The leading "Sheerman" fell into an anti-tank trap set by German engineers. A stream of black smoke rose from the explosion mines, and the tanks behind stopped immediately. Before the infantry carrying them had time to spread out around the tanks, the hidden German anti-tank guns opened fire. At the same time, the mg-42 machine guns also roared, and the explosions of the "Iron Fist" came one after another... The result of the battle was that the Canadians suffered heavy losses, and the Germans not only defended the main defensive positions, but even some secondary positions were defended.

Faced with the German stubborn defense, the Allied forces continued to strengthen their firepower in the areas around Caen. Hundreds of attack aircraft in the air desperately bombed and strafed every active target on the German positions. Allied infantry and tanks tried to break through the defensive positions near the city and successfully injected several "weeds" on some areas.

However, the 12th Ss Armored Division and the 21st Armored Division, the armored instructors, launched an effective counterattack with infantry without enough tanks, and stabilized the front line again. The troops originally planned to reinforce were still not arrived. On the surface, they were either dragged down by battles from other places, or were held in their hands by superiors to deal with the second landing that did not exist. This was the reason why Li Mo had not sent reinforcements to Normandy in order to make the Allies believe that they had been deceived by them.

Even if Li Mo really regained the Normandy beach, the only thing that was eliminated was the landed 200,000 Allied troops, or they could not be eliminated at all, because the Allied troops had more than 13,000 aircraft and thousands of warships. It was still very easy for the Allied troops to retreat calmly from Normandy. Therefore, the choice Li Mo faced was to lure the enemy into depth and then gather and annihilate them, otherwise there would be no other choice.

The commander of the 4th Automobile Transport Company, Amy Maitre II Commando, wrote in the report:

"The supply operation of combat troops can only be carried out at night has become a principle. Due to the serious losses of transport vehicles, infantry and artillery soldiers who almost completely exhausted their ammunition are eagerly waiting for the supply. After the night operation is over, the drivers are dragged out of bed just after they fall asleep. They must act quickly. But during the daytime operation they often go away forever..."

By June 14, the total loss of personnel of the German 12ss Armored Division reached 2,550. The battlefield report shows that they still have 58 IV tanks, 44 "Leopard" tanks, a total of 233 armored personnel delivery vehicles, armored reconnaissance vehicles and artillery observation vehicles, and 17 heavy anti-tank guns. At this time, the division's heavy equipment losses were not very serious.

After a few days, the 12th Ss Armored Division was ready for a new defense. The battle log of the 1st Battalion of the 25th Grenadier Regiment recorded some new situations:

"The division intercepted some of the opponent's radio communications. This information shows that the Allies were trying to occupy Caen within 24 hours. Because the British planned that the operation was code-named 'Epsom', it will be carried out by General O'Connor's 8th Army. The plan for this operation was to break through the junction between the armored instructor and the 12th SS Armored Division from the west and then surround Caen from the flank."

Such detailed intelligence was enough for the two divisions to prepare for the British attack. In a short period of time, the soldiers sophisticatedly established a solid defense. The 25th Armored Grenadier Regiment reported to Meyer:

They had strengthened their former defensive positions, deployed infantry bunkers, machine gun bunkers and anti-tank guns in the ruins of villages and towns, and various light and heavy weapons were arranged in the bombed houses;

Among the piles of rubble or charred furniture, there are often well-disguised snipers. The configuration of the defense support points has been carefully selected and has been camouflaged, with mines and anti-tank roadblocks arranged on important streets. The 26th Grenadier Regiment supplemented some reserves to strengthen defense. Behind the 26th Grenadier Regiment, the iv tanks of the 2nd Battalion of the 12th Armored Regiment have entered the tank bunker and camouflaged. On the not-wide main defensive front, infantry weapons, tanks and artillery formed a solid defense.

On the morning of June 26, the British finally launched Operation Epsom. A staff officer of the German 12th SS Armored Division wrote: "It's already dawn, but there is still peace around me. Max Usche and I are still watching the last tank rumble into the assembly area near Rore... Then the British artillery began to intercept and shoot first.

Immediately afterwards, a large number of British attack aircraft flew over our heads and fired rockets at Rolei. A hellish battle began. Our tanks creaked to the front position. The counterattack went smoothly at the beginning, but it fell into a quagmire under the subsequent counterattack of the British.

The British army put into the Sherman tank equipped with a 17-pound high-speed cannon, whose shells could penetrate the Leopard style within 800 meters. The battle turned into a duel between tanks... Some positions near Caen were broken, and the city was gradually surrounded by clamp attacks. Caen was about to become Montgomery's trophy. Everyone around me was watching this terrible scene like a demon. The red and hot steel flew over our heads with a sharp roar. Everyone tried their best to lower their bodies, their noses pressed against the wet ground..."

At least 50 Allied tanks were destroyed by the Germans during the day, but at the same time, the infantry defending the front line also suffered heavy blows. Some of the heavy losses on the positions had to retreat. The captain of the third-level squadron of Chockum Reilly Cafe was a soldier of the reconnaissance company of the 25th Armored Grenadier Regiment. He recorded the desperate battle during the British attack on Caen:

"The support point is almost impossible to defend. The grenadiers held the crumbling defense line. Mortar shells exploded on the top of the tree, and heavy machine guns cut positions like sawblades. Tanks rushed over and rumbled through the trenches. At this moment, the front line began to shake and spread quickly. The "Iron Fist" anti-tank rockets were used up, and several "Sheerman" were hit and smoke came out, but there were more tanks behind. The grenadiers had no heavy weapons anymore, so we could only hold our rifles tightly..."

In the following days, the Allies continued to test the defense line of the 12th Ss Armored Division, and the German defense system had been destroyed. On the battlefield where the wolf smoke was everywhere, there were ruins and a desolate scene. You can see soldiers who died on both sides of the battle wherever you can see the destroyed weapons and equipment. The destroyed weapons and equipment were like dead giant beasts, lying on the battlefield in dying spirit.

Operation Epsom was a cruel battle for both sides. In these days in early July 1941, the Allies tried hard to expand their landings, but the battles around Caen had been delayed for too long, and such a significant loss had not been able to make decent progress, which made the Allies increasingly feel the situation serious.

The defense of the 12th Ss Armored Division was so tenacious that when they were driven out of the destroyed positions, these "boys" were still resisting, so that the Allies' intention to go forward to the open land in southern Caen was not realized, and Montgomery ended in a hurry.

…(To be continued)
Chapter completed!