Revenge and Vengefulness during the Battle of Normandy (II)

SS-Flak Abteilung of 9.SS-Panzerdivision Hohenstaufen in Normandy

Paratrooper of Fallschirmjäger-Reg.6 with a FG-42 around Carentan

Camouflaged Tiger of s.SS-Pz.Abt. 101 in Villers-Bocage

Pz.Kpfw. Tiger n°211 of s.SS-Pz.Abt.102 in the Normandy bocage

Both sides often took no quarter in tit-for-tat reprisals. According to a report by regimental adjutant Count Hauptmann Clary-Aldrigen who was captured by British troops near Hill 102 along with six senior officers and men, including regimental commander Oberst Luxenburger and battalion commander Major Zeissler of Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 130 of the Panzer-Lehr Division on June 8 1944. The British forces were two scouting parties numbered 2 and 6A of C Squadron of the Inns of Court Regiment. According to the war diary of the Inns of Court Regiment on June 8 1944: Lieutenant Yodaiken, Lieutenant Wigram, Corporal Fowler and six other ranks. When the German officers refused to voluntarily ride on the English armored reconnaissance vehicles as shields against bullets, the one armed Luxenburger was beaten up and tied to the vehicle, covered in blood. After respective orders had been received by radio, Major Zeissler, Hauptmann Clary-Aldrigen, the NCOs and men of the group were shot by the retreating British still with Oberst Luxenberger tied to one of their vehicles. Clary-Aldrigen survived the gunshot wounds and regained consciousness and crawled, badly wounded, in the direction of the village of Le Mensil-Patry. The next day, in retaliation, three Canadian prisoners, Private Harold Angel of Cameron Highlanders and Privates Frederick Holness and Ernest Baskerville of Royal Winnipeg Rifles were ordered shot at Le Haut du Bosq on June 9 1944 by SS-Brigadeführer Wilhelm Mohnke. SS-Obersturmbannführer Bernhard Siebken opposed the summary executions and called Division HQ and spoke to divisional Chief of Staff (Ia). He was told that POWs are to be treated according to the Geneva Convention. Mohnke returned to Battalion HQ looking for Siebken, who was away at the front, he then ordered SS-Untersturmbannführer Dietrich Schnabel to execute the Canadians. At Schnabel's command the three Canadians were shot. At the end of World War II, several trials of Axis war criminals took place. However, in Europe, these tribunals were set up under the authority of the London Charter, and could only consider allegations of war crimes committed by persons who acted in the interests of the European Axis countries. Siebken and Schnabel, both of SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 26, were accused of the above war crime. Knight's Cross Holder Bernhard Siebken and Dietrich Schnabel were found guilty and hanged in Hameln on January 20 1949. Reference: Hubert Meyer - the official historian of 12.SS-Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend. Top image: an Anti-Aircraft Battery of 9.SS-Panzer-Division Hohenstaufen in Normandy in June 1944. Photo by KB Koll. Second image: a paratrooper of Fallschirmjägerregiment 6 armed with a Fallschirmjägergewehr 42 behind an embankment in the area around Carentan in June 1944. Credit: Julius Backman. Third image: Panzer Tiger of schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 101 camouflaged in the undergrowth near Villers-Bocage in Normandy in June 1944. Photo by KB Arthur Grimm. Credit: Royston Leonard. Bottom image: Tiger n°211 moving through the flooded low lands of Normandy for allied targets in July 1944. It was commanded by the less known Tiger Ace SS-Untersturmführer Martin Schroif, and assigned to schwere SS-Panzer-Abteilung 102. Martin Schroif survived the war and died aged 64 on August 16 1979. Credit: Vitaly Lopatin. All photos: Commons: Bundesarchiv.