Where do you have that information from AmPm?
Would really interest me to read your sources on that one...
Anyways:
Ill translate the battle report of the day I was reffering to, as its just a really impressive story:
At the 12th of June 1944, Wittmann was ordered to hold the left flank of the corps near Villers-Bocage, because british tank battalions who had broken through the german lines where expected to head south through that position.
No panzergrenadiere were available to reinforce this position.
Wittmann arived at the ordered time with 6 Tiger tanks. In the night of the 12./13. June the company "Wittmann" had to change their positions three times due to ongoing, heavy artillery fire.
In the early morning hours, they were deployed at point 213, northwest of Villers-Bocage, with 5 Tiger Tanks ready for duty. Around 8 o'clock AM, the fieldpost reported to SS-Obersturmbannführer Wittmann that a big convoy of tanks was approaching on the road from Caen to Villers-Bocage.
Wittmann, who was in cover with his tank 200m south of the road, identified a british tank battalion which was followed by an armored infantry battalion.
The situation demanded a quick response. Wittmann couldnt give any orders any more to his following tanks, who were stationed in the region, and rushed right inside the british column firing on the move without a moment of hesitation. He split the enemy convoy, destroying 4 Shermans on 80m. He drove in and along the column, firing on 10-30m distance.
After a short time he had destroyed 15 heavy tanks. Another 6 where hit and their crew forced to abandon the vehicles. The following battalion, mounted on halftracks, was nearly completely destroyed.
The 4 following (tiger) tanks of the company "Wittmann" took 230 soldiers as POW.
Further approaching ahead of his company, Wittmann entered Villers-Bocage where a heavy anti-tank gun shot his tiger immoblie in the center of the town. He anyways destroyed all enemy vehicles in range and split the enemy troops in the area.
Wittmann and his crew than abandoned the tank (for now) and moved on foot to the 15km away traning facility (panzer lehr division), reported to the operations officer, and imediatly returned with 15 PzIV attacking on Villers-Bocage. With his Volkswagen which had finally found back to him, he broke through enemy territory to the 1. company (1. SS Panzer Kompanie), stationed at the main road to Villers-Bocage.
After giving his report on the situation he commanded the 1. company against the remaining tanks and AT guns in the town of Villers-Bocage.
Due to his.. blablablabla.... he defended the whole front and destroyed the spearhead of the british attack (the 22nd armored battalion) who were allready deep behind our lines. The corps had no other reserves at this moment. Up to this day, Wittmann destroyed 138 enemy tanks and 132 AT guns.
[this was from the report for which he got the "crossed swords" added to his iron cross]
