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CABOURG
Calvados
- 25 km north-east of Caen
The Piron Brigade stopped on the river Dives
On 18 August 1944 the 6th Airlanding Brigade progressed with difficulty
toward Cabourg, the ground had been mined, trapped, and churned up
by the air raids. At dawn an advance guard of the 2nd Battalion The
Royal Ulster Rifles was blocked in the suburb of Cabourg by German
fire. The objective, the bridge over the river Dives was out of reach.
On the right of the coastal road the area was flooded and prevented
any skirting movement. A Sherman attempted to pierce and was blown
up by a mine, the attack was finally stopped. The day of 19 August
came down to patrol operations. On 20 August the Belgian Brigade under
Colonel Piron relieved troops of the 2nd Battalion The Royal Ulster
Rifles, the manoeuvre was ended around 10 pm. During the night the
bunch of inhabitants who had not evacuated Cabourg heard several loud
explosions. The Germans had just blast the bridge on the river Dives
and pulled back. The next day on 21 August Belgians of the Piron Brigade
entered Cabourg.
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Piron Brigade stele
