Hill 112
On the first day of the attack the Division gained the ridge for a distance of 4,000 yards between Etterville and Hill 112 itself: advanced over the crest and was engaged in very bitter fighting on the reverse slope and in the area of Maltot. Etterville was captured and held by the 4th Dorsets. The 7th Hampshires fought their way into Maltot and to the far side of the town before a vicious counter attack forced them to pull back.
The DCLI first gained the summit of Hill 112 and entered the wood on the reverse slope. From that moment the bitterest fighting raged. There they were subjected to fierce mortar and machine gun fire from short range: German tanks milled around on all sides and casualties were heavy. The 4th Bn of the Somerset Light Infantry took over the Fight from the DCLI and every battalion in the bitterest battle without respite. Within 48 hours the fierceness of the enemy mortar fire and the presence of many German tanks and self-propelled guns (German tank losses were at least fifty in two days) eventually made it less costly to consolidate just short of the ridge, which was dominated by the Division from then onwards.
The whole Division was closely engaged in this area for nearly three weeks, constantly fighting, and finally resuming the offensive to capture Maltot, where the 4th and 5th Wiltshires took nearly 400 prisoners. The opposition consisted of crack S.S. troops and two Panzer Divisions on whom very heavy casualties were inflicted. The Divisional Artillery, which broke up many counter attacks, had fired an average of 3,000 rounds a gun in a month's fighting.
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