Villers-Bocage

[patboivin]

I just saw part of a Canadian History channel program on Villers-Bocage.

Apparently, Witmann's unit in one day knocked out 158 tanks and 132 AT guns.

At first he drove parallel to the Allied column, picking off the enemy tanks one at a time, from about 30m away. He kept moving forward, killing the tanks one by one.

At one point his tank was immobilized by side shot from a PIAT that destroyed a sprocket or drive train(?), so he left it, walked 15km back to SS headquarters, took over a dozen PzIVs back to Villers-Bocage with him, to finish off the rest of the Allied column.

It is amazing what a decent tank, good training and experience, and a little determination, will do.

[Simon Fox]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by patboivin:

Apparently, Witmann's unit in one day knocked out 158 tanks and 132 AT guns.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Where was that? Must be Russia or somefink cos it wasn't Villers-Bocage.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>At first he drove parallel to the Allied column, picking off the enemy tanks one at a time, from about 30m away. He kept moving forward, killing the tanks one by one.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I would think most of them would have been vehicles other than tanks, halftracks, Bren carriers etc.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>At one point his tank was immobilized by side shot from a PIAT that destroyed a sprocket or drive train(?), so he left it, walked 15km back to SS headquarters, took over a dozen PzIVs back to Villers-Bocage with him, to finish off the rest of the Allied column.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> Thought it was a 6pdr AT gun that immobilised him? Anyway, yes, he did return and got his arse kicked.

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>It is amazing what a decent tank, good training and experience, and a little determination, will do.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Yes, it is amazing what a decent tank, good training and experience, a lot of determination and the most amazing amount of luck will do.

Geez these Villers-Bocage myths just keep on cropping up.

[chasd]

I heard he was 7 ft tall, and didnt use his tank to kill the English, but fireballs from his eyes and thunder bolts from his arse.

[Schugger]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by chasd:

... and thunder bolts from his arse.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wasn't his british nickname "Deathfart"?

[Måkjager]

I think a wee bit of confusion is creeping in here in regards to the facts.

Wittman destroyed 21 tanks in Villers Bocage during that day ..as well as numerous light afvs and AT guns.

The AAR submitted by his CO Sepp Dietrich states

" With todays action Wittman has destroyed 138 enemy tanks and 132 enemy Anti-tank guns with his tank"

This is where the confusion comes from as that tally is Wiittmans total career tally up to that point...and not what he destroyed in the V-B action.

Regards

Måkjager

[Matthew_Ridgeway]

“Villers-Boccage Through The Lens” by Daniel Taylor...fairly definitive. Great quality photos as well. Even Whittmann’s own report following the battle never mentioned the quantity of destruction being alluded to here. Still one can not take anything away from the shear audacity of this guys attack at Villers…be his final count 15 tanks KO’d or 115 tanks KO’d. Following the battle Nazi propaganda succeeded in building the encounter up to proper Wagnerian proportion.

[Major Tom]

An interesting thing to note as well, it was mentioned by one historian at the end of the show that the Germans tended to inflate their kill stats, much like all air-forces did during air-combat. Most probably the kill numbers were inflated a bit, but still, pretty impressive.

I also don't think that he 'destroyed' a rifle battalion and a tank battalion. Severely disrupted (50% casualties), but, not destroyed (99% casualties). It was also interesting to note that many of the historians cited his success to the inability of the British to come to terms with the position of the German tank. Another thing is that they did not mention the disparity between tanks, as 1 Sherman =/= 1 Tiger.

Also, wasn't it Canadian forces that finally took him down? Or am I wrong about that?

Another thing as well, I really took to the fact that AT guns were seen by him to be a greater threat than Tanks. In CM I have had yet to set up a sufficiently good AT gun trap for tanks. Possibly due to a personal inability?

[lcm1947]

I'd like to see him try that **** with me!

[Micheal Wittman]

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Man you Love to hate, the Ayatolla and Rockin Rolla, The cavity in your armors teeth, tank Commander fantastic. MIICHEAALLLL WITTMAAAANNN!

[sturmtiger101]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Majo Tom "

Another thing as well, I really took to the fact that AT guns were seen by him to be a greater threat than Tanks. In CM I have had yet to set up a sufficiently good AT gun trap for tanks. Possibly due to a personal inability?[/QB]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Major Tom, From the literature I've read on the subject, most tankers of Wittman's era considered the destruction of an enemy ATG as far more important than that of an AFV, the ATG being more dangerous. Perhaps this was due to the higher difficulty in spotting a well sited gun from the confines of a tank in the confusion of combat?

Cheers,

Tuggle