"Crown of Thorns"

by Mark Littlejohn

Size 15 x 10 in

The Duke of Cornwall 's Light Infantry in World War Two. The 5th Battalion Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry defend Hill 112 during the battle for Normandy, July 10-11th 1944, Having gained the woods on top of the rising ground they found themselves under attack by German infantry supported by Tiger tanks, The Commanding Officer of the Battalion Colonel James spotted an enemy attack forming up in to the south, climbing a tree he called in an artillery strike but was then killed by machine gun fire, The Cornwall's also discovered that the Tiger tanks were virtually impervious to their anti tank guns and also that the enemy could fire into them from all sides, thus they suffered heavy casualties prior to being withdrawn from this exposed position