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From D-Day to V-Day

November 1944

November 2, 1944 - D-Day + 149

In the course of the day, Field Marshall Montgomery ordered his units to thoroughly regroup after mopping up the mouth of the Schelde River. The intent was to prepare an offensive that would destroy the enemy bridgehead on the western bank of the Meuse River. This was to be followed by an advance to the Rhine River.

The British 52nd Infantry Division’s 157th Brigade from the First Canadian Army’s II Canadian Corps relieved 2nd Canadian Infantry Division units on the Walcheren dike, where the enemy continued to fiercely defend its position. Part of the British 156th Brigade crossed the Slooe Canal about two miles south of the dike after sundown. During the day, Vlissingen was cleared of the enemy. Preceded by strong artillery preparation, late that afternoon the British I Corps started to cross the Mark River. Units from the British 49th Infantry and the US 104th Infantry Divisions built bridgeheads – the 104th “Timberwolf” Division in the Standdaarbuiten area, and the British 49th “Polar Bears” in the west. The men from the Timberwolf’s 413th and 415th Infantry Regiments mopped up Standdaarbuiten.

Col Dwight A. Rosenbaum’s Combat Command A of the US 7th Armored Division, which was assigned to the British Second Army’s VIII Corps, launched a limited attack that day out of Canal du Nord. In the meantime, the British 53rd Infantry Division made contact with the US XIX Corps near Maeseyck.

Following four hours of artillery fire, the 28th Infantry Division from the US First Army’s V Corps started to advance towards Schmidt. The 2nd Battalion from the 112th Infantry Regiment under Col Henry Hodes occupied the ridge in Vossenack, but the regiment’s main advance towards Kommerscheidt and Schmidt was halted. Its sister regiment, the 109th operating on the northern flank under Col William Blanton, sent out part of its units to the forest massif near Huertgen. On the southern flank, Col Theodore Seelly’s 110th Infantry Regiment from the 28th Infantry Division was unable to move forward. Artillery battalions from the 28th Infantry Division fired a total of 7,313 projectiles at enemy positions. That day, General Bradley visited the command of the US Third Army. He asked Patton’s staff if the Third Army could launch the November offensive on its own, because the US First Army could not attack until two of its divisions, currently with the British 21st Army Group, were returned to it. The XII Corps would launch the attack on November 8. On November 2, tank units from Major General William H. H. Morris’ 10th Armored Division from the XX Corps penetrated through to the reinforced line in the Fort Driant sector. This was the place where far too many US soldiers lost their lives. When it was apparent that the infantry would not occupy the fort, the decision was made to literally “smoke” the enemy out with air and artillery shelling. In the end, tanks broke through the center of the fort.

Part of the VI Corps started to take over the French 2nd Armored Division’s southeastern sector under the Seventh Army’s XV corps. The French held positions along the Blette River for several days thereafter. The 399th Infantry Regiment under Col Andrew C. Tychsen of the VI Corps’ 100th Infantry Division relieved Col Preston J. C. Murphy’s 179th Infantry Regiment of the 45th Infantry Division from its positions. In the meantime, the 15th Infantry Regiment under Col Hallet D. Edson from the 3rd Infantry Division advanced northwards out of St Dié and occupied Nompatelize, while the enemy continued to hold La Salle.

In the course of the day, General Lattre de Tassigny took over the command of Operation Independence from the French First Army.

As was the case on the previous day, on November 2, 1944, the Czechoslovaks from the No. 310 Squadron escorted a formation of 184 four-engine Lancasters over the oil refineries in Homberg, Germany, as part of Operation Ramrod 1357.