Ducy-Sainte-Marguerite (Calvados)
The cities of Normandy during the 1944 battles
Liberation: June 8, 1944
Deployed units:
6th Battalion Green Howards Regiment, 69th Infantry Brigade, 50th Infantry Division
6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry Regiment, 151st Infantry Brigade, 50th Infantry Division
SS-Panzer-Aufklärung-Abteilung 12, 12. SS Panzer-Division “Hitlerjugend”
History:
The 6th Battalion Green Howards Regiment of the 69th Infantry Brigade (50th Infantry Division) crosses National Road 13 (RN 13) on the morning of June 7th and heads for the Caen-Cherbourg railway, which is approximately 2 Kilometers to the south. They recognized Ducy-Sainte-Marguerite at 1430 hours. The 6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry Regiment of the 151st Infantry Brigade (50th Infantry Division) settled in the afternoon to the southwest of the village, dominating since that time. The Seulles coastal river as well as the railway bridge crossing it.
In the early evening, an armored patrol belonging to the SS-Panzer-Aufklärung-Abteilung 12 (12 SS Panzer-Division “Hitlerjugend”) led by the Oberscharführer Karl Jura managed to cross the Seulles and then the village of Ducy-Sainte-Marguerite in direction of the RN 13 before retreating towards the south. Company B of the 6th Battalion Green Howards Regiment reports around 8 pm that armored cars are in the area; It was ordered to secure the crossing points on the Seulles, in particular the railway bridge that was reached by the regiment after fighting around 9 pm.
Ducy-Sainte-Marguerite maps:
