Aces Over Eights WTO (id:#67265)

(ASL Journal #16 ID: J267)   [next]   [previous]

Prior Publication: KE 9

Outside Cintheaux, Normandy, France 1944-08-08 (14 others)

Overview:

As envisaged, the intent of Operation TOTALIZE was to push through the town of Falaise, in effect cutting off the bulk of German forces in France. TOTALIZE was comprised of a number of unique aspects, including a massive artillery and aerial bombardment which would be followed by a night advance by mechanized infantry (mounted for the first time in Kangaroos) and armored units guiding on searchlights that would illuminate their attack lanes. Launched after dark on 7 August, TOTALIZE began promisingly; the first night's advance by hundreds of Canadian, Polish, and British tanks supported by infantry gained considerable ground at relatively little cost. 12 hours later, at noon on 8 August, another heavy bomber formation approached the battlefield to deliver its shock-inducing load onto the unsuspecting participants below. At that moment, just to the south, three German officers-SS-Hauptsturmführer Michael Wittmann, SS-Sturmbannführer Hans Waldmüller, and SS-Oberführer Kurt ("Panzermeyer") Meyer-were in conference planning a counterattack. Realizing they must play the hand they had been dealt, "Panzermeyer" ordered his subordinates to launch their attack immediately, in the hopes of escaping the deadly carpet sure to be laid by Allied bombers. Wittmann, temporarily in command of schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101, mounted Tiger 007 and moved northwards, seeking to gain the heights outside Cintheaux before Allied tanks arrived.

Defender: German (SS) (Schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 and SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 25, SS-Panzer-Division 12 "Hitlerjugend")  

Errata (source)