'Aussie Rick'’s Comments (group member since Jun 12, 2009)

'Aussie Rick'’s comments from the THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP group.

"The Armoured Campaign in Normandy June - August 1944" - The author provided details of an incident known as 'Barkmann's Corner'. On July 27, 1944 outside of the village of Lerey, France, Ernest Barkmann positioned his Panther in a grove of trees and proceeded to single-handedly destroy nine Sherman tanks as well as some support vehicles effectively stopping an American armored assault. There has been some question if this incident actually occurred as described by the Germans. Here is a stylised video story covering this event:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9afct...

"The Armoured Campaign in Normandy June - August 1944" - Just finished the chapter on Operation Cobra. For those who may not be familiar with this part of the Normandy campaign here are a few good links:

https://d-dayinfo.org/en/operation-ov...

https://www.memorial-montormel.fr/en/...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operati...

"The Armoured Campaign in Normandy June - August 1944" - Another account from Operation Goodwood, from the German perspective:

"One of the most celebrated stories of the Normandy campaign is that of the German commander of the 125th Panzergrenadier Regiment of the 21st Panzer Division, Major Hans von Luck, who arrived back from leave in Paris just after the British artillery barrage had ceased. Von Luck commanded a kampfgruppe made up of his 125th Panzergrenadier Regiment and other forces, including the 4th Company of Mark IVHs, which lay directly in the proposed British line of advance. According to von Luck, in an effort to find out what was happening he was driven, still in his dress uniform, in a Mark IV tank to Gagny where he saw the tanks of the 11th Armoured Division streaming past the village to the west. On his way back to the command post von Luck noticed a battery of four Luftwaffe 88mm flak guns, their barrels pointing skywards, in the centre of Cagny. According to von Luck, he asked the Luftwaffe captain if he knew that there were British tanks already bypassing Cagny and ordered him to move his guns to an orchard north of the village to engage them. According to von Luck, the reply from the captain nf this his response was as follows:

'Major, my concern is fighting enemy planes, fighting tanks is your job. I'm Luftwaffe.' He was about to turn away. At that I went up to him, drew my pistol (which we had to carry for trips to Paris), levelled it at him and said, 'Either you're a dead man or you can earn yourself a medal'

The captain realised that von Luck was serious and decided to comply with the order, quickly moving his guns into the orchard overlooking the lines of advancing British tanks."

Hans von Luck:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_vo...

Pierce wrote: "First time participating in the theme read and went a little wild binging some D-Day books in honor of the 80th anniversary.
So far this month I've gotten through...
Currahee by Donald Burgett 4/5
..."

Some excellent books there Pierce!

Since I mostly read physical books, I have to sit down and type out my quotes :)

I did recently buy a Kindle but I only have about a dozen books on it at the moment.

"The Armoured Campaign in Normandy June - August 1944" - Another account from Operation Goodwood covering the advance of British tanks:

"A second hedge just north of Le Mesnil Frementel was reached at about 0900 hours and searching for a gap caused a further delay. Once through this hedge the tanks of the 3rd RTR were in plain sight of the defended farmhouse and anti-tank gunfire began to strike the advancing tanks. The position was defended by panzergrenadiers of the 125th Regiment and Becker's 4th Batterie. Concerned by the firing coming from Le Mesnil Frementel, Major Close of the 3rd RTR radioed that he wanted to stop and shell the buildings but was told to keep going by the 29th Brigade HQ:

This wasn't the usual way to deal with defended villages and I felt most uncomfortable. We were crossing what was virtually a plain at this time and armour-piercing shot was coming from Cagny and Le Prieure. As the shot hurtled over the corn, you could see it rippling, leaving a wake like a torpedo. The paths were so clear that we were able to take evasive action.

Major Close ordered his tanks to fire into Le Mesnil Frementel while on the move. Attempting to bypass the position exposed the thinner armoured, more vulnerable sides of the Shermans to Major Becker's 4th Batterie of assault guns within the farm. The 3rd RTR experienced its first casualties, three Shermans being lost in quick succession."

The Armoured Campaign in Normandy June - August 1944 by Stephen Napier

Manray9 wrote: "Last night I finished The Little Field Marshal: A Life of Sir John French by Richard Holmes. It was the seventh book I’ve read by Holmes – and the best.

I recommend it."

Really glad to hear you enjoyed the book MR9!

It would have been indeed Mike!

I was watching a WW2 documentary on Netflix and one of the speakers/authors was Nicole Eaton. I checked out her book and decided to order a copy which arrived today; "German Blood, Slavic Soil: How Nazi Königsberg Became Soviet Kaliningrad".

German Blood, Slavic Soil: How Nazi Königsberg Became Soviet Kaliningrad by Nicole Eaton

"The Armoured Campaign in Normandy June - August 1944" - Operation Goodwood and the effects of the RAF heavy bombers:

"As they were engulfed in the inferno, men simply disappeared, torn apart in the maelstrom of high explosives. Heavy Tiger tanks were overturned by the blasts and men cowered in their foxholes or under tanks wondering if they would be next:

As far as my company were concerned, two Tigers were completely neutralised, two others were so badly damaged that they could not be employed. All the tanks were completely covered with earth and the gun sights had been thrown completely out of alignment by the shock effect. Fifteen men of the company were dead, two further had committed suicide during the bombardments; another had to be sent to a mental hospital for observation. The psychological shock of these terrible exchanges remained with us for a long time.

The casualties amongst the infantry were far worse. The 16th Luftwaffe Field Division virtually ceased to exist, shallow infantry foxholes offering no protection to its infantry against the 500-pound bombs of the RAF."

Operation Goodwood:
https://www.gf9.com/hobby.aspx?art_id...

"The Armoured Campaign in Normandy June - August 1944" - Fighting in the hedgerows:

Throughout June and the first half of July, most American infantry and armoured officers gained first-hand experience of the bocage and studied the problem of fighting in the hedgerows. The challenge was to combine the mobility and firepower of the separate arms so as to create a combined team that could rapidly fight its way through the hedges of successive fields. An example of the scale of the problem is described in this report from the history of the 17th SS Panzer Division:

At a range of 400-500 metres, an American tank cut a hole in the wall and hedgerow with its cutting spade. The tank commander went into a well-concealed firing position with his tank. An American tank drove through the gap, exhibiting no apparent concern, and out into the meadow. Three more of the same followed. As the fifth one showed itself in the gap, the right moment had come for the tank commander. The first round from his 75mm gun tore the turret off the American. The American tank stayed there, burning, and blocking the gap. The other four then fired in every direction, except at our panzer. Before they had figured out where their enemy was, the tank commander had knocked them all out.

The battle of the hedges:
https://normandy-victory-museum.fr/en...

Marc wrote: "Finished this one last night:

[book:Soldier, Sailor, Frogman, Spy, Airman, Gangster, ..."

I hope that "The Devil's Garden" will be an interesting account, keep us posted Marc!

Dipanjan wrote: "
collected this one..."

Nice Dipanjan, I hope you enjoy it!

Glad to hear you enjoyed Joseph Balkoski’s book on Utah Beach, Joseph!

Thanks for posting those details on Evan Mawdsley's new book, BA!

"The Armoured Campaign in Normandy June - August 1944" - Fighting in the hedgerows of Normandy caused major problems for the Allied tanks but also at times for the Germans. This account covers a German tank column ambushed by American forces:

"A second column of tanks was destroyed on another tree-lined road north of Le Dézert when the first tank and last tanks were knocked out, trapping the remainder, which were then shot up one by one. The long, overhanging barrel of the Panther tanks apparently prevented the tanks from turning their turrets to fire back at the Americans. Bayerlein himself described the Panther tank as not being suitable for use in the bocage, unlike the Mark IV tanks."

The Panzer Lehr Counter-attack at le Désert:
https://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.asp...

Great posts Jonny, got me itching to read my copy as soon as it arrives!

Glad to hear the diggers of 3 RAR looked after you guys when you visited Australia! :)

Sad news, thanks for that link MR9. 99 years old isn't too bad and what a life she had!

Bagration maybe one well worth keeping an eye out for!