ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ

Wars and ConflictsΒ  permalink

WWII, Aunay, Normandy, Bombings?

• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by SueAunay (U3047302) on Wednesday, 25th January 2006

  info please on Air raids to Aunay Sur Odon Normandy, it was occupied by the Germans and was completly flattened, anyone know what were they doing there? any information relating to this, or any photo's. This area seems to have been forgotten, the fighters coming in shelled The Chateau, where the German officers lived,
  the walls and the house still have the wounds, it would be nice to know more about it, surely someone knows? Or where can I find out. There is little or nothing listed regarding this village.

  Link to this forum: WWII, Aunay, Normandy, Bombings?

  Report message1

• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by arnaldalmaric (U1756653) on Thursday, 26th January 2006

  His SueAnnay,
  
  Quick reply, The RAF attacked Annay-sur-Odon together with an artillery barrage on the night of the 14th / 15th June 1944, together with an artillery barrage in order to cover the withdrawal of elements of 7th Armoured Division from a salient they had achieved in the line as part of an attack designed to outflank Caen from the west. I guess this is the attack you mean as up until D Day the RAF and USAAF had been very careful not to bomb France without reason.
  
  Opposing 7th Armoured (and occupying Annay) were units from Panzer-Lehr, and units from 2nd Panzer Division (who were moving through the area in order to engage the US 1st Army further west).
  
  Although the bombing of Annay-sur-Odon may not be famous, the events in the area are certainly not forgotten as 7th Armoured (The Desert Rats) are one of the more famous British Divisions of WW2. The action leading to the bombing of Annay is also famous as it includes the actions of one Oberstumfuhrer Michael Wittman, II Kompanie, 101st (SS) Heavy Tank Battalion at Villers Bocage.
  
  
  
  adds some detail.
  
  Note that I personally have some doubts over the detail in the quoted book β€œVillers Bocage Through the Lens”, specifically the claim that Wittmans Tiger was knocked out by a 6pdr AT gun. I can’t find any evidence that the 6pdr got into action. This claim seems to have come from photographs showing the front drive sprocket ring moved, however earlier photographs show it in place. Perhaps his Tiger just broke down. (It happened quite a lot).
  
  Cheers AA.
  

  Link to this forum: WWII, Aunay, Normandy, Bombings?

  Report message2

• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by LongWeekend (U3023428) on Friday, 27th January 2006

  Details of the size of the raid:
  
  14/15 June 1944
  
  337 aircraft - 223 Lancasters, 100 Halifaxes, 14 Mosquitos - of Nos 4, 5 and 8 Groups attacked German troop and vehicle positions at Aunay-sur-Odon and Γ‰vrecy, near Caen. These raids were prepared and executed in great haste, in response to an army report giving details of the presence of major German units. The weather was clear and both targets were successfully bombed. The target at Aunay, where the marking was shared by Nos 5 and 8 Groups, was particularly accurate. No aircraft were lost.
  
  

  Link to this forum: WWII, Aunay, Normandy, Bombings?

  Report message3

• Message 4

  , in reply to message 3.

  Posted by arnaldalmaric (U1756653) on Friday, 27th January 2006

  C3Square,
  
  Thanks and please note that where I've wrote Annay, I meant Aunay. D'Oh. Sorry.
  
  AA.

  Link to this forum: WWII, Aunay, Normandy, Bombings?

  Report message4

• Message 5

  , in reply to message 4.

  Posted by LongWeekend (U3023428) on Friday, 27th January 2006

  AA
  
  I get the spellings wrong all the time. Incidentally, the RAF and USAAF did a lot of bombing of France from April '44 onwards, as part of the preparation for D-Day. But that's a pretty good reason.
  
  Cheers
  
  C3S

  Link to this forum: WWII, Aunay, Normandy, Bombings?

  Report message5

• Message 6

  , in reply to message 5.

  Posted by arnaldalmaric (U1756653) on Friday, 27th January 2006

  AA
  
  I get the spellings wrong all the time. Incidentally, the RAF and USAAF did a lot of bombing of France from April '44 onwards, as part of the preparation for D-Day. But that's a pretty good reason.
  
  Cheers
  
  °δ3³§Μύ
  
  C3Square, quite correct, I should have said that there was no "targeted" bombing of France, at least not from the Axis perspective. Quite right to pick me up on a generalisation.
  
  Cheers AA.

  Link to this forum: WWII, Aunay, Normandy, Bombings?

  Report message6

Back to top