Battle of Villers-Bocage

Villers-Bocage, zerstörte Cromwell-Panzer

Information added by Wikimedia users. roughly translates as "France, Villers-Bocage.- destroyed British Cruiser Tank VIII Cromwell (Turret number: T 187749) in the village in front of burnt house; PK Signal-Einsatz"

Villers-Bocage, zerstörter Cromwell-Panzer

Villers-Bocage, zerstörte britische Militärfahrzeuge

Probably Borgward B3000 truck

Captain L Cotton MM (left, wearing German Iron Cross!) with his Cromwell VI tank and crew of 4th County of London Yeomanry, 7th Armoured Division, 17 June 1944. Cotton had been promoted to captain following the regiment's action at Villers Bocage.

Allied and Axis dispositions on 12 June 1944 before Caen, Normandy. US pressure on the German 352nd Infantry Division forced a withdrawal which opened up a gap in the German line. This was exploited by the British, who attempted to flank the Panzerlehrdivision leading to the Battle of Villers-Bocage.

Royal Air Force Bomber Command, 1942-1945. Avro Lancasters carpet bomb a road junction near Villers Bocage, Normandy, France through which the 2nd and 9th SS Panzer Divisions were expected to move to carry out an attack on the junction of the British and American armies. The daylight attack, by 266 aircraft of Nos. 3, 4 and 8 Groups, was carried out at 4,000 feet to ensure that the target indicators dropped by the Pathfinders were seen and 1,100 tons of bombs were dropped with great accuracy.

Villers-Bocage, zerstörter Sherman-Panzer

Knocked-out Cromwell observation post tank, commanded by Captain Paddy Victory of 5th Royal Horse Artillery, 7th Armoured Division, in Villers-Bocage, 5 August 1944. Captain Victory had attempted to do a neutral turn to escape more quickly, however a loose large paving slab jammed the track and essentially immobilised the tank.[1]

Villers-Bocage, zerstörter Cromwell-Panzer

Villers-Bocage, zerstörter Cromwell-Panzer

Villers-Bocage, zerstörter Cromwell-Panzer

Villers-Bocage, zerstörter Cromwell-Panzer

Villers-Bocage, zerstörte englische Militärfahrzeuge

Villers-Bocage, zerstörte Cromwell-Panzer

Villers-Bocage, zerstörter Cromwell-Panzer

Villers-Bocage, zerstörter britischer Panzer

Information added by Wikimedia users. Pkz IV not a Tiger I/E [it was at Villers-Bocage with the Tigers]

Villers-Bocage, zerstörte britische Panzer

Villers-Bocage, zerstörter Sherman-Panzer

Villers-Bocage, zerstörte britische Panzer

Villers-Bocage, Zerstörter M4 Sherman

Map shows the positions of the 4th County of London Yeomanry, A Company, 1st Rifle Brigade and the 1/6 Queen's Regiment prior to the attack launched by Michael Wittmann. The map was possibly created either by The Sharpshooters Yeomanry Association or the late Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Pearce.

The gun is QF 6-pdr AT-gun, the tractors are most probably Loyd Carriers