THE CAPTURE OF SAINT-LÔ

Two weeks after the landings in Normandy the Americans had a secure bridgehead. The attack on Cherbourg was in progress. But the outbreak to the south encountered heavy opposition from the Germans. Every house, village or town needed a hard fight. There was a roughly frontline to draw from Montebourg in the north, via Carentan, Isigny, Trevieres, Bayeux, the north of Caen and the east river bank of the Orne near Ranville.

Left, Trévières, June, 1944 and (right) the serene silence of the present.

It was not just the Germans that slowed the progress of the Allies, also the terrain was a struggle to come by. The 7th Army Corps was slowed down because of the swampy terrain's around Carentan, and the 19th Army Corps had to find a way around the hedges, the so called 'bocage'. If he wanted to have the greatest benefit of his tanks and other motorised units, General Bradley had to find a way to break out of this terrain.

The road Saint-Lô to Coutances seems the best option. Saint-Lô was heavily defended. On 3 July the Allied 8th Army Corps made their first attack. But the bad weather and the German defence stopped the progress after 5 kilometres in three days! Meanwhile the 7th Army Corps headed on the 4th of July from Carentan to Périers. These troops did even worse, in three days they only managed 2 kilometres. The 19th Army Corps opened their attack on Saint-Lô on 7 July. These troops had as their first target the hills east of the town. Strong German units were unbreakable, especially in the north-east at 'Hill 192'. In the morning of 11 July, at 05.00 hours a barrage of fire from artillery opened up, an hour later the field cannons joint in.

After every barrage of four minutes the units moved 100 metres forward. In the hail of grenades and bombs the Germans had to stay put in their tunnels that were dug into 'Hill 192'. They had no change to return fire. Finally American engineers blew up the tunnels and covered the surviving Germans under one and a half metre of earth.

General Bradley planned to make a break to the south around July the 20th. But before he could make that move, he had to secure Saint-Lô. An operation code name was given on 13 July, 'Operation Cobra'. Saint-Lô was finally captured after fierce fighting on 18 July. The town was totally destroyed, but there is a new frontline. Roughly from Lessay, on the west coast, via Saint-Lô, to Caen. This became the starting line of the new operation. On 19 July Bradley leaves for England to discuss his plans. He wants a preliminary bombardment south of Périers to Saint-Lô, a rectangle area of 7 km width and 2½ deep. Bradley suggest light bombs to avoid unnecessary large bomb craters that could slow down his tanks. Further more, he wants the ground troops just 800 metres from the starting line, and demands therefore accurate dropping by the airforce. But the commanders of the airforces want to fly a route south/north to avoid the heavy flak and they like to see that the troops on the ground are at least 3000 metres behind the starting line, they fear otherwise for casualties on the American troops. This is way to far back in the opinion of Bradley. After an endless debate they agree to pull the troops 1450 metres back. A total of 2500 planes are to participate in the attack. They will drop 5000 tonnes of high explosive, phosphor and napalm bombs. Due to bad weather, the date for 'Operation Cobra' postponed from 20 July to 24 July. Unfortunately the bad weather obstructs a precision bombardment. They try to call the bombers back, but only a part of the planes receive this message. 300 bombers execute their mission. The outcome is disastrous. Bombs scatter over a large area and even are dropped behind the starting line. They hit the waiting American troops and kill at least 25 men and 131 wounded. Because the Germans were 'woken up' by this preliminary bombardment had to move fast and press on.

Next day, 25 July, 1500 heavy bombers and 550 fighter-bombers once again bomb the whole area. Once again were not only German troops hit, the local people suffered heavily and the Americans got again their share of the 3500 tonnes of own bombs. Lieutenant General Lesley McNair, commander of the American ground force is killed during this bombardment. On 26 July the tanks move forward to start the offensive on the ground. The 1st Infantry Division heads for Marigny. But the progress is slow due to the heavy defence put up by the Germans, the advance is stopped 1.5 km before they reach Marigny, it's a long way to Coutances. At the left flank the progress is somewhat smoother. Fighting Group-A advances rather fast without to much resistance. In the afternoon the troops arrive in St-Gilles and head straight away to Canisy. But the advance to Coutances from Saint-Lô is a struggle. The hedges of the bocage slow down the attacking troops terrible. These delays are a benefit to the German troops. Almost all the German units of the 84th Army Corps, under the command of von Choltitz, retreat from the west through the thin line of southwards advancing Americans. But the retreat is sometimes chaos, long columns are stuck in the small villages and on the small roads. In the town of Rocey such a German column shot up for at least six hours by Allied planes. 100 Tanks and 250 other vehicles are destroyed. German troops are on the run and pull back to the south and east.

Finaly Coutances is liberated on 28 July. Now the town has fallen into America hands, the road to the south was open, and the troops head for Avranches. On 29 July the American troops role into Avranches, it was lightly defended. A pleasant surprise because of it's strategic importance, it is a junction of several roads. During the celebration of the victory the Americans found themselves in a nasty predicament. On the coastal road approached a German column, some vehicles wore a red cross. Convinced that this was a transport of wounded, the American let them pass. Suddenly the 'wounded' opened fire from there vehicles. The response of the Americans was quick, the Germans surrender when they see the predicament they are in. When the Americans have solved with a few more of these 'encounters', Avranches is in firm hands.

But the Germans realise that the American frontline to the south, is extreme thin. Before the line is re-enforced they have to counter attack. Thanks to the action performed by Patton, the fall of the west-coast of Normandy was quick. Without hesitation hurried Patton southwards with his tanks. Lower rank officers got their orders roughly and could make there own decisions, and were allowed to improvise. This was one of the reasons of the quick decent to the south. Every junction had a high officer that was directing the traffic. Pattons tanks swarmed into Brittany while the German bombers were kept at distance with anti-aircraft guns. In 72 hours seven division moved over the road from Avranches into Brittany. But Brittany became a target of less importance and later on, only one army corps stayed in that area.

Target Avranches seems into reach for the Germans. But 'Hill 317' is in a firm grip by the Americans. The Allies are not sure of this attack is for real, and hesitate to accept reinforcements of 4th Armoured Division. But if Avranches would fall into German hands, the First and Third Army are treated to be split. Fighter-bombers were sent in and destroyed at least forty of the seventy tanks had broken through. The German troops that were dug in around Mortain it was a shock to learn that 600 British and Canadian tanks were on their way to Falaise. German tank units that were needed in the west and south had to stay in the northern sector. A bigger problem arose for Germans units that were in an offensive action against Avranches. They were threatened to be encircled, so they had to retreat. On 11 August the counterattack on Avranches was cancelled

from 11 August until the 12th, Hill 317 was under constant fire from the 2nd SS-Pantser Grenadiers Division. Fortunately for the defending Americans, there were two observers present from the 230th Field Artillery. These men gave accurate positions were the supporting artillery had to land their shells. Reconnaissance planes tried to bring supplies to the men on the hill, but German anti-aircraft guns prevailed this. Just one cargo plane reached the stricken men and dropped foot and ammunition. But the shortage on bandages and medicines asked for a solution. The 230th Field Artillery tried to shoot bandages and morphine in empty smoke canisters over the German positions. The test was a success and other artillery units joint in. It not only helped the wounded, but was a boost to the morale as well. When the stricken men on the hill were finally liberated by the 35th Division, there were 300 casualties, but thanks to the support from 'outside' another 300 men left 'Hill 317' to fight another day.

After the war the great rebuilt started so there is not much left that reminds us of the fierce fighting that took place around these parts of Normandy. Everywhere are monuments and memorials and on the route to Avranches you'll notice the well known markers beside the road (see the home-page with the 00-marker at UTAH Beach). Further more I like to point out a very nice museum, Musée de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale. This museum is located just outside Avranches on the way to Mont-St-Michel. It is open from April until October, from 10 till 7 o'clock in the evening. The collection is very impressive, not only uniforms and model, but also weapons, a couple of motorbikes and two German 88mm flak cannons. There is also another intriguing item to be found here, the original bell that sounded the alarm during the morning of D-Day over Pointe-du-Hoc.