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.
more informationAugust 30, 1944 - D-Day + 85
Units from the British I Corps’ 51st and 52nd Infantry Divisions (later named the Royal Netherlands Brigade) started to cross the Seine.
more informationAugust 29, 1944 - D-Day + 84
General Eisenhower ordered that the main efforts of the Allied Expeditionary Forces direct their efforts at the northern section of the front. Over the past several days the German border had come within closer reach of the Anglo-American-Canadian units, and the German military was on the retreat – at least as far as France was concerned.
more informationAugust 28, 1944 - D-Day + 83
In the course of the day, the II Canadian Corps expanded the bridgehead towards Rouen. The British XII Corps took similar action, increasing the size of its bridgehead after crossing the Seine. The British XXX Corps also secured a starting point beyond the Seine with its British 43rd Infantry Division.
more informationAugust 27, 1944 - D-Day + 82
In the course of the day, part of the British I Corps reached the Seine in the coastal sector. At the same time, detachments from the 4th Canadian Armored Division and the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division started to cross the Seine between Elbeuf and Pont de l’Arche while mopping up in Tourlaville.
more informationAugust 26, 1944 - D-Day + 81
Just 24 hours earlier, French and American soldiers entered Paris. The symbol of France was once again returned to the French people.
more informationAugust 25, 1944 - D-Day + 80
The British XII Corps' 15th Infantry Division prpared to cross the River Seine in Louviers, while the XXX Corps' 43rd Infantry Division crossed the Seine in Vernon under artillery cover and built a bridgehead here.
more informationAugust 24, 1944 - D-Day + 79
In the course of the day, the British I Corps advanced to the right flank of the 1st Canadian Army, to Georges-du-Viévre on the Risle River.
more informationAugust 23, 1944 - D-Day + 78
In the course of the day, the British I Corps slowly continued to advance through the coastal sector while the II Canadian Corps was embroiled in heavy fighting in the Orbec area.
more informationAugust 22, 1944 - D-Day + 77
The 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade, which was under the command of the British 6th Airborne Division in the British I Corps contingent, occupied Deauville while “The Red Devils”, as the British 6th Airborne was known, advanced forward in the Pont-l'Évêque area.
more informationAugust 21, 1944 - D-Day + 76
For the past week now, the battle in France has been being waged on two fronts. In the area south of Caen, it was the end of the game for the German forces in Normandy. Hitler’s armies in France were under pressure from the south, east and north – but this did not mean the war was getting any easier.
more informationAugust 20, 1944 - D-Day + 75
General Montgomery ordered the 21st Army Group to eliminate the German soldiers in the Falaise – Argentan pocket before the Allies move forward to the River Seine. While advancing northwards, part of the 12th Army Group crossed the British line to cut off the enemy’s retreat to the Seine River Valley.
more informationAugust 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.
more informationAugust 18, 1944 - D-Day + 73
After many days of intense fighting, the British Second Army’s VIII Corps was placed in reserve and its vehicles were used by other units to advance to the River Seine. By exerting pressure from the north, the British XXX Corps put the squeeze on the “pocket” full of enemy units.
more informationAugust 17, 1944 - D-Day + 72
Today’s big news was that Hitler dismissed the commander of OB WEST (Oberbefehlshaber West – German Army Command in the West), Field Marshal Günther von Kluge, who was replaced by Field Marshal Walter Model.
more informationAugust 16, 1944 - D-Day + 71
During the day, the British VIII Corps’ 3rd Infantry Division occupied Flers, which the enemy had deserted. The British XXX Corps’ 11th Armoured Division had similar luck, occupying Condé-sur-Noireau without any resistance.
more informationAugust 15, 1944 - D-Day + 70
August 15, 1944, went down in the history books as the day the second western front was opened in France. From this moment on, the Germans had to face even greater enemy pressure that would finally lead to their overall retreat from France.
more informationAugust 14, 1944 - D-Day + 69
In the course of the day, General Montgomery marked out the boundary between the British and American forces. The British Second Army’s VIII Corps advanced south to Tinchebray while the British XXX Corps approached Vassy and Condé.
more informationAugust 13, 1944 - D-Day + 68
In the course of August 13, 1944, the US VIII Corps’ 83rd Infantry Division continued to slowly move forward against strong enemy footholds in Saint-Malo and Dinard.
more informationAugust 12, 1944 - D-Day + 67
In the course of the day, the British VIII Corps fought tough battles southeast of Vire. The vanguard units of the British XXX Corps’ 50th Infantry Division got to within about three miles from Condé.
more informationAugust 11, 1944 - D-Day + 66
The British VIII Corps’ 3rd Infantry Division crossed the road between Vire and Condé about 2 miles east of Vire and advanced towards Tinchebray. The British XXX Corps advanced at a slow pace southeast of Mont Pinçon towards Condé in the course of the day.
more informationAugust 10, 1944 - D-Day + 65
Units from the British I Corps’ 49th Infantry Division and from the Canadian II Corps attempted to break through the strong enemy defense towards Vimont.
more informationAugust 9, 1944 - D-Day + 64
The II Canadian Corps from the First Canadian Army continued to advance southwards along the main road between Caen and Falaise. The 4th Canadian Armored Division occupied Bretteville le Rabet. On the same day, following a fierce battle, the Polish 1st Armoured Division took Cauvicourt and Saint-Sylvain.
more informationAugust 8, 1944 - D-Day + 63
General Montgomery ordered the American forces to advance swiftly in the Falaise – Mortain area, surround and grip the enemy in a vice, and then launch attacks on towards the River Seine.
more informationAugust 7, 1944 - D-Day + 62
In the course of August 7, 1944, the British XXX Corps’ 43rd Infantry Division occupied Mont Pincon. That same day, though, it suffered losses when it deflected an enemy counterattack.
more informationAugust 6, 1944 - D-Day + 61
On the two-month anniversary since the Allies landed in France, General Montgomery, the commander of the 21st Army Group, issued an order to advance to the symbol of the French capital: the River Seine.
more informationAugust 5, 1944 - D-Day + 60
The time was nearing when the Allied forces would commemorate the two-month anniversary of the Normandy landings. Over the course of the day, the British Second Army’s VIII Corps mopped up enemy “pockets” wedged into the Allied lines.
more informationAugust 4, 1944 - D-Day + 59
On August 4, 1944, General Montgomery ordered the British Second Army to have its British XII Corps continue to advance eastwards. According to Montgomery’s orders, the First Canadian Army was to advance to Falaise.
more informationAugust 3, 1944 - D-Day + 58
In the course of August 3, 1944, the British VIII Corps from the British Second Army advanced very slowly in the Vire and Estry area, but units from the British XXX Corps were able to eliminate the fierce German defenses as they advanced to Mont Pincon, Aunay and Villers-Bocage with relative success.
more informationAugust 2, 1944 - D-Day + 57
General Eisenhower, the Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces, issued an urgent order to General Montgomery to launch an attack in the British-Canadian sector.
more informationAugust 1, 1944 - D-Day + 56
It is now the start of month three since the Allied armies attacked the Nazi military forces which had been occupying France since 1940.
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