Operation Epsom (battleground Europe)
by Tim Saunders /
2003 / English / EPUB
49.4 MB Download
Operation EPSOM was General Montgomery's third attempt to take the
City of Caen, which had been a key British D-Day objective. Delayed
by a storm, the attack, designed to envelop Caen from the west,
eventually began at the end of June 1944. The Territorial Army
battalions of 15th Scottish Division spearheaded the attacks
through the well developed positions of 12th Hitlerjugend SS Panzer
Division. It was slow going and when tanks of the 11th Armoured
Division dashed to the Odon Bridges they ran into the concentrated
fire of dug-in panzers. However, the following day the Argyle and
Sutherland Highlanders slipped through the German defenses and
seized a vital bridge. Armor poured across but, rather than pushing
home their advantage, the British prepared to beat off a powerful
counterattack from II SS Panzer Corps.
Operation EPSOM was General Montgomery's third attempt to take the
City of Caen, which had been a key British D-Day objective. Delayed
by a storm, the attack, designed to envelop Caen from the west,
eventually began at the end of June 1944. The Territorial Army
battalions of 15th Scottish Division spearheaded the attacks
through the well developed positions of 12th Hitlerjugend SS Panzer
Division. It was slow going and when tanks of the 11th Armoured
Division dashed to the Odon Bridges they ran into the concentrated
fire of dug-in panzers. However, the following day the Argyle and
Sutherland Highlanders slipped through the German defenses and
seized a vital bridge. Armor poured across but, rather than pushing
home their advantage, the British prepared to beat off a powerful
counterattack from II SS Panzer Corps.