King Tiger's World War 2 Battlefield Tour (Europe)
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King Tiger
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On 22 June, 1944, after the success in Villers-Bocage, Michael Wittmann received the Swords to his Knights Cross with Oakleaves (after recommendation of the commander of Panzer Lehr, Generalleutnant Fritz Bayerlein),
from the hands of SS-Obergruppenfuhrer und Panzergeneral der Waffen SS Josef ‘Sepp’ Dietrich, commander of the LSSAH.
On 25 June 1944, the ceremony was repeated, when Michael Wittmann received the same Swords from Hitler.
With these, Wittmann became the most decorated tanker of the Second World War and was promoted to SS-Haupsturmfuhrer.
from the hands of SS-Obergruppenfuhrer und Panzergeneral der Waffen SS Josef ‘Sepp’ Dietrich, commander of the LSSAH.
On 25 June 1944, the ceremony was repeated, when Michael Wittmann received the same Swords from Hitler.
With these, Wittmann became the most decorated tanker of the Second World War and was promoted to SS-Haupsturmfuhrer.
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King Tiger
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Michael Wittmann was given the post of instructor, but he choose to go back to the front instead of a training school, and went back to Normandy.
During the month of July, 1944 he fought in the Battle for Caen.
In Early August, Michael Wittmann received a new Tiger I tank , the ‘007’ in which he operates on 8 August in the area of Cintheaux.
During the month of July, 1944 he fought in the Battle for Caen.
In Early August, Michael Wittmann received a new Tiger I tank , the ‘007’ in which he operates on 8 August in the area of Cintheaux.
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King Tiger
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During my research and photo taking at Villers-Bocage, my wife walked around the nearby shops and bought some french bread at the local bread store.
Our lunch. A taste of Villers-Bocage's bread.
Our lunch. A taste of Villers-Bocage's bread.
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King Tiger
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16. Death of the Tiger Ace
On 25 July 1944, the First United States Army launched Operation Cobra.
The intention was to take advantage of the German preoccupation with British and Canadian activity around the town of Caen,
and immediately punch through the German defenses while the Germans were distracted and unbalanced.
On 25 July 1944, the First United States Army launched Operation Cobra.
The intention was to take advantage of the German preoccupation with British and Canadian activity around the town of Caen,
and immediately punch through the German defenses while the Germans were distracted and unbalanced.
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King Tiger
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Once a corridor had been created, the First Army advance into Brittany, rolling up the German flanks and freeing itself of the constraints imposed by operating in the Norman bocage countryside.
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King Tiger
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On 08 August 1944, the British and the Canadian Army launched Operation Totalize.
The intention was to break through the German defences south of Caen on the eastern flank of the Allied positions in Normandy and exploit success by driving south to capture the high ground north of the city of Falaise.
The overall goal was to precipitate the collapse of the entire German front, and cut off the retreat of German forces fighting American and British armies further west.
The intention was to break through the German defences south of Caen on the eastern flank of the Allied positions in Normandy and exploit success by driving south to capture the high ground north of the city of Falaise.
The overall goal was to precipitate the collapse of the entire German front, and cut off the retreat of German forces fighting American and British armies further west.
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King Tiger
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SS General Kurt Meyer, commander of the 12th SS Panzer Division, had ordered two battlegroups, consisting of assault guns, infantry and Tiger tanks,
positioning themselves across the Canadian front and to counter-attack the leading Allied troops.
And to retake tactically important high ground near the town of Saint-Aignan-de-Cramesnil.
The town and surrounding high ground had been captured a few hours earlier by Anglo-Canadian forces during Operation Totalize.
Michael Wittmann was killed on 8 August 1944 while taking part in the counterattack ordered by Kurt Meyer of the 12th SS Panzer Division.
Wittmann had decided to participate in the attack as he believed the company commander who was supposed to lead the attack was too inexperienced.
His tank was ambushed in the area of Cintheaux, by Sherman Firefly tanks from the British 144 Royal Armoured Corps.
The shells penetrated the upper hull of the tank and ignited the Tiger's own ammunition,
causing a fire which engulfed the tank and then blew off the turret, killing Michael Wittmann and his entire crew.
Aug 1944 - The only photograph taken of Michael Wittmann’s destroyed Tiger I tank No. 007
After the fighting, the bodies are buried in a pit next to the remnants of Tiger ‘007’.
In March 1983, human remains are found.
After research it is concluded that these belonged to Michael Wittmann and his crew.
Video on Michael Wittmann's last battle
[video=youtube;GcL_Z4Gx11I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcL_Z4Gx11I&feature=related[/video]
positioning themselves across the Canadian front and to counter-attack the leading Allied troops.
And to retake tactically important high ground near the town of Saint-Aignan-de-Cramesnil.
The town and surrounding high ground had been captured a few hours earlier by Anglo-Canadian forces during Operation Totalize.
Michael Wittmann was killed on 8 August 1944 while taking part in the counterattack ordered by Kurt Meyer of the 12th SS Panzer Division.
Wittmann had decided to participate in the attack as he believed the company commander who was supposed to lead the attack was too inexperienced.
His tank was ambushed in the area of Cintheaux, by Sherman Firefly tanks from the British 144 Royal Armoured Corps.
The shells penetrated the upper hull of the tank and ignited the Tiger's own ammunition,
causing a fire which engulfed the tank and then blew off the turret, killing Michael Wittmann and his entire crew.
Aug 1944 - The only photograph taken of Michael Wittmann’s destroyed Tiger I tank No. 007
After the fighting, the bodies are buried in a pit next to the remnants of Tiger ‘007’.
In March 1983, human remains are found.
After research it is concluded that these belonged to Michael Wittmann and his crew.
Video on Michael Wittmann's last battle
[video=youtube;GcL_Z4Gx11I]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcL_Z4Gx11I&feature=related[/video]
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King Tiger
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May 2010 - I manage to find the site in the area of Cintheaux where Michael Wittmann’s Tiger I tank was destroyed
It is a windy and peaceful countryside farming land today
It is a windy and peaceful countryside farming land today
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King Tiger
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May 2010 - KT at actual site where Michael Wittmann’s Tiger I tank '007' was destroyed
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King Tiger
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17. La Cambe War Cemetery
La Cambe is a military war grave cemetery, located close to Bayeux, France.
Presently containing in excess of 21,000 German military personnel of World War II, it is maintained and managed by the German War Graves Commission.
German Military Cemetery at La Cambe, Normandy
[video=youtube;ERA1pY9XxoQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERA1pY9XxoQ[/video]
La Cambe is a military war grave cemetery, located close to Bayeux, France.
Presently containing in excess of 21,000 German military personnel of World War II, it is maintained and managed by the German War Graves Commission.
German Military Cemetery at La Cambe, Normandy
[video=youtube;ERA1pY9XxoQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERA1pY9XxoQ[/video]
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King Tiger
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King Tiger
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Because of the pace of the war, the German war dead in Normandy were scattered over a wide area, many of them buried in isolated field graves - or small battlefield cemeteries.
In the years following the war, the German War Graves Commission (Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge) sought to establish six main German cemeteries in the Normandy area.
La Cambe German war cemetery was one of the six formal sites.
In the years following the war, the German War Graves Commission (Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge) sought to establish six main German cemeteries in the Normandy area.
La Cambe German war cemetery was one of the six formal sites.
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King Tiger
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King Tiger
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King Tiger
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King Tiger
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Michael Wittmann : The Tiger Tank Ace, along with his tank crew was informally buried in an unmarked site following their deaths on 8 August 1944.
Rediscovered in 1983, the entire crew were and reinterred together at La Cambe War Cemetery.
Rediscovered in 1983, the entire crew were and reinterred together at La Cambe War Cemetery.
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King Tiger
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May 2010 - I manage to find the resting place of Michael Wittmann along with his tank crew at La Cambe War Cemetery.
Michael Wittmann and his crew are buried in lot 47, row 3 and grave 120.
Michael Wittmann and his crew are buried in lot 47, row 3 and grave 120.
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King Tiger
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His bravery may in that context not be forgotten. He was very popular among his comrades and showed sometimes, during the dirty fighting at the East front, the humanity side of him.
In one battle occasion at the Eastern Front, Russian crew members who jumped burning from their destroyed T-34 had their flames put out by blankets from Michael Wittmann and his crew and were handed over to the German medical service.
This is an unusual act, when normal Germans crew would usually machine gun down the burned Russian soldiers.
The total score of victories for Wittmann till 8 August, 1944 was 141 tanks and 132 anti-tank guns.
Most of these victories were made on the East front.
With these, Wittmann became the most decorated tanker of the Second World War.
In one battle occasion at the Eastern Front, Russian crew members who jumped burning from their destroyed T-34 had their flames put out by blankets from Michael Wittmann and his crew and were handed over to the German medical service.
This is an unusual act, when normal Germans crew would usually machine gun down the burned Russian soldiers.
The total score of victories for Wittmann till 8 August, 1944 was 141 tanks and 132 anti-tank guns.
Most of these victories were made on the East front.
With these, Wittmann became the most decorated tanker of the Second World War.
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