The German defences on Verrières Ridge remained very strong. The forward infantry positions were well dug-in, with wide fields of fire. The main concentration of one hundred 75 mm and 88 mm anti-tank guns was deployed around the villages of Cramesnil and Saint-Aignan-de-Cramesnil behind the German forward positions, to halt any breakthrough by tanks along the Caen–Falaise road. The front line and defences in depth were held by the 89th Infantry Division, 85th Infantry Division (recently arrived from Rouen) and the remnants of the 272nd Grenadier Infantry Division (severely depleted by the Canadians in Operation Atlantic). The 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" with an attached heavy Tiger tank battalion, with fifty tanks, was in reserve a further back. Some of the infantry were commanded by the German LXXXVI but most of the sector (and the 12th SS Panzer Division) was under the command of the I SS Panzer Corps, which had arrived in the area during Operation Goodwood.