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  • June 1944
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From D-Day to V-Day

July 1944

July 29, 1944 - D-Day + 53

Operation Cobra is already in the past, but it brought the expected result. After breaking through the front near St Lô, the US VIII Corps continued to pursue the enemy with its 4th and 6th Armored Divisions and motorized infantry commands. Combat Command A from the 6th Armored Division, operating on the Corps’ western flank, secured a crossing over the Sienne River near Pont de la Roche, while Combat Command A from the “sister” 4th Armored Division advanced beyond the river in its advance on Cerences.

The US VII Corps shifted away from their southwesterly direction, attacked southwards and reached the pre-established Cerences – Hambye – Percy line. The enemy tank columns that withdrew along the main road between Roney and St Denis le Gast suffered extremely major losses caused by air force, artillery and tank shelling. In the course of Operation Cobra, the Wehrmacht and SS units lost a significant number of men and equipment. Panthers, Panzer IV, SdKfz 251 half-track armored vehicles – now all of it lay destroyed by the wayside, along the roads Hitler’s once proud armored machines now used as escape routes. The enemy also left behind a large number of injured men as well as soldiers who had opted for capture as a way out of an otherwise hopeless situation.

The XIX Corps’ 29th Infantry Division, the same division that was the first to “knock” on Rommel’s Atlantic Wall in the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, relieved the 2nd Armored Division’s Combat Command A on the Corps’ right flank, advanced to positions east of Percy and made contact with the neighboring US CII Corps. The 30th Infantry Division encountered strong resistance during its advance southwards along the western bank of the Vire River towards Tessy sur Vire.

On July 29, 1944, the Czechoslovaks serving in Coastal Command sent out two Liberators for an anti-U-boat patrol. Their flight did not encounter any major problems. This fact also testifies to the good work carried out by the mechanics on whose care and often also foresight the lives of the crews depended.

In the course of July, 1944, the Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade Group took part in a wide range of exercises. Following a series of training sessions within companies and battalions, live ammunition was used at the tank shooting range in Kirkcudbright. Soon after being ordered to go to France, the brigade started to move to the city of Bridlington – here another exercise awaited them. The idea behind all of the training was to prepare the soldiers for the battles in France as best possible.