Operation Epsom

Description

Operation EPSOM was General Montgomery's third attempt to take the City of Caen, which had been a key British D-Day objective. Delayed by a storm, the attack, designed to envelop Caen from the west, eventually began at the end of June 1944. The Territorial Army battalions of 15th Scottish Division spearheaded the attacks through the well developed positions of 12th Hitlerjugend SS Panzer Division. It was slow going and when tanks11th Armoured Division dashed to the Odon Bridges they ran into the concentrated fire of dug-in panzers. However, the following day the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders slipped through the German defences and seized a vital bridge. Armour poured across but, rather than pushing home their advantage, the British prepared to beat off a powerful counter-attack from II SS Panzer Corps.

A serving soldier, Tim Saunders is now well established as a pre-eminent authority on Normandy. He wrote the best selling Hill 112, Nijmegen, Hell's Highway, and The Island. He is in demand as a battlefield guide and he lives near Lichfield.