villers bocage:michael wittmanns most famous feat of arms

another view of that day.. Alan Beadle Antique Arms & Militaria

 

Indeed.
Wolfgang Schneider takes the view that Wittmann's lone charge into the village directly lead to the costly defeat of the main German attack during the afternoon, which cost the German forces losses of 6 Tiger I's* and at least 3 Pzk IV's along with several hundred infantry casualties, as the Allied units were by then were fully alert and in defensive positions.
It should also be noted that the maximum number of tanks Wittman could have knocked out was 11.
In the action outside the town, where Wittmann was supported by two other Tigers, 3 British tanks were KO'd ( 2 Cromwell's 1 Sherman Firefly). In his lone charge into the town Wittmann Ko'd another 8 tanks ( 2 Stuart M5 light tanks, 4 Cromwell tanks, 1 Cromwell OP**, I Sherman OP**)
He was also credited with destroying 9 M1 half-tracks, 4 Universal Carriers, and 2 6 pdr A/Guns, before his tank was finally KO'd by a Sherman Firefly.

* 3 were later recovered by the Germans

** Both OP tanks had their main gun removed to make room for more radio equipment, they were fitted with a wooden mock-up gun to hide this fact

 

Why does it feel like we have been through this argument before?

Wittman blunted an important British attack against extremely long odds in Villers-Bocage and was killed in action the next day. Kudos for Wittman, but calling him the greatest tank commander of the war just does not fly with me. One of the best, perhaps. But the best? There were tank aces who scored 100+ armor kills in Shermans and T-34s. It is not inconceivable to accomplish that in a tank that was virtually immune to enemy weapons at regular combat ranges. But it boggles the mind that some managed to rack up a fraction of Wittman's score in tanks that almost any common AT weapon on that battlefield could kill.

 

One small, but important, point left out of one of my 'quoted posts' above.

 

He got himself and a lot of his men killed because he lead them in a unsupported charge over open ground toward Allied positions.

Never a good idea, even in a Tiger 1, when the enemy has an excellent A/Tank gun like the 17 pdr on hand

Even in the fantasy world of Nazi propaganda Wittmann was only the 3rd highest scoring Tank Ace

So over the top its funny

 

Probably because we have

 

Brave?

Braver than the poor tankies in their Shermans, Cromwells and Churchills?
Those poor lads who had to manouvre a lot to get a shot in that might penetrate the german armour?

Those poor tankies who day after day mounted up and had a go at Germany's finest?

I don't know about the rest of you, but in my mind any allied tankie who fought in 44-45 is a damn hero in my book.

As far as armoured warfare goes Villes Bocage is the most perverted, ill informed and misqouted engagement througout history.

It has spawned the 47-1 Sherman vs Tiger ratio, and "the Germans are cool and have sexy equipment" drivel.

Just my two p.

 

Villers for idiots (KISS)

a) Wittmann's morning attack into Villers and the isolation of A Squadron at Point 213. Great German move..

b) The afternoon attack into Villers by SS 101 and Lehr. -A disaster for the Germans. They were comprehensively defeated and forced to retreat....

c) British withdrawall from Villers. No significant German attacks on the withdrawing Units.

Daniel Taylor sums it up in his book. Tacticaly for the British: a defeat, a victory and a draw.
Strategicaly a serious setback.

 

discovery channel on that day... YouTube - Wittmann in Villers Bocage

 

Regardless of what people say, Wittman will always have a place of admiration to me.

I would think that his decision to go in alone was that he couldnt trust anybody else to do the recon properly and followed his personality. When he got there? There was no danger to his Tiger so why call in the backup? I bet he laughed when he seen the British having their Tea on the side of the road. What he did was a very ballsy assault with an abundant amount of Targets of opportunity.

Jaeger: I recall reading that three Stuarts did a brave stand against the Tiger and were destroyed by 1 shot each, truly brave they were.

 

agree tote.if you look at the video YouTube - Wittmann in Villers Bocage better men/professors of history are saying what took place on that day,so who do you want to believe? I them...

 

Exactly. Reality should never intrude on a good story.

He did not attack alone. At least 2 other Tigers supported him with fire down the road.
It is a myth that he did it all single handed. Of these 3 Tigers 2 were knocked out.

Not as much as I did when I saw what you are claiming. Perhaps you should do a bit more digging before jumping to conclusions.

Not quite. Only 2 were knocked out.

You have a bit of a problem. Consult all these better men/professors of history
and you will find you have at least 3 different versions of events. If you consult that other great man of history Gary Simpson you will find he has an entirely different take on the battle.
Thats the problem when you take your facts from the last book (or perish the thought History Channel TV Show) you read or watched.

Wittmann was chosen to be the propoganda poster boy for the SS in general and LAH in particular. It is sad to see the fiction is still being swallowed some 60 years later

 

gary simpsons book review got 1 star out of 5 rating?? now what?

1.0 out of 5 stars Villers Bocage Fantasy, October 31, 1999
By A Customer
I agree with the other reviews that Mr. Simpson's book is very poorly written. Its greatest failing, however, is the appalling inaccuracy of its description of the Villers Bocage battle. What Mr. Simpson has offered as "fact" (supported by a hilariously self-serving question-and-answer appendix) is so far of the mark that one has to question whether Mr. Simpson did even the most basic research. One only has to look at Michael Wittmann's own account of the battle (given in an interview conducted the day of the fighting) to see that Mr. Simpson's account is hopelessly in error. This book will no doubt contribute to the gobs of misinformation currently surrounding Wittmann and his exploits. Avoid this book and instead purchase Patrick Agte's book, "Michael Wittmann and the Tiger Commanders of the Liebstandarte." Although it is three times the price of Simpson's book, it is sensibly translated (from German) and is the most comprehensive book on Wittmann available..so! the story continues,not very impressive ...

 

more reviews of the book..

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Tiger Ace: The Life Story of Panzer Commander Michael Wittmann

 

How did he know there was no danger ????
For all he knew there could have been a PIAT or 17 pdr just out of sight. It was a foolhardy move that was to prove costly to the forces of the afternoon attack.

 

Most historians agree that he didnt know what was in the town but went in anyway after not being shot at initially. What he truly thought, ill never know.

A foolish gamble I will agree, but one cannot brush away the results.

 

Actually, the History Channel is NOTORIOUS for quoting professors and experts out of context and distort whatever they say to fit the preconceptions and opinions of the show producer! I know, because my professor worked with them and lived to tell the tale!

Some of their better shows, like Dogfight and Firefight, surpassed that level, but most of their shows were crap.

 

FWIW I'd give Gary Simpson's book 0 out of 5. It is one of the worst-written 'history' books I have ever parted with money for.....

 

Kudos to that, Jaeger. The sheer guts it took for men protected by armor plate half as thick as that of the Germans and armed with guns that couldn't put a dent to the Tiger at point blank range, is beyond belief.

 

I'm amazed at that reply,if you watched the video your actually listening to them stating thier findings and reasonings,not quotes taken out of context,and in wittmanns description in his words,why is that hard to take on board? if all as you say is crap! why do I believe your account? ostrich and sand is what this thread has become!!!!!!!!!!!!!!