Attack
During the Battle of Normandy, the headquarters of Panzer Group West was established in the Chateau at La Caine. On 9 June 1944, three days after the Normandy landings, the headquarters' location was revealed to British Intelligence by deciphering of German signals traffic. On 10 June 1944, aircraft of the Second Tactical Air Force bombed the village. The raid was carried out by 40 rocket-armed Typhoons of No. 124 Wing ( consisting of Nos. 181, 182 and 247 Squadrons) which attacked in three waves from low altitude and by 61 Mitchells of No. 137 and 139 Wings (cosisting Nos 226,98,180,and 320 Squadrons) which dropped 500 lb bombs from 12,000 ft.
No. 180 Squadron, headed by W/C Lynn, (139 Wing Commander Flying), led the formation. Some 33 Spitfires acted as escort. 42 Typhoons took part in the operation, eight were 'fighters' armed with just 20mm cannon, while the remaining 34 were also armed with RP-3 rockets. The Typhoons attacked in two waves with 30 minutes between waves. The first wave attack (Seventeen aircraft from 181 and 247 Squadrons) fired 136 rockets from 2,000 feet on the parked vehicles and the chateau and coincided with the assault by the Mitchells, who dropped 536 500 lb bombs accurately across the target area. The second wave's task was "to clear up". The raid sufferd no losses.
Read more about this topic: Attack On Panzer Group West's Headquarters At La Caine
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