Sno-King Krieg Spielers

Operation Martlet

June 25th, 1944

Order of Battle
German I/901 st Panzer Grenadier Battalion III/26 th SS Panzer Grenadier Battalion I/12 th SS Panzer Battalion 12 th SS Recon Battalion KG 26 th Panzer Grenadier Regiment I/12 th SS Artillery battalion	British 146 th Brigade, 49 th Infantry Division 4 th Bn, The Lincolnshire Regiment Hallamshire Bn 4 th Bn, Kings own Yorkish Light Infantry 69 th Field Regiment, RA 147 th Brigade, 49 th Infantry Division 11 th Bn, The Royal Scots 6 th Bn, The Duke of Wellingtons 7 th Bn, The Duke of Wellingtons 143 rd Field Regiment, RA 24 th Lancers, 8 th Armored Brigade elements 55 th (Suffolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment, RA
Background Operation Martlet was to clear Fontenay-le-Pesnel and the Ruray spur as a prelude to Operation Epsom. This area of “high” ground allowed German forward observers to have a commanding view of the battlefield. Defending this area was the III/26 th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment of the 12 th SS Panzer Division. This battalion was the extreme left flank of the division. To its left was the I/901 st Panzer Grenadier Regiment of the Panzer Lehr Division. Attacking was the 146 th and 146 th brigades of the British 49 th infantry division the Polar Bears. Supporting this attack was the 24 th Lancers of the 8 th Armored Brigade.
	The battle started off with an intense artillery barrage followed by a creeping barrage. Two battalions of the 146 th Brigade, the 4 th Bn, The Lincolnshire Regiment and the Hallamshire Bn., stepped off on the British right flank supported by the Shermans of the 24 th Lancers. On the British left the 11 th Bn, The Royal Scots of the 147 th Brigade closely followed by the 6 th Bn, The Duke of Wellingtons.
The Royal Scots were checked by mortar and mg fire. The Lincolns and the Hallamshires had better luck. The 24 th Lancers swung wide right of the German lines in an attempt to flank the veteran grenadiers of Panzer Lehr division. Despite pulling off a text book ambush versus the Shermans, little damage was done. The Lancers then opened up en mass on one company of grenadiers. The volume of fire was too much and the company was shattered, but not before chasing off one company of the 24 th.
Back on the British left the Hallamshire battalion arrived to take over the advance from the struggling Lincolns. After several intense fire fights they were able to break into the villages. Any rejoice was quickly diminished by the arrival of the I/12 th SS Panzer Regiment. These Panthers set off to check the advance of the 24 th Lancers.
	As the British made further gains into the villages they called for their 17# antitank guns. Critically short of men the 12 th SS Division commander released the 12 th SS Reconnaissance battalion to check the advance of the British. The recon battalion moved up and entered the south part of Fontenay-le-Pesnel and attempted to push the Duke of Wellingtons out of Fontenay-le-Pesnel.
The day ended with the British in partial possession of the Fontenay-le-Pesnel, but the 24 th lancers had taken significant losses. On the German side the I/901 st was all but destroyed but the III/26 th was in good shape along with the Panthers of the I/12 th and the recon battalion.