PONT D'OUILLY/LE MESNIL VILLEMENT
SEGRIE-FONTAINE
Calvados - 13, 18 and 20 km east of Condé-sur-Noireau
General von Klüge ordered a retreat of the German Armies
The British crossed the river Orne at Thury-Harcourt on 13 August, and moved in vicinity of Condé-sur-Noireau. The XXXth Corps commanded by General Horrocks pushed back inexorably the German forces to the north of the Falaise pocket. On 16 August the British troops were at the gate of Falaise. Marshal von Kluge Commander in chief of the Army Group B had a telephone conference about the situation with General Jodl, Ober-Kommando der Wehrmacht's Operations Chief. Without Hitler's authorization von Klüge ordered a retreat of the German Armies east of the river Orne, in a two or three night movements. The Vth Panzer-Armee attempted to contain the Allied thrust on a line Falaise-Les Loges Saulces-Condé-sur-Noireau. In the same day the XXXth Corps liberated Pont-d'Ouilly, then reached Le Mesnil-Villement, drove back the remnants of the 277th German Infantry Divison. Ségrie-Fontaine was attained the next day.
  
     
   
 
 

Canadian pilots plaque
Le Mesnil Villement (Pont des Vers)
Plaque dedicated to four Canadian Typhoon pilots who had been shot down strafing this bridge on 12 August 1944.
Situation : on the Vers bridge over the river Orne
  Polish pilots stele
Pont-d'Ouilly
Stele in memory of the Polish crew of an Avro Lancaster bomber of the 300th Squadron, (Bomber Command 1st Group of the Royal Air Force). The aircraft crashed in the area on 14 August 1944, the seven Polish crew members were killed.
Situation : 2 km after the eastern exit of the city toward Falaise, at the edge of the D511 road on the right
  American pilots stele
Ségrie-Fontaine
Stele in memory of the crew members of an US Air Force bomber, whose aircraft had been shot down in the area on 8 August 1944. Two members were killed, and eight survived to the crash.
Localisation : in the crossroads near the church
ROAD MAP
 
INTERESTING WEB SITES
Pont d'Ouilly city web site
http://www.pont-douilly.com
Personal web site about the German infantryman
http://www.deutschesoldaten.com/
Web page about the Bovington Museum Tiger I (England)
http://www.tiger-tank.com/
Personal web site about the Second World War Generals
http://www.generals.dk/
Calvados departmental tourism office web site
 http://www.calvados-tourisme.com/
 
All rights of photos, texts, maps and graphics design are reserved