Operation Goodwood

Hi Guys,

Can any of you suggest some further reading on this battle? I have most of the French publications on the subject, but there seems to be little in English. Any suggestions? Any known websites? Veteran contacts?

I am going to cover the ground as it is today when I am in Normandy over the summer and want to do as much background as possible in advance.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

Hi Sommecourt. Persuant to your request, you might try Paul Carell's book, Invasion: They're Coming. It is a fine work covering the Invasion in Normandy and beyond. I have always been interested in "Operation Goodwood" as well. It gives a good account of the battle from the German perspective, something that is usually lacking in books published on this side of the Atlantic. Best wishes, John.

 

Wasn't this covered in an earlier thread last fall ? ....or somewhere in that time frame ?

JJF publications translated the German book by Wilhelm Tieke...... In the Firestrom of the Last War Year, covering the 9th and 10th SS Panzer Div.'s. Hubert Meyers colassal volume on 12th SS is also in English written by Hubert Meyer. 1st SS by Rudolf Lehman I believe is almost all in English now as well. 272nd ? not sure if there has been a book written.
Web-sites, not a clue although there should be at least two or so on the NOrmandy campaign as general rule. Check your search engine(s).

Good Luck !

E

 

Sommecourt, I just picked up the history of the British 11th Armoured Div. which, I think was part of GOODWOOD. I am at work right now, but when I am home I will het you the title, author and a smal summary. Last nite I also came across a website with a GREAT animation (flash) about the battle for Caen, with all the German and Allied troopmovements!! Will post the link here as well.

OK, I am home;

- THE BLACK BULL by Patrick Delaforce, Chancellor Press ISBN 0-75370-350-5. About the 11th Armoured Div. Was definately part of Operation GOODWOOD. pages 47 - 68 dedicated to Goodwood.

- TAMING THE PANZERS, 3RTR AT WAR by Patrick Delaforce, Sutton Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-7509-2550-7. 3RTR also part of Goodwood pages 153-166 about this operation.

Websites;

- http://warlinks.com/armour/11_hussars/11huss_44.html War Diary of the 11th Hussars. Fought closely with 11th Armoured in Goodwin. They also have a e-maillist with veterans.

- http://search2.eb.com/normandy/maps/onormay029d4.html A Most EXCELLENT site with great flash animation about the Allied and German troopmovements during Goodwin. This whole site is really good!

Just go to www.google.com and type 'operation goodwood' and you'll get loads of nice sites.

HTH

STevin

[ 17 May 2002, 11:47 AM: Message edited by: Stevin Oudshoorn ]

 

Thanks guys; knew I could rely on you all!

Paul

 

Another one;

TWO SIDES OF THE BEACH by Edmund Blandford. Castle Books ISBN 0-7858-1367-5. Again a whole chapter on GOODWOOD, mainly focusing on the Allied side but also from the German perspective.
BTW, I meant GOODWOOD in my prior post as well, not Goodwin...

 

Goodwood -
More books -
Decision in Normandy by Carlo d'Este covers Goodwood in some detail ( Collins 1983 ) & paperback
also The Battle for Normandy by Belfield & Essame ( Batsford 1965 ) & paperback ( both authors were there )
Finally, although not specifically about Goodwood, two excellent and highly detailed books from the British perspective are 'Normandy : The British Breakout ' and 'Hill 112' by Major J J How ( William Kimber, 1981 & 1984 ).
For some reason, the last two had tiny print runs and are hard to find but worth the effort !

 

Sorry, I forgot one . . .
Looked at my books at half time ( how can I even bear to type this - England were sooo bad in the second half ! ) and found a classic account :
'Caen - Anvil of Victory' by Alexander McKee
(Souvenir Press 1964 ). Detailed chapters on Goodwood including the 88 battery incident referred to elsewhere. The good news is - this is an easy one to find ; there have been several reprints in hardback and paperback.

 

Thanks for that Martin.

The French tank modelling magazine 'Steel Masters' has just done an excellent special issue about Operation Goodwood with some great photos and maps.

I suspect it will be available via the web - Barbarossa Books?

 

Hi again, Sommecourt !
I'd almost forgotten this one and it's one of my favourites :

'Sixty-Four days of a Normandy Summer'
- with a tank unit after D-Day -
by Keith Jones ( Robert Hale, 1990 )

This is a very 'personal' first-hand account and the author is very self-deprecating, being disarmingly candid about 'cock-ups', usually his ! I like the book very much as I think it's a good 'close quarters' view of Normandy fighting, graphically describing battlefield confusion and the 'feel' of the hot, claustrophobic Normandy ambience.

And yes, Goodwood is the central action of the book. The book isn't too hard to find ( I picked mine up for a fiver ) and I'd think would be quite good for battlefield tour atmosphere/anecdotes.

 

Stevin's posting from May 17 prompted me to dig around in the book collection and here's another one.

'Taurus Persuant - A History of 11th Armoured Division'
Published : BAOR 1945. Author : Anonymous. Introduction by Lieut.Gen. Dempsey.

Very detailed, contemporary descriptions of the 11th's role in Normandy with maps, pen-and-ink sketches and photos. This one is well worth looking out for - despite being privately published, I've seen a few copies around over the last 18 months or so. I got mine, complete in dustwrapper, for 15 pounds.
Highly recommended !

 

Couldn't find it on abebooks. If somebody sees this one for offer and it can be bought on-line...drop me a line!

 

Sommecourt,
While researching for another 'thread', I've come up with an addition to the 'Goodwood' library.

'Panzer Commander - The Memoirs of Colonel Hans von Luck' devotes a complete chapter to Goodwood which gives a very interesting view from the 'other side of the hill'.

This book is currently available as a US paperback via Amazon.

 

Thanks Martin - I've been after Von Lucks book for a while, and didn't realise it was on Amazon.

 

Since you posted this thread, I can't believe how many books actually feature 'Goodwood'.

Here's another one, a nice little memoir called : -
'A View From The Turret - A History of 3rd Royal Tank Regiment in the 2nd World War' by Major Bill Close MC. Two chapters are devoted to Goodwood with chapters also on Hill 112 and Bluecoat.

Good news for a change - it's currently available as a good-quality softback for under ten pounds !

 

Just finished reading Max Hasting's "Overlord" which has a lot of discussion on the British and Canadian efforts after D-Day.

In addtion, "Steel Rain-Waffen SS Panzer Battles in the West" has a fair amount of coverage of it as well. I believe the author is named Ripley. Sorry, being at work, I don't have access to it right now.

 

Thanks for all the further pointers. I am going to tour the area in August, so all this will help.

I also aim to complete a book on Goodwood at some point, and will give you all a credit for your help!

Cheers!

 

Have you also thought about coverage on Hill 112 and Bluecoat as well, with visits to the monuments in these areas ?

E

 

I visited Normandy a couple of years ago, and have lots of info. Email me with any requests, and I will help you when I get back from my holiday.

 

If you want to know about operation Goodwood, I can tell you all about it,having taken part in that op as part of the Third British infantry division. One thing I can tell you and that is, it was an absolute horror, with intense shell and mortar fire, We lost some 400 tanks in this push and our objective the town of Troarn was never taken.
Brian Guy Ex 246 Field Company R.E Monties ironsides.