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FONTENAY-LE-PESNEL
Calvados
- 10 km west of Caen
The Operation Martlet is launched west of Caen
In order to strengthen the right flank of the Operation Epsom,
General O' Connor launched a preliminary attack coded Martlet.
On 25 June 1944, the 50th Infantry Division Highland, under Major-General
Rennie, and the 8th Armoured Brigade tanks moved towards Hottot-les-Bagues.
While the 49th Infantry Division West Riding commanded by Major-General
Thomas attacked Fontenay-le-Pesnel. Facing the Allied Forces, the
front line was held by an infantry battalion of the Panzer-Lehr Division.
The German lines were dismantled, but an armoured kampfgruppe of the
Hitlerjugend Division counter-attacked to clog the breach. The following
day, on 26 June, after a deluge of artillery shells, the tanks and
the British infantry drove the Germans of the field, they took Fontenay-le-Pesnel
and stopped in front of Rauray. |
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British cemetery
49th West Riding Division monument
