The Battle of Normandy

[Fhil]

JUNE 8th, 1944
DAY 3

Situation report
06:00hrs

Previous night was everything but restfull, the Normandy front is one big fire - attacks, counterattacks, isolations, rescues and so on.

St.Mere Eglise



Heavy fighting in the Etienville area during the night, the outcome of which are many disrupted units on both sides. Kampfgruppe from FJ.Regt.6 counterattack towards a heavy bridge near Chef du Pont. Once it is guarded, it will push north towards the two heavy bridges throgh which the American tanks arrived. If this tactical operation is successful, another airborne threat would be eliminated, and forces would be released for other sectors, just like at Carentan or Benouville near Caen.

Carentan



Two engineer companies are already at the first medium bridge (1), after it´s destroyed, they will proceed to the second bridge (2) with the same task. Otherwise, this sector is basically quiet.

Trevieres



The most critical part of the front. The Schnelle.Brig.30 (blue colour) helped stabilizing the situation, but it couldn´t reach positions in front of the whole advancing American force, so it ´bumped´ basically to it´s right flank. The Americans already joined with the English comrades from the east, but what´s most dangerous is the breakthrough of American tanks to the east of Treviers. There is nobody to stop them once they eliminate the last two units shown in the screenshot. I was forced to a desperate solution - placing 352.Div´s artillery in blocking positions to this tanks, to slow them at least slightly, before reinforcements arrive here.

Bayeux



Fighting for Bayeux is in full swing. Shown are the stacks defending local strongpoints, it can be seen how they strenght drops down when receiving fire from many units they face. Not shown, but there are many disrupted units on the opposite side. For now, orders are to keep the English/Canadian forces from reaching the Caen-Bayeux road.

Caen



Same like near Bayeux, strongpoints are being created by combined forces of SS and Wehrmacht panzer grenadiers. First units from Panzer Lehr divisions are assebling to the west of Caen, once the majority of the division is regrouped, it´ll receive orders based on the how the situation develops. There is one thing certain - somebody has to stop the Americans breaking from the Omaha beach sector, and as both the 21.Panzer and 12.SS-Hitlerjugend are heavily engaged, it might be the arriving Panzer Lehr or at least some KG from it.