Wittmann’s Tiger Rampage | Villers-Bocage, June 1944

In the space of 15 minutes, Michael Wittmann took a single Tiger tank and stopped a major British advance, destroying 10 tanks, 10 halftracks, 8 Bren carriers, 1 scout car and a six-pounder anti-tank gun in the process. An eye-catching achievement… But was this a victory handed on a plate? John Delaney outlines Wittmann’s audacious and decisive action at Villers Bocage against the British Desert Rats, examining its military significance. It’s become the stuff of legend. It was a gift to Nazi propagandists, who wasted no time in championing the achievements of their “tank ace”. For the British, it was an embarrassing blow to military prestige. Wittmann got lucky. But luck runs out eventually… 00:00 | Introduction 00:42 | Arrival into Villers-Bocage 03:08 | Wittmann’s Rampage Begins 04:51 | Rampaging Through the Village 11:56 | Wittmann’s Luck Runs Out 14:09 | Was Wittmann Really a Tank Ace? 16:54 | Conclusion This video features archive footage courtesy of British Pathé. ◈ Created by The Tank Museum #tankmuseum #tankactions #johndelaney #michaelwittmann #tigertank