Tiger I Tank No.121 Knocked Out at Villers-Bocage, Normandy 1944

September 14, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

Tiger I No.121 destroyed at Villers-Bocage, Normandy, June 1944, photographed amid the ruins of the town.

German Tiger I tank No.121 destroyed at Villers-Bocage, Normandy, June 1944, lying on a ruined street after Wittmann’s battle.

This dramatic photo captures the wreck of German Tiger I No.121 from the 101st SS Heavy Panzer Battalion, abandoned on a ruined street of Villers-Bocage, Normandy, June 1944. The vehicle was lost shortly after the famous clash led by Michael Wittmann, where a handful of Tigers ambushed and devastated a column of British armor from the 7th Armoured Division, the “Desert Rats.”

During the battle on June 13, 1944, Wittmann’s Tiger 007 became legendary for knocking out multiple enemy vehicles in minutes, halting the British advance. However, the aftermath also saw heavy losses among other Tigers. Tank No.121, commanded by SS-Untersturmführer Ernst, fell victim to a combination of air strikes and armor-piercing fire from the British Sherman Firefly, whose 17-pounder gun was feared by German crews. Ernst was killed inside the vehicle.

Unlike many battlefield photos taken in open countryside, this image highlights the urban destruction of Villers-Bocage—with the Tiger’s massive hull looming among shattered buildings. It reflects both the fearsome reputation of the Tiger I and the reality that, despite its thick armor, it could not withstand the overwhelming Allied firepower and air superiority in Normandy.

Technical photo data:
📍 Location: Villers-Bocage, Normandy, France
📅 Date of photo: June 1944
📝 Event: Battle of Normandy (Wittmann’s actions at Villers-Bocage)
📷 Source: WWII photo archives