FONTENAY-RAURAY The Bear and Fox, Ready for the Fray

Texts in French

This book is intented to be a final study of the 8th Armoured Brigade and 49th Infantry Division involvements from June 13 to July 1, 1944, focusing on Audrieu - Fontenay-le-Pesnel - Rauray. After more than 12 years of researches through war diaries, numerous documents and untold personal accounts brought together, the author has been able to retrace a meticulous day-to-day chronology of the battle, sometime hourly, in particular those of Operations « Dauntless » and « Martlet ». The British breach achieved on June 25 1944 in Fontenay-le-Pesnel, at the hinge betwween the Panzer-Lehr-Division and the 12.SS-Pz.Division « Hitlerjugend », has guaranteed the right-hand flank to ensure the decisive breakthrough of Operation « Epsom ». For several days, the Germans will make every effort to prevent this section of the front from collapsing by launching new units on Rauray and Cheux (2.Pz.Division, s.SS- Pz.Abt.101, Kampfgruppe Weidinger, 9.SS-Pz.Division « Hohenstaufen ») unsuccessfully. Tessel and Rauray Spur will not be taken up.