Hedgerows (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter gk5717
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jazzeum
Four Star General
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- Apr 23, 2005
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I don't know if that is what you're looking for but I took this from the web:
The Norman hedgerows dated back to Roman times. They were mounds of earth to keep cattle in and to mark boundaries. Typically there was only one entry into the small field enclosed by the hedgerows, which were irregular in length as well as height and set at odd angles. On the sunken roads the brush often met overhead, giving the GIs a feeling of being trapped in a leafy tunnel. Wherever they looked the view was blocked by walls of vegetation.
Undertaking an offensive in the hedgerows was risky, costly, time-consuming, fraught with frustration. It was like fighting in a maze. Platoons found themselves completely lost a few minutes after launching an attack. Squads got separated. Just as often, two platoons from the same company could occupy adjacent fields for hours before discovering each other's presence. The small fields limited deployment possibilities; seldom during the first week of battle did a unit as large as a company go into an attack intact.
Where the Americans got lost, the Germans were at home. The 352nd Division had been in Normandy for months, training for this battle. Further, the Germans were geniuses at utilizing the fortification possibilities of the hedgerows. In the early days of the battle, many GIs were killed or wounded because they dashed through the opening into a field, just the kind of aggressive tactics they had been taught, only to be cut down by pre-sited machine-gun fire or mortars (mortars caused three quarters of American casualties in Normandy).
The Norman hedgerows dated back to Roman times. They were mounds of earth to keep cattle in and to mark boundaries. Typically there was only one entry into the small field enclosed by the hedgerows, which were irregular in length as well as height and set at odd angles. On the sunken roads the brush often met overhead, giving the GIs a feeling of being trapped in a leafy tunnel. Wherever they looked the view was blocked by walls of vegetation.
Undertaking an offensive in the hedgerows was risky, costly, time-consuming, fraught with frustration. It was like fighting in a maze. Platoons found themselves completely lost a few minutes after launching an attack. Squads got separated. Just as often, two platoons from the same company could occupy adjacent fields for hours before discovering each other's presence. The small fields limited deployment possibilities; seldom during the first week of battle did a unit as large as a company go into an attack intact.
Where the Americans got lost, the Germans were at home. The 352nd Division had been in Normandy for months, training for this battle. Further, the Germans were geniuses at utilizing the fortification possibilities of the hedgerows. In the early days of the battle, many GIs were killed or wounded because they dashed through the opening into a field, just the kind of aggressive tactics they had been taught, only to be cut down by pre-sited machine-gun fire or mortars (mortars caused three quarters of American casualties in Normandy).
Brad thanks for the history. Gary thanks for the height of the the hedges. I've been working on my homemade foam versions. I'm making them 6 to 8 inches tall, and various shapes. I have some kind of foam craze, I think I can make anything out of it. I would try posting, but all you would see is to much pink. Mike.
Warrior
Lieutenant General
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Gary,
Regarding the CTS vs the Conte hedgerows; in my opinion, the CTS set is much more accurate because as Brad pointed out, they were in fact boundry markers, therefore the depection of them in a square shape by CTS is much more accurate that Contes. I like the breach in one of them and the gate with entrance into the section on the other piece, plus I like you also appreciate all the firing positions. Didn't really like the Conte ones that were enclosed as troops were not in fact "inside" the hedges but rather dug in behind them with firing positions cleared out of them...................
Regarding the CTS vs the Conte hedgerows; in my opinion, the CTS set is much more accurate because as Brad pointed out, they were in fact boundry markers, therefore the depection of them in a square shape by CTS is much more accurate that Contes. I like the breach in one of them and the gate with entrance into the section on the other piece, plus I like you also appreciate all the firing positions. Didn't really like the Conte ones that were enclosed as troops were not in fact "inside" the hedges but rather dug in behind them with firing positions cleared out of them...................
binder001
Command Sergeant Major
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- Apr 30, 2005
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In part to the question about roads in the bocage - most were narrow dirt farm tracks. There were occasional highways through the area, that's why places like Carentan and St.Lo were so important. The sunken roads and closed-in terrain were one of the reasons the Sherman came out of Normandy with such a horrible reputation. A german tank could squat on one of the roads and the US armor had to face them head on - just what a Sherman was worst at! The open roads were often covered with German MGs and mortars - that's where all those nice running figures from Conte fit in - the GIs would run like heck to get across the open spaces. Dash and dig - that's the infantryman's lot in life!
Gary B
Gary B