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From D-Day to V-Day

August 1944

August 19, 1944 - D-Day + 74

German Field Marshal Günther von Kluge, who was involved in the attempted assassination of Adolf Hitler in July, committed suicide. In Paris, the French Forces of the Interior (FFI) led an uprising that would culminate when the Allied troops enter the French capital on August 25, 1944. The Falaise – Argentan pocket was finally closed. During the day, the II Canadian Corps met up with units from the US V Corps near Chambois, surrounding the German 7th Army and part of the German 5th Panzer Army.

The British XXX Corps’ 11th Armoured Division occupied the section between Argentan and Bailleul while the British XII Corps’ 53rd Infantry Division approached the Bailleul – Trun sector. The 4th Canadian Armored Division from the II Canadian Corps occupied Saint-Lambert-sur-Dives on the main road between Trun and Chambois, and secured the city against a potential counterattack. Reconnaissance patrols carried out by the Polish 1st Armored Division met up with units from the US V Corps in Chambois. Outpost units of the British I Corps crossed the La Vie River, but the enemy put up fierce resistance in the already conquered rear.

A task force from the US XV Corps’ 79th Infantry Division entered Mantes-Gassicourt and started to mop up the city. Tanks from the 5th Armored Division headed northwards along the western bank of the River Seine towards Louviers to try to cut off the enemy’s retreat across the river. The 5th Infantry Division from the US XX Corps completely cleared Chartres of the enemy. In the course of August 19, 1944, Major General G. R. Cook was removed from his post as commander of the US XII Corps; he was replaced by Major General Manton S. Eddy, who till now had been commander of the 9th Infantry Division. Major General Louis A. Craig took over the command of the 9th.

Vanguard units from the US V Corps’ 80th Infantry Division approached Argentan. The 90th “Tough ’Ombres” Division reached Chambois and at 1930 hours made contact with the Polish 1st Armored Division’s reconnaissance patrol, thus completely closing the gap in the Falaise – Argentan pocket. The German units caught in the trap had no other choice but to fight it out to the end or surrender; many chose the latter option. With the 2nd Armored Division on the left and the 30th Infantry Division on the right, the US XIX Corps led an offensive in the direction of Évreux from Brezolles, a town located west of Dreux, to try to cut enemy units off from the River Seine between Paris and Elbeuf. In the meantime, the 28th Infantry Division gathered in the Mortagne area.

The war in the south of France also gathered steam. The US Seventh Army ordered the VI Corps to occupy Aix-en-Provence, while the French B Army continued to advance to the ports of Toulon and Marseille. At the same time, the French took responsibility for the area south of highway route 7. The US VI Corps’ 3rd Infantry Division completely occupied Brignoles and continued westwards along highway route 7 to Aix-en-Provence. The 179th Infantry Regiment from the 45th Infantry Division surmounted the resistance in Barjols, opened a route to the Durance River Valley and continued to advance on Rians. The main section of Task Force Butler crossed the Durance River in Oraison and continued northwards along the western bank to Sisteron. The remainder of the group advanced from Riez along the eastern bank of the Durance River to capture enemy forces that had moved southwards from Grenoble and were headed for Digne. After fighting all day, the 141st Infantry Regiment from the “Fighting 36th Division mopped up Callian. The French 1st Armored Division from the French B Army’s II Corps secured the corps’ northern flank. The 3rd Algerian Infantry Division went through Méounes, located on the highway to Marseille, and divided up into three groups – Linares, Bonjours and Chapuis. The Linares group turned southwards to the hills north of Toulon. The 9th Colonial Division started to advance westwards from the Collobrières area; its task was to go around enemy units in the Hyeres – Toulon region from the north. The French 1st Infantry Division advanced along the coast to Hyères until it was halted by heavy fire before the city. The division then sent out part of its forces to the north in order to surround the enemy.

After the brigade arrived from training, the guidelines for Operation Overlord were issued to the command of the Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade. The guidelines also directed the brigade’s activities before they departed for the field. The brigade turned in the last of their communications and weapons training materiel and started to prepare for redeployment; this meant further inspections of equipment and weapons, vehicle repairs and deliveries of materiel to wartime levels. The brigade also replenished its troops. The moment Czechoslovak land forces would also contribute to the Allied war effort in France was continuing to near.