Impi Yesibili YaseCaen: NgoJulayi 1944

Cromwell we-7th Army Division. amagundane asogwadule; usuku lokuqala lokusebenza kwe-Goodwood, ngoJulayi 18, 1944. Inkinga ngemishini yalolu hlobo yayiwukuthi, phakathi kwezinye izinto, i-silhouette yabo engu-angular ifana namathangi aseJalimane, okwabangela amaphutha abulalayo.

Ngemva cishe kwenyanga yokulwa eNormandy, iCaen yayiseyisikhungo sokukhanga izinhlangothi zombili. Evikela ukuphuma kwe-Allied eya ethafeni eliseningizimu-mpumalanga yedolobha, amaJalimane ayeqoqe izingxenye eziningi zezikhali kulo mkhakha wangaphambili.

Ngosuku lokugcina lukaJuni 1944, uGeneral Montgomery, umkhuzi we-21st Army Group, waqeda i-Operation Epsom. Ungene emgqeni wokuzivikela waseJalimane entshonalanga yeCaen, wadonsa womabili ama-SS Panzer Corps empini. Ohlangothini olusempumalanga yomngcele, isitha saseBrithani kwakuyi-12th SS Panzer Corps, i-Obergruppenführer Dietrich, ngaleso sikhathi eyayakhiwe yi-bled-out kodwa esalwa ne-1st SS Panzer Division. "Intsha kaHitler" kanye nebutho lamabhomu ethangi (SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt 1), okwakuyi-vanguard eya phambili e-Caen 9. SS-Pz.Div. "Leibstandarte". Kusukela eningizimu nasentshonalanga, ukuhlasela kweBrithani kwabuyiselwa emuva ngu-II. I-SS-Pz.Korps Gruppenführer Bittrich njengengxenye ye-10th SS-Pz.Div. "Hohenstaufen" kanye ne-2nd SS Panzer Division. "Frundsberg", lapho iKampfgruppe Weidinger ingamabutho amabili aqinisiwe e-SS Panzer Division yesi-XNUMX. "Das Reich". Manje la mabutho ayezama ukubuyisela indawo elahlekile.

Lokhu kuthuthukiswa kwaba njengoba nje uMontgomery ayecabanga. Kusukela ekuqaleni, uhlelo lwakhe lomkhankaso waseNormandy kwakuwukubopha indawo yokugcina izikhali yaseRommel eCaen kuze kube yilapho abaseMelika sebelungele ukuhlasela emkhakheni wabo osentshonalanga kanye ne-arc ebanzi ukusuka ngemuva. Nokho, kwakuwumdlalo owaziwayo ovuthayo, ngoba amaJalimane awazange agcine ukuzivikela okuqinile. U-Montgomery uyalele i-Anglo-Canadian 2nd Army ukuthi iqhubeke nemizamo yayo yokubamba i-Caen futhi ifake ingcindezi enkulu yokumisa amabutho ezitha. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, kwakudingeka siqinisekise ukuthi uhlangothi lwethu olungasempumalanga luhlala luzinzile. Isitha manje sase sinamabutho amakhulu kakhulu emkhakheni weCaen futhi singawasebenzisa ukuxosha ukuhlasela okukhulu. Ngakho-ke, bekubaluleke kakhulu ohlelweni olujwayelekile lokusebenza ukuthi i-2nd Army ayizange isilahle ukulinganisa ngokukhubeka okuthile.

UChurchill Crocodile, ehlome ngesibhamu somlilo, wethusa ibutho laseJalimane elihamba ngezinyawo.

Okuvame ukwethulwa ezincwadini njengochungechunge lwemizamo engaphumelelanga yokubamba u-Caen empeleni kwakuwumdlalo oyingozi neqembu elihlomile lezikhali ze-Third Reich. ULieutenant General Dempsey, umkhuzi we-2nd Army, wagxekwa ngokuhlehla kwakhe ngokushesha e-Hill 112 ebekwe endaweni ekahle kanye nokuhoxiswa kwamathangi osebeni olusenyakatho loMfula i-Odon. Izehlakalo zangomhla lu-1 kuJulayi zabonisa, nokho, ukuthi yayingokoqobo kangakanani ingozi yokuthi amaJalimane ayezocekela phansi ibhuloho elingalé kwe-Odon, elabanjwa ngenxa ye-Operation Epsom, ngokuhlasela okuqinile. Ekuseni, i-9th SS Panzer Division. I-Hohenstaufen kanye ne-Battle Group i-Weidinger ihlasele osebeni olusenyakatho yomfula ngomzamo wokuphinda ibambe i-Rore. Ukulwa kwaqhubeka usuku lonke. I-49th "West Riding" Infantry Division, eyaziwa ngokuthi "i-Polar Bears", imelana ngenxa yebhere elimhlophe kuphawu lweyunithi. Ekugcineni, ukuhlasela kweJalimane kwehlulekile ngenxa yomlilo wezikhali. Emini, u-Obersturmbannführer u-Otto Meyer, umkhuzi we-SS-Pz.Rgt. 9 (ibutho lezempi lesigaba "Hohenstaufen"), waphetha umbiko wakhe wokusebenza endlunkulu ngokucaphuna okuvela kuDante: Lahla lonke ithemba oza lapha.

I-counter-attack yaseBrithani ibuyisele i-front line endaweni yayo yangaphambili. Abashisi bamalangabi eChurchill Crocodile balimaza amabhomu ayecashe othangweni, okwabe sekubulawe amasosha ahamba ngezinyawo ayephelezela amathangi. Ngokushesha ngemva kwempi, uLord Howe-Hau othile, owasakaza inkulumo-ze yolimi lwesiNgisi emsakazweni waseJalimane, washayela ucingo i-49th Infantry Division. "Amabhusha" futhi yamemezela ukuthi kusukela manje kuqhubeke, amasosha athunjiwe anebheji yebhere elimhlophe azodutshulwa ngokushesha. AmaJalimane aligcina izwi lawo. Isikhulu kanye namasosha amabili avela ku-1st/Tyneside Scots Regiment (1st Battalion Tyneside Scots) abanyamalala begada ezinsukwini ezimbalwa kamuva ngokungangabazeki babulawa. Izidumbu zabo zitholwe ngaphansi kwenqaba yaseJuvigny.

Ngesikhathi seMpi yaseRohr, i-10th SS Panzer Division. "I-Frundsberg" iqale kabusha ukuhlasela kwebhuloho osebeni oluseningizimu ye-Odon. AmaJalimane athatha idolobhana laseBaron isikhashana, kodwa lapha axoshwa yi-countertack futhi ahlehla ngemuva kwe-Hill 112, edutshulwa ngomlilo wezikhali endleleni. Abaqaphi baseBrithani babike ukuthi cishe amadoda angama-300-400 SS ashonele emthambekeni osenyakatho. Zombili izinhlangothi zalahlekelwa kakhulu ngalolo suku (isosha elingu-1 lafa ngo-132/Tyneside Scots), kodwa kumaJalimane ayenzima kakhulu. U-Kampfgruppe Weidinger, elahlekelwe amasosha angu-642, kuhlanganise nabangu-108 ababulewe, wahoxiswa ekulweni neCaen futhi wabuyiselwa esigabeni sakubo ("Das Reich"). Enye yezinhlaka ze-Hohenstaufen division (SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 20) ngoJulayi 1 yehliswa ngamabhomu angama-328, kuhlanganise nabangu-51 ababulewe. Isigaba sonke, kusukela lapho bengena empini ngoJuni 29 kuze kube kusihlwa ngoJulayi 2, babhala ukulahlekelwa kwamasosha angu-1145 kanye ne-16 Panthers, 10 PzKpfw IVs kanye ne-XNUMX StuGs.

Lokhu kwakuyintengo yesiJalimane "impumelelo yokuzivikela". AmaJalimane ayengasenawo amasu okuthi ubani owayenqoba le mpi ebhubhisayo. UVon Schweppenburg, umkhuzi wePanzer Group West, ufuna ukuthi izigaba zezikhali zihoxiswe ohlwini lwezikhali zasolwandle.

Wayesekelwa u-von Rundstedt, umkhuzi omkhulu webutho lamaJalimane eNtshonalanga Yurophu. Ngokushesha uHitler wabaxosha bobabili. Khona-ke uRommel (umphathi we-Army Group B, uzakwabo kaMontgomery ngakolunye uhlangothi) wahlekisa - njengoba kwaba ngokwesiprofetho - ngangilandela ohlwini.

ibizwa ngekhaphethi

Ehlola isimo ezinsukwini zokuqala zikaJulayi, uMontgomery uthe: inkundla yempi yaseNormandy yayisivele isesimweni esidingekayo ukuze ibhodloze ngaphambili ohlangothini olungasentshonalanga. Benginethemba lokuthi ngizoqala lo msebenzi ngoJulayi 3, kodwa intuthuko kulesi simo yabonisa ukuthi lokhu kucatshangelwa kwakunethemba elikhulu. Eqinisweni, impumelelo yafika kuphela ngoJulayi 25. Yiqiniso, ukubambezeleka kwe-flank esentshonalanga kwaba nomthelela oqondile ezenzweni ze-2nd Army. Kwakudingeka acindezele kakhulu isitha ukuze asigcine sisempumalanga.

Enye inhloso yalokhu kuhlasela kwakuyi-Carpiquet Airport, esendaweni esentshonalanga yeCaen kanye nedolobhana eliseduze elinegama elifanayo. Umkhuzi weCanadian 3rd Infantry Division, owayenomsebenzi walo msebenzi, wabela elinye lamasosha akhe amasosha, i-8th Infantry Division. Yayinamabutho amathathu: 1st / Royal (kusuka ku-Queen's Own Rifles yaseCanada), 1st / North Shores (kusuka eNorth Shore New Brunswick Rgt) kanye nabakhuluma isiFulentshi 1st / Chauds (kusuka eregimeni Le Régiment de la Chaudiere). . Babeyalwe ngu-brig. Kenneth Blackader. Ngesikhathi sokusebenza, ibutho elengeziwe labahamba ngezinyawo - i-1st / Winnipeg (evela eRoyal Winnipeg Fusiliers, ingxenye ye-7th Infantry Regiment) - nezinkampani ezintathu ze-Ottawa Cameron Highlanders, ibutho "elisindayo" (umshini weVickers osindayo). izibhamu nodaka) zafakwa ngaphansi komyalo wakhe.

Ukusekelwa kwezikhali kwakuzohlinzekwa yi-10th Armd Rgt (Fort Garry Horse) - enye yezempi yaseCanada ye-2nd Armd Bde, ehlanganisa amaqembu amathathu (cishe ama-Shermans angu-60 esewonke), kanye namaqembu amathathu akhethekile amathangi (elilodwa. ngayinye ivela eChurchill AVRE, i-Shermans Crab eyodwa ye-minesweeping kanye ne-Churchill Crocodile) evela e-British 79th Army Division. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ama-artillery regiments angama-21 (cishe izibhamu ezingu-760) kwakufanele asekele ukuhlaselwa kweCarpiquet, ngaphezu kwezindiza nemikhumbi yeRoyal Navy. Izikhundla zokuqala zabantu baseCanada edolobhaneni laseMarseilles zazingama-2 km ukusuka lapho bekuhloswe khona ukusebenza, okuqanjwe ngekhodi "Windsor".

Umphikisi wabo kwakuyibutho lokuqala le-26th Panzer Grenadier Regiment of the Hitler Youth Division (I./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 26), noma kunalokho, okwakusele ngemva kwe-Operation Epsom, i.e. cishe amasosha angu-150-200 (esikhundleni se-1000). Kodwa-ke, isikhumulo sezindiza sasifakwe izihlalo eziqinile ezakhiwe nge-Luftwaffe ezazinikeza indawo yokufihla umlilo wezikhali, futhi inethiwekhi yeziteshi zikakhonkolo zingasebenza njengemisele. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwakukhona indawo eyisicaba yenkundla yezindiza, eyelulela nxazonke, ngaphakathi kwebanga elingamakhilomitha angu-2, ihlinzeka ngezibhamu ezilwa nethangi. kanye namathangi ambiwe, insimu yomlilo enhle kakhulu. Ibhethri lezibhamu ezine ze-anti-aircraft ezine-8,8 cm lifakwe emaphethelweni asempumalanga yenkundla yezindiza. Intsha kaHitler. Ekhoneni eliseningizimu-mpumalanga yenkundla yezindiza kukhona ama-PzKpfw IV amahlanu avela enkampanini yesi-9 yebutho lethangi lesigaba (9./SS-Pz.Rgt. 12). Usekelo lwezikhali, nakuba lukhawulelwe ukuntuleka kwezinhlamvu, lunikezwe i-III./SS-Pz howwitzers, art. 12 kanye nebutho lezikhali zamarokhethi (Werfer-Rgt. 83) elihlome ngeziqalisi ze-Nebelwerfer.

Uhlelo oluhlaselayo lwaluwukuba izimpi ezimbili, i-1st/North Shores kanye ne-1st/Chauds, zihlasele idolobhana laseCarpike kanye nama-hangars ohlangothini olusenyakatho yesikhumulo sezindiza. Ngalesi sikhathi, i-1st/Winnipeg Division izothwebula unqenqema oluseningizimu yesikhumulo sezindiza kanye nendawo yaso yokucasha. Ibutho ngalinye lalisekelwa i-Sherman Squadron eyodwa ye-Fort Harry Horse Regiment kanye nethangi elilodwa elizinikele. Esigabeni sesibili sokusebenza, i-1st/Queens yayizodlula eKarpike ethunjiwe futhi ukusuka lapho iteleke emaphethelweni asempumalanga yesikhumulo sezindiza, lapho izakhiwo zokulawula ukuhamba kwezindiza zazikhona.

Ngobusuku bukaJulayi 3, inkundla yezindiza yahlaselwa yi-HMS Rodney, ehamba ngomkhumbi eGulf of Sensky. Ebangeni elingaba ngu-24 km, wadubula ama-volleys angu-15 ezibhamu zakhe eziyisishiyagalolunye ezingama-410-mm. Ekuseni ngoJulayi 4, abaseCanada baqhubeka nokuhlasela, kulandela isiphithiphithi esinyakazayo. I-1st / North Shores kanye ne-1st / Chauds battalions yathatha ingxenye esenyakatho yenkundla yezindiza kanye nedolobhana, lapho amabhomu e-Hitler Youth angaba ngu-50 ayevikela, ngaphandle kwezinkinga.

Ngalesi sikhathi, i-1st/Winnipeg Division ilahlekelwe kakhulu ngenxa yokuqhuma kwezibhamu nodaka njengoba isondela kuma-hangars onqenqemeni oluseningizimu ezweni elivulekile. Ngenhloso yokucasula, ngisho neChurchill-Crocodiles ayikwazanga ukukhipha amaJalimane ezinqabeni nabashisi bawo, futhi ibutho labuyela ezikhundleni zabo zakuqala. Uphinde wazama okwesibili ntambama kanti kulokhu wabhekana nokuhlasela. Ama-Panthers of the 1st and 2nd / SS-Pz.Rgt. Amathangi ayi-12 abegcinwe endaweni engasentshonalanga yeCaen acekelwa phansi yiqembu leqembu le-Sherman, elilahlekelwe amathangi ayisithupha kwangu-15. Nakulokhu 1st/Winnipeg isibuyele kwesikwele sokuqala. Ekupheleni kosuku, i-8th Infantry Regiment yayilawula idolobhana nengxenye esenyakatho yesikhumulo sezindiza, kuyilapho ama-SS elawula izindawo zokukhosela emaphethelweni aseningizimu kanye nezakhiwo ezisempumalanga.

Abantu baseCanada balahlekelwa amasosha angu-377 (abulawa, alimala, alahlekile). Le mpi yadla amaJalimane amabhomu aqhunyiswa ngu-155 avela ku-I./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 26, osekuphelile ukuba khona. Ngemva kokuhwalala, ngobusuku bukaJulayi 4-5, i-SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt, eyabelwe isigaba se-Hitler Youth, yangena empini yaseKarpike. 1 (ibutho lesibhamu esinenjini lesigaba saseLeibstandarte). Ibutho lakhe lesibili lathatha izikhundla onqenqemeni olusempumalanga yenkundla yezindiza. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ibutho lesithathu, elisekelwa izinkampani ezimbili zePanther (1st and 4th / SS-Pz.Rgt. 12), lahlasela idolobhana laseCarpiquet ukusuka enyakatho, ukusuka ohlangothini lweFrankville. Ulahlekelwe amasosha angu-118 (ikakhulukazi ngenxa yomlilo we-Nebelwerfer kanye nezikhali okwakufanele zimsekele!) futhi ekuntweleni kokusa wahlehla ngemuva komgwaqo uCan Baie.

Impumelelo emaphakathi ye-Operation Windsor yabangela elinye igagasi lokucasuka ekamu lama-Allied. Isimo sasifana kakhulu nempi yangonyaka ka-1914-1918, eyawuhlukumeza kakhulu umphakathi waseBrithani. Okunye ukugxekwa kwakuwukuthi ngaleso sikhathi amabutho angaphansi komhlaba Ahlangene eFrance awakwazanga ukwenza lutho ukuvimba ukuqhuma kwamabhomu eNgilandi ngamarokhethi e-V-1 axoshwa esifundeni sasePas de Calais. U-Eisenhower ukhumbule ukuthi phakathi nokuvakasha kukaChurchill phakathi nalesi sikhathi, uNdunankulu waseBrithani wazwakalisa ukudumala kwakhe okujulile ngesimo saseCaen.

Wabe esekhumbuza umphathi-butho ukuthi unelungelo lokuxosha noma yimuphi umuntu ongaphansi kwakhe ayembheka njengenganelisi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ungowasiphi isikhundla noma ubuzwe. Kwaba sobala ukuthi uMontgomery wayelokhu egcizelela ukuthi konke kuhamba ngendlela.

"AmaBritish akakenzi lutho okwamanje"

U-Eisenhower waqhubeka eyala futhi ekhuthaza umkhuzi we-21st Army Group, kodwa inani labagxeki lakhula. Wajoyinwa uGeneral Patton, imbangi enkulu kaMontgomery ngesikhathi seMpi YaseSicily, owafika eNormandy ekuqaleni kukaJulayi nendlunkulu ye-1st Army yakhe. NgoJulayi 3 wabhala encwadini yakhe yezenzakalo zansuku zonke: Ngadla noBradley noMontgomery. Ngemva kwesidlo sakusihlwa saya etendeni lokulwa. Lapho, uMontgomery wenza konke okusemandleni akhe ukuze asichazele ukuthi kungani amaNgisi ayengenzanga lutho kuze kube manje. Abakayithathi i-Caen nakuba lelo dolobha bekungumgomo wabo we-D-Day.

UMontgomery wayedumazekile ngabaseMelika njengoba ayekanye nabo. Ngokushesha nje lapho bethumba iCherbourg (okwenzeka ngoJuni 29), wayelindele ukuthi bafohle ngokushesha emkhakheni wabo. Kwadlula elinye isonto futhi Ibutho labo Lokuqala lalisabambekile emaxhaphozini nasezintangweni ezisenyakatho yeSaint-Lô, lapho iningi lemigwaqo lalihamba liqonde ngqo emgqeni wokuhlasela. Noma kunjalo, kwakukhona amabutho anesizotha ahlomile ngokumelene neBradley - i-SS-Pz.Gren.Div ye-1. "Götz von Berlichingen" (isigaba se-tank grenadier, esihlanganisa ibutho lethangi elilodwa) kanye ne-17nd SS-Pz.Div. "Das Reich". Kodwa wahlasela endaweni ebanzi, engenandaba neziphakamiso zikaMontgomery zokuhlasela "ngesiJalimane", ngesitayela seGuderian - wakhetha endaweni ethile isikhungo sakhe sokudonsela phansi futhi wamshaya unomphela.

I-Kan clinch, ngenkathi isebenza inhloso yayo, uMontgomery waphakamisa, yayingahloselwe ukuhlala isikhathi eside kangako, futhi ngaleyo ndlela yaba yinkinga kakhulu kumabutho aseBrithani-Canada. Ukuqhubekela phambili kwenkundla yesibili kaDempsey kwakusho ukuthi yayingekho indawo eyanele yokuletha amabutho amasha empini. Okwenza izinto zibe zimbi nakakhulu, ubuhlakani baxwayisa ngokuthi lapho izikhulu zaseJalimane ekugcineni ziqaphela ukuthi kwakungeke kube khona ukuhlasela kwesibili kwePas-de-Calais, zazizoqala ukuthuthela amabutho amaningi eNormandy kunangaphambili. UMontgomery wayazi ukuthi kufanele aphinde agadle ndawana thize ukuze angayeki ukuqalisa. Yena ngokwakhe wathi: “Kusobala ukuthi isitha sase sikhathazeka ngokwengeziwe ngehlangothi laso elingasentshonalanga, ngakho ngangizimisele ukuyiphinda kabili imizamo yethu ku-2nd Army front ukuze ngivimbele ukudluliswa kwamanye amabutho ahlomile ngokumelene namaMelika.

Inhloso yokuhlasela okulandelayo kwakuwukuthumba ingxenye esenyakatho-ntshonalanga yeCaen, kanye nesikhungo somlando sedolobha, ngokuphusha isitha sidlule umugqa woMfula i-Orne singene ezindaweni eziwudedangendlale zezimboni (Faubourg de Vauxcelles). Umuntu uthola umbono wokuthi u-Montgomery unqume ukuhlasela isayithi ukuze avale umlomo abagxeki abaveza ukuthi akakamthathi uCaen. Lo msebenzi wawuphathiswe izigaba ezintathu zamasosha ahamba ngezinyawo zebutho le-115 lika-lieutenant general. Crocker, ababehlangene babalelwa ku-000 amasosha.