I agree Pat, it is always good to read these accounts from memories of the time, before documents were released that sometimes disputes the accounts. Regards Allan
Gentlemen, Great excuse to search the stacks in my favorite used book store. Any specific titles beyond the Speidel translation? Regards, Ellen
I do! He is cited as leaving Sepp Dietrich at 4pm to return to La Roche Guyon. "On the road from Livaroth (book spelling not mine) to Vimoutiers, near a farm named Montgomery, British fighter aircraft espied the solitary staff car. They had no idea that they were in pursuit of the best man on the Western Front, who embodied the only hope that Germany had of salvation. Just before it reached the protecting shade of an avenue of poplars, three of them dived on the car, spraying it with bursts of fire. The driver was fatally wounded, and the Field-Marshal so severely that he was at first thought to be dead." That's all it says - so now we have a version with three aircraft.
Thanks Adam, The avenue leading in from the gate lodge at the accepted location is not today tree lined as seen here, but our reconnaissance cover flown on the day of the attack does indeed show trees on at least the southern side. While three aircraft may have been seen in the sky, its unlikely more than two would have expended ammunition on a single staff car. However, some accounts refer to a bomb being dropped in addition to the strafing attack. Still awaiting delivering of that UK National Archives doc Regards, Pat
More 'air'... I found this reconnaissance photo in the Laurier Military History Archive. It shows the gate lodge and entrance to the Usine Laniel circled in yellow: Its frame 3068 of sortie 4/541 flown on the 14th August. Obviously only a low resolution copy, but the clarity looks quite good. Worth noting if we need to come back to it. Live link in the LMH Archive is here. Monday, 14th August would have been four weeks exactly following the attack on Monday, 17th July. Regards, Pat
Hi All, Finally, the Ultra decrypt has come down from TNA today. Not a huge step forward, but of interest for what it is in itself rather than the content therein: <iframe seamless="seamless" src="https://docs.google.com/viewer?embedded=true&url=http://www.normandy.whitebeamimages.ie/rommel/hw_19_190.pdf" width="880px" height="600px"></iframe> A stone we could not leave unturned Regards, Pat
Thanks Pat. Unrelated to this thread, the General Sir James Marshall-Cornwall named within the document was to lose his son a few days later. He's now buried in an isolated grave near Caumont l'Eventé http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2633451/MARSHALL-CORNWALL,%20JAMES%20GERALD Sean
Hi Sean, It looks to me like this decrypt is not the one which reported the original attack on the car. If so, I would wonder if there is another, earlier message from a field commander in Normandy direct to OKW? I too found the distribution list of interest; I presume these individuals were in the unique position of filtering Ultra traffic to SHEAF and the PM. Regards, Pat
Hi All, Just keeping this thread refreshed with another thought as to the location of the attack. Many accounts refer to the location of the attack as being 'near' the village of Sainte Foy de Montommery, but as we know this term 'near' has led us on many a chase all over Normandy in other searches. However, lets say for the sake of discussion that 'near' in this instance means a mere couple of hundred meters! I am looking at the junction of the present day main road, the D579 and a small lane which is designated the D274, branching off to the NE at the village cemetery. The junction is arrowed red below: The extract below from IGN cover flown in 1947 shows a cluster of trees at the cemetery gate, circled in yellow: These trees are classic cemetery planting and I have no doubt but that they were the same ones caught on out-of-date GE 'street view' when you are on the laneway...four in all; one either side of the cemetery gate and two extending outwards to the lane on the left of the gateway: As soon as you step out onto the main road, the more up to date GE 'street view' shows that somebody has decided to cut them down! But, before the Google car does a fresh run up the D274 lane, I decided to grab this closeup showing the bottom of the outermost tree: The scar is more than likely caused by an agricultural vehicle taking the turn too sharply...perhaps! In general though, looking at this junction and comparing it to the ATB location further down the main road at the gatehouse, I would wonder why if the intention was to return via Orbec, having skirted Livarot because of the Allied aircraft in the vicinity, why turn south east for Vimoutiers? Why not instead cross the N179/D579 and resume an north easterly direction to regain the D4 Livarot/Orbec road? If such be the case, and assuming the car came onto the main road at Sainte Foy de Montommery, then this junction would a natural next exit in order to get back on track for La Roche-Guyon. Did the car try to escape the attack using the intended route? Anyone any thoughts on this junction as a location candidate? Thanks, Pat
Hi guys, My name is Steven, and I'm from the USA. I stumbled on to your site a couple of nights ago doing research for my first trip to Europe, and Normandy. I ran across a site that gives tours around the Normandy area, and saw the mention of the spot where Rommel was strafed. I was unaware of this. I knew he committed suicide, but never knew he was injured in Normandy campaign. So I did a little more digging and stumbled on to your forum, and read this whole thread. A lot of info! One of the first thing I saw was the gun footage of Miller's attack. First thing I noticed was the left hand turn in the road right after the car was attacked was absent in the tours site photos of where the attack supposedly took place. So, I went back and re-read the accounts given by the 2 people who were in the car when the attack took place. The things that stuck in my mind were the distance from the towns, a mile out of Livarot, the bend in the road, and the mention of the Vie stream. So, I got on google maps and found this. I'm 99% sure it's the site of the Miller attack. When he rolls out of the attack you can see the left bend in the road, the 2 farms, and the hill in back of La Chapelle-Haute-Grue. The tour site had the attack site just outside Vimoutiers, which by witness accounts made no sense. I'm pretty sure the gun footage from Millers plane is Rommel getting shot. the car appears to swerve to the right violently, then back to the left. It probably ended up just before the first farm house. The river La Vie ends up back at the road between the 2 farms. The injury's sustained from the attack are also consistent with a rear attack, just hitting the left side of the car. I think if it was a beam attack, the driver, and Rommel, if he was sitting in the front, would have been shredded. Curious to see what you guys think. Also, since this will be my first visit to Europe, and the Normandy area, any suggestions on must see things in Normandy, and Europe in that matter would be appreciated. TIA, Steven v
Hello Steven Welcome to the Group, and thank you for your fresh research, which is always appreciated. My late father served on 125 Wing, the parent unit of 602 Squadron, and ended the war at Celle, near Hannover, and then went on to liberate Denmark. For personal reasons I would love it proved to have been 602 Squadron, but I have to accept other claimant Squadron's out there. Cheers Allan
Hi Allan, I thank your father for his service. I could be wrong, and it could be 602 that got him. I'm curious, how did the bridge, gate theory come to be? Also, Mr Curran on the site looks like he has access to recon photos during that time. I'm wondering if he'd be able to obtain a photo of the area in my previous post after July 24th, 44. Might be able to see damage, or maybe even the car there. In his last posts he was looking at an area close to mine. I'm just trying to give credit where credit is due. Thanks, Steven
Hello Steven Nice to hear from you again, we are pretty informal on here and Pat will, no doubt, be along shortly to answer your questions. At the end of the day, after 75 years, the important thing is that an Allied fighter attack took a major opponent off the battlefield at an important time, not who actually did it, IMHO that is, although 602 is my favourite for the honour. Cheers Allan
Hi Steven, Welcome to the Forum and I am delighted to see your efforts at identifying the Miller attack location. I have very restricted web acces just now at work but I look forward to viewing your candidate site later today from my home PC. Many thanks for your efforts. Regards, Pat
Thanks for your reply Pat. The more I watch the Miller clip, the more I'm convinced that it is the site of the shooting. I can see the slope in the terrain on the left, and everything matches up. Anyway to get a recon photo of that area after July 24th. It matches the location according to Lang. What are the chances of Miller encountering an open staff car like Rommel's at that time, and place, not being Rommel. Pretty sure your rank had to be high (General??) to ride in one of those. Think there would have been a report if another high ranking official was strafed. I saw an earlier post about an SS officer that was strafed. Do we know where that occurred? Thanks for your help, interesting stuff. Steven
Welcome Steven, “ What are the chances of encountering an open staff car....”? My father, Charlie Trainor did (refer to Whitebeam’s Charlie’s Church thread); as I imagine did other Allied airmen. You may expect a Horsh to be transporting high ranking German officials but perhaps it was a decoy? Would the Germans camouflage the travels of certain officers by using nondescript vehicles? Summer ‘44 was a particularly dangerous time in the air/on the ground...perhaps any precautionary tactic/ diversion was utilized? Enjoy your Normandy trip. Best regards, Ellen
Hi Ellen, Sure Ellen, but in the window, and place according to the people in the car? Everything I've read puts Rommel at the spot of the Miller shooting. Lang even mentions the Vie specifically, and rode a bike to Vimourtiers from a farm house near the road. How did the Gate, lodge theory come to be? The Miller shooting has the same terrain features, a bridge, and farm/lodge on the left, and all eyewitnesses report the attack being closer to Vivarot, not Vimourtiers. I think Miller was the first to be credited with the attack also. Thanks, Steven
I’ve known of this Stars n Stripes news clipping kept in my WWII scrapbook for years. My dad was an enlisted man assigned to the 353rd FG from its inception until late December 1945.
Hello Robert, and welcome. An interesting newspaper clipping, but it refers to 24 July, whereas Rommel was attacked on 17 July. Regards Allan