„Hitlerjugend“ counterattack from Caen towards the beaches

Pz.Kpfw. IV of SS-Pz.Reg.12 Hitlerjugend

Pz.Kpfw. IV of SS-Pz.Reg.12 Hitlerjugend

SS-Pz.Grenadiers of SS-Pz.Gren.Reg. 25 Hitlerjugend

After much confusion, the 12.SS-Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend got moving at about 14:30 hours on June 6 1944, over twelve hours after the first reports of the Allied landings had been received. The divisions advance to the areas near the British–Canadian landing beaches of Sword and Juno Beaches proceeded slowly due to Allied air attacks. Experienced Waffen-SS veterans understood what was coming. They also knew how much would depend upon the fresh-faced teenagers assembling around them. At 10:00 hours on June 7 1944, the SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 25, along with 50 Panzer IV tanks of the SS-Panzer-Regiment 12, moved into position north-west of Caen. They were ordered to break through to the beach but were halted by naval and anti-tank fire and Allied air interdiction. Regiment commander SS-Obersturmbannführer Kurt Meyer countermanded the divisional commander's order on his own initiative, feeling that objective unrealistic, and hoped merely to stop the flow of Canadian units inland until the situation could be stabilized. Late on June 7 1944, the divisions sister regiment, the SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 26 arrived on the battlefield. It crossed behind Kurt Meyer's regiment and took post to the west. The 1.Bataillon launched an attack towards Norrey-en-Bessin, defended by the Regina Rifle Regiment of 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade, orders were to overrun the Canadians and force a deep wedge between them and the British to the west. No reconnaissance of the Canadian positions was done. Bessin was well-defended by the Regina Rifles, with firmly established positions and with artillery support, and the attack failed. The attack at 03:30 hours on June 8 1944 had little initial success. The 1.Bataillon managed to break into the village of Putot-en-Bessin and surround several companies, pushing the Canadian Royal Winnipeg Rifles out of the village by 13:00 hours and inflicting 256 casualties – of which 175 were taken prisoner. Later that day, a counter-attack by the Canadian Scottish Regiment, with artillery, tank and tank-destroyer support, re-took Putot. A company of Panther tanks finally appeared on June 8 1944, and Kurt Meyer personally led a night attack toward the village of Rots, which they reached at midnight. Credt: Welsh historian Jon Latimer inter alia. Top clips: Panzer IVs of the Hitlerjugend en route to the Normandy Front on June 6 1944. Footages from Die Deutsche Wochenschau. FU. Bottom image: Hitlerjugend regrouping after the failed attack in Norrey-en-Bessin near the town of Rots on June 9 1944. The wounded officer with the back to the camera is SS-Obersturmbannführer Max Wünsche, commanding officer of SS-Panzer-Regiment 12. The officer to the very right is the diplomat's son SS-Hauptsturmführer Rudolf von Ribbentrop of the same regiment. Photo by SS-KB Wilfried Woscidlo. Credit: David W. Stradal. Commons: Bundesarchiv.