German Armor in Normandy

German Armor in Normandy
Author: Yves Buffetaut
Publisher: Casemate
Total Pages: 130
Release: 2018-10-19
Genre: History
ISBN: 1612006442

Throughout the Second World War, a shift occurred in the composition of the large armored units of armies which lead to an increase in the power of their tanks in particular. The Germans were no exception. Many of its recently formed Panzer divisions, from the 12th SS-Panzerdivision Hitlerjugend to the 2nd SS-Panzerdivision Das Reich, were thrust into the effort to repel the Allies from June to August 1944 in Normandy. Within just ten weeks they would be defeated. This volume of Casemate Illustrated starts by exploring the initial struggle to gain control of Caen after the Allies had landed on the beaches of Normandy which resulted in the ferocious German Tiger tanks destroying the 7th Armored Division, with British losses totaling twenty-seven tanks. The subsequent strategies the commanders devised for the Panzer tanks during Operations Goodwood and Cobra were not so successful, ultimately ending in disaster for the Germans as the Allies broke through the German line by the end of July. With over 100 photos, diagrams showing the composition of German armored divisions, and color profiles of tanks and other armored vehicles, this is a detailed examination of the German armored forces in Normandy in 1944, focusing on the organization of the 10 Panzer divisions that took part, the vehicles they relied on and the battles they fought in and why ultimately their combined strength was not enough.

Waffen-SS Armour in Normandy

Waffen-SS Armour in Normandy
Author: Norbert Számvéber
Publisher: Helion and Company
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2012-03-14
Genre: History
ISBN: 1907677240

Waffen-SS Armour in Normandy presents the combat history of SS-Panzer Regiment 12 and SS-Panzerjäger Abteilung 12 in the Battle for France from June to the end of August 1944 based on transcriptions of their original unit war diaries from the Military History Archives in Prague. Both armored units belonged to the 12.SS-Panzer Division Hitlerjugend. SS-Panzer Regiment 12 was fully equipped with Panzer IV and Panther tanks. The main AFV of SS-Panzerjäger Abteilung 12 was the Jagdpanzer IV L/48 tank destroyer. The structure of the volume is partly source publication (documents of SS-Panzer Regiment 12) and partly study (the deployment of SS-Panzerjäger Abteilung 12). The text was written and footnoted by the author based upon original wartime files in Prague that have remained almost unknown. The book starts with the story of the units' establishment and training in 1943/1944, including, for example, the shipments of equipment, orders of battle and tactical numbers of the tanks. After this introduction, a highly detailed daily chronology of the combat actions is provided, from 12.SS-Panzer Division traveling to the Caen sector to Operation Totalize and the withdrawal to the Seine River. Documents from SS-Panzer Regiment 12 presented in the book include the following: combat reports, list of knocked-out enemy tanks, German personnel and tank losses, combat orders, summary of acquired combat experiences and others. This is an impressive look at tactical-level events and command decisions, highlighting the armored combat tactics that were able to stop Montgomery's Army Group from breaking through the German lines near Caen for two months. The study includes a number of detailed maps and excellent photos. In addition, the book has benefited from the contribution of rare information, photographs and documents from the archive of noted Waffen-SS historian Mark C. Yerger.

Panzer

Panzer
Author: Niall Barr
Publisher: White Lion Publishing
Total Pages: 186
Release: 1999
Genre: Armored vehicles
ISBN:

The photographs show the panzers at every stage of their development, from the first experimental units in the 1930s through to the final, futile defence of the Reich. The text provides a detailed history of the development of the concept of armoured blitzkrieg and the equipment used by panzer units, with analysis of the relevant campaigns.

The Armoured Campaign in Normandy

The Armoured Campaign in Normandy
Author: Stephen Napier
Publisher: The History Press
Total Pages: 546
Release: 2015-07-01
Genre: History
ISBN: 0750964731

Beginning with the D-day landings, this is a frank appraisal of the planned use and actual results of the deployment of armour by both German and Allied commanders in the major tank battles of the campaign including Epsom, Goodwood, Cobra and Totalize. ‘Tiger!’ is a critique of how Montgomery’s plans to seize territory and break out failed in the face of German resistance. It details the poor planning by British generals who made many mistakes and how the German convoluted chain of command contributed to their own defeat.Official reports, war diaries, After Action reports, letters, regimental histories, memoirs of generals and troopers are used to tell the inside story of the campaign from an armour point of view to give a different but detailed perspective.For the first time the book gives real numbers of tanks lost in the battle of the campaign from research at archives around the world.

Cromwell vs Jagdpanzer IV

Cromwell vs Jagdpanzer IV
Author: David R. Higgins
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 81
Release: 2018-05-31
Genre: History
ISBN: 1472825845

By 1944, the evolution of armoured doctrine had produced very different outcomes in Britain and Germany. Offering a good balance of speed, protection and firepower, the British Cromwell tank was much faster than its German opponent, but the Jagdpanzer IV tank destroyer had a high-velocity main gun and a lower profile that made it formidable on the defensive, especially in ambush situations. The two types would fight in a series of bloody encounters, from the initial days of the struggle for Normandy through to its climax as the Allies sought to trap their opponents in the Falaise Pocket. Using archive photographs, specially commissioned artwork and battle reports, this fascinating study expertly assesses the realities of tactical armoured combat during the desperate battles after D-Day.

Panzerwrecks 8

Panzerwrecks 8
Author: Lee Archer
Publisher:
Total Pages: 96
Release: 2009-04
Genre:
ISBN: 9780975418390

This eighth volume focuses on the German resistance to the Allied landings in Normandy in June 1944 with 123 photos of German armor derived from Polish, Canadian, British and American sources. Features include 'Operation Cobra,' German Guns on French vehicles, rocket firing half tracks, and loads of Tiger photos, with most images printed one to a page for maximum clarity. Concise captions remark on unit and vehicle identification, colors and camouflage. This is Part One of a two part series.