Hill 112_The Battle of the Odon Read online

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  Battleground Europe Series guides under contract for future release:

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  Somme - Ginchy by Michael Stedman

  Somme - Combles by Paul Reed

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  This book is dedicated in gratitude

  to the late J.D. Spinney Esq

  History master and source of inspiration,

  Clayesmore School, Dorset.

  Published by

  LEO COOPER

  an imprint of

  Pen & Sword Books Limited

  47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS

  Copyright © Tim Saunders 2001

  ISBN 0 85052 737 6

  eISBN 978 1 78337 932 3

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  from the British Library

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  COMBINED PUBLISHING

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  CONTENTS

  Acknowledgements

  Introduction

  Advice for Visitors

  Chapter 1 Operation Epsom

  Taurus over the Odon

  Chapter 2 Preparations for Operation JUPITER

  Chapter 3 Operation JUPITER

  Assault On Hill 112

  Chapter 4 Operation JUPITER

  Attack on Maltot Village and Cornwall Wood

  Chapter 5 The Capture of Maltot and the Fall of Hill 112

  Chapter 6 The Tours

  Cemeteries

  British Order of Battle

  SS Ranks and British/American equivalents

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Firstly, I would like to thank veterans of the battle, particularly members of 43rd Wessex Association, for so freely giving their time to talk to me about their experiences on Hill 112. In some cases, they relived some horrific moments, in order that what actually happened on that hillside is put on the record. Secondly, as with all other authors in the Battleground Europe series, this author is indebted to the present day regimental headquarters of the many British units that fought at Hill 112. The staff responsible for archives, be they overworked regimental secretaries or very knowledgeable volunteers, all generously and promptly answered a multitude of enquiries on my behalf. The archives of the Tank Museum, at Bovington, Dorset and Peter Beal were particularly useful in ensuring that the part played by the armour in the battle has been properly reflected. However, I would particularly like to thank the staff of that wonderful resource for the military historian, the Prince Consort’s Library in Aldershot, who were, as ever, outstanding. I am most grateful for the loan of diaries and photographs from various other sources.

  Any military history of the Second World
War that seeks to portray an action through both sides’ eyes must examine sources in languages other than English. As an author who is unable to speak either German or French competently, I am greatly indebted to Anne Fox, who gave her time generously to translate many pages of documents.

  Finally, in common with most authors, I have to sincerely thank my family for their forbearance and encouragement to complete this project. They also bore the brunt of reading and checking the all too numerous drafts of this book. However, as always, responsibility for errors is entirely mine.

  INTRODUCTION

  Squeezed between the two better known operations of EPSOM and GOODWOOD, the fighting at Hill 112, the battle called Operation JUPITER, is less well known but deserves wider understanding and appreciation. During July 1944, readers of British or German newspapers would seldom fail to find a reference to, or story about, Hill 112, and within the two armies, newsletters extensively featured reports on the fighting. This book aims to share what was at the time common knowledge of the battles fought at Hill 112 with the modern reader.

  As this book is a guide, I have avoided controversy and excessive commentary, preferring to let powerful events speak for themselves. However, following repeated questions from those who have seen Spielberg’s film Saving Private Ryan and reflecting on the comments that it contains on the British part of the Normandy Campaign, I have included a section on Montgomery’s strategy. Concerning the quality of the British Second Army in battle, I let action speak for itself. I have also taken care to cover the part played by the supporting arms, such as the gunners of the anti-tank regiments Royal Artillery whose, highly significant role is frequently overlooked in accounts of battles.

  Our ground for this guide lies between the rivers Odon and Orne. The River Odon is a small stream in a narrow, steep-sided, valley that lies to the north of the area and has few crossing points. The Odon valley was an obstacle to movement. The banks, hedges and the steep sided tree-lined stream made life difficult for both tracked and wheeled vehicles. During the month that the frontline rested on Hill 112, the valley became justifiably known as ‘Death Valley’.

  Rising from the close confines of the valley are the open slopes of the central part of our area: Hill 112. The feature can be seen on the skyline from much of the western portion of the Allied lodgement area but, with its gentle slopes, it can hardly be described as dominating. However, when standing on the crest, the fields of fire and, more importantly, observation are impressive. A senior German officer, no doubt returning from a recce of the area, was overheard by a Resistance informer to say ‘He who holds Hill 112, holds Normandy’. Even today, with much post-war building along the Caen to Bayeux road, it is easy to understand the importance attached to Hill 112 by both sides and why so much blood was spent contesting its possession. Looking closer, the slopes of the hill have a far from uniform profile. In some directions the slopes are concave and in others convex, which, as we shall see, both the attacking and defending infantry found to be highly significant.

  The small Norman farming communities of the area lie mainly in the low ground. The buildings were strongly built from the warm honey-coloured limestone of the region and, despite suffering much destruction and the presence of modern in-fill housing, retain much of their character.

  Forming the eastern and southern boundary of our area is the River Orne. It is larger than the Odon and meanders through a broad valley, with flanks that sweep down from the open ridges and broad plateau of Hill 112. Beyond lie the temptingly open plains of Northern France, ideal for a speedy armoured advance eastwards to Germany.

  Those few square miles were to be the scene of some of the hardest and most protracted fighting during the Normandy Campaign. Indeed, one brigade commander who had experienced the ‘trenchlock’ of the Western Front, said of the battle, ‘In these conditions, comparable only in my experience, to the bombardment at Passchendaele, the Division was to remain in action for fourteen days’.

  This guide will put the battle for Hill 112 into the context of Montgomery’s campaign strategy, and introduce the formations and units of both sides. But, above all, we will hear from the men who fought so tenaciously at Hill 112.

  ADVICE FOR VISITORS

  Preparation and planning are important prerequisites for an enjoyable and successful tour of any battlefield. This section gives some useful advice to those who are travelling to Normandy for the first time and acts as a checklist for the more seasoned traveller. Remember, some Second World War wisdom ‘Time spent in reconnaisance is seldom wasted’ or the more soldierly and memorable ‘Prior planning and preparation prevents poor performance’.

  Travel to Normandy

  Most visitors travelling to the Normandy battlefields do so by car. However, with the area’s proximity to ports, an increasing number of hardy souls are cycling around the battlefields. Whichever method one chooses to travel around Normandy, anyone whose journey originates in the UK has to get across or under the Channel. A wide range of crossing options are available. The nearest ferry service to Hill 112 is the Brittany Ferries route which delivers the visitor from Portsmouth to Ouistreham, less than twenty minutes drive from Caen alongside Sword Beach. This crossing is slightly longer than others; six hours during the day or six hours thirty minutes overnight. Further away, one hour thirty minutes drive to the west, is the port of Cherbourg, which is served by sailings from Portsmouth, Southampton and Poole (four hours thirty minutes to five hours). Equidistant from Hill 112 but to the east is le Havre, which is served by ferries that leave the UK from Portsmouth and Southampton. Choice for most visitors depends on the convenience of the sailing times and, of course, relative costs. Do not forget special offers. To the east of Normandy are the shorter, and consequently cheaper, crossings in the Boulogne and Calais area. For those who dislike ferries there is the Channel Tunnel, but this option, though quicker, is usually more expensive. From the Calais area, Hill 112 can be easily reached via the new autoroutes in under four hours but bear in mind tolls cost up to £15. This can be reduced to about £10 by avoiding the new Pont de Normandie. It is worth checking out all the options available and make your selection of route based on UK travel, ferry times and, of course cost. French law requires you to carry a full driving licence and a vehicle registration document. Do not forget your passport and a GB sticker if you do not have EU number plates with the blue national identifier square.

  Insurance

  It is important to check that you are properly insured to travel to France. Firstly, check with your insurance broker to ensure that your car is properly covered for driving outside the UK and, secondly, make sure you have health cover. Form E111, available from main post offices, grants the bearer reciprocal treatment rights in France but, even so, the visitor may wish to consider a comprehensive package of travel insurance. Such packages are available from a broker or travel agent. It is a legal requirement for a driver to carry a valid certificate of motor insurance. Be warned that without insurance, repatriating the sick or injured is very expensive, as is return of vehicles.

  Accommodation

  There are plenty of options ranging from hotels in Caen to very well-run campsites, with all other grades of accommodation in between. In the centre of Caen, near the Bassin St Pierre are the three-star Ibis and Mercure hotels (tel: (0)2 31 47 24 24), which are near to a wide variety of local restaurants. Slightly further from the centre (and cheaper) is Hotel de France (tel: (02) 31 52 16 99), which is popular with touring parties. Further contacts are available from the French Tourist Office, 178 Picadilly, London, W1V 0AL (0891 244 123). Further details of accommodation and travel amenities are available from the office of Calvados Tourisme, Place du Canada, 14000 Caen, France. To telephone from the UK dial 00 33, drop the 0 necessary for ringing within France and dial 2 31 86 53 30.

  Maps

  Good maps are an essential prerequisite to a successful battlefield visit. Best of all is a combination of contemporary and modern maps. The Battleground Series
of course, provides a variety of maps. However, a full map sheet enables the visitor or indeed those who are exploring the battlefield from the comfort of their armchair, to put the battle in a wider context. A contemporary 1:25,000 map sheet, overprinted by 43rd Wessex Division’s G Int branch on 8 July 1944, is available from the Keep Military Museum, Bridport Road, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1RN for £4.99 including postage and packing. It shows the woods and roads as they were before the intervention of modern agriculture. Overprinted are the German positions that had been located by patrols and air reconnaissance prior to the battle. A number of modern map series are available in both the UK and Normandy. Most readily available in both countries are the Michelin 1:200,000 Yellow Series. Sheet 54 covers the British and US D-Day, build-up and break-out battle areas and is useful for getting around the Normandy battlefields and its ports. Better still are the Institut Geographique National (IGN) 1:100,000 Serie Vert (Green Series) maps. Sheet 6, Caen-Cherbourg-Normandie, covers most of the Normandy battle area. Normally only available in the UK at a specialist map shop, they can, however, be procured as a special order through high street book shops such as Waterstones. The Serie Verte maps have the advantage of showing contours and other details such as unmade roads and tracks. Sheet 6 is a good compromise if you are visiting several sites and wish to use a single map. The most detailed maps, readily available in France, are the IGN Serie Bleue in 1:25,000 scale. The Hill 112 area is covered on two sheets: 15 12 E Caen, which includes Eterville and the Northern part of Hill 112, and sheet 15 13 E, which covers the southern part of the Operation JUPITER area. The best supplier of maps in Caen is Hemispheres, a small but comprehensively supplied retailer, located in Rue Croisiers. Directions are easily obtainable from the information office opposite the Cathedral. However, if you are planning your tour well in advance, large retailers in the UK can order the Serie Bleue maps, given sufficient notice. When purchasing maps, do try to find ones that show the southern portion of the Périphérique, which was completed in the late nineties. The recent roadworks have greatly changed access to the Hill 112 battlefield and it is advisable to have an up-to-date map.