Despite the introduction of the 17 Pounder, the 6 Pounder was continually used to great success in Normandy, especially in the towed AT role (It could be towed easily by Jeeps and Carriers)which made it a favorite with airborne forces. Although the Churchill's were fitted at manufacture level from the Mk7 onwards with the British QF75mm (able to use American ammo), as far as tank killing goes the smaller 6 pounder (57mm) equipped Churchill tanks enjoyed superior anti tank capabilities.

Theres more importance to Hill 112 than it just being a low angled hump. Ive been there myself and although its hardly noticable as being a hill when reaching it, it does give great views across the countryside. Hill 112 is the highest part of a ridge that runs Southwestwards from Caen and dominates two valleys.

It was the Germans who said that, "he who holds Hill 112, holds Normandy" a reason why they fought so hard for it.

Theres a couple of pictures of Hill 112 or Cornwall hill showing how moonscaped it looked after the battles, very similar to WW1 pictures.

The Germans prepared elaborate field defences in great depth manned by the picked 10th Panzer Division, tough, seasoned and superlatively trained, who would fight to the last to hold the ridge. Their tactics were to lie low at first, in their concealed round holes amid the corn, letting their attackers (And particularly their tanks) pass through with the appearance of and easy victory, then to catch the rearward companies in belts of enfilading cross-fire, while the forward elements, losing impetus against the stiffening resistance from the deep defences ahead of them, found themselves cut off from all support. The defences were backed with artillery and mortars on a lavish scale, besides many Tiger and Panther tanks, S.P. Guns and ‘Moaning Minnies’ or Nebelwerfers.

A friend of mine fought in the villages around Hill 112 and lost 3 friends to MG fire, I visited their graves at Bayeux for him last year. He still finds it very difficult to talk about what happened there. The battles around the Odon are some of the bloodiest of the whole campaign, it is said that at one point the river Odon was was blocked dammed like, because of the bodies in it.

martin mentioned an excellent book on it, and this can still be bought on ebay at times, ive often seen it on there, and sometimes you can pick up a used copy on Amazon. Other good books that cover these battles well are The Wyvern in North West Europe : being a short history of the 43rd Wessex Division, 24 June 1944-8 May 1945. The Fighting Wessex Wyverns: From Normandy to Bremerhaven with the 43rd Wessex Division by Delaforce. The 43rd Wessex Division at War, 1944-1945 H. Essame.As well as many of the other regimental books that are out there.

Andy

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Hang my head in shame, a great book to read especially if you are interested in Hill 112 and Churchills, is 'Tank Tracks: 9th Battalion Royal Tank Regiment at War, 1940-45
Peter Beale'.

This can be read here

http://www.royaltankregiment.com/9th...T/CONTENTS.HTM

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The GErman account Firestorm of the last war year covering the W-SS 9th and 10th Pz's would be useful endeavor for the German side of the conflict on the hump 112. Here is another work just released by German armro historian Wolfgang Schneider, over 500 photos, and many maps. the title is a bit bizarre but covering the infacny of the heavy W-SS panzer Tiger unit found at hill 112 Schwere Pz abt. 102 found it's creation through the Das Reich Tiger kompanie. Good to see the thread still alive .....

http://www.jjfpub.mb.ca/hill_112.htm

Anyone know anything about this reprint? Most of the jjf books have been pretty good, albiet a bit pricey... this one worthwhile?

With the amounts and types of german armor involved, some of the old hats around here can imagine my interest in this one. Looking towards the first major book purchase in over a year, this one immediately crossed my mind.

'course, $35 dosen't seem like too much...

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Seriously, all today is missing is free cotton candy and the annual Bay State Hooker Parade to make it any better.

That's the book, alright - I had no idea that JJF had done a reprint. The book is certainly worthy of one. If I didn't have a copy of the original edition, I'd buy it....

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Excellent- as soon as Xmas bills on the credit card are paid off, I know at least one purchase that will follow!

Does look to be a pretty nice reprinting as well- and from JJF, $35 for a book like that is a steal!

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Seriously, all today is missing is free cotton candy and the annual Bay State Hooker Parade to make it any better.

try amazon.com or another book distributor as you may find it cheaper. though I have dealt with JJF since their inception they are quite high in price for all items

Very true, Erich- tho they are two of my all-time favorites, the two Tigers in Combat volumes cost me a pretty penny.

It'll be a month or so at least till the next "library update", so we'll see what I wind up with.

And I've got plenty of reviewing to do, so I'm in no rush.

Apologies for the hijack on this thread!! [img]redface.gif[/img]

To get it back on track... I've seen the website Erich linked before, but I've yet to do any real in-depth reading on this battle.
Reading the description of the battle, on question does immediately come to mind...

Considering that, from the sounds of it, the terrain on Hill 112 and the surrounding area was not especially dense or rugged- how did the German armor- especially tanks as large as the Tigers- escape Allied air power?

It would seem to me that the armor comparison here- Churchill vs. Tiger- would be almost moot, as I'd think Allied air power would have kept the german tanks from being a huge factor.

I've no doubt from what you gents have said that this was a fierce battle of armor- and apparently one that lasted for days- but what took the allied air power out of the equation to allow for such a clash of armor?


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Seriously, all today is missing is free cotton candy and the annual Bay State Hooker Parade to make it any better.

I don't mean to be rude "bumping" this one back to the top, but having read a bit more about the battle for Hill 112, until I can afford to make a book purchase this one really has my curiousity aroused, and I'm sure some of the experts here can shed some light.

A mainly armor /infantry battle in July 44 in Normandy that apparently went on for as much as 20 days-

And yet I haven't read about Allied air power being a major presence...

Wouldn't the Tigers have been taken out left and right by the Typhoons and other allied aircraft?

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Seriously, all today is missing is free cotton candy and the annual Bay State Hooker Parade to make it any better.

I'm posting this as an opinion without any sources to quote, but wouldn't it have been the case that at this stage of the fighting, the opposing forces would have been too close together ?

TAF aircraft would have been as much of a danger to their own side and would also have been prey to Allied AA. This is one reason that the Typhoons etc came into their own during the 'breakout' phase of the Normandy fighting when German ground forces could be clearly identified.

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Smoke and absolute crap visibility ............ and the close proximity of the combating forces as Martin explained

Excellent, that does make sense. This would be where I need some further research on Hill 112- I don't have a very good picture of the terrain and how close quarters the fighting was.

I'm so used to the scenarios where Allied air power in Normandy kept the german armor from being a significant mobile striking force- it suprised me a bit to read about this battle lasting as long as it did as a significant armored engagement.

Well, I'm quite sure of at least one of my upcoming "reading assignments"!

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Seriously, all today is missing is free cotton candy and the annual Bay State Hooker Parade to make it any better.

not sure if either is working but maybe.........

http://www.hill112.com

http://www.ss-panzer.de

enjoy I hope !

E

Erich
I love your picture of the Tiger passing a knocked out BT? As with some models of T-34 they both had the "2" round hatches in the turret. When hit, and when the crew bailed out the hatches would stand straight up.
I recall reading about how some Germans used to call this..."Mickey Mouse"
I'm just interested to see if you've heard of this as well?

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There's one way to find out if a man is honest-ask him. If he says "Yes", you know he's a crook. Groucho Marx

That's surprising actually, you don't hear as much about the Churchill on the battlefield. In the old historical footage I usually see Fireflies and Cromwells.

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Just finishing 'Tank Tracks: 9th Battalion Royal Tank Regiment at War, 1940-45
Peter Beale'.

Great book, with details and stories of warfare by the soldiers themselves.

I did not know the insects and mosquitos were so nasty that the soldiers were covered with blisters....

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Kai what is mentioned on this battle in your book title ? still looking for the ultimate book on this carnage if there is indeed one printed ........ ?

I note both web-sites I posted earlier are still up and running but both have shown no updates for some while

Operation Jupiter, the plans for which had been drawn up some days before, had the strategic objective of bringing German armour back to the British front ( instead of the US side ), and the tactical objective of reaching River Orne south of Caen. The spesific objectives were: On the right flank Hill 112, on the left flank Chateau de Fontaine, Eterville,Maltot.

9 July: reports showed that I corps was breaking into Caen from the north and east. By 1800 hrs all Caen north of the river Orne had been captured;Carpiquet aerodrome and the road Verson-Caen were also reported clear. Operation Jupiter was now possible.

10 July

At 0300 hrs the battalion moved to FUP area Fontainen-Etoupefour. The move was covered by artillery, and no difficulties were encountered.

Phase I. At 0500 hrs B squadron advanced with 5th Dorsets and in fifteen minutes Les Daims had been taken and only machine-gun fire had been encountered. It was known that elements of 10th SS panzer divisions threatened the left flank and twelve Panthers were reported roaming in the area of Eterville.A troop of 17-pounder self-propelled AT guns took up positions to guard against this threat while B squadron pushed on to the Chateau. At 0614 the objective was reported secure with the infantry firmly established on the line of the road from Fontaine-Etoupefour to Maltot.

Phase 2: by 0635 hrs C sqaudron were advancing to Eterville with the 4th Dorsets. As 4th Dorsets neared Eterville B squadron moved up and gave added support from the right flank, destroying two anti-tank guns. By 0735 hrs Eterville had been taken and B squadron rallied north of Les Daims.

Phase 3: At 0815 hrs A squadron advanced between B and C squadrons supporting 7th Hampshires in their attack on Maltot.Up to now the whole attack had gone perfectly, but at 0835 hrs A squadron was severely worried by anti-tank fire from four German SP´s in the area of the orchards just north of Maltot.

On the right of 9 RTR, 7 RTR were attacking Hill 112 in support of 129 Brigade. They had made substantial progress, but at 0933 hrs strong enemy counter-attack was made on hill 112. The right flank of 9 RTR´s advance was thus enfiladed, and anti-tank fire was also reported from the high ground dominating Maltot to the west of River Orne. Two Tigers were in Maltot making the advance of the infantry extremely difficult and A squadron´s movement was hampered by a troop of Tigers on the southern slope of Hill112, firing north-east.

At 1156 hrs A squadron were still struggling to support the infantry in Maltot who were now confronted with another Tiger. The German infantry were now counter-attacking, and only nine tanks of A squadron were left.

By 1200 hrs 2 i/c A squadron reported that he had only four tanks capable of fighting. Further reports stated that counter-attacks were being made with tanks and infantry from north-east and south-west of Maltot.

From 1300 to 1600 hrs there was a stalemate, the enemy making no attempts to push their counter-attack any further.A new plan was devised , and the advance began at 1640 hrs. Despite antitank fire from south-west of Maltot C squadron had put the infantry into the village by 1700 hrs. Ten minutes later C squadron were being shot at from the rear, for once again enemy tanks had infiltrated under cover of the spur north-east of Hill112. Eight Tigers were also moving in on the left flank, and the infantry were pulling out of Maltot.

At 1935 hrs C squadron was also forced to withdraw under the cover of supporting fire from B squadron. At 2030 hrs all tanks rallied at the FUP; later they moved to join A Echelon north-east of Mouen to replenish and collect reinforcements.

Druing this day the battalion suffered 65 casualties, of whom 22 were killed, 34 wounded, and nine taken prisoner. Sixteen tanks had been knocked out, of which six were recoverable.

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Some Hill 112 shots from IWM Collections:
Imperial War Museum Collections Online Database














Cheers,
Adam.

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It's only the Internet.