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JORT
Calvados
- 6 km south of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives
General Maczek Division must cross the river Dives
After the Operation Totalize was launched on 7 August, the IInd Canadian
Corps started its final offensive on Falaise on 14 August : the Operation
Tractable. The 1st Polish Armoured Division under General Maczek progressed
on the left flank of the IInd Canadian Corps, and rushed on toward
Trun, to cut off the 7th German Army and 5th Panzer-Armee retreat.
But The Polish troops had to capture the bridges on the river Dives.
On 15 August, the Polish tanks of the 10th Régiment de Chasseurs
à Cheval hit German anti-tanks in front of Jort. Later on,
Russian volunteers soldiers in the German Army were made prisoners,
they told the Polish where to ford the river Dives. In the town, the
85th Infantry Division grenadiere were routed, and the Polish pushed
back an armoured SS counter-attack. The Polish tanks crossed the river
Dives and poured into the town. The reinforcement of the 10th Armoured
Brigade and the 3rd Brigade Chasseurs enabled to strengthen the bridgehead,
the engineer couild build up a new bridge across the river Dives.
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1st Polish Armoured Division plaque
Plaque
dedicated to the 10th Régiment de Chasseurs à
cheval of the 1st Polish Armoured Division, who crossed the
river Dives on 16 August 1944.
Situation : on the cemetery wall,
1st Armoured Polish division street
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1st
Polish Armoured Division stele
Stele
commemorating the crossing of the river Dives by the 1st Polish Armoured
Division
Situation
: on the bank of the river Dives, at the end of l’Abreuvoir
street
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ROAD
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