I remember that one German panzer group fought their way to a nearby beach but when they got there, there was nothing they could do so they retreated.
“I remember that one German panzer group fought their way to a nearby beach but when they got there, there was nothing they could do so they retreated.”
Source for that? I’ve never heard of a Nazi tank unit that fought their way to a D-Day beach.
I had never heard that. Apparently they made it to the edge of the British landing beaches and it was too hot to stay there and they had to fall back.
“The dispositions of German armour meant only 21st Panzer Division was immediately available for a counterattack. Some of its units had already been engaged by British airborne forces, but it was not until mid-afternoon on D-Day that the division finally advanced against the British north of Caen. The commander of LXXXIV Corps, General Erich Marcks, told Colonel Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski, who was leading the attack, ‘if you don’t succeed in throwing the British into the sea we shall have lost the war.’ The German assault was beaten back by British tanks and artillery. Some panzers actually reached the coast, but then had to withdraw. They lost 70 out of 124 tanks.”
They probably remembered Dieppe and thought they might have a chance again. They simply had no concept of the size and power of the invasion force, although i guess they found out pretty quick.