Saunders, Tim Hill 112. The Key to defeating Hitler in Normandy

"He who holds Hill 112 holds Normandy" seemed an unlikely maxim when the hill is viewed from a distance, but on reaching its plateau, the vistas unfold in every direction across a huge swath of Normandy. For the Germans it was their vital defensive ground, but for the British it was an essential steppingstone en route to the River Orne and access to the open country south to Falaise.
The "Hitlerjugend" SS Panzer Division lost Hill 112 to 4th Armoured Brigade when the Scots captured the Tourmauville Bridge intact, but the essence of Hill 112s tactical problem soon became clear. It was impossible for armour to survive on its broad plateau, while the infantry could only hold the skeletal orchards and woods at the cost of crushing casualties. With II SS Panzer Corps preparing to attack the British, the toe hold was given up and 11th Armoured Division was left holding a bridgehead across the River Odon.
Ten days later, 43rd Wessex Division was ordered to resume the advance to the Orne with Hill 112 its first objective. As the west countrymen and tanks rose to advance, they met withering fire from the stronghold that Hill 112 had become. The scene was set for one of the grimmest battles of the campaign.
For six weeks from the end of June into August, when the Allied advances finally gained momentum, Hill 112 was far too important to let the opposition hold and exploit it. Consequently, it was regularly shelled and mortared, and shrouded with smoke and dust, while soldiers of both sides clung to their respective rims of the plateau.
By the end, Hill 112 had developed a reputation as evil as that of any spot on the First World Wars Western Front.

The SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" lost Hill 112 to the British 4th Armoured Brigade when the Scots captured the Tourmauville bridge intact, but the tactical problem of Hill 112 soon became clear. It was impossible for the tanks to survive on the broad plateau, while the infantry could only hold the skeletonised orchards and woods with heavy losses. As the II SS Panzer Corps prepared to attack the British, the top was given up and the British 11th Armoured Division only held on to the top.
Panzer Division only held a bridgehead over the River Orne. Ten days later, the 43rd Wessex Division was ordered to resume the advance on the Orne with Hill 112 as its first objective. As the men from the West of England and the British tanks began to advance, they came under heavy fire from the stronghold that Hill 112 had become. This set the stage for one of the most savage battles of the entire campaign.
For six weeks, from late June into August, when the Allied advance finally gained momentum, Hill 112 was far too important for the enemy to hold and exploit. As a result, it was regularly bombarded with artillery and mortars and covered in smoke and dust as soldiers from both sides clung to the edges of the plateau.
In the end, Hill 112 had a reputation as notorious as certain places on the Western Front of the First World War.