This is the first volume in a series that describes in detail the formation and combat history of the 17th SS Panzer Grenadier Division Götz von Berlichingen. On Adolf Hitler's orders, this division was formed in France in October 1943 and trained there until its first missions in early June 1944. It was undoubtedly a unique division of the Waffen-SS, as it fought exclusively on the Western Front. It fought against Allied units in Normandy near Carentan, in the Coutances pocket, in Operation Liège and in the Falaise pocket, before retreating to the Seine and Meuse rivers. In Lorraine and the Saarland, it was re-equipped for further combat against American and Allied forces. This first volume deals with the formation of the division and its first battles in Normandy in 1944. This highly detailed account stands out in three respects: the author provides a continuous overview of the overall situation on the north-western front, daily and hourly reports on the actions of the division's units, and illustrates the battles with numerous personal accounts from soldiers. Maps and appendices provide a detailed picture of the division, its subunits and the decisions of the high command.
Group
Books (first-hand)
Author
Stöber, Hans
Title
First Blood in Normandy
Details
English text, 40 illustrations. 520 pages.
State
new
Subtitle
The Combat History of the 17th SS Panzer Grenadier Division Gotz von Berlichingen
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Church Street 47 S70 2AS South Yorkshire Vereinigtes Königreich
