Michael Wittmann - The Death of Germany's Tiger Tank Ace 

Kept the unibrow for 88 years what a savage

Witman destroys a bunch of tanks: gets the Knights Cross and a promotion Ekins destroys a bunch of tanks: gets demoted to Radioman?

The power of that unibrow. It must have allowed him to get a really solid look through the sights.

How ironic, Eakins lived to ‘a ripe old age of 88’...

This is seriously underrated. I hope one day your channel blows up with views!

Excellent film. Tank warfare is a strange business, even the most able at it can be blind-sided in a general fight because the machinery they're operating is so cumbersome it's hard to adjust swiftly enough to counter a threat from an unexpected quarter.

Just to let people know, New investigations have shown that the firefly was not the tank that killed Wittman. He was out of sight on the other side of a hill from the fire fly and his tiger was hit on the side facing away from it. On this side was a unit of Canadian Sherman's behind a wall less the 200 yards from where Wittman's tank was killed and they also claimed to have killed a tiger that day. Granted the firefly did kill 3 other tigers attacking with Wittman. It's just the firefly was out of range, on the wrong side and out of line of sight of Wittman's tank when it was destroyed. The Canadian unit has been given the kill.

When the guy who destroyed 3 tigers in a day dies at 88(mm)

As per many comments below - Battlefield Detectives almost 100% proved the fatal shot to Wittmann's 007 Tiger 1 was from the rear quarter, with the photo evidence to support that, so the Canadian tanks got him, and at much closer range. As an Englishman, I'd love it to have been Joe Ekins, but he did enough knocking out the other three.

You should do a video on Kurt Knispel too - the top scoring tank ace of all times. Wittman gets lots of publicity because of Villers Bocage, and Carius because of the engagement at Malinovo/Malinovka and his book, which I've read and is very good indeed. Knispel IMO gets less media coverage and doesn't deserve that.

The Canadian fusiliers of sherbrook destroyed that tank from 500 m by Sydney Valpy Radley-Walters and it is the common accepted version the english version is far less probable since it was from longer range and that the Canadian where in flanking of the tank it a controversy if you look at it

Based on reviewing the radio transcripts and german accounts Wittmann's tank was taken out by Sydney Valpy Radley-Walters ("A" Squadron of the Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment) who were in the chateau area only 500 m from the Tiger tanks. Norm Christie did a great documentary covering this new evidence.

It is not certain who killed Wittmann. The Polish say a Pole killed him. The Canadians say a Cannuck killed him. The British say a Brit killed him. And the RAF (which had pilots of all 3 nationalities in the air) say they killed him!

Your detailing of this event gives such a better insight than one sees on normal documentaries. Great post.

Excellent. Wittman is a legend among tank crews in many armies.

These are so great, thank you Mark

Great video. I’ve been to the exact place where this battle took place. Stood in the location where Wittmann’s tiger was knocked out, where the bodies were found and where the different tanks were placed where the ambush took place. The German tanks were engaged from the woods as stated. He was taken out by the Sherman in the farm house (side shot). They did not realise there were tanks located in the farm. His grave and the crew are buried together in the German cemetery in Saint Germain du Pert. The controversy re being destroyed by a typhoon has been proven incorrect. When I was there this year (2018) I found a piece of allied armour plate from a tank that had been dug up with the ploughing of the field (which I gave to my guide). It’s amazing how even to this day you can pick up pieces of metal or rounds from ww1 or ww2. Great video Mark. Loved it.

You are the best Mike, I have seen many dokumentaries but this is by far the most detailed video about Witman s death, one of the best if not the best tiger tank aces. Tumbs up for you and your chanel Mike.

You Sir are one of the true channel finds on RU-vid. Keep up the excellent work.

People are also forgetting that the remains of Wittman and his crew were initially buried in a field grave alongside the tank. The tank itself wasnt removed until 1946 or 47.

Yet Wittman is well-remembered and Ekins is practically unknown.

Just before I completed my last military tour in the UK in September 2011, I had a chance to interview Joe Eakins about his war experience. Truly a charming old fellow! I was rather underwhelmed to hear how little specialized training they got before arriving in France. And, of course, I was shocked to learn that after his tank was destroyed, he was reassigned to another tank but not as a gunner. If nothing else, his survival proves "the Chieftain's" point that the Sherman was a very survivable tank and not the death trap it's been made out to be.

I understand that Wittmans tank was struck on the port quarter, that is the opposite side to the Northamptonshire Yeomanry’s position. The shot came from the Canadian Sherbrooke M4 tanks hidden behind the Chateau wall and the main road parallel to Wittmans advance. They were much much closer to Wittmans and their standard 75mm guns could deal with the side armour of the Tiger. Having said that the Firefly of the Notts troop certainly took at least three of the tigers out that day.

As someone who has a great deal of curiosity about WWII, I am glad to have stumbled across this channel about a month ago. Your videos are positively excellent. Thank you for this video, I never knew the full details of what happened. As my last name may imply, this event is of very high interest for me.

Awesome video mate! well done, keep up the great work. :)

Great job ! Thank you for your time & efforts .

Amazing channel, subscribed immediately after watching only one video. Great stuff Felton!

Awesome video. It' s always great to see the videos and read the comments before you get censored.

Your work is appreciated i really really enjoy your high quality video's thank you!!!

I LOVE your videos. Please keep up the fine work!

Well done Trp Ekins. Only the army could move him from gunner to wireless operator after killing three Tigers with five rounds.

Tigger 007's license has been revoked.

Been recommending you to my family and friends and they are loving this channel

Hi Mark, I respect your films, but this one does not take into account that a Canadian Sherman with a 75 mm gun was hidden a short distance away from 007, with a perfect side shot open to it. Recently, a documentary was done where the distance of the British Firefly and the Canadian Sherman were carefully measured and it was decided that the Firefly was a bit too far away to likely have hit the 007. The Canadian tank was close enough that a side shot to the 007 was an easy target for him. Therefore, the conclusion was that the Canadian tank actually took out the 007.

This is a really informative channel Really interesting ! Breif and to the point.

Great story and you Mark , are easy to listen to talk. Very informative stories

Your videos are amazing and spot on.

It's a great episode Mark, thanks.

This Channel is getting better and better. Congratulations sir

Outstanding video and very well researched absolutely loved it!

phenomenal content, thank u!

Good work, Trooper Ekins. My father was a tanker in the US Army in WW2. As an Honorably Discharged Veteran of the US Army who enlisted to proudly serve his country, I salute you and my father, members of the Greatest Generation.

Great video mark mate.

as always a great docu.thanks a lot mark!

I just wanted to say that the Fireflies “larger turret” only applies to the radio because the gun was so large it would not fit with the radio. As for the crew the turret was extremely cramped and hard to fight in.

Excellent little film. As you rightfully describe, having a really good dunner like Ekins was just as important as a good tank commander, in fact I would say it was more important. Looking through the comments soldiers like Wittman are made out to be aces when they in fact pretty much never actually aimed or fired the gun. Bringing the tank in position is important and choosing the targets which to engage is equally important but equal praise has to be given to the gunner that actually aims, fires and hit the enemy. People are making it out like Wittmann drove the tank all alone, he picked out targets and fired the gun like a tank ace octopus. No, it's all about really good teamwork and gunner and driver often don't get any recognition at all. The best tank commander in the world can't make up for a crappy gunner or loader but a superb gunner can make the average tank commander look like a hero.

Your vids are always top-notch. Heading over to Patreon now.

This dispute on who fired the fatal shot will need to be put to rest - the fatal shot was at the rear left of 007, Ekins periscope view was at the right side of the advancing Tigers - 009, 312 and 314. the only way for Ekins to hit the rear left was if Wittman was retreating. The Fatal shot was by the Canadian Ace "Rad" Walters - Please research and update if possible. Great work on all your videos.

Wittmann’s remains, as well as his crew were found in 1983 a short distance from where his tank exploded. Apparently in a makeshift grave. As usual Mark, another fascinating story.

been watching all day, subscribed.

Thanks for posting.

Outstanding! I really like the models in your thumbnails.

Yet again, a brilliant video.

Another excellent video!

Love your work.

Asking whom destroyed Wittmans Tiger is like asking whom shot down the Red Baron ? You could get 100 different versions of each.

Wow, just great, Mark fantastic stuff, cheers

Almost a new video every day! The best on RU-vid by far!!! 👍🍺🍺🍺 Can’t wait for the next one

Mark Felton docos. Benchmark quality level (up with BBC.) Keep up the good work, sir.

Thank you Mark another great story regarding an ace commander Michael Wittmann

Fantastic video, glad you talked about this engagement on 8th August. Ill say one thing is that when Wittman went into battle with most of 3. Kompanie, 101. SS Sch.Pz.Ab. The orginal kompanie commander was new to this role. Wittman wanted to lead the attack. Yet within a 2km radius there were dozens of Churchills, Shermans, Fireflys, M10s and Cromwells. Before this attack at around late morning, Wittman met up with divisional command i.e Kurt Meyer, Hubert Meyer and II/PzGr Reg. 25. commander Waldmuller. Kurt Meyer said from his book that he noticed Wittman was not his confident self and seemed to be making hasty decisions. I feel Wittman knew it was coming to the end and the days of the Tigers of 101 SS Sch.Pz.Ab. were numbered as most Tanks of that battalion met there fate in Normandy.

I am glad you made this piece. Hearing about allied tank victories helps give some balance to the narrative of how much the Germans dominated with their tanks.

I don't think this story is quite correct, I'm pretty sure it was the Radley Walter's troupe of Sherbrookes who destroyed Wittman's tank as they were in an ambush position in a hamlet called Gaumesnil which sat beside the Route Nationale about 143 meters away and with a clear line of sight to where Wittman's tank was advancing. The Northhamtonshire Yeomanry where almost 1 km from Wittman's Tiger, well outside of the effective range of the Firefly. Tiger 007 was also partially obscured by a slope in the terrain. Also damage to Wittman's Tiger also suggests the Sherbrookes as there seemed to be a penetration in the left-rear of Wittman's Tiger from a shot across the Route Nationale. The Yeomanry could well have killed the other 3 Tigers in his troupe as they were within 775m and less from the Firefly but Wittman very likely fell victim to the Sherbrookes. Here's a documentary which clarifies my point , ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-IhG3meKdMc4.html

Love these mini battles explanations which are the bricks and mortar of a wall of war. Heard of Wittman, never heard of Joe Eakins, so just researched his life. A hero also in peacetime. Put him on the twenty quid note.

Mark love the videos!...Subcribed!...consider extending them slightly to the 10-15 min range.

Very good report! This soldier, Trooper Ekins, was an brave man!!!! My congratulations! Wittmann was one of the best german soldiers! I want to offer my condolence !

Good videos!! Most underrated RU-vid channel.

Felton left out one little bit out of the story. At hill 140, near Cintheaux, the allies had mistaked it for hill 195 and took the unopposed hill. The engagement prior to Wittmann's death, Wittmann's tigers and Wünche's panthers attacked in a pencer movement, panthers to the east, tigers to the west, encircled and destroyed 50 allied tanks and numerous infantry with zero tank losses of their own. They were in the process of trying to exploit this massive success when Wittmann was killed..they had no idea so much more armor laid in wait, they hoped that these local successed would buy time...and it did. The allies timetable was null and void due to Wünche and Wittmann under Kurt Meyer's directives....

Thank you, great video.

I've been to that spot on the edge of the orchard, followed the entire operation as described in TANK by Ken Tout, visited all the locations.

Once again a most informative and brilliant historical tid bit of enjoyable information. Ah? 007 I do wonder if Ian Fleming may have known this story and applied the numerical nomenclature of “007” to his creation of Bond, Janes Bond.

Next time do a video about Kurt Knispel ;)

I met Joe Eakins in 2011 and had a chance to interview him before I returned to the US in September 2011. Hell of a guy! For those who've seen The Chieftain's vid on the Firefly, it was insanely cramped in that turret. Not surprisingly, Eakins was rather short; much better suited to the inside of a Firefly turret than Mr. Moran! lol Even for Joe, it had to be miserably claustrophobic!

I love this channel!

Outstanding!! Thumbs up I enjoy hearing about the survivors.

That was a quality video sir. Fair play.

I have watched dozens of your videos and was astounded tonight to see i had not subb'ed yet.. well thats fixed now.

Hello mark - I enjoy your videos but the evidence as shown in the battlefield mysteries documentary (featuring Joe Ekins and several of the sherbrook fusiliers present) seems to suggest otherwise. Of course there has been a lot of speculation around 'who actually fired the fatal shot' with the Typhoon explanation being a long-standing factor, but the doco showed that it was most likely that Wittman's tiger was hit in the rear left at close range from a round fired by the tanks in the Sherbrook's position rather than by Ekins who attested to hitting three Tigers in quick succession. Whether this really matters is incidental but it was at least some comfort to his widow that the bodies were discovered in the 1980's. Keep up the good work!

Your vids are short but really informative

As normal your version of the events taking place are the best and most accurate.

Kurt Knispel was Germany's highest scoring tank ace, Michael Wittman was Germany's most well known tank ace.

This is one of three history channels I subscribe too. The other two are Drachinifel who covers warships and The History Guy who does some really good videos on forgotten history. Having a great day today as all three posted.

I concur. These videos get me through daily life with two and a half year old twins. Sometimes I feel like I'm in a battle 😂 Thank you Mark, I will support in time.

As others have already pointed out, Ekins did exceptionally well in killing two of the Tigers but almost certainly not Wittmann's. The evidence pretty solidly suggests that the Sherbrooke Fusiliers took out his tank with a standard Sherman 3. This does not, however, detract from Joe Ekins achievement it taking out two of the monsters,

Mark, thanks for the outstanding video which shows the Sherman for what it really was. Should we know be calling the Tiger I a Ronson too?

Thank you for this video Dr Felton which was well constructed and presented - as usual. I was wondering do you ever get a research lead from any of the more informed comments?

Good to see evidence that the 17 pdr was a very accurate gun, certain interests would have the world believe that it wasn't much of a AT gun at all.

Michael Wittman's Tiger tank 007 was destroyed by a troop of Canadian Shermans from the Sherbrooke Fusiliers. An episode of Battlefield Mysteries called Who Killed Michael Wittman by Breakthrough Entertainment investigates the battle in which Wittman died. The program concludes that a troop of Shermans from the Sherbrookes were positioned behind a wall adjacent to the field that Wittman and his Tigers crossed. This was near the small French village of Gaumesnil. The first three Tigers were taken out be a Firefly located near St. Aignan, but Wittman's Tiger was caught in the flank at point blank range by the Sherbrooke's and destroyed.

Good work.

Fantastic information and well presented, there is a site on RU-vid run by a german who gives good information and statistics, he says that there were no tank aces and tank commanders he interviewed concurred , puts a different meaning on virtually everything .

If Wittman and Knispel fight side by side i cant imagine how many tanks will be destroy

Can you do stuff about aerial aces such as erich hartmann?

Thoroughly researched and often quite fascinating. Spose that's why you got that Doctorate thingo :P. How about some of the more controversial lesser known WW2 topics. Die Glocke , Haunebu, Project Riese? Always look forward to watching your recent uploads. Tank you( pun intended) from Syd Oz

ANother fantastic story well delivered...without hype or stupid commercials or unnecessary blather...

Ekins is recorded talking about the battle. He said they had 3 fireflies, that his tank was hit but not disabled. Battlefield Detectives analyzed the data and site and came to the conclusion that although Ekins destroyed 3 Tigers, Wittmann's tank (a fourth Tiger destroyed) was knocked out by a Canadian tank that attacked from the side in a concealed location. I also really doubt that they could have read Wittmann's 707 identification number on the side of the turret when they are driving toward the Fireflies.

Didn't know he drove 007...that's kinda cool.

Great video. Kurt Knispel would make a great story, ace of aces and all round cool cat.

Battlefield Detectives have a slightly different story. First they claim the Germans attacked with 7 Tigers, 5 on one side of the main road and 2 on the other. Of the 5 that advanced across the open field, 4 were destroyed and one retreated. 3 of the 4 were destroyed by the Firefly. Wittmann's tank was knocked out by a concealed Sherman with a standard 75 mm gun that hit the Tiger in the side penetrating the thin side armor and detonating stored munitions in the tank. Wittmann and his crew's remains were recovered years later.

Hi Mark.The Battlefield Detective show covered this action and deduced that the Canadian tank unit you mentioned got the kill.They were much closer and claimed they got him..They had standard Shermans but claim they hit Wittmans left hull ..They fired behind a Farm wall to the West.

Point of trivia: The "mottled" appearance of the armor on the Tiger (seen in the close up shots) was Zimmerit - an anti mine paste that was applied to the hull, that prevented enemy magnetic anti-tank mines from sticking to it.