VILLERS BOCAGE

The Germans were unable to take the main Normandy city of Caen some 20 miles east of Bayeaux and which was of strategic importance – it took Montgomery 4 major battles before the city was eventually seized a month after the invasion began

Villers Bocage is town situated some 20 kilometers south of Bayeaux and the British hoped to launch a flanking attack on Caen from here.

While they were gathering their forces in this area ace German SS tank commander Michael Wittmann on his own snuck in behind a British tank and truck convoy destroying 14 vehicles in quick succession. He and five of his Tiger Tanks then entered Villers Bocage and took the British by surprise destroying several more of their tanks.

The British troops then rallied and retaliated. Wittmann’s tank was damaged but he managed to escape – he was killed about a month later near Caen during Operation Totalise

A statue to General Eisenhower is in the town centre