tank grenadier faib, uas suav nrog ib lub tank battalion) thiab 2nd SS-Pz.Div. "Das Reich". Tab sis nws tawm tsam ntawm sab xub ntiag, tsis quav ntsej txog Montgomery cov lus pom zoo los tawm tsam "hauv German", hauv cov style ntawm Guderian - nws xaiv qhov chaw nws qhov chaw nruab nrab ntawm lub ntiajteb txawj nqus thiab ntaus nws ib zaug thiab rau tag nrho.
Lub Cannes clinch, thaum ua haujlwm rau nws lub hom phiaj, Montgomery tau hais tias, tsis tau txhais tias yuav kav ntev npaum li cas, thiab yog li ua teeb meem ntau dua rau cov tub rog British-Canadian. Dempsey qhov thib ob ua ntej ua ntej txhais tau hais tias tsis muaj chaw txaus los coj cov tub rog tshiab rau hauv kev sib ntaus. Ua kom qhov teeb meem loj dua, kev txawj ntse tau ceeb toom tias thaum kawg German lus txib siab kawg pom tau hais tias yuav tsis muaj kev cuam tshuam thib ob ntawm Pas-de-Calais, lawv yuav pib txav ntau zog mus rau Normandy dua li ua ntej. Montgomery paub tias nws yuav tsum tawm tsam ib qho ntxiv kom tsis txhob tso txoj kev pib. Nws tus kheej tau hais tias: "Nws pom tseeb tias tus yeeb ncuab tau txhawj xeeb ntau ntxiv txog nws sab hnub poob sab hnub poob, yog li kuv tau txiav txim siab rov ua dua peb cov kev siv zog ntawm 2nd Army pem hauv ntej txhawm rau tiv thaiv kev hloov ntawm cov tub rog ntxiv tiv thaiv Asmeskas.
Lub hom phiaj ntawm kev ua haujlwm tawm tsam tom ntej no yog txhawm rau ntes sab qaum teb sab hnub poob ntawm Caen, nrog rau qhov chaw keeb kwm ntawm lub nroog, los ntawm kev thawb cov yeeb ncuab dhau ntawm txoj kab ntawm Orne River mus rau hauv thaj chaw muaj kev lag luam loj (Faubourg de Vauxcelles). Ib tug tau txais kev xav tias Montgomery txiav txim siab los tawm tsam lub xaib tsuas yog ua rau cov neeg thuam thuam uas taw qhia tias nws tseem tsis tau ntes Caen. Txoj haujlwm no tau tso siab rau peb pawg tub rog ntawm 115th corps ntawm lieutenant general. Crocker, uas ua ke suav txog 000 tus tub rog.
