One of the Panthers almost reached the towpath on the canal before itwas knocked out. The Bailey Bridge in Son, its objective, can be seen tothe left.

commanding the 101 Division, emergedshocked and surprised from his head-quarters in the schoolhouse. Enemy tanks!The threat he feared most had finallyarrived. German infantry was now justdiscernible, moving in rushes across the flatfields toward the village, still screened bytrees. A storm of 792mm machine gun firebegan to flail buildings as the co-axial MG34s of the Panther tanks attempted to firethem in. Rifles and BAR automatic weaponsbegan intermittently to return fire. Tracerbounced off buildings in clouds of masonrydust and whirled in all directions, isolatedsparks sometimes arcing lazily into the air.Even without 59 Division's support fromthe other side of the canal, Major vonMaltzahn's attack very nearly succeeded.Fighting continued even as dusk fell. ABritish truck from ' Q ' Battery of 21 Anti-Tank Regiment, part of Guards Armoured

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Division's 'A' echelon, was struck by ashell as it attempted to cross the BaileyBridge. Explosions rent the air and lit upthe surrounding scene as flames devouredthe wreckage on the main span. Germantanks continued to fire round after roundinto the buildings housing the AmericanDivision command post, but they wereunable to get across the canal; this haddeflected the assault, and now brought it toa halt. Elements of an American infantryglider battalion arrived and reinforced thebesieged perimeter. With them was a 57mmanti-tank gun. One of the Panthers, whichhad almost reached the tow-path runningup to the Bailey Bridge, was knocked outvirtually with the first round. The shellpenetrated the hull above the front roadwheels and blasted off the bazooka platesaround it. With its hydraulics shattered, thegun barrel dipped, pointing into the canal

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