Axis fortifications, Caen theatre, 7th June 1944.

[noob]

I am looking for some details regarding the Axis fortifications in and around the villages on the outskirts of Caen during the battles between the 3rd Canadian Division and the 12th SS Hitler Jugend Division on the 7th of June 1944.

[JasonC]

They faced few fortifications.

Behind the Canadian left, the Douvres radar station was still in German hands, and that was a large, heavily fortified area, complete with concrete pillboxes, mines and wire, etc. But other than distracting their supporting artillery and a modest amount of long range flanking fire early in the fighting, that position played no role in the day's fighting, and certainly was not involved in the fight with 12SS, much farther south.

The only other significant fortifications were an anti tank ditch about 200 yards long astride the road into Buron village, and infantry trenches behind them on the north edge of that village. An ad hoc force made from remnants of the 716 Infantry division (the coastline static division mostly destroyed on the beaches the previous day) held that village, and had probably contructed those field works overnight.

There were heavy 88mm PAK from the 21st Panzer Division's 200th PzJgr on the field, scattered among the various villages in 1s and 2s, and some of these were probably dug in, but all had moved into their fighting positions since D-Day. Again, fields works made rapidly, only.

The rest of the forces the Canadians faced were all notably mobile forces. The elements of 21 Panzer involved early in the day were halftrack mounted PzGdrs and armored pioneers, supported by SP 155mm howitzers (Lorraine Schepplers on captured French chassis) and a few Marders. All had shifted to the fighting area very recently. The 12SS components had all just arrived, and none of those had time even to dig foxholes.

A web reference is available here -

http://www.canadianmilitaryhistory.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/milner-no-ambush-no-defeat-essays-in-honour-of-terry-copp-Sept-2012.pdf

I hope this helps...

[noob]

Thanks JC, an interesting read, i will use this as the main reference for my project.

[Rokko]

Good source, would have given you the same one. It also mentions at least two air raid shelters in Buron, which I would portray as wooden shelter bunkers.

Also, while this particular source claims to give a more balanced view of the events, it mostly only quotes the North Novas regimental history instead of other sources as well. Also, to me it seems to overstate the influence of the Ersatz-Bataillon of the 716. ID (as if the last remnants of a shattered static division would put up some significant fight) and the 21. PD (KG Rauch), although the flanking fire from the heights at Saint-Contest definately was significant in pinning the North Novas in their strung out positions and restrict movement.

Anyways, the claim that two canadian infantry platoons managed to stop dead the advance of a SS batallion for 2 hours without any artillery support in Authie seams a little ridiculous if only a few lines before 2 Sherman companies are mentioned in the same village.

As a sidenote, the 12th SS divisional history claims St.-Contest had to be taken against light opposition during the day, while the other source claims Saint-Contest wasn't taken by the Allies until much later. Haven't been able so far to find out which version is closer to reality.

Also, the the article gives only very rough and definately too high numbers of German tanks involved.