luck (center) during operation goodwood
in beginning of july, area defended luck s kampfgruppe came under control of ss panzer corps under command of obergruppenführer sepp dietrich. nearby heavy tank battalion 503 equipped 1 company of tiger ii tanks , 2 companies of tiger tanks. on 18 july, bernard montgomery launched operation goodwood; operation aimed wear down german armoured forces in normandy in addition seizing territory, on eastern flank of caen, extent of bourguébus–vimont–bretteville area. if successful, british hoped follow limited attack pushing reconnaissance forces south towards falaise. offensive opened massive aerial bombardment, followed artillery , naval gun fire, intended suppress or destroy defences in path of attack.
during morning, luck had returned three-day leave in paris. informed of air raids, moved forward determine exact situation , realized major offensive underway. air raid had neutralized remnants of 16th luftwaffe field division, held front line, elements of 21st panzer division (in particular, elements of 22nd panzer battalion , 1st battery of assault gun battalion 200) leaving hole in german defensive line. while elements of advancing british 11th armoured division held in engagement self-propelled guns of 200th assault gun battalion, 2nd fife , forfar yeomanry advanced past cagny. regiment did, came under heavy anti-tank fire resulting in loss of 4 tanks.
after war, luck wrote responsible barrage of anti-tank fire, saying used sidearm threaten luftwaffe officer action, fire upon advancing tanks 88 mm flak guns. luck s account has been repeated, although competing theories have been suggested: british 8 corps history states german anti-tank guns based in soliers, had escaped aerial bombardment, responsible.
ian daglish, critical of luck s account, stated there turns out surprisingly little evidence support luck s version of events, , accounts of 88 mm flak guns in cagny being used in anti-tank capacity can traced directly luck , no 1 else. further wrote neither commander of 200th assault gun battalion or commander of luftwaffe flak guns made comment in regards action , based on locations of flak positions, illogical heavy flak battery have been located there. daglish wrote luck s account of placement of guns imprecise , expert analysis of aerial photographs of area taken @ midday ... reveals no trace of [the battery] nor of towing vehicles or distinctive tracks . such weapons , vehicles not hidden within mere couple of hours of relocation . daglish argued luck embellished role during post-war official british tours of battlefield, version of events coming question (off record). daglish wrote elements of 200th assault gun battalion in area , number of german anti-tank guns have fired on 2nd fife , forfar , 88 mm anti-tank guns deployed cagny area throughout day. john buckley critical of luck s account, , called colourful , enthralling . argued despite there being no doubt heavy anti-tank gunfire in , around cagny began account british tanks , no evidence luftwaffe had guns in cagny @ time given dispositions of other luftwaffe batteries. buckley wrote luck had embroidered role.
stephen napier reassessed these criticisms of luck s account. wrote heavy anti-aircraft guns located in outlying villages of caen , photographic evidence of luftwaffe batteries in area exists , in addition wreckage of 3 88mm guns found guards division afternoon in cagny, corroborate luck s claim have ordered destruction of guns upon abandoning cagny. napier wrote luck s account of threatening luftwaffe officer plausible given 88mm anti-aircraft crews did not expect become embroiled in fighting per iii flak korps policy, , direct involvement took persuasion. napier asserts timeline of luck s stated confrontation luftwaffe battery commander, after 09:00 hours, correlates losses 2nd fife , forfar yeomanry @ 09:30 hours since 88mm flak battery need 15 minutes relocate short distance . napier further writes fact 2 tiger tanks destroyed german friendly fire suggests actions of inexperienced luftwaffe crew unable identify retreating german tanks. according napier 75mm pak 40 anti-tank guns incapable of clean armour penetrations found on tigers @ range , other alternative unit have engaged british tanks becker s 4th battery located in le mensnil frementel. napier notes if company did not move before 0930 hours, have been cut off when leading tanks of 29th brigade crossed railway , reasoned since battery able relocate south of 4 in action rest of day , must have moved before 0930 hours. napier stated officer of 2nd fife , forfar wrote in memoirs of surprise @ seeing german officer in dress uniform surveying battlefield cagny . napier concluded luck correctly attributed credit due , sin assumption of mantle worn rommel stopped british tank attack @ arras in 1940 ordering 88mm flak guns engage ground targets of british tank forces.
luck spent rest of day using resources had check gaps in line. in afternoon, first elements of 1st ss division leibstandarte ss adolf hitler had moved in support , situation stabilized. following day, luck s kampfgruppe, supported armour of 1st ss, held british in check, , launched counterattacks on british flanks. british attack ended on 20 july. in evening, 12th ss panzer division hitlerjugend relieved luck s men. service during operation goodwood, luck awarded knight s cross of iron cross, , on 8 august, promoted rank of lieutenant colonel.
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