Wittmann Tiger Normandie.

[Bob Lyons]

Tiger 007 was the mount of SS-Obersturmbannführer Heinz von Westernhagen, and was the one that Wittmann was killed in, after his Tiger was knocked out,
which I am sure you already knew, but just adding it to the thread.....

[kc1]

There must be a report somewhere in British records of the action that day. The ambush was given as a set piece worthy of study and as an example of how to do the job. A team of British officers visited the site, either autumn 44 or early 45, photos surely would have been taken, they reported flesh still inside the interior of the turret. Wittman himself vanished from sight until the road widening unearthed his remains, does any one know who caused him to be interred?

[BlackCat1982]

There must be a report somewhere in British records of the action that day. The ambush was given as a set piece worthy of study and as an example of how to do the job. A team of British officers visited the site, either autumn 44 or early 45, photos surely would have been taken, they reported flesh still inside the interior of the turret. Wittman himself vanished from sight until the road widening unearthed his remains, does any one know who caused him to be interred?

The remains were discovered by the road works, and the remains of Wittmann and his crew were identified by the VDK, there is an account of this in the book Panzers in Normandy, then and now.

[HistoryMan]

I took Dan's advice and ordered the DVD from Australia via e-bay ( I couldn't seem to find one anywhere else ). It arrived safely and I've just spent an enjoyable hour watching the Wittmann part.

It's certainly a 'cut above' most of these sorts of 'tonight we reveal for the first time..' () programmes - excellent talking heads, informed battlefield walking, fascinating relics and even the CGI is well done.

Recommended !

You could have watched it for free on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhG3meKdMc4

[The Devil's Bank]

There must be a report somewhere in British records of the action that day. The ambush was given as a set piece worthy of study and as an example of how to do the job. A team of British officers visited the site, either autumn 44 or early 45, photos surely would have been taken, they reported flesh still inside the interior of the turret. Wittman himself vanished from sight until the road widening unearthed his remains, does any one know who caused him to be interred?

Well, if this is true (?) that a British Team did visit the site, I wonder where the report is?

Can you imagine if more detailed pictures became available?

- - ------- - -

There must be a report somewhere in British records of the action that day. The ambush was given as a set piece worthy of study and as an example of how to do the job. A team of British officers visited the site, either autumn 44 or early 45, photos surely would have been taken, they reported flesh still inside the interior of the turret. Wittman himself vanished from sight until the road widening unearthed his remains, does any one know who caused him to be interred?

Well, if this is true (?) that a British Team did visit the site, I wonder where the report is?

Can you imagine the interest, if more detailed pictures became available?

[Paul D]

This is always an interesting subject and i cover it often on the ground in Normandy as part of my Battlefield Guiding work i do a Panzers / Tanks in Normandy Tour which looks at both Villers Bocage and the death of Wittmann.

These incidents always provoke a lively discussion on Tour due to the amount of myth and in some cases outright fabrication that has been spawned about them over the years . Daniel Taylors book and DVD which i use on the Tours to a great extent tell the true story of Villers but the debate about the death of Wittmann will no doubt rumble on as there is no real evidence about what exactly happened other that the Northants Yeo war diary !!

Unless of course more info is available from what KC1 has said , what is the source of this information ?

[The Devil's Bank]

I agree Paul, I remember all those years ago, going into WH Smiths and nosing around the Military modelling magazine section.

I remember seeing the "After the Battle" magazine, and on the front cover was a Panther as "Found" in a scrap yard in the seventies.

It was the first time I'd seen the "ATB" magazine, and I noticed the "Panzers in Normandy" book advert.

It stated that the "Final" resting place of Wittmann had been "found"

Any thing to do with the "big Cats" (as the Panthers & Tigers were known), I just love.


So off I went to the counter and bought myself this issue, and hurried off home.

Reading the advert for the the "P in N" book, I phoned them straight away, to order my copy.

A long wait was had as I eagerly awaited the arrival.. and I wasn't disappointed when it did arrive.

Always find the events of August 8 1944 fascinating and still do to this day.

Wittmann talking about the event of Villers Bocage, June 1944:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFtFfHGmgJA

[Paul D]

I always think that Goebbels must be laughing into his Stein that the result of his propoganda machines success Villers Bocage has turned into such a cause celebre all these years later , Funny how little is ever mentioned about the disastrous German attack the following day on the Brigade Box at Amaye !

Norm Christie's documentary is not bad but when you drill into it there is no real evidence that the Sherbrookes killed Wittmann , even the magnificent Radley Walters account is fairly vague considering they were allegedly only 140 meters away.

Bottom line is that despite all the other theories the only evidence is the Northants War Diary and knowing the Tankers of WW2 if the Sherbrookes had knocked out any Tigers it would have been in their war diary !

[HistoryMan]

Perhaps he started believing the propaganda and perceived he was invincible... his luck ran out that day !

Wittmann was just another dead German, why would the British waste time and resources going to investigate, sounds nonsense to me...where is the evidence of this ?

[Paul D]

Perhaps he started believing the propaganda and perceived he was invincible... his luck ran out that day !

Wittmann was just another dead German, why would the British waste time and resources going to investigate, sounds nonsense to me...where is the evidence of this ?

Exactly , in Normandy in 1944 no one on the Allied side had a clue who Wittmann was or where he was and this continued for many years post war ! Even if you read what German accounts exist the info on his death is sketchy and as there were plenty of other occasions where flanking fire had been successful against the Tigers and Panthers already in Normandy i'm not sure why this action wouldhave been examined but we'll wait and see what KC1's info is.