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From D-Day to V-Day

August 1944

August 31, 1944 - D-Day + 86

The Allied troops in France made huge territorial gains on this last day of August. A new front was opened in the south of France and the Germans were on the run to hide on the other side of the Rhine. Though a strong core of resistance still did exist, it seemed that Hitler did not want to risk any further losses of his valuable units and thus decided to leave France to the Allies. The fierce battles at many locations, however, did not seem to indicate that this was the case. Nevertheless, August represented the Allied success and joy of renewed freedom in France.

The British I Corps in the First Canadian Army zone continued to cross the Seine on the army’s left flank. The II Canadian Corps attacked eastwards from the bridgehead with the 4th Canadian Armored Division on the right, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division in the centre and the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division on the left flank. In the course of the day, the 4th Canadian Armored Division quickly headed out to Forges and Buchy, while the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division advanced along the St Saens – Londinieres highway and the 2nd Canadian Infantry division moved through Totes towards Dieppe.

Together with the British 4th Armoured Division, the British XII Corps’ 7th Armoured Division advanced towards the Somme River and both divisions reached the Poix – Aumale line. The British XXX Corps’ 11th Armoured Division reached Amiens and took control of the undamaged bridge over the Somme River. The vanguard units of the Guards Armoured Division and the British 50th Infantry Division reached the river east of Amiens.

Tanks from the US XIX Corps’ 2nd Armored Division continued to advance on the corps’ left flank to the northeast, to the area west of Montdidier. Units from the 79th and 30th Infantry Divisions advanced to the area between Beauvais and Creil. In the US V Corps’ operational area, the 5th Armored Division went through the positions of the 28th and 4th Infantry Divisions; all three divisions then advanced together to the northeast. Together with Col John T. Cole’s Combat Command B from the 5th Armored Division, the 28th Infantry Division operating on the corps’ left flank halted at the Oise River in the Chantilly – Compiegne area and in Pont-Sainte-Maxence. Parts of the units were ultimately able to cross the river. The division went on to occupy Chantilly, Creil, Pont Ste Maxence, Verberie, and Compiegne. Combat Command B from the 5th Armored Division built a bridgehead near Pont-Sainte-Maxence. On the corps’ right flank, Combat Command A under Brigadier General Eugene A. Regnier from the 5th Armored Division advanced to Aisne, west of Soisson, went through the section of the 4th Infantry Division and advanced to the Villers – Cotterets area. In the meantime, the 4th Armored Division advanced behind it.

The US VII Corps’ 1st Infantry Division secured its position in the Laon and Soisson area, while units from the 3rd and 9th Infantry Divisions continued to advance to the main line between Montcornet and Rethel.

In the course of the day, the US VIII Corps temporarily halted their operations against Brest and started to regroup. The 7th Armored Division’s Combat Command A under Col Dwight A. Rosenbaum, followed by the 5th Infantry Division, crossed the Meuse River in Verdun and set up a bridgehead. The 90th Infantry Division remained in the Rheims area. The US XX Corps halted their advance and the units waited for fuel supplies. Combat Command A from the US XII Corps’ 4th Armored Division reached the Meuse River in Commercy and Pont-sur-Meuse, and built a bridgehead over the river. In the meantime, the 80th Infantry Division advanced to the vicinity of Bar-le-Duc.

During the day, the command of the Sixth Army Group reached the coast of southern France. Patrols from Task Force Bibo occupied Briancon, a town already deserted by the enemy, while the VI Corps advanced through the Rhône River Valley towards Lyon. In the Meximieux zone, the 45th Infantry Division centered on the corps’ right flank and prepared to advance on Bourg-en-Bresse, while the 3rd Infantry Division gathered in Voiron and was prepared to support the 36th or 45th Infantry Division as needed.

As part of Operation Ramrod 1251, the No. 310 and No. 312 Squadrons RAF flew their Spitfire fighters to accompany a huge formation of four-engine Lancasters, Halifaxes and Mosquitoes from Bomber Command over the V-2 rocket bases located near St. Pol and Arras in France. The “Big Ben target” attack against the V-2s brought a loss to the No. 310 Squadron: F/Sgt František Řehoř, whose Spitfire crashed into the English Channel near Manston just before 1800 hours. The reason for the crash was unknown, but pilots later explained that when the entire formation rapidly descended, Řehoř was unable to pull out of the dive and crashed. He was only 24 years old and had served in the No. 310 Squadron since June 1944. Bomber Command attacked nine positions where the V-2s were supposed to be located; eight were found and bombed. Six Lancasters were lost during the attack.

The No. 311 Squadron in Tain, Scotland was also active, with Coastal Command sending six Czechoslovak crews into action. Even this time, however, the anti-U-boat patrol came back empty handed; no contact was made during their flight. Either the U-boats were not there, or the Germans had learned how to make full use of their revolutionary invention – the Schnorchel.

On August 31, 1944, the first units that had boarded ships the day before in Great Britain arrived in France. Members of the lodging units were among the first to set foot in “douce France”. General Liška’s men gathered in Transit Camp 60 and then convoyed through Caen to the Falaise vicinity, where the first lodging area for the Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade was to be built. Over the next several days, more and more sections of the brigade would arrive until they would form a compact military body able to be deployed in the field.