Villers-Bocage - conclusion
Whilst Wittman did indeed intervene in the advance, cutting of the lead squadron of the Sharpshooter’s tanks and knocking out the Regimental headquarters, the conventional accounts ignore some significant points.
Importantly, he did not act alone – his detachment comprised five or six Tiger tanks. Wittmann went on a personal foray into the town whilst the rest of his unit covered the dispersed lead squadron. He did, indeed, knock out a number of scantily armoured personnel carriers, before knocking out the RHQ troop and supporting Artillery OP tanks. Nonetheless, argument continues as to whether leaving the rest of his command and taking his tank into a built up environment was prudent.
Clearly, the Sharpshooters lost a squadron of tanks and around eighty personnel, mostly PoWs. However, it could be countered that the understrength Tiger unit lost the equivalent of a squadron. Whereas the Sharpshooter’s had reformed to full strength within a fortnight, the Tigers were not replaced for the rest of the campaign.