Kaua ʻelua o Caen: Iulai 1944

Cromwell o ka Mahele Koa 7. ʻiole wao nahele; ʻO ka lā mua o ka hana ʻana o Goodwood, Iulai 18, 1944. ʻO ka pilikia me nā mīkini o kēia ʻano, ma waena o nā mea ʻē aʻe, ua like ko lākou silhouette angular me nā pahu Kelemania, kahi i hana hewa ai.

Ma hope o hoʻokahi mahina o ka hoʻouka kaua ʻana ma Normandy, ʻo Caen nō ke kikowaena o nā ʻaoʻao ʻelua. I ka pale ʻana i ka puka ʻana o nā Allied i ka pāpū hema hikina o ke kūlanakauhale, ua hōʻuluʻulu nā Kelemania i ka hapa nui o nā māhele pale kaua ma kēia māhele o mua.

Ma ka lā hope o Iune 1944, ua hoʻopau ʻo General Montgomery, ka luna o ka pūʻali koa 21st, i ka hana Epsom. Hoʻopili ʻia ʻo ia i ka laina pale Kelemania ma ke komohana o Caen, ua huki ʻo ia i nā SS Panzer Corps ʻelua i ke kaua. Ma ka ʻaoʻao hikina o ka wedge, ʻo ka ʻenemi Pelekania ʻo ka 12th SS Panzer Corps, ʻo Obergruppenführer Dietrich, i kēlā manawa i hana ʻia me ke koko i hoʻokahe ʻia akā e hakakā mau ana i ka 1st SS Panzer Division. ʻO "Hitler Youth" a me kahi regiment o nā grenadiers tank (SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt 1), ʻo ia ke alo e hele ana i mua o Caen 9. SS-Pz.Div. "Leibstandarte". Mai ka hema a me ke komohana, ua hoʻopaʻa ʻia ke kaua Pelekane e II. SS-Pz.Korps Gruppenführer Bittrich ma ke ʻano he ʻāpana o ka 10th SS-Pz.Div. "Hohenstaufen" a me ka 2nd SS Panzer Division. "Frundsberg", kahi o Kampfgruppe Weidinger i ʻelua mau pūʻali koa grenadier i hoʻoikaika ʻia o ka XNUMXth SS Panzer Division. "Das Reich". I kēia manawa ke hoʻāʻo nei kēia mau pūʻali e hoʻihoʻi i ka ʻāina nalowale.

Ua like kēia hoʻomohala ʻana e like me kā Montgomery i manaʻo ai. Mai ka hoʻomaka ʻana mai, ʻo kāna hoʻolālā no ka hoʻouka kaua Normandy ʻo ia ka nakinaki ʻana i ka pale kaua o Rommel ma Caen a hiki i ka mākaukau ʻana o nā ʻAmelika e hoʻouka i kahi hoʻouka kaua mai ko lākou ʻāpana komohana a ma kahi ākea ākea mai hope. ʻO ia naʻe ka pāʻani kaulana me ke ahi, no ka mea, ʻaʻole i kaupalena ka poʻe Kelemania iā lākou iho i ka pale static. Ua kauoha ʻo Montgomery i ka pūʻali koa Anglo-Canadian 2nd e hoʻomau i kā lākou hoʻoikaika ʻana e hopu iā Caen a e hoʻokau i ka ikaika nui e hoʻōki i nā pūʻali ʻenemi. I ka manawa like, pono mākou e ʻike i ka paʻa o ko mākou ʻaoʻao hikina. He mau pūʻali koa nui loa ka ʻenemi ma ka ʻāpana Caen a hiki iā ia ke hoʻohana iā lākou e pale aku i kahi hoʻouka kaua nui. No laila, he mea koʻikoʻi loa no ka hoʻolālā nui o ka hana ʻaʻole i hoʻolei ʻia e ka 2nd Army iā mākou i ke kaulike ma kekahi ʻano hina.

Ua hoʻoweliweli ʻo Churchill Crocodile i ka pūʻali koa Kelemania.

ʻO ka mea maʻamau i hōʻike ʻia i loko o ka puke e like me ke ʻano o nā hoʻāʻo kūleʻa ʻole e hopu iā Caen he ʻoiaʻiʻo ia he pāʻani pilikia me ka elite armored o ka Third Reich. Ua ʻāhewa ʻia ʻo Lieutenant General Dempsey, ka luna o ka pūʻali koa ʻelua, no kona hoʻi wikiwiki ʻana mai ka Hill 2 i hoʻonohonoho pono ʻia a me ka hoʻihoʻi ʻana o nā kaʻa i ke kapa ʻākau o ka muliwai ʻo Odon. Ua hōʻike naʻe nā hanana o Iulai 112 i ka ʻoiaʻiʻo o ka pōʻino o ka luku ʻana o nā Kelemania i ke alahaka ma waho o ka Odon, i hopu ʻia ma muli o ka Operation Epsom, me kahi hoʻouka kaua ikaika. I ka wanaʻao, ka 1th SS Panzer Division. Ua hoʻouka ʻo Hohenstaufen a me Battle Group Weidinger ma ka ʻaoʻao ʻākau o ka muliwai e hoʻāʻo e hopu hou iā Rore. Ua hoʻomau ke kaua i ka lā a pau. Ua kūʻē ka 9th "West Riding" Infantry Division, i kapa ʻia ʻo "Polar Bears", no ka bea polar i loko o ka hōʻailona o ka hui. ʻO ka hope loa, ua hāʻule ka hoʻouka kaua Kelemania ma muli o ke ahi pū. Ma ke awakea, ʻo Obersturmbannführer Otto Meyer, ka luna o SS-Pz.Rgt. 49 (ka pūʻali koa o ka māhele "Hohenstaufen"), ua hoʻopau ʻo ia i kāna hōʻike hana i ke keʻena nui me kahi ʻōlelo mai Dante: Haʻalele i nā manaʻolana āpau e hele mai nei.

Ua hoʻihoʻi ka hoʻouka kaua Pelekane i ka laina mua i kona ala mua. Ua hōʻeha ʻo Churchill Crocodile i ka poʻe grenadiers e peʻe ana i loko o nā pā, a ua pepehi ʻia lākou e nā pūʻali koa e alakaʻi ana i nā kaʻa. Ma hope koke iho o ke kaua, ua kelepona kekahi Haku Howe-Hau, nāna i hoʻolaha i ka ʻōlelo Pelekane ma ka lekiō Kelemania, i ka 49th Infantry Division. ʻO "Butchers" a hoʻolaha ʻia mai kēia manawa aku, e pana koke ʻia nā koa i hopu ʻia me ka hōʻailona polar bear. Ua mālama ka poʻe Kelemania i kā lākou ʻōlelo. Ua pepehi ʻia kekahi luna a me ʻelua mau koa mai ka 1st/Tyneside Scots Regiment (1st Battalion Tyneside Scots) i nalowale ma ka mākaʻikaʻi i kekahi mau lā ma hope mai. Ua loaʻa ko lākou mau kino ma lalo o ka hale kākela o Juvigny.

I ka wā o ke kaua ʻo Rohr, ka 10th SS Panzer Division. Ua hoʻomaka hou ʻo "Frundsberg" i ka hoʻouka ʻana i ke alahaka ma ka ʻaoʻao hema o ka Odon. Ua noho pokole na Geremania i ke kauhale o Barona, aka, eia nae ua hookuke ia lakou e kekahi hoouka kaua a emi hope aku mahope o ka puu 112, me ke kipu ia aku e na pu ma ke ala. Ua hōʻike aku nā mākaʻi Pelekania ma kahi o 300-400 SS i make ma ka pali ʻākau. Ua loaʻa i nā ʻaoʻao ʻelua nā poho nui i kēlā lā (1 koa i make i ka 132nd/Tyneside Scots), akā no ka poʻe Kelemania ua kaumaha loa lākou. Ua haʻalele ʻo Kampfgruppe Weidinger, he 642 mau koa, a he 108 ka poʻe i make, a ua hoʻihoʻi ʻia ʻo ia mai ke kaua ʻana no Caen a hoʻihoʻi ʻia i kona māhele home ("Das Reich"). ʻO kekahi o nā regiment o ka mahele ʻo Hohenstaufen (SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 20) ma Iulai 1 ua hoʻemi ʻia e nā grenadiers 328, me 51 i make. ʻO ka mahele holoʻokoʻa, mai ka manawa i komo ai lākou i ke kaua ma Iune 29 a hiki i ke ahiahi o Iulai 2, ua hoʻopaʻa ʻia i ka nalowale o nā koa he 1145 a me 16 Panthers, 10 PzKpfw IV a me XNUMX StuGs.

ʻO kēia ke kumukūʻai o nā "hopena pale" Kelemania. ʻAʻole i manaʻo hou ka poʻe Kelemania i ka mea nāna i lanakila i kēia kaua weliweli. Ua koi ʻo Von Schweppenburg, ka luna o ka Panzer Group West, e hoʻihoʻi ʻia nā ʻāpana pale kaua mai ke ʻano o nā pū kaua moana.

Ua kākoʻo ʻia ʻo ia e von Rundstedt, ka luna nui o ka pūʻali koa Kelemania ma ʻEulopa Komohana. Ua kī koke ʻo Hitler i nā mea ʻelua. A laila ʻo Rommel (ka luna o ka Pūʻali Pūʻali B, ka hoa hana o Montgomery ma kēlā ʻaoʻao) i hoʻomākeʻaka - e like me ka mea i wānana ʻia - ʻo wau ka mea ma ka papa inoa.

kapa ʻia ʻo ia ke kāpeti

I ka loiloi ʻana i ke kūlana i nā lā mua o Iulai, ua ʻōlelo ʻo Montgomery: ua lawe mua ke kahua kaua ma Normandy i ke ʻano e pono ai e haki i mua ma ka ʻaoʻao komohana. Ua manaʻolana wau e hoʻomaka i kēia hana ma Iulai 3, akā ua hōʻike ʻia nā hanana i ke kūlana he manaʻo maikaʻi loa kēia mau manaʻo. ʻO ka ʻoiaʻiʻo, ua hiki mai ka holomua ma Iulai 25 wale nō. ʻOiaʻiʻo, ʻo nā lohi ma ka ʻaoʻao komohana he hopena pololei i nā hana a ka 2nd Army. Pono ʻo ia e hoʻoikaika nui i ka ʻenemi e hiki ai ke mālama iā ia ma ka hikina.

ʻO kahi pahuhopu ʻē aʻe o kēia mau hana ʻino ʻo Carpiquet Airport, aia ma ke komohana komohana o Caen a me ke kauhale kokoke i ka inoa like. ʻO ka luna koa o ka Canadian 3rd Infantry Division, ka mea i hoʻokau ʻia ma kēia hana, ua hoʻonoho ʻo ia i kekahi o kāna mau pūʻali koa hele wāwae, ʻo ka 8th Infantry Division. He ʻekolu pūʻali koa: 1st / Royal (mai The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada), 1st / North Shores (mai North Shore New Brunswick Rgt) a me ka 1st / Chauds ʻōlelo Farani (mai ke regiment Le Régiment de la Chaudiere). . Ua kauoha ʻia lākou e brig. Kenneth Blackader. No ka lōʻihi o ka hana, he pūʻali koa pēpē hou - ʻo ka 1st / Winnipeg (mai ka Royal Winnipeg Fusiliers, ʻāpana o ka 7th Infantry Regiment) - a me ʻekolu hui o ka Ottawa Cameron Highlanders, he pūʻali koa "kaumaha" (mekini Vickers kaumaha. nā pū a me nā morta) i waiho ʻia ma lalo o kāna kauoha.

E hāʻawi ʻia ke kākoʻo Armored e ka 10th Armd Rgt (Fort Garry Horse) - kekahi o nā regiment Kanada o ka 2nd Armd Bde, nona nā pūʻali koa ʻekolu (ma kahi o 60 Shermans i ka huina), a me ʻekolu mau pūʻali koa kūikawā (hoʻokahi. kēlā me kēia mai ka Churchill AVRE, hoʻokahi Shermans Crab no ka minesweeping a me Churchill Crocodile) mai ka British 79th Army Division. Eia kekahi, ua manaʻo ʻia he 21 mau pūʻali koa (e pili ana i 760 mau pū) e kākoʻo i ka hoʻouka kaua ʻana ma Carpiquet, ma waho aʻe o nā mokulele a me nā moku o ka Royal Navy. ʻO nā kūlana hoʻomaka o ka poʻe Kanada ma ke kauhale o Marseilles he 2 km wale nō mai ka pahuhopu o ka hana, i kapa ʻia ʻo "Windsor".

ʻO ko lākou hoa paio ʻo ia ka pūʻali koa mua o ka 26th Panzer Grenadier Regiment o ka Hitler Youth Division (I./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 26), a i ʻole, ʻo ka mea i koe ma hope o Operation Epsom, ʻo ia hoʻi. ma kahi o 150-200 mau koa (ma kahi o 1000). Eia naʻe, ua hoʻolako ʻia ke kahua mokulele me nā bunkers ikaika i kūkulu ʻia e Luftwaffe i uhi ʻia mai ke ahi ahi, a hiki i kahi ʻupena o nā awāwa paʻa ke lilo i mau auwaha. Eia kekahi, he wahi pālahalaha o ke kahua mokulele, e hohola ana a puni, i loko o kahi radius o 2 km, e hāʻawi ana i nā pū anti-tank. a no na pahu i eliia, he kahua ahi maikai loa. Ua hoʻonoho ʻia kahi pākahi o ʻehā mau pū kaua anti-aircraft squadron ma ka hikina o waho o ke kahua mokulele. ʻŌpio ʻo Hitler. Ma ke kihi hikina hema o ke kahua mokulele he elima PzKpfw IV mai ka hui 8,8 o ka regiment tank o ka mahele (9./SS-Pz.Rgt. 9). ʻO ke kākoʻo pūlima, ʻoiai ua kaupalena ʻia e ka nele o nā pū, ua hāʻawi ʻia e III./SS-Pz howitzers, art. 12 a me kahi regiment pu kaua pōhaku (Werfer-Rgt. 12) i lako me nā mea hoʻolele Nebelwerfer.

ʻO ka hoʻolālā hoʻouka kaua no ʻelua pūʻali koa, ka 1st/North Shores a me 1st/Chauds, e hoʻouka i ke kauhale o Carpike a me nā hangars ma ka ʻaoʻao ʻākau o ke kahua mokulele. I loko o kēia manawa, e hopu ka Māhele 1/Winnipeg i ka ʻaoʻao hema o ke kahua mokulele a me kona mau wahi huna. Ua kākoʻo ʻia kēlā me kēia pūʻali koa e hoʻokahi Sherman Squadron o ka Fort Harry Horse Regiment a me hoʻokahi pahu i hoʻolaʻa ʻia. Ma ka lua o ka hana, e hele aku ana ka 1st/Queens ma ka Karpike i hopuia a mai laila aku e hahau ma ka lihi hikina o ke kahua mokulele, kahi i ku ai na hale hoomalu o ka ea.

Ma ke ahiahi o Iulai 3, ua hooukaia ke kahua mokulele e ka moku kaua HMS Rodney, e holo ana ma ke Kaikuono o Sensky. Mai kahi mamao aku ma kahi o 24 km, ua kī ʻo ia i 15 ākea ākea mai kāna mau pū 410-mm ʻeiwa. I ka wanaʻao o Iulai 4, ua hele ka poʻe Kanada i ka hoʻouka kaua, ma hope o ka neʻe ʻana o ka pā. Ua lawe nā pūʻali koa 1 / North Shores a me 1st / Chauds i ka ʻaoʻao ʻākau o ke kahua mokulele a me ke kauhale, kahi e pale aku ai ma kahi o 50 Hitler Youth grenadiers, me ka pilikia ʻole.

I loko o kēia manawa, ua loaʻa i ka 1st/Winnipeg Division nā poho nui mai ke ahi a me nā pū mīkini i kona hoʻokokoke ʻana i nā hangars ma ka ʻaoʻao hema ma waena o ka ʻāina ākea. No ke kumu o ka hoʻouka kaua ʻana, ʻaʻole hiki i ka Churchill-Crocodiles ke hoʻokuke aku i nā Kelemania mai nā pā kaua me kā lākou mau mea puhi ahi, a ua hoʻihoʻi ka pūʻali koa i ko lākou kūlana mua. Ua hana ʻo ia i ka lua o ka hoʻāʻo ʻana i ka ʻauinalā a i kēia manawa ua kū i kahi hoʻouka kaua. Panthers o ka 1 a me ka 2 / SS-Pz.Rgt. Ua luku ʻia nā kaʻa kaʻa he 12 i mālama ʻia ma ke komohana komohana o Caen e ka pūʻali koa Sherman, a nalowale ʻeono o nā kaʻa he 15. Ua hoʻi hou ʻo 1st/Winnipeg i ka huinaha hoʻokahi. I ka hopena o ka lā, ua hoʻomalu ka 8th Infantry Regiment i ke kauhale a me ka ʻaoʻao ʻākau o ke kahua mokulele, ʻoiai ʻo ka SS e hoʻomalu i nā hale ma ka ʻaoʻao hema a me nā hale ma ka ʻaoʻao hikina.

Ua nalowale nā ​​kānaka Kanada he 377 mau koa (pepehi, ʻeha, nalowale). Ua lilo keia kaua ana i na Kelemania he 155 mau grenadiers mai I./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 26, ka mea i pau loa. Ma hope o ka pōʻeleʻele, i ka pō o Iulai 4-5, SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt, i hāʻawiʻia i ka māhele'ōpio Hitler, i komo i ke kaua no Karpike. 1 (regiment rifle kaʻa o ka māhele Leibstandarte). Ua kū kona pūʻali koa ʻelua ma ka ʻaoʻao hikina o ke kahua mokulele. I ka manawa like, ʻo ke kolu o ka pūʻali koa, i kākoʻo ʻia e nā hui Panther ʻelua (1 a me 4 / SS-Pz.Rgt. 12), hoʻouka i ke kauhale ʻo Carpiquet mai ka ʻākau, mai ka ʻaoʻao o Frankville. Ua nalowale ʻo ia he 118 mau koa (ma muli o ke ahi o ka Nebelwerfer a me nā pū i manaʻo ʻia e kākoʻo iā ia!)

ʻO ka hapalua o ka holomua o Operation Windsor ua hoʻoulu hou i ka nalu o ka huhū ma kahi hoʻomoana Allied. Ua like loa ke kūlana me ke kaua ʻauwaha paʻa o 1914-1918, ka mea i hoʻopilikia nui i ka nohona Pelekane. ʻO kekahi mea hoʻohewa ʻē aʻe, ʻaʻole hiki i nā pūʻali koa Allied ground ma Farani ke hana i kekahi mea e hoʻōki ai i ka hoʻokuʻi ʻia ʻana o ʻEnelani e nā rockets V-1 i kī ʻia mai ka ʻāina ʻo Pas de Calais. Ua hoʻomanaʻo ʻo Eisenhower i ka wā o kekahi o nā kipa ʻana a Churchill i kēia manawa, ua hōʻike ke Kuhina Nui o Pelekane i kona minamina nui i ke kūlana ma Caen.

A laila, hoʻomanaʻo ʻo ia i ka luna nui he kuleana kona e hoʻokuʻu aku i nā mea i manaʻo ʻia he pono ʻole, me ka nānā ʻole i ke kūlana a i ʻole ka lāhui. He ʻōlelo aʻoaʻo ia iā Montgomery, nāna i hoʻomau i ka holo ʻana o nā mea a pau.

"ʻAʻole i hana ka poʻe Pelekania i kekahi mea"

Ua hoʻomau ʻo Eisenhower i ka ʻōlelo aʻo ʻana a me ka paipai ʻana i ke alakaʻi o ka pūʻali koa 21, akā ua ulu ka nui o ka poʻe hoʻohewa. Ua hui pū ʻia ʻo ia me General Patton, ka hoʻokūkū nui o Montgomery i ka wā o ke kaua ʻo Sicily, i hōʻea i Normandy i ka hoʻomaka ʻana o Iulai me ke keʻena nui o kāna pūʻali koa 1. Ma Iulai 3, ua kākau ʻo ia i kāna puke moʻolelo: Ua ʻai au me Bradley lāua ʻo Montgomery. Ma hope o ka ʻaina ahiahi hele mākou i ka hale lole kaua. Ma laila ʻo Montgomery i hele ai e wehewehe iā mākou i ke kumu i hana ʻole ai nā Pelekane i kēia manawa. ʻAʻole naʻe lākou i hopu iā Caen ʻoiai ʻo ia kūlanakauhale ko lākou D-Day target.

Ua hoka loa o Montgomery i ko Amerika e like me ko lakou noho pu ana me lakou. I ko lākou hopu ʻana iā Cherbourg (i hana ʻia ma Iune 29), ua manaʻo ʻo ia e haki koke lākou i kā lākou ʻāpana. Ua hala kekahi pule aʻe a paʻa mau ko lākou pūʻali koa 1 i loko o nā puʻu a me nā pā ma ka ʻākau o Saint-Lô, kahi i holo pololei ai ka hapa nui o nā alanui i ka laina hoʻouka. Eia nō naʻe, aia nā pūʻali koa haʻahaʻa e kūʻē i ka Bradley - ka 17th SS-Pz.Gren.Div. "Götz von Berlichingen" (mahele grenadier tank, i komo pū me hoʻokahi pūʻali pahu pahu) a me ka 2nd SS-Pz.Div. "Das Reich". Akā, ua hoʻouka ʻo ia ma kahi ākea ākea, me ka manaʻo ʻole i nā manaʻo a Montgomery e hoʻouka i "ma ka German", ma ke ʻano o Guderian - ua koho ʻo ia i kahi o kona kikowaena o ka umekaumaha a paʻi iā ia i hoʻokahi manawa.

ʻO ka clinch ʻo Kan, ʻoiai e lawelawe ana i kāna kumu, ua ʻōlelo ʻo Montgomery, ʻaʻole i manaʻo ʻia e lōʻihi kēlā lōʻihi, a no laila ua lilo i mea pilikia loa no nā pūʻali Pelekane-Kanada. ʻO ka holomua lua o Dempsey, ʻaʻole lawa ka lumi e lawe mai i nā pūʻali hou i ka hakakā. ʻO ka mea i ʻoi aku ka maikaʻi, ua ʻōlelo aʻe ka naʻauao i ka wā i ʻike hope ai ke kauoha kiʻekiʻe o Kelemania ʻaʻole e hoʻouka hou ʻia ka Pas-de-Calais, e hoʻomaka lākou e hoʻoneʻe i nā pūʻali koa i Normandy ma mua o ka wā ma mua. Ua ʻike ʻo Montgomery he pono ʻo ia e hahau hou i kahi e pale ai i ka haʻalele ʻana i ka hana. Ua ʻōlelo ʻo ia iho: "Ua maopopo ka hopohopo nui o ka ʻenemi i kona ʻaoʻao komohana, no laila ua manaʻo wau e hoʻonui hou i kā mākou hoʻoikaika ʻana ma ke alo o ka pūʻali koa 2 i mea e pale aku ai i ka hoʻoili ʻana o nā pūʻali koa hou aku e kūʻē i nā ʻAmelika.

ʻO ka pahuhopu o ka hana ʻino e hiki mai ana, ʻo ia ka hopu ʻana i ka ʻaoʻao komohana ʻākau o Caen, me ke kikowaena mōʻaukala o ke kūlanakauhale, ma ke kipaku ʻana i ka ʻenemi ma waho o ka laina o ka muliwai ʻo Orne i loko o nā wahi ʻoihana nui (Faubourg de Vauxcelles). Loaʻa i kekahi ka manaʻo ua hoʻoholo ʻo Montgomery e hoʻouka i ka pūnaewele wale nō e hoʻopau i ka poʻe hoʻohewa e kuhikuhi ana ʻaʻole ʻo ia i hopu iā Caen. Ua hāʻawi ʻia kēia hana i nā ʻāpana koa hele wāwae ʻekolu o ka hui 115 o ka Lutanela Kenerala. Crocker, i hui pu ia ma kahi o 000 mau koa.