Who Killed Michael Wittmann ? Wittmann's final battle Normandy 1944 

haha Thanks Michi! I really enjoyed going down the rabbit hole on this one. I was such a nice change from my normal style. Yet I hope it will compliment my build videos. I am already a few stories I want to make short docs on to go alongside my builds

Thanks Bruce! I was trying to be neutral going in and just see what the evidence points too. And to my eye it had to be the Sherbrookes. Even by the simple logic that no tank crew is gonna ignore a Tiger driving up on their position at a 150 meters distant lol

Thanks mate, I always felt that the particulars of this engagement where often glazed over in favor of his exploits at Villers Bocage. Now don't claim to have definitive answer to what happened that day. As there is such legend surrounding anything to do with him, but I tried to give a honest assessment based on the scant reliable evidence I could find

thanks mate! I'm really glad you enjoyed it, as I know its a little different from my normal videos. But think I might do a few more of these style short docs to act as companion to our larger build videos also you can never have too many Tigers! I've got RFM's Tiger Late that will be built as 007 in the near future!

Would be nce if you reply Shane :)

It is from Canadian Newsreel of the "Battle for Carpiquet Airfield - Normandy 1944" if you type it into RU-vid search you will find it. I won't link directly in case its mistook as spam

I recall hearing that claim years ago too. But I feel its even weaker than the RAF's claim. Also if I recall going off memory I think the Poles were several miles away further up the line. But I would have look further into it to see if their claim holds any merit

Was my honor to help share the story of the Sherbrookes that day! Speaking as an Irishmen, I know too well what it is like for your nation's efforts to go unheeded. 1000's of Irishmen fought in the world wars and is no largely forgotten

​@@longlance67well the brits are always happy to take credit for anything Irish it seems

@davidconnellan6875 their military history is full of that unfortunately. As an interesting aside they say all of the pilots who fought in the Battle of Britain have passed away. However there is one left but he is from the Republic of Ireland and has been lett out of the all British narrative

Thank you! That really means a lot mate! I'm working on the next little mini doc. I have two great accounts of Sherman engagements I want to make videos on. I might put it up to vote on which one you guys want to see first once I get more along with my research

Cheers mate. It was a lot of fun to create this little doc. Got to put film college to use lol Kind regards from Ireland

Thanks mate, I've always wanted to a few mini docs for the channel. Acting as nice companion pieces to the models we are building giving a little context to the events these M4s found themselves in. So I'm super excited to see that you guys are enjoying this little video. I am currently writing the script for the next video now

Cheers mate! I've always been fascinated by the history around the different Sherman's I build. So I've always wanted to do little doc videos to go along with the build videos. I'm already researching a few other engagements to recount in later videos

@@longlance67 Can't wait to see them. Btw, I don't know if anybody has ever told you but your handle "longlance" sounds like straight out of LIFE OF BRIAN - Biggus Dickus??? 🤣I sense a wee bit of Irish hubris there...

Ya it is one of those funny things in history. People tend to put too much energy into these characters without looking at the greater picture of the events they were part of. With all attention being poured into who fired the fatal shot. Rather than exploring the idea that entire Tiger Platoon was wiped out in a few minutes and tactics that made it so. And don't get me started on Villers Bocage lol

That would be cool!

Thanks mate! I'm super glad you enjoyed it. Its not as advanced as some of the proper history videos out there. But I'm thinking more of a story style format. Like a tanker retelling an event to recruits kind of vibe. But don't worry this is indeed part of a larger project. Where we will be building Major Radley Walter's Sherman III. Sergeant Gordan's / Joe Ekins Firefly and finally Wittmann's 007

I agree as regard to the images. However something to bear in mind, though there is indeed a massive amount of newsreel footage from Normandy. In the last few years it seems that most of it on RU-vid has been bought by these so called "archives" that plaster their logos over the center of the screen. Which would have been way more frustrating to endure.

@@longlance67 🤣🤣🤣, right, it really would be!!

Top class presentation which will really spark more healthy debates on the subject matter. Brilliant, free flowing, crystal clear narrative with unobtrusive background music. Very well done Shane. You should be proud.

Glad you enjoyed it

Yes it seems that people like to overlook that simple fact. You cannot engage what you cannot see and you cannot hit a side you have no angle on. I understand why the British claim this event to the level they do. Especially when you consider the debacle of Villers Bocage and the oversights in not forming a defensive perimeter in hostile territory. It was an embarrassment paid in many life's that needed a win to make right. But the ground is the ground. I get many angry comments from those coming in to bat from the Yeomanry. And full credit to their crews that day, as they most of the heavy lifting in destroying the Tigers was indeed done by them. And no small achievement. But the Tiger in question I feel belongs to the Sherbrookes. As they seem forget that this was company level deployment with multiple troops(platoons) engaging and all containing Fireflys as Commonwealth Armored doctrine would have demanded. Though at the close ranges found at the end of the ambush on the Sherbrooke's side, the humble 75mm would too have been lethal. I find that sometimes peoples logic often likes to overlook this, and instead on focusing on supposed truths like the wall was too high to see Wittmann's Tiger even though the surviving Canadian crews talk about knocking firing loops, and run of bricks off the wall to clear their lanes of fire.

@@longlance67 Best summation of the discussion in 80 years! Excellent points, including some I’d never considered, the shame the Brits felt for Villers Bocage. Thank you for the long and thorough reply.

That is a fascinating theory. And in the time before the photos of 007 were widely disturbed to the public. The idea of Wittmann and 100's of other Germans getting swept aside by the massed aerial bombardment would hold salt. As very similar happened in earlier operations in Normandy at that stage too. Operation Cobra comes to mind where the bombers literally threw Panzers off the road from their impacts. And also caused one of the worse friendly fire instances in the US. Army. Where many bombers accidently dropped their ordnance onto their own lines by mistake.

thanks mate! I'm glad you enjoyed it. I plan on doing more of this style of video in the future

Glad you enjoyed it and that I didn't drone on too much lol!

@@longlance67 hi Shabe, you definitely did not drone on too much, it was a really enjoyable video, all I will say is GO THE ALL BLACKS, cheers mate.

thank you! really glad you enjoyed it

Thank you! Cheers!

Glad you liked it!

That is awesome family connection. Some very brave lads indeed!