Aufklärungsabteilung 12 SS 7 June 1944

Although I have been following this forum for a long time, I now want to start asking the necessary questions myself. I have been working on a book about the Aufklärungsabteilung 12 SS-Pz.Division for some time and am now looking for the information about 7 June. I am now trying to find my way through the Allied armies. Perhaps someone can help me with the following, according to the HJ-Div. History by Hubert Meyer: a reconnaissance group of the AA.12, specifically the 1. Kompanie, encountered an Allied position on the outskirts of Bretteville L'Orgueilleuse and near the station around 1200 hours, which was effectively destroyed. Near Pûtot, a reconnaissance group of the AA.12 took out a heavy anti-tank gun and a medium anti-aircraft gun in firing position on the railway line, hit by surprise and shot down within 50 meters. Does anyone perhaps know to which units this refers?

Thanks in advance for any help or info.

Greetz, Jan Willem

 

Have you searched online for threads here? I just did with: "12th ss panzer division" site:ww2talk.com found several threads, at a glance one referred to the division being engaged on 7/6/1944, now I cannot see it!

Just tried: "Bretteville L'Orgueilleuse" site:ww2talk.com and that found a few threads too.

There are other WW2 sites that focus on the Wehrmacht, though we do have German members who may comment.

Have you tried: D-Day Through German Eyes by Jonathon Trigg? In paperback, I enjoyed it and now cannot see on my bookshelves.

 

Thanks for the input; let me introduce myself a little further. I am a resident of the Netherlands, and over the past 20 years, I have spoken to as many of the surviving veterans of the AA.12 as possible, reviewed all records available, and several times a year, I order personnel files. And I am now working on a book, the past 2 years mainly working on the founding and their training period in Belgium, and spoke there with the last local witnesses (civilians). Up to and including the crimes in Ascq is now written. And have now started on everything relating to Normandy (D-Day), their accounts, up to their retreat and arrival in Germany in September 1944. I do know the German side, as far as it goes, and my focus is the Aufklärungsabteilung and then now the Allied side they fought against. I now also want to try to gain knowledge of the Allied units and explore them in more depth. I have the necessary books on the Allied units, just ordered another book on the 6th D.L.I., and some war diaries, but I have too little knowledge. The books by Trigg I know give little info, really, that I am looking for. The books by Frederick Jeanne, who sadly passed away from us, are more to my liking. I was in contact with him, but unfortunately he is no longer with us.

Greetings, Jan Willem

 

Project '44 shows the area...



The Royal Winnipeg Rifles - war Diary for 7 JUNE 1944... has...

0200 C Coy attacked by enemy patrol. The attack was repulsed and 19 of the patrol taken prisoner. One officer was taken but was shot on making a break for it.
0615 On the move to secure our objective on line OAK at PUTOT-EN-BESSIN with C Coy in adv gd under comd Maj J M D Jones and a flank gd composed of No 7 Pl from A Coy, two secs carriers and one sec 6 pdrs under comd Capt D B Robertson.
1600 By this hour the Bn was consolidating - in spite of C Coy having advanced by the wrong route and consequently arriving one and a half hours after the Bn - (hardly an advanced gd action). Our position was occupied with A Coy right, responsible for the bridge at the rly and rd crossing in PUTOT, C Coy north of the rly in center and D Coy left with B in res. Snipers became pestiferous during the latter part of the day but only scattered resistance was encountered during the advance. (The flank gd became our liaison force with the 7 Green Howards at BRONAY and had an active time for the next three days.)
Place: Putot-En-Bessin
1900 Two USAAF air-crew bailed out from a Boston and were picked up in "no man's land in front of D Coy.
2100 After A Coy had been fired on by a Boche tk from South of the rly an inf - tk counter attack came in on A and C Coy fronts but was repulsed with only a few casualties to ourselves. Snipers kept bothering us and our "anti-termite" patrols accounted for approx 20 during the night. Sgt Richardson and two rfn walked right into a Boche pl area and killed or wounded ten enemy before withdrawing. Sp Coys carriers proved invaluable this night by establishing standing patrols and ambushing at least four enemy patrols.
2200 Another batch of rfts came in during this evening bringing the Bn almost up to strength again.

And - 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade - 7 JUNE 1944 - has...

Place: Columbieres-Sur-Mer
Cool, cloudy. An O Gp was held at 0130 hrs. The plan would proceed at 0600 hrs to the final objective, the line of the road BAYEUX-CAEN. At 0800 it was apparent there was little opposition, and all units went flat out to their objectives. R Wpg Rif in PUTOT-En/BEssin, Regina Rif in BRETTEVILLE, and NORREY-EN-BESSIN, and 1 C Scot R at SECQUEVILLE-EN-BESSIN with Bde HQ in the centre at 922724. The remainder of the day spent in re-organizing. During the afternoon two American airmen who had been seen to bale out came in and were sent to the beaches. During the night the enemy patrolled vigorously with tks and inf along the whole front. The Regina Rif particularly were blessed, and had tremendous success in the night long scrapping.

Plus - The Regina Rifle Regiment - 7 JUNE 1944

0030 Bn begins move to new position in sq 9578.
0300 CO and IO attend O Gp at HQ 7 Cdn Inf Bde. Days operations were discussed, and plans made to move forward to final objective on line OAK. COs of units exchanged information on the D Day activities. It was evident to all that, due to adverse flying conditions, that the air support had not been as great as been expected. Pillboxes and other emplacements were still open for business when our troops touched down.
0300 Bn now in new position.
0500 Lt-Col F.M.Matheson holds Bn O Gp, and orders for the advance to final objective on line OAK are given.
0715 Coys move off with A and C Coys on right and B and D Coys on the left.
0730 Bn HQ moves off.
1200 At 1200 hrs, Regina Rifle Regiment moved into BRETTEVILLE L'ORGEULLEUSE which was clear of the enemy and the civilian population gave the troops a very friendly reception. The Bn took a defensive position with A Coy at 926718, B Coy at 934705, C Coy at 923703, and D Coy at 948703. Bn HQ set up at 927718. The Bn dug in and things remained quiet during the afternoon. R Wpg Rif took up a position on our right at approximately 1330 hrs. Thus the Regina Rif were out in front with no protection on our left flank, a position which we refused to vacate until relieved 11 days later by the QOR.
Place: BRETTEVILLE L'ORGEUILLEUSE 927718 Sheet 7/ F/1 CAEN
During the night, the enemy pulled off a counter attack on B,C, and D Coys positions which was repulsed by our troops. The Bn was determined to stay put on the final objective.

 

Thanks for this great info, much appreciated.

Greetings, Jan Willem

 

This book was recently published - and it covers that time and that area -

https://www.google.co.uk/books/edit...ion_of_the_12_SS_Pa/kjQbEQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0

...some of it is searchable in preview.

The author is a member on here - Arthur001 | WW2Talk - so he may see your post - and/or pick up on this thread.



Your question was quite specific - so I assume that you have your own idea(s) and thoughts?

There is a thread on the fighting also - on that time - in that area - Battle of Putot-en-Bessin (7th - 11th June 1944) | WW2Talk

I've seen a lot of often quite confusing and often quite contradictory accounts and the HJ-Div. History by Hubert Meyer - has sometimes been queried and what it had to say re-researched, and a lot of new information as a result can often come up.

 

Yes, I know Arthur and have his books. And yes, while an important document is Hubert Meyer's book, it must be approached critically. Just looking at the phenomenon of war crimes committed in units of the division.

Thanks again.

Jan Willem

 

I'm reasonably familiar with the actions of the Reginas in the bridgehead battles in early June and am not aware of any official documents or accounts that corroborate any action around Bretteville that early on 7 June. Looking at Meyer, it says positions were fired on effectively but not that anything was destroyed. The RRR diary is fairly unexcited about the probes by 26 PzGrenRegt later that evening that were acutally fierce little fights, so it would not be a surprise if a little shooting up at noon that day made no impression.

Edit to add the RRR Intel Diary does mention RWR reports that seem to corroborate that part of the account.

 

There's these too... for further reference etc.

4th/7th RDG - War Diary : June 7th 1944
ST LEGER
Early stand to at 0430 hrs. Move further South through CREULLY on to BRECY with 'A' Sqn leading. 69 InfBde were in front and the Regt met in position in the afternoon. 'C' Sqn carried out a recce of the ST LEGER feature and South to the Rly and saw no enemy except two 88 mm which knocked out two tanks, as a result of which Cpl Jones and his crew were wounded and Lieut. Wide evacuated his tank with the turret crew after engaging the 88mm. After he was hit he and his turret crew got out and managed to return to the Sqn. The Regt harboured at BRECY getting in in good time. An unfortunate accident occurred in the harbour when Lieut. R D. Hancock (RHQ Tank Troop Ldr) was killed and the Signals Offr badly wounded by one of our own tank Brownings.
---- x ----- x ----
The 24th L - War Diary -
7/6/44 During the day further vehicles of the Regiment disembarked and by 2300 hours, the whole Regimental Assault party had landed. ‘B’ Sqn together with eight tanks of ‘A’ Sqn were used during the day for mopping up operations in the area Bazenville in which the Regiment were later to concentrate. It was revealed later that ‘B’ Sqn killed or captured over 100 German Infantrymen in this operation.
---- x ----- x ----
SRY - War Diary : 7th June 1944...
“A” Sqn, with the ESSEX attacked BAYEUX.
“B” Sqn with I.S.W.B. came in from the NORTH.
“C” Sqn remained in reserve with R.H.Q. in ST.SULPICE.
---- x ----- x ----
147th Essex Yeomanry : 7th June 1944...
431 Battery supported Royal Marine Commando attack on PORT EN BESSIN.
Remainder of Regiment in support 56 InfBde.
BAYEUX reported captured by 1530 hours.
Location RHQ 1745 hours - 830757.

 

Thank you so much for all the information given and amazing websites
Wishing everyone a very nice weekend ahead.

Cheers from the Netherlands,

Jan Willem

 

Re. Inns of Court Regiment - 7th June 1944

C Sqn: 1a crossed SEULLES 8474, 2 & 6a at 8471.
C Sqn: Thunderbolts bombed 4, 5a Tps at 8773 - casualties.: Lt. Gwynne Jones killed, Lt. Lofts R.E. killed, Lt. Reeve wounded and 5 ORs killed and 5 wounded.
C Sqn: 1 & 5 reached railway area BRONAY, 2a – 7 C Sqn: Tps functioning 1 & 5 SEQUEVILLE, 2a NOREEY, 1a ST MARGUERITE, 6 ST LEGER, 2 & 6a CHRISTOT. Tank battle SEQUEVILLE reported by 1 & 5.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/140183/arthur-leslie-gwynne-jones/