Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #53122 in Books
• Published on: 1999-02-15
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 88 pages

Synopsis
An analysis of the tank battle that took place at Villers-Bocage in 1944, when the 7th Armoured Division, or "Desert Rats", took on German panzers and were heavily defeated. The text bases its arguments on photographs taken in the aftermath and the testimony of German tank ace Michael Wittmann.

Customer Reviews

Villers Bocage Through The Lens
Probably the authorative study of this controversial battle early on in the Normandy campaign of 1944.

There have been many attempts to tie up what happened on 13 June 1944, mostly deceived by the effective German propaganda aimed at turning Michael Wittman into a "super hero". He had undoubdtedly earned his medals before VB. But not the accolades the German PR invented.

Taylor has provided a rare and invaluable publication based on original research, which deserves the highest praise. His work is also very readable, and supported by excellent graphics and photographs; not just the German ones he uses as a main source.

I disagreee with a number minor points - he has the "Wittman" Tiger immobilised by the Tilly road junction - but there is no counter-explanation why a 2nd. 101 Tiger was later found facing East in the centre of the town. All the other Tigers destroyed there, later on, were from the 1st 101 and found facing West.

We know that Wittman turned round, to retire to the East, before his tank was disabled.

However such details do not detract from the value of Taylor`s work - rather, they encourage further research.

AS

Pictorial History
I was pointed in the direction of this book by someone who had contact with a Villers Bocage veteran. My father's cousin (Lt Rex Ingram)was killed in the first battle there on the morning of 13th June 1944. It is an excellent book, full of reference material. I cannot comment on it's historical accuracy but have no reason to doubt it. I know that there are several versions of the events of that day not least that of Michael Wittmann the German tank commander who reeked such havoc amongst the British Forces and indeed who was responsible for Rex's death. To find photograph's of his disabled Stuart tank, Calamity Jane 2, was deeply moving. Whether you have a family connection or not, it's a worthwhile purchase.

Model of Military Historical Research
This extraordinary book is a model of research for military enthusiasts, providing an exemplar of the dispassionate handling of a variety of sources, and a wholly secure grasp of strategic, operational and tactical perspectives.

The battle has long since been shrouded in mythology, endowing the Tiger ace Michael Wittman with almost supernatural powers. Far from a clumsy piece of revisionism, Taylor manages to clarify events in the town in June 1944, and Wittman's achievements become all the more remarkable when placed in the realm of reality. Similarly, the 'fight back' by 7th Armoured, achieving a number of kills against Tigers with markedly underpowered (apart from the Sherman Firefly) equipment, is given new prominence.

The central historical source here is a substantial reel of photographs taken by German war journalists keen to maximise the propaganda value of this armoured clash. Taylor not only contexualises every shot (incidentally exposing some clumsy phot-manipulation by Signal magazine) but even reconstructs the sequence in which they were taken.

An amazing book which makes this battle come alive in a very distinct way.