Post by larryc1 on Sept 27, 2020 20:52:07 GMT
During the WW2 the Allies made several attempts to decapitate the Wermacht command structure by carrying out raids on known field headquarters. The raid on Chateau La Caine was, by far, the most successful of all.
Panzer Group West moved into this chateau and its grounds on June 8, 1944, with General der Panzertruppen Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg in command. Within a day the Allies had identified the location probably through ULTRA/Enigma decrypts.
The 2nd Tactical Air Force was tasked to attack the headquarters and equipment hidden in the orchards surrounding the chateau. To this end approximately 70 B-25 Mitchell bombers (552 five hundred pound bombs) and 42 Hawker Typhoon fighter-bombers (208 RP3 60 pound rockets plus 20 m/m cannon) were assigned to the target.
The attack went in late on June 10 and resulted in devastation for the German H.Q.
Von Schweppenburg himself was wounded and 18 of his staff were killed. Much of the equipment in the orchards was destroyed: so much so that the command group ceased to exist. The survivors were moved back to Paris and only returned to Normandy weeks later. Worse still a planned counter offensive against the Allied forces was delayed and then abandoned. It became forbidden to establish headquarters in villages or chateaux in the future.
By the standards of the day the bombing was judged to be 'extremely accurate'. I have plotted the bomb strikes from a contemporary map; rocket impacts are not shown. The village suffered minor damage, the chateau survived but was pitted by shrapnel. ( Keep in mind that about 10% of bombs fail to detonate and are presumably still in the grounds).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_raid_on_La_Caine_(1944)
Photos:
rafoverlord.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-destruction-of-hq-panzer-group-west.html
Chateau La Caine June 10 1944..kmz (5.61 KB)
Chateau La Caine June 10 1944..kmz (5.61 KB)
Panzer Group West moved into this chateau and its grounds on June 8, 1944, with General der Panzertruppen Leo Geyr von Schweppenburg in command. Within a day the Allies had identified the location probably through ULTRA/Enigma decrypts.
The 2nd Tactical Air Force was tasked to attack the headquarters and equipment hidden in the orchards surrounding the chateau. To this end approximately 70 B-25 Mitchell bombers (552 five hundred pound bombs) and 42 Hawker Typhoon fighter-bombers (208 RP3 60 pound rockets plus 20 m/m cannon) were assigned to the target.
The attack went in late on June 10 and resulted in devastation for the German H.Q.
Von Schweppenburg himself was wounded and 18 of his staff were killed. Much of the equipment in the orchards was destroyed: so much so that the command group ceased to exist. The survivors were moved back to Paris and only returned to Normandy weeks later. Worse still a planned counter offensive against the Allied forces was delayed and then abandoned. It became forbidden to establish headquarters in villages or chateaux in the future.
By the standards of the day the bombing was judged to be 'extremely accurate'. I have plotted the bomb strikes from a contemporary map; rocket impacts are not shown. The village suffered minor damage, the chateau survived but was pitted by shrapnel. ( Keep in mind that about 10% of bombs fail to detonate and are presumably still in the grounds).
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_raid_on_La_Caine_(1944)
Photos:
rafoverlord.blogspot.com/2019/05/the-destruction-of-hq-panzer-group-west.html
Chateau La Caine June 10 1944..kmz (5.61 KB)
Chateau La Caine June 10 1944..kmz (5.61 KB)
