Then and Now Normandy: Wreck Tiger at Rauray
- Romain Bréget
- Nov 19
- 2 min read
This Then and Now photograph was taken in Rauray, a small village south-west of Caen, Normandy. Beginning on June 26, 1944, Rauray became the scene of heavy fighting during Operation Epsom, part of the British advance following the D-Day landings.
June 26, 1944 — Sherwood Rangers Advance on Rauray
On the morning of June 26, the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry advanced toward Rauray to drive German forces out of the village. The British deployed approximately 20 Sherman tanks in a 350-meter-wide line across open fields facing the village.
Opposing them were around 15 German panzers, a mix of Tiger I, Panther, and Panzer IV tanks, concealed behind hedgerows and spread across nearly a kilometer of front line.
The ensuing engagement was brutal. The concentrated British fire destroyed isolated German tanks one after another, including several Tiger tanks. Estimates vary, but between 7 and 13 German tanks were knocked out, while the British lost only two Shermans during this initial clash.
June 27, 1944 — Bitter Resistance and High British Losses
The following day, British forces launched their final assault on Rauray. German infantry, backed by a handful of surviving tanks, put up stubborn resistance and inflicted heavy losses on the Sherwood Rangers. Several more German tanks were destroyed in the fighting, but the cost to the British was significant as well, with nine Sherman tanks knocked out or disabled during the assault. Despite these losses, the 11th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry ultimately secured the village, firmly placing Rauray in British hands.
Tiger 334 — Conflicting Accounts of Its Fate
One of the most notable German tanks engaged in the battle was Tiger 334, commanded by SS-Untersturmführer Amselgruber. Its fate remains debated:
Some accounts report the tank was hit on June 26, north of the village, and retreated 600 meters to the rear before being abandoned by its crew.
Others claim Tiger 334 was fighting on June 27, causing further losses to the Sherwood Rangers before finally being disabled and abandoned.
Aftermath: British Troops in Rauray
Once Rauray was secured, fighting decreased temporarily. Sgt. Jim Christie of the Army Film and Photographic Unit photographed scenes in and around the village, including the image above showing Tiger 334 abandoned, alongside men of the 2nd Kensington Regiment and their Universal Carriers.
Unbeknownst to them, a major German counterattack to retake Rauray would follow in the days ahead.
Explore Operation Epsom With a Battlefield Guide
If you want to explore Rauray, Operation Epsom, and the British campaign in Normandy after D-Day and their fight against the German Tigers, you can book a private British Battle of Normandy tour with me.
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