Yaƙin Caen na biyu: Yuli 1944

Cromwell na 7th Army Division. berayen hamada; ranar farko ta aikin Goodwood, 18 ga Yuli, 1944. Matsalar injinan irin wannan shine, a cikin wasu abubuwa, silhouette na angular nasu yayi kama da tankunan Jamus, wanda ya haifar da kurakurai.

Bayan kusan wata guda ana gwabzawa a Normandy, Caen ya kasance cibiyar jan hankali ga bangarorin biyu. Da yake kare ƙawancen ƙawance zuwa filin kudu maso gabas na birnin, Jamusawa sun tattara yawancin ƙungiyoyi masu sulke a wannan sashe na gaba.

A rana ta ƙarshe ta watan Yuni 1944, Janar Montgomery, kwamandan Rukunin Sojoji na 21, ya kammala Operation Epsom. Ya shiga cikin layin tsaron Jamus a yammacin Caen, ya zana SS Panzer Corps a cikin yaki. A gefen gabas na ƙugiya, abokan gaba na Birtaniya su ne SS Panzer Corps na 12, Obergruppenführer Dietrich, a lokacin da aka yi da zubar da jini amma har yanzu suna yaki 1st SS Panzer Division. "Hitler Youth" da kuma wani rejista na tanki Grenadiers (SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt 1), wanda shi ne mai tsaron gida zuwa gaba a Caen 9. SS-Pz.Div. "Leibstandarte". Daga kudanci da yamma, harin na Biritaniya ya ci karo da II. SS-Pz.Korps Gruppenführer Bitrich a matsayin wani ɓangare na 10th SS-Pz.Div. "Hohenstaufen" da kuma 2nd SS Panzer Division. "Frundsberg", wanda Kampfgruppe Weidinger su ne bataliyoyin karfafa grenadier na SS Panzer Division na XNUMX. "Das Reich". Yanzu wadannan dakarun suna kokarin dawo da bata gari.

Wannan ci gaban ya kasance kamar yadda Montgomery ya yi hasashe. Tun daga farko, shirinsa na yaƙin neman zaɓe na Normandy shine ya ɗaure ajiyar makamai na Rommel a Caen har sai Amurkawa sun shirya kai farmaki daga ɓangaren yammacinsu kuma a cikin babban baka daga baya. Ya kasance, duk da haka, sanannen wasan da wuta, saboda Jamusawa ba su iyakance kansu ga tsaro na tsaye ba. Montgomery ya umurci Sojojin Anglo-Kanada na 2 da su ci gaba da kokarinsu na kama Caen kuma su yi amfani da matsananciyar matsa lamba don dakatar da sojojin abokan gaba. A lokaci guda kuma, dole ne mu ga cewa gefenmu na gabas ya tabbata. Abokan gaba yanzu suna da manya-manyan runduna a yankin Caen kuma suna iya amfani da su don tunkarar wani babban hari. Don haka, yana da matuƙar mahimmanci ga tsarin aiki na gaba ɗaya cewa Sojoji na 2 ba su kawar da mu daga ma'auni ta wani nau'in tuntuɓe ba.

Churchill Crocodile, dauke da makamin wuta, ya firgita sojojin na Jamus.

Abin da aka saba gabatarwa a cikin wallafe-wallafen a matsayin jerin yunƙurin da ba a yi nasara ba don kama Caen, hakika wasa ne mai haɗari tare da ƙwararrun ƙwararrun ƙwararrun ƙwararrun ƙwararrun ƙwararrun ƙwararrun ƙwararru. An soki Laftanar Janar Dempsey, kwamandan Sojoji na 2, saboda gudun hijira da ya yi daga Hill 112 da ke da dabaru da kuma janye tankunan yaki zuwa arewacin gabar kogin Odon. Abubuwan da suka faru a ranar 1 ga Yuli sun nuna, duk da haka, yadda ainihin hatsarin da Jamusawa za su lalata gadar Odon, wanda aka kama a sakamakon Operation Epsom, tare da kai hari mai karfi. Da gari ya waye, sashin SS Panzer na 9. Kungiyar Hohenstaufen da Battle Group Weidinger sun kai hari a arewacin gabar kogin a kokarin sake kwace Rore. Aka ci gaba da gwabza fada. Runduna ta 49 ta "West Riding" da aka fi sani da "Polar Bears", ta yi tsayin daka saboda polar bear a cikin alamar rukunin. Daga karshe dai harin na Jamus bai yi nasara ba saboda harbin manyan bindigogi. Da tsakar rana, Oberturmbannführer Otto Meyer, kwamandan SS-Pz.Rgt. 9 (manyan makamai na division "Hohenstaufen"), ya kammala aikinsa rahoton zuwa hedkwatar tare da quote daga Dante: Kashe duk bege wanda ya zo nan.

Rikicin na Birtaniyya ya mayar da layin gaba zuwa yadda yake a da. Masu harba wuta na Churchill crocodile sun raunata maharan da ke buya a cikin shingen shingen, wanda sojojin da ke raka tankunan suka kashe su. Ba da daɗewa ba bayan yaƙin, wani Lord Howe-Hau, wanda ya watsa farfagandar yaren Ingilishi a rediyon Jamus, ya buga wa runduna ta 49 ta rundunar soji ta wayar tarho. “Masu yanka” kuma sun sanar da cewa daga yanzu, nan take za a harbe sojojin da aka kama masu dauke da lambar gora. Jamusawa sun cika alkawarinsu. Wani jami'i da sojoji biyu daga 1st/Tyneside Scots Regiment (1st Battalion Tyneside Scots) wadanda suka bace a sintiri 'yan kwanaki baya shakka an kashe su. An gano gawarwakinsu a cikin ginshikin katangar Juvigny.

A lokacin yakin Rohr, SS Panzer Division na 10. "Frundsberg" ta ci gaba da kai harin kan gadar da ke kudancin bankin Odon. Jamusawa sun mamaye ƙauyen Baron a taƙaice, amma a nan an fatattaki su da wani harin da aka kai musu, suka koma bayan Hill 112, inda aka harbe su da harbin bindiga a hanya. 'Yan sintiri na Biritaniya sun ba da rahoton cewa kimanin 'yan SS 300-400 ne suka mutu a kan gangaren arewa. Bangarorin biyu sun sha asara mai yawa a wannan rana (soja 1 ya mutu a 132nd/Tyneside Scots), amma ga Jamusawa sun kasance masu nauyi musamman. Kampfgruppe Weidinger, wanda ya rasa sojoji 642, ciki har da 108 da aka kashe, an janye shi daga yakin Caen kuma ya koma gidanta ("Das Reich"). Ɗaya daga cikin rundunonin rejistar Hohenstaufen (SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 20) a ranar 1 ga Yuli an rage shi da gurneti 328, ciki har da 51 da aka kashe. Dukkanin sassan, tun daga lokacin da suka shiga yakin a ranar 29 ga Yuni har zuwa maraice na 2 ga Yuli, sun rubuta asarar da suka kai 1145 da kuma 16 Panthers, 10 PzKpfw IVs da XNUMX StuGs.

Wannan shi ne farashin Jamus "nasarar tsaro". Jamusawa ba su da wani tunani game da wanda ya lashe wannan mummunan yaƙin. Von Schweppenburg, kwamandan kungiyar ta Panzer Group West, ya bukaci a janye rundunonin masu sulke daga manyan makaman yaki na ruwa.

Ya samu goyon bayan von Rundstedt, babban kwamandan sojojin Jamus a yammacin Turai. Nan take Hitler ya kori duka biyun. Sai Rommel (Kwamandan Sojoji Rukunin B, abokin aikin Montgomery a wancan gefen) ya yi dariya - kamar yadda ya zama annabci - Ni ne na gaba a jerin.

ana kiran kafet

Da yake kimanta halin da ake ciki a farkon watan Yuli, Montgomery ya ce: filin yaƙi a Normandy ya riga ya ɗauki siffar da ya dace don karya ta gaba a gefen yamma. Na yi fatan fara wannan aiki a ranar 3 ga Yuli, amma abubuwan da suka faru a halin da ake ciki sun nuna cewa waɗannan zato suna da kyakkyawan fata. A gaskiya ma, nasarar ta zo ne kawai a ranar 25 ga Yuli. Tabbas, jinkirin da aka samu a gefen yamma yana da tasiri kai tsaye ga ayyukan sojojin na 2. Tana bukatar ta matsa wa abokan gaba sosai don ta ci gaba da zama a gabas.

Wani harin da aka yi wa wadannan hare-hare shi ne filin jirgin sama na Carpiquet, wanda ke yammacin yammacin Caen da ƙauyen da ke kusa da sunan iri ɗaya. Kwamandan runduna ta 3 ta Kanadiya, wadda aka dorawa alhakin wannan aiki, ya sanya wa daya daga cikin rundunonin sojojinsa, shiyya ta 8. Ya ƙunshi bataliyoyin uku: 1st / Royal (daga Rifles na Sarauniya na Kanada), 1st / North Shores (daga North Shore New Brunswick Rgt) da 1st / Chauds na Faransanci (daga rejistar Le Régiment de la Chaudiere). . Brig ne ya umarce su. Kenneth Blackader. Don tsawon lokacin aikin, ƙarin bataliyar sojan ƙasa - 1st / Winnipeg (daga Royal Winnipeg Fusiliers, wani ɓangare na 7th Infantry Regiment) - da kamfanoni uku na Ottawa Cameron Highlanders, bataliyar "nauyi" (na'urar Vickers mai nauyi) bindigogi da turmi) an sanya su a karkashin umarninsa.

10th Armd Rgt (Fort Garry Horse) zai ba da tallafin makamai - ɗaya daga cikin tsarin mulkin Kanada na 2nd Armd Bde, wanda ya ƙunshi ƙungiyoyi uku (kimanin Shermans 60 gabaɗaya), da kuma squadrons uku na tankuna na musamman (ɗaya ɗaya). kowanne daga Churchill AVRE, Shermans Crab daya don ma'adinai da Churchill Crocodile) daga Rundunar Sojojin Burtaniya ta 79. Bugu da kari, 21 filin bindigu (kimanin bindigogi 760) ya kamata su goyi bayan harin a kan Carpiquet, baya ga jiragen sama da jiragen ruwa na Royal Navy. Matsayin farawa na mutanen Kanada a ƙauyen Marseilles sun kasance kilomita 2 ne kawai daga manufar aikin, lambar mai suna "Windsor".

Abokin hamayyarsu ita ce bataliyar farko ta 26th Panzer Grenadier Regiment of the Hitler Youth Division (I./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 26), ko kuma a maimakon haka, abin da ya rage bayan Operation Epsom, watau. kimanin sojoji 150-200 (maimakon 1000). Duk da haka, filin jirgin saman an sanye shi da kakkarfan tankokin Luftwaffe da aka gina wanda ke ba da kariya daga gobarar bindigogi, kuma hanyar sadarwa na tashoshi na kankare na iya zama a matsayin ramuka. Bugu da kari, akwai wani lebur yankin filin jirgin sama, mikewa a kusa da, a cikin wani radius na 2 km, samar da anti-tanki bindigogi. kuma ga tankunan da aka tona, filin wuta mai kyau. An jibge batir na bindigogin kakkabo jiragen sama guda hudu 8,8 cm a wajen gabashin filin jirgin. Matasan Hitler. A kusurwar kudu maso gabas na filin jirgin sama akwai PzKpfw IVs guda biyar daga kamfanin 9th na rukunin rukunin tanki (9./SS-Pz.Rgt. 12). Tallafin bindigogi, kodayake iyakance ta rashin harsashi, III./SS-Pz howitzers, art. 12 da kuma rundunar makaman roka (Werfer-Rgt. 83) sanye da kayan harba na Nebelwerfer.

Shirin mummuna shine bataliyoyin biyu, 1st/North Shores da 1st/Chauds, don kai hari a ƙauyen Carpike da hangars a gefen arewacin filin jirgin sama. A wannan lokacin, 1st/Winnipeg Division zai kama gefen kudancin filin jirgin sama da maboyarsa. Kowace bataliyar tana samun goyon bayan Sherman Squadron ɗaya na rundunar sojan doki na Fort Harry da kuma tanki guda ɗaya. A kashi na biyu na aikin, 1st/Queens za ta wuce ta Karpike da aka kama, kuma daga nan ne suka kai farmaki a gefen gabashin filin jirgin, inda gine-ginen kula da zirga-zirgar jiragen sama suke.

A yammacin ranar 3 ga watan Yuli, jirgin yakin HMS Rodney ya kai wa filin jirgin sama hari, yana tafiya a cikin Gulf of Sensky. Daga nesa mai nisan kilomita 24, ya harba manyan bindigogi 15 daga cikin bindigoginsa guda tara 410 mm. Da gari ya waye a ranar 4 ga watan Yuli, 'yan kasar Canada sun kai harin, bayan da jirgin ya tashi. Bataliyoyin 1st/North Shores da 1st/Chauds bataliyoyin sun mamaye arewacin filin jirgin sama da ƙauyen, inda kimanin matasan Hitler 50 ke karewa ba tare da wata matsala ba.

A wannan lokacin, Rundunar ta 1st/Winnipeg ta sami babban asara daga turmi da harbin bindiga yayin da ta tunkari rataye da ke gefen kudu ta hanyar budaddiyar kasa. Don manufar kai harin, hatta Churchill-Crocodiles ba su iya korar Jamusawa daga katangar da maharbansu na wuta ba, kuma bataliyar ta ja da baya zuwa matsayinsu na asali. Ya sake yin wani yunkuri na biyu da yamma kuma a wannan karon ya fuskanci tirjiya. Panthers na 1st da 2nd / SS-Pz.Rgt. Tankuna 12 da aka ajiye a yankunan yammacin Caen sun lalata su da tawagar Sherman da ke tare da su, wadanda suka yi asarar tankunan shida daga cikin 15. Har yanzu 1st/Winnipeg ya koma murabba'i ɗaya. A karshen wannan rana, runduna ta 8 ta Infantry ce ke iko da kauyen da kuma arewacin filin jirgin, yayin da SS ke kula da matsugunan da ke gefen kudu da gine-ginen da ke gefen gabas.

Mutanen Kanada sun rasa sojoji 377 (an kashe su, sun raunata, sun ɓace). Wannan yaƙin ya kashe Jamusawa 155 grenadiers daga I./SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt. 26, wanda a zahiri ya daina wanzuwa. Bayan duhu, a daren 4-5 ga Yuli, SS-Pz.Gren.Rgt, wanda aka sanya wa sashin matasa na Hitler, ya shiga yakin Karpike. 1 (manyan bindigogi masu motsi na sashin Leibstandarte). Bataliya ta biyu ta dauki matsayi a gefen gabas na filin jirgin sama. A lokaci guda kuma, bataliyar ta uku, wanda ke tallafawa kamfanoni biyu na Panther (1st da 4th / SS-Pz.Rgt. 12), sun kai hari kauyen Carpiquet daga arewa, daga gefen Frankville. Ya yi asarar sojoji 118 (musamman saboda gobarar Nbelwerfer da makamin da ya kamata su tallafa masa!) Da gari ya waye ya koma bayan hanyar Can Baie.

Nasarar rabin lokaci na Operation Windsor ya haifar da wani tashin hankali a sansanin Allied. Lamarin ya yi kama da yakin basasa na 1914-1918, wanda ya raunata al'ummar Biritaniya sosai. Wani karin suka shi ne cewa a wancan mataki sojojin kawancen kasa da kasa a Faransa ba su iya yin wani abu don dakile harin bama-baman da aka yi wa Ingila da rokoki V-1 da aka harba daga yankin Pas de Calais. Eisenhower ya tuna cewa a daya daga cikin ziyarar Churchill a wannan lokacin, firaministan Burtaniya ya nuna matukar jin dadinsa game da halin da ake ciki a Caen.

Daga nan sai ya tunatar da babban kwamandan cewa yana da damar korar duk wani ma’aikacin da ya ga bai gamsu ba, ba tare da la’akari da matsayi ko dan kasa ba. Ya kasance a sarari ga Montgomery, wanda ya ci gaba da nacewa cewa komai yana tafiya yadda ya kamata.

"Birtaniya ba su yi komai ba tukuna."

Eisenhower ya ci gaba da gargadi da karfafa kwamandan Rukunin Sojoji na 21, amma yawan masu suka ya karu. Janar Patton, babban abokin hamayyar Montgomery ne ya haɗu da shi a lokacin yakin Sicily, wanda ya isa Normandy a farkon Yuli tare da hedkwatar sojojinsa ta 1. A ranar 3 ga Yuli ya rubuta a cikin littafin tarihinsa: Na ci abinci tare da Bradley da Montgomery. Bayan cin abinci, muka je tantin yaƙi. A can Montgomery ya fita don ya bayyana mana dalilin da ya sa Birtaniya ba su yi komai ba har yanzu. Har yanzu ba su kama Caen ba duk da cewa wannan birni ne makasudin D-Day.

Montgomery ya ji takaici da Amurkawa kamar yadda suke tare da su. Da zarar sun kama Cherbourg (wanda ya faru a ranar 29 ga Yuni), ya sa ran za su shiga cikin sauri a cikin sashinsu. Wani mako ya wuce kuma Sojojin su na farko har yanzu suna makale a cikin fadama da shingen da ke arewacin Saint-Lô, inda galibin hanyoyin ke tafiya daidai da layin harin. Duk da haka, an sami ingantacciyar runduna masu sulke a kan Bradley - SS-Pz.Gren.Div na 1. "Götz von Berlichingen" (tank grenadier division, wanda ya hada da daya tanki bataliya) da 17nd SS-Pz.Div. "Das Reich". Amma ya kai hari a gaba mai fa'ida, ba ruwansa da shawarwarin Montgomery na kai hari "a cikin Jamusanci", a cikin salon Guderian - ya zaɓi wani wuri cibiyar ƙarfinsa kuma ya buge shi sau ɗaya.

Kan clinch, yayin da yake aiki da manufarsa, Montgomery ya ba da shawarar, ba a nufin ya daɗe ba, don haka ya zama mafi matsala ga sojojin Birtaniya-Kanada. Ci gaban filin na Dempsey na biyu yana nufin cewa babu isasshen wurin kawo sabbin sojoji cikin fadan. Abin da ya fi muni, bayanan sirri sun yi gargadin cewa lokacin da babban kwamandan Jamus ya fahimci cewa ba za a sake kai hari na biyu na Pas-de-Calais ba, za su fara tura sojoji da yawa zuwa Normandy fiye da da. Montgomery ya san yana bukatar ya sake buga wani wuri don ya daina barin shirin. Shi da kansa ya bayyana cewa: “A bayyane yake cewa makiya suna kara nuna damuwa game da bangarensa na yammacin duniya, don haka na kuduri aniyar kara zage damtse a fagen yaki da sojojin kasar ta 2 domin hana tura karin dakaru masu sulke kan Amurkawa.

Makasudin aikin na gaba na gaba shine kama yankin arewa maso yammacin Caen, tare da cibiyar tarihi na birnin, ta hanyar tura abokan gaba bayan layin kogin Orne zuwa cikin manyan yankunan masana'antu (Faubourg de Vauxcelles). Mutum yana samun ra'ayi cewa Montgomery ya yanke shawarar kai hari kan shafin don kawai ya rufe masu sukar da ke nuna cewa har yanzu bai kama Caen ba. An damƙa wannan aikin ga ƙungiyoyin runduna guda uku na rukunin runduna ta 115 na laftanar-janar. Crocker, wanda tare ya kai kimanin sojoji 000.