The German Army in Normandy (Hitlers War Machine)

The MG 34 and the later MG 42 were the best light machine guns of the war. Their fast rate of fire - up to 1, rounds per minute for the MG 42 - had a devastating effect on advancing Allied infantry. France and the Low Countries had long been places where divisions burnt out on the Russian Front were sent to recuperate. The coastline was held by a thin line of garrison troops, from where the fittest and most able had been combed to feed the meat-grinder in the East. Waffen-SS formations were regarded as the best German forces in Normandy. The quality of German infantry divisions varied greatly.

The army field divisions and the Luftwaffe parachute divisions were largely experienced and well equipped, even though their size had been reduced to cope with manpower shortages. Most had good artillery provision, and were leavened by officers and NCOs with valuable combat experience in the East. These had little in the way of transport, and were merely expected to man fixed defences and hold their ground. They contained older troops, the medically unfit, and men recovering from wounds. Many were former Soviet POWs and were generally regarded as having little value.

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For administrative purposes they came under OB West, but von Rundstedt had no direct control over them. These divisions represented the real striking force in the German order of battle, but authority over their deployment and use had become a major bone of contention. Von Schweppenburg was keen to keep the armour well back, hidden north of Paris, until the Allies were committed, and then launch a mass counterattack. He wanted every tank as near to the coast as possible, where in his view the battle would be won or lost. He hoped too that the morale of the infantry manning the beach defences would be strengthened by the presence of elite formations beside them.

SS troops firing a mm Nebelwerfer These smoke mortars could also fire high-explosive shells. The Germans became expert at concentrating mortar fire for maximum effect. The British called them 'stonks'. It fell to Hitler to decide on the matter, and typically he chose an unworkable solution.

This was the chain of coastal fortifications which stretched from western France to Norway. Begun in , it was still far from complete. The major ports were well guarded, but only in the Pas de Calais was there something like a continuous belt of defences. On his appointment as head of Army Group B in November , Rommel ordered a massive strengthening of the existing fortifications, adding pillboxes, gun emplacements, beach obstacles and millions of mines.

In some places the defences were extended inland to cover possible access routes and glider landing areas. Five infantry divisions manned the coastal defences in the areas due to be assaulted by the Allies. The rd and th Static Divisions were in the Cotentin peninsula, with th facing the area of Utah. The 91st Airlanding Division, with the experienced 6th Parachute Regiment attached, was moved there in May to reinforce the defences.

The nd Infantry Division was a well-trained veteran field formation, recently arrived and undetected by Allied intelligence. It would oppose the American landings on Omaha with devastating consequences. The sector of coast to be attacked by the British and Canadians — designated Gold, Juno and Sword — was held by the th Static Division. This formation had been reinforced in late with experienced officers and NCOs, and would also give a good account of itself. The 88mm Flak 36 was an anti-aircraft weapon that also functioned as a superbly effective anti-tank weapon.

British and American armour had no protection against it. During Operation 'Goodwood' carefully hidden '88s' knocked out scores of British Shermans. As the clock wound down, some on the German side welcomed the chance to face the Allies. Here was probably the last chance to regain the initiative. In the event, German reaction to the landings on 6 June was slow and confused. The spell of bad weather which had made the decision to go so fraught for Eisenhower also meant the Germans were caught off guard. Rommel was visiting his wife in Germany and many senior commanders were not at their posts.

Fifteenth Army was held there. On D-Day itself, the troops manning the coastal defences did as much as they could have been expected to. The veteran nd Infantry Division inflicted heavy casualties on American forces storming Omaha beach. Elsewhere, many bunkers and gun emplacements survived the initial Allied air and sea bombardment, and their occupants held out for several hours.

The defenders were gradually silenced and Allied units were able to start advancing inland, but German resistance was enough to prevent them achieving many of their first day objectives. The Panther was a formidable opponent superior to most Allied tanks, but vulnerable to the British pounder gun mounted on the Firefly. Some of its units had already been engaged by British airborne forces, but it was not until mid-afternoon on D-Day that the division finally advanced against the British north of Caen.

They lost 70 out of tanks. Other formations also soon on the way - 17th SS would be in place at Carentan on 11 June. Two static divisions from Fifteenth Army were immediately transferred to the Normandy front, and other regular field divisions started moving there from further afield in France. As they were dependent on horses and their own feet, the infantry divisions took much longer than the armoured formations to reach the front.

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The British failure to take Caen on D-Day and make progress further inland meant the Germans were able to get sufficient forces into the battle area to contain the Allied armies. Over the next few days the fanatical SS formation made repeated attempts to drive a wedge through to the sea. The Canadians held the SS at great cost but were prevented from continuing their own advance further south, and could only consolidate their positions. These three formations formed the main defence for Caen, but plans for a major counterattack had to be abandoned as a result of Allied air attacks.

British troops pose with captured German infantry anti-tank weapons. The Panzerschreck was based on the American bazooka. The sergeant is holding two versions of the most effective Panzerfaust single-shot weapon. By his feet are two Teller mines. Units elsewhere would hold their positions. Retreat was out of the question. For the rest of June, General Bernard Montgomery, commanding all Allied ground forces, made several attempts to envelope Caen.

All failed in the face of tenacious German resistance. To the west of Caen, 50th Division was frustrated trying to push south from Bayeux towards Tilly-sur-Seulles. On 13 June Wittmann single-handedly destroyed 11 British tanks and 13 other armoured vehicles. The failed battle at Villers-Bocage was the last chance the British had for quickly outflanking Caen. The Germans had successfully plugged the gaps in their line before the Allied build-up became overwhelming.

The defensible terrain gave them a significant advantage, and they enjoyed a measure of weapon superiority. But the Germans had no answer to the prodigious firepower of the Allies.

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Air strikes, artillery and naval bombardment inexorably depleted already under-strength formations. A wrecked German SdKfz half-track in the village of Christot.

Allied fighter bombers took a heavy toll of German tanks, vehicles and horse draw transport during the retreat of the Seventh and Fifth Panzer Armies from Normandy. Unlike the British or Americans though, German units could continue to function even when substantially reduced by casualties. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. This fascinating collection of primary source accounts focuses on the combat actions of the Wehrmacht in Normandy.

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The material is drawn from a variety of wartime sources and encompasses fascinating writings concerning the tactical, operational and strategic aspects of the battle for Normandy. Compiled and edited by Emmy Award winning author and historian Bob Carruthers, t This fascinating collection of primary source accounts focuses on the combat actions of the Wehrmacht in Normandy. Compiled and edited by Emmy Award winning author and historian Bob Carruthers, this absorbing assembly of primary source interviews and intelligence reports encompasses rare material drawn from original sources to provide the reader with a unique insight into the first battles in the West.

This is the unvarnished reality of what it meant to fight in this titanic struggle to the death. Featured in the book are reports concerning little known and neglected tactical aspects of the war including weapons, fighting techniques and improvised anti-tank measures.

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Original illustrations from US wartime intelligence manuals are also featured. This compelling compilation is essential for readers with an interest in discovering more about the last days of the Wehrmacht from a range of unusual and diverse primary sources. Kindle Edition , pages. Published August 19th first published August 13th To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

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