11th Armoured Division (UK) Rush the bridges

At 1250 one squadron from the 11th Armoured Division's reconnaissance regiment north of Cheux, was ordered to advance towards the Odon foreshadowing an attempt by the division's armoured brigade to rush the bridges. Owing to minefields near the village, debris blocking its streets and German holdouts attacking the tanks, it was not until 1400 that the regiment was able to make progress. By 1430 the squadron arrived on a ridge south of Cheux where it was engaged by twenty Panzer IVs (diverted by the 12th SS Panzer Division from the Rauray area), Tiger tanks from the 3rd Battalion 101st Heavy SS Panzer Battalion and armour from the 21st Panzer Division.More tanks from the 11th Armoured Division arrived but determined German resistance halted any further advance; by the end of the day the division had lost twenty-one tanks. nbsp; Photo: An ammunition carrier of the 11th Armoured Division explodes after it is hit by a mortar round during Operation Epsom – 26 June 1944.