Operation Goodwood

Sapper, I and I'm sure many other members of of our Forum welcome you warmly - it's a privilege to have a true veteran among us !

( I'm sure our friend 'Sommecourt' will have one or two questions for you... ! )

 

Bryan :

Welcome to our boards, as Martin has said. I for one will be most attentive to your postings and hopeful you will share more with us about your involvement in the Normandy campaign......

Erich

 

Welcome Sapper. I too look forward to your posts on your experience.

 

Hello Sapper,

I second the comments above; Welcome to these forums and I too hope to read about your experiences and maybe get some of your insights. There are a lot of us here with a fond interest in the era and to have you here is wonderful!

Stevin

 

Thanks for posting Sapper - nice to see this thread keeps on going!

While I have done all the research on the ground now, the next stage are war diaries, regimental histories and veteran accounts; so I hope you have the time to get in touch.

It's also good to have a WW2 veteran as a conributor on this site. Many of those who log in here are thankfully not old enough to have seen any real conflict, and the wise words of a veteran are something we are often lacking here. Hope you post frequently!

 

While much mention is made of the huge tank losses suffered by the British in Goodwood, the figure for human casulties is less well known. It has been estimated that while the British forces suffered losses of approx 3,500 killed, wounded and missing the Germans suffered losses of over 5,000.

 

Thank you so much Folks for the kind words to Sapper. Thats nice! As one who fought from Sword Beach until my demise at Overloon in Holland. (The battle for Overloon and Venraij) in Limburg. I am more than willing to answer any questions and enter into discussions, or workshops, about the war in Europe in 1944. I was wounded in Normandy and again in Holland, but this time severely, 100% disabled. I served with "Montie's Ironsides" in the leading Eighth Brigade. But don't wait too long! at the age of 77/78 time for us is getting short.
Sapper.

 

Dear Sir: Thank you for being here. I Also want to thank you for making your sacrifices for us as well. IM VERY glad you are here sir.

 

Hello sapper, thanks for your willingness to share your experiences.

Did you as a soldier understand or were you given correct intellegence of what you were up against?

How often was intel. accurate?

 

Hi Greg.
The intelligence was none existent. except for the training before the Assault on Sword beach. Half the time we did not even know where we were in Normandy. Before the goodwood battle we were briefed on the comming battle, as soon as we crossed the Pegasus Bridge (We had defended the bridge earlier from determined enemy attack)The Mosquitoes descended on us in avenging hordes accompanied by some very heavy shelling. to get some sleep I tipped the parafin from a storm lamp over my head to try to keep the mosquitoes off, A beautiful day, we watched as huge fleets of bombers saturated the ground in front of us The Eighth Brigade led off as usual, Eighth brigade alwys led off. The battle was horrific with very heavy fire but worst of all! Airbursts. no protection from over head shelling. Thank you all again for the kind words.
Sapper

 

HI Every body.
If there are any of you who would like to learn about any of the battles from Sword Beach to the German border.The taking of Caen. The Chateau de la londe, the Bloodiest square mile in Normandy. Vire, The Falaise pocket. Fighting alongside the Yanks.(Bless them). They gave us all their "goodies" and made us very welcome as brothers in arms. Through the German lines. The great chase across France. the race for Arnhem. So much action. The garden Roller man. How to get yourself wounded. drop me a line by e mail and I will try to answer any questions.
I already have to write about Goodwood as asked and I will, when I sort it out in my mind.
Thanks again for the kind words.
Sapper

 

Dear Sapper--I would like to ask you some questions about the race for Arnhem very soon. Many thanks and Best Wishes--Carl.

 

I have so many unanswered quetsions, so many debts of honour that will never be satisfied.to all those kind people who helped me out during my long stay in hospital. What happened to the British officer I found with his leg hanging off leaning on the farm house steps, deep behind Enemy lines in the early hours of a very dark summers night. He asked me to take his orders and cut his leg off?

 

What happened to the German paratroop Doctor who we captured? he stayed with us treating both German and British wounded? Big man with red coss back and front of his smock. What happened to the American with a American Mother and a German father he was called up into the German army while on holiday from America. We captured him near Vire, he told us his mum had told him to stay behind and give himself up to the Americans?
What happens to these people? Is that Officer who asked for help from a very scared nineteen year old deep behind the enmy lines in the pitch black night live? Do you all see the turmoil and memories that still haunt old soldiers? Sapper

 

While I was wondering what happened to these people, it reminded me of the dead german officer spreadeagled on the cobbled floor of a cider barrel outhouse in Normandy, near Vire. Resplendant in his regalia and insignia, with his iron cross and his SS dagger. just waiting for some idiot to move him before he blew up and everything with him? My pal "Spud" and myself thought about putting a rope round his feet and giving him a pull from a distance, to set him off. But on reflection, we decided it would be far too messy! we would leave it for some one else.
Sapper.

 

Sapper :

Thanks for the brief but chilling narratives. These are exerpts of things we "kids" need to know.

Erich

 

I wonder at the purpose of the German officer being booby-trapped? Someone else just wanting to kill or maim whomever came along? Ive heard of this happening often on the Eastern Front and with the fighting between the allies and the Japanese. I find it very interesting information to hear--about this happening on the Western Front.

About 8 years ago--I had met a person at a local gunshow here in CC,TX --he was wearing an Afrika Korps officers M-43 cap. Turned out that this mas had been a Major in the D.A.K. and was captured in 1943. This man had also served with the French Forign Legion in Indochina till 1953 when he decided to move to the USA where he lived till his passing in 1996. This reminded me of some of the things he had told me of what they came across in Indochina while fighting the Viet Minh.

In 1941 he had been in a unit that had participated in the invasion of the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa) He was in a Panzer unit and was the commander of his Panzer. He was participating in the attack of some Russian village when he came upon a Dacha (SP?) and to avoid being fired at by a Russian Anti-tank gun--he ordered his driver to go through the Dacha.

His Panzer entered the dwelling and stopped inches short of a table. This man got out of his Panzer to rescue a full bottle of Vodka. In the process, this man found a Russian woman covered with debris--her leg having been severed probably by an artillery or Panzer round. Apparently--she was put inside this dwelling and forgotten.

This German officer picked her up and put her on the back of the Panzer and then ordered his driver to reverse and go to where a field medical unit had been located. He left the woman there and got back into his Panzer to continue with the attack.

Turns out that his Company CO was wondering about him and why he went back to the German lines? His CO was going to press charges on him when he learned of what his subordinate did--which in turn could have gotton him courtmarshalled and possibly shot.

I havent thought of this story since he told it to me.

[ 16 September 2002, 07:22 PM: Message edited by: C.Evans ]

 

Tieke's In the Firestorm of the Last Year of the War is an excellent book on the German perspective of the 2nd SS Panzer Corps. It is a great read and doesn't get boring.