THE 3RD AND 59TH DIVISIONS GO INTO ACTION NORTH OF CAEN ON THE FIRST DAY OF OPERATION "CHARNWOOD" (PART 5) [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: THE 3RD AND 59TH DIVISIONS GO INTO ACTION NORTH OF CAEN ON THE FIRST DAY OF OPERATION "CHARNWOOD" (PART 5) [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: A70 73-3
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: While the 16th Luftwaffe Field Division caves in before the experienced 3rd Division, the 12th SS Panzer Division 'Hitlerjugend' it's partner in defence of Caen, makes the untried 59th (Staffordshire) Division fight for every yard.
  • Description: I. Evidently content to be prisoners, Luftwaffe infantrymen from the 31st Jäger Regiment board a 3-ton lorry at Gazelle under the supervision of a youthful, unsmiling Feldwebel and a universal carrier detachment from the 1st Battalion South LAncashire Regiment that provides transport for the NCOs among the POWs to the nearest cage. II. Infantrymen from the 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment advance towards Malon and come under mortar fire. Seen advancing with them is a Sherman rear-link tank (13/18th Hussars); in the background near the tree-lined Cambes-La Bijude road are at least two wrecked Pzkpfw IV tanks. An ex-DD Sherman tank belonging to the 13/18th Hussars 'B' squadron commander (?) flatters the end wall of a derelict cottage in La Bijude. A sapper from 257th Field Company RE sweeps with a mine detector roadside verges on Caen Douvres-la-Délivrande road outside La Bijude while an armoured bulldozer, accompanied by two sappers (?) moves up to commence clearance work in the village.
  • Access Conditions: IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1944-07-08
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Directorate of Public Relations, War Office (Production sponsor) Army Film Unit (Production company) Connolly, J R (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords: Normandy, France (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: None Subtitle language: None
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 193 ft; Running time: 2 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Notes: See with A70 71-3 to 71-5, 9; 72-3, 5 to 9; 73-1, 2, 4; 74-1 to 3, 75-1 to 5; 76-1 to 8, 78-3, 5; 79-1,2; 80-3 for footage showing 3rd Divisions in action during "Charnwood" and scenes inside Caen after it's fall. The 7th South Staffordshire Regiment commenced its assault on Malon at 2030 hours 8/9/1944 their identification here is largely conjectural. Remarks: Good action footage. Best seen with the items of ciné material listed above, notably A70 73-1 (Parts II, IV and VI) and 74-1 which contain similar complementary footage.
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    A70 73-3

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