A key element in understanding this confused and confusing series of events is that the confusion started at the top and received little clarification at other levels. As Hubert Meyer makes clear in Die Kriegsgeschichte der 12. SS-Panzerdivision ‘Hitlerjugend’, (pp. 89ff.), the destruction of communications resulting from the pre-invasion air-strikes combined with mandatory radio silence during movements and the effects of constant air-attacks on the moving units resulted in misinformation and misunderstanding at all levels. As a prime example, at 0400 hours in the morning of 7 June Rommel’s Chief of Staff informed him that the three Panzer divisions attached to the I. SS-Panzer Korps were already in their assembly positions, ready to counterattack with all available forces. In fact, the 21st Panzer Division was, at that time, in contact with the enemy, west of the Orne, on the defensive. The other divisions were still en route and unable to report their whereabouts or condition due to radio silence. The description that follows is based largely on Ritgen’s account in Die Geschichte der Panzer Lehr Division im Westen, 1944 1945, Jean-Claude Perrigault’s La Panzer-Lehr-Division and Hubert Meyer’s Die Geschichte der 12. SS-Panzer-Division ‘Hitlerjugend’.
When Generalleutnant Bayerlein, the commander of Panzer Lehr Division 130, finally located the command post of the I SS-Panzer Korps in the afternoon of 7 June, he learned the 7th Armee was calling for, the elimination of the enemy beachhead west of the Orne river in a decisive armoured attack by the I SS-Panzer Korps that was to take place on 8 June.
The resultant Division attack order for 8 June 1944 read:6
| 1. | Enemy forces that landed from the sea are established in the Cherbourg–Caen–Caen-Bayeux highway area. [ed. note- Ritgen gives this paragraph as ‘Enemy airborne troops…, which appears to be in error, so I have followed Perrigault.] |
| 2. | German strongpoints are still holding at the coast and in the enemy landing area. |
| 3. | I. SS-Panzer Korps with attached 21st Panzer Division, 12th SS-Panzer Division and Panzer Lehr Division is to attack the beachhead from the Caen–St Croix area and attain the line St. Aubin–Vauvres–Creully. In addition it is to screen the left flank in the line Carcagny–Ellon–Trungy with reconnaissance forces. |
| 4. | Panzer Lehr Division is to position itself during the night of 7/8 June 1944 in the Bretteville–St. Croix area by 0300 hours on 8 June in readiness to attack when ordered toward Courselles [Courseulles]. |
| 5. | Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Regiment 901 is to be ready on the right, Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Regiment 902 on the left. |
| Boundary line: Le Mesnil-Patry–Putot (902)–Sequeville (901)–Lantheuil (902). | |
| Front line of the assembly area is the road to Bayeux. | |
| 6. | Routes of advance: for Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Regiment 901: Thury-Harcourt–Curcy–Evrecy–Moudrainville [sic.]–Cheux. |
| [tr. note–The type font used for place names on the detailed map of Normandy that the Germans used is peculiar in that frequently a lower case ‘u’ and lower case ‘n’ are easily confused. What seemed, at first, to be inexplicable mis-spellings of some French place names in a variety of sources, particularly in Kurt Meyer’s [‘Panzermeyer’s’] account, Panzergrenadiere, suddenly became comprehensible upon close examination of that map. Hence the probable explanation for the mis-spelling here of Mondrainville. A good photocopy of that map which survives considerable photographic enlargement is Karte 1 in the map section of Herbert Meyer’s Kriegsgeschichte der 12. SS-Panzer-Division ‘Hitlerjugend.] | |
| for Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Regiment 902: Villers-Bocage–Juvigny–Fontenay. | |
| 7. | Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 130 is to take position in the assembly area such that it can cover the assembly area and the attack, with Schwerpunkt [point of main emphasis] on supporting Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Regiment 902. Schwere Artillerie Abteilung 992 will, for movement purposes to the assembly area, be attached to Panzergrenadier-Lehr-Regiment 902. |
| 8. | Panzer-Aufklärungs-Lehr-Abteilung 130 is to advance to the northwest via Villers-Bocage, attaining the line Le-Douet–Ellon–Trungy, thereby securing the left flank of the Division. SS-Panzer Aufklärungs Abteilung 12 is to continue securing the line, in contact, to the east to the assembly area of the Division. Boundary: Tilly–Bayeux road (to Panzer-Aufklärungs-Lehr Abteilung 130). |
| 9. | Panzer-[Pionier]-Bataillon 130, to which the Divisions-Begleit-Kompanie is attached for march purposes, is to attain the Rauray–Tessel area at 0500 hours on 8 June.to be available to the Division. |
| 10. | Panzer-Lehr-Regiment 130 and Panzerjäger-[Lehr]-Abteilung 130 are to close up behind Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 130 to be available to the Division. |
| 11. | Heeres-Flak-Abteilung 311 …. |
| 12. | Medical units … |
| 13. | Command post in the Cheux area.’ |
These orders were far removed from the reality of the situation, but did determine the organization of the Division for the upcoming battle.