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The Battle for Rauray

Normandy, July 1944

Background

25 days after the Normandy Landings the exhausted and battle weary 1st Tynside and Scottish, who had fought almost continuously for almost 2 weeks to ensure D-day and then Operation Epsom were a success, dug in to regroup and take stock in and around the French village of Rauray.

The respite did not last long however and true to form the German army swiftly launched a counter attack against the newly formed allied salient with some of their most battle hardened troops. And so in the early hours of the 1st of July the 2nd and 9th SS Panzer Divisions, veterans of the Eastern Front, began their attacks, with the 9th SS descending on Rauray.

Overview of the terrain. The beginnig of Rauray itself is just visible top centre of the picture. The inset shows the view towards the village. The German attack came from the lower left corner of this image.

Click the image for a larger view or Click Here for an article about making the scenery shown on this page.

"A bitterly contested tank versus tank engagement started. The impenetrable hedgerows didn't allow our tanks to take advantage of their longer range. The lack of infantry proved to be particularly disadvantageous. Intense artillery fire made coordination enormously difficult and effective command and control virtually impossible."

General Kurt Meyer in "Breaking the Panzers"



British Mortar Battery
British mortars open up on the German advance.


Panther Tanks around Rauray
German Panthers advance across the wheat fields around the Village.

RAURAY in 10mm BATTLE REPORT.

Commanding the Germans are Matt H and Ralph with Kelvin (later replaced by Toby) and occasionaly Carrie commanding the British.

German column advances
1. Advancing from the South the German attack begins. Troop filled halftracks supported by a command Panzer move rapidly down the road. Meanwhile a unit of Panther's approaches cross country.

British troops on the high ground
2. British troops dug in on the high ground NE of Rauray

Un-crewed Shermans at Rauray
3. Taken by surprise, British un-crewed Shermans line the road in Rauray

British 6Pdrs
4. A concealed battery of 6pdrs and an MMG open up on the Command Panzer destroying it but not slowing the halftracks.

6Pdrs under mortar fire
5. A German Forward observer hidden in a wheat field close to the British 6Pdrs calls in mortar fire which takes out one of the guns.

6. In response a British mortar barrage lands in the middle of the German Halftracks and destroys one but without serious loss to the troops in and around it who take cover behind the bocage hedges flanking the road and open up on the 6pdrs and their support.

British Halftracks on the move
7. The German Panthers take up position behind the Wheat fields surrounding Rauray as Infantry filled British Halftracks start advancing from the village.


8. Another Mortar barrage causes high casualties among the now densely packed German troops and their halftracks who are beginning to get pinned down by fire from the wheat fields around them.

The German Assault


9. Seizing the moment the Germans race towards Rauray, under cover from the hedgerows and wheat fields, and close assault the newly arrived British infantry.








10. A short and bloody battle takes place in the nearby fields but the newly deployed Brits are totally surrounded and comprehensively beaten.


11. Only a few hundred yards away most the Sherman's are still being readied and are powerless to assist - in fact, as the image above shows (bottom right), some of them are sitting ducks.

Unfortunately we ran out of time to see the Germans actually move into the village where a number of British infantry still awaited them, but it certainly seems as if Rauray is about to fall back into German hands.


As alreday mentioned the scenery was scratch built for the game. If you are interested in how then CLICK HERE.

Dave Brown's Scenario book "Battles for the West" has detailed scenario notes for this encounter which we made good use of.

A number of other sources also give info on troop numbers which are basically, in game terms:
a full company of Panzer Grenadiers (9th SS)
with 2 heavy weapons Support Platoons
and a squadron each of Panthers and PzIV G's for the Germans;

and 1 motorised infantry company
with heavy weapons support,
a battery of 6pdrs,
a battery of 3 inch mortars
and a Squadron of Shermans with Firefly or M10 tank destroyer for the British.

Both sides infantry companies should have a few antitank and LMG elements.


A German recon unit moves up.

German commanders discuss their next move East of Rauray. A Command Panther waits nearby.

PZIV Brews up PzIV takes a direct hit from a British 6Pdr.(see 4 below)