August 1944

Western Front

Gen Montgomery orders US forces to drive almost due north on Alençon as quickly as possible in order to make a short envelopment of the enemy in the Falaise-Mortain area while the broad envelopment toward the Seine is in progress.

In the British 2nd Army area, the XXX Corps makes limited progress toward Condé-sur-Noireau. The XII Corps continues to hold a bridgehead east of the Orne, but efforts to push southward along the east bank toward Thury-Harcourt in conjunction with a drive down the west bank fail because of determined enemy counterattacks.

In the Canadian 1st Army's II Corps area, the Canadian 2nd Division seizes Fontenay-le-Marmion and Requancourt. The 51st Division overruns Garcelles-Secqueville. At 1355, following an air attack, the Canadian 4th Armored and the Polish 1st Armored Divisions pass through the infantry, the former on the right, to exploit southward toward Falaise, but soon meet strong opposition from the German's main line of resistance. Air support of the Canadian offensive during the night and on this date is the second heaviest of Normandy, exceeded only by the support of the British on 18 July. The US 8th Air Force and the RAF Bomber Command drop more than 5,200 tons of bombs.

In the US 3rd Army's VIII Corps area, an ultimatum calling for the surrender of Brest is ignored. The 6th Armored Division prepares for an all-out assault on the city on the 9th until the enemy threat to the rear forces a change in plans. A German division is found to be moving toward Brest via Plouvien. The 1st Battalion of the 28th Infantry, 8th Division, is attached to the 6th Armored Division but does not join it until later. Bitter fighting continues in the outskirts of St Malo. The 121st RCT, attached to the 83rd Division, meets strong opposition as it advances on Dinard. The XV Corps envelops and overruns Le Mans and crosses the Sarthe River in that area. The 79th Division enters Le Mans. The French 2nd Armored Division is attached to the corps to help it secure the line Sées-Carrouges, both inclusive. The 80th Division of the XX Corps is to take over the Le Mans Bridgehead. In the XX Corps area, the 5th Division invests Angers and Nantes.

In the US 1st Army's VII Corps area, the Germans continue their efforts to deepen the penetration of US lines without avail. 30th Division elements are still isolated near Mortain. The 35th Division, released to the VII Corps by the XX Corps, and elements of the 2nd Armored Division are attacking eastward near Mortain. The XIX Corps makes small gains in the Gathemo-Vire region.