Allied fighter-bombers and bombers flew large numbers of sorties against German troop positions, and headquarters were priority targets for attack when these could be found. On June 10, RAF aircraft bombed three sites thought to be the locations of major headquarters. Only one of the attacks, that against Chateau-la-Caine south of Caen, was successful but it brought handsome dividends, for the building housed the headquarters of Panzer Group West. Forty Typhoons of Nos 181, 182, 245 and 247 Squadrons fired rockets into the chateau then 71 North American Mitchells of Nos 98, 180, 266, and 320 Squadrons carried out a horizontal attack on the area from 12,000 feet (3,600m) dropping large numbers of 5001b (200kg) bombs. The headquarters was wrecked and the Chief of Staff Gen. von Dawans and many of his staff offcers were killed.
By now construction was well advanced on the first landing grounds in the beachhead, and from June 13 Allied fighter and fighter-bomber squadrons used these to refuel between missions. A couple of days later, units took up residence on the new bases.
Off the coast of Normandy the Luftwaffe anti-shipping units continued to suffer heavy losses in their attempts trying to attack the assembled vessels. In the ten days following the invasion, Illrd Gruppe of Kampfgeschwader 100, a Dornier Do 217 unit equipped with glider bombs, lost ten aircraft and eight crews. During that period only two destroyers and three smaller vessels were lost to direct air attack. Shortly afterwards the Luftwaffe abandoned direct attacks, and sent its bombers to sow mines in the shallow waters off the coast. The newly developed pressure mine was difficult to sweep, but ships were safe provided they kept their speed to a minimum while passing through the shallows. The mines caused considerable inconvenience, but few ships were lost.
World History
