Normandy 2022, 5th June.

D-Day is only the beginning of the Normandy Campaign, which lasted until the end of August 1944. Most visitors do not venture away from the beaches, yet what took place after the 6^{th of} June and within the interior of Normandy is just as fascinating. On my trip today we stopped and paid respect at some of the interior cemeteries.

I planned today to visit one of those off the beach sites which was a round trip of 90 miles. I started with a hour’s drive in the Willys jeep to Hill 112 where British 8^th Corps fought against SS Panzer divisions including the 12^th SS Hitlerjugend division and 1^st SS, also known as Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler. Hill 112 was the highest point to the west of Caen, and it was essential to remove the Germans from this position.

It is portrayed that the British and Canadians were too slow taking Caen after D-Day and the Americans moved much quicker. What is maybe forgotten is that the British and Canadians fought against three times more armoured divisions than the Americans and their holding position, kept those additional German armoured divisions getting to the Americans.

What is an SS Tank Division? It is a division made up of more fanatical soldiers under their own command, with the best equipment Germany could supply. The make up of the British 8^th Corps were five divisions. These were the 15^th Scottish, 43^rd Wessex, 49^th West Riding, the 11^th Armoured and 53^rd Welsh. I was most interested in the 43^rd Wessex Division as this was my local unit including the 4^th Somersets, 7^th Somersets, 1^st Worcestershire, 4^th Wiltshire, 5^th Wiltshire, 7^th Hampshire, 4^th Dorset’s, 5^th Dorset’s, as well as HQ detachments, Signals, Artillery and Royal Engineers.

On the 28^{th of} June the 8^th Corps moved into position near the Odon River and came into contact with the Germans. From now until the 4^{th of} August, Hill 112 and the surrounding villages are fought over, captured and lost and then captured again. On the 4^{th of} August 1944 the Germans were finally defeated off the hill and it would remain in British hands by the 43^rd Wessex. What had started under codename Operation Epsom, took 41 days to capture the hill. A fierce and major tank battle which cost many more lives than were lost on the beaches on D-Day.

In the afternoon we travelled back to Omaha beach to visit the Native American monument. Many Native American soldiers landed on the beaches with both the US and Canadian forces.

Tomorrow is the 6^{th of} June, and I will be venturing to the beaches to see the activity and acts of remembrance.