Sannerville (Calvados)
The cities of Normandy during the 1944 battles
Liberation: July 18, 1944
Deployed units:
3rd Royal Tank Regiment, 159th Infantry Brigade, 11th Armored Division
16. Feld-Division (L)
II/Panzergrenadier-Regiment 125, 21. Panzer-Division
History:
In 1944, the commune of Sannerville in Calvados was occupied by the 6th company of Panzergrenadier-Regiment 125 of the 21. Panzer-Division.
The village of Sannerville is located south of one of the four jump zones planned by the 6th Airborne Division for its airborne assault on the night of June 5-6, 1944, drop zone “K” by the Allies. This area is dedicated to the 8th Battalion Parachute Regiment (3rd Para Brigade) commanded by Colonel Alistair S. Pearson.
During the weeks that follow, the front does not evolve. Sannerville was subjected to regular bombing and the Germans, reinforced by elements of the 16. Feld-Division (L), evacuated the northern part of the village to the railroad on June 23 in order to prepare the defense. On 13 July, all the inhabitants who had not yet left Sannerville were evacuated. Five days later, the Allies launched Operation Goodwood, which aims to capture Caen. The offensive began with a massive bombardment of 1,217 tons of bombs falling on the village and turning the 133 dwellings into a heap of ruins. The German line of defense collapsed and the Allies launched an attack: the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment belonging to the 159th Infantry Brigade of the 11th Armored Division captured Sannerville in the early hours of Operation Goodwood on 18 July 1944.
Sannerville maps:
