SAINT-SEVER-CALVADOS/LANDELLES ET COUPIGNY Calvados - 13 km west of Vire
Three Army Corps enveloped the forest of Saint-Sever
At the end of July 1944 the German front was broken west of Saint-Lô. The 84th Corps withdrew and attempted to establish a defense line on the axis Percy/Villedieu-les-Poëles/Avranches. The remnants of several top rank units were gathered in the area : the 2nd SS Panzer-Division, the 17th SS Panzer-Grenadier-Division and the 2nd Parachutist Corps. The Germans were masters in the use of bocage to slow down the Allied progression. On 31 July the 4th Infantry Division captured Villedieu-les-Poëles. On 2 August the 35th Infantry Division entered Pont-Farcy. The German armoured units progressively broke off to prepare the Operation Lüttich. The 2nd SS Panzer-Division took a layback position next to the forest of Saint-Sever. The Germans placed mines and blocked out roads and tracks. An Americain tank was blown up in Sept-Frères. Three Army Corps enveloped the forest of Saint-Sever. On 4 August the defence line of the 353rd German Infantry Division was pierced. Saint-Sever was shelled and at 6 a. m. infantry of the 28th Infantry Division entered the town followed by tanks of the 2nd Armoured Division. Saint-Sever Calvados was liberated but stayed under sporadic German artillery fire. To the north the 116th Infantry Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division seized the town of Landelles and Coupigny.
  
 
     
 
     
 
2nd Armoured Division stele
Stele dedicated to soldiers of the 2nd American Armoured Division "Hell on wheels", commanded by Major General Edward Brooks, who fell to liberate the town in August 1944.
Situation : on the town hall place, near the War monument
   
  American soldiers plaque
Plaque in memory of six American soldiers killed in the fighting to liberate the town on 6 August 1944.
Situation : at the northern exit of the town, on the low wall surrounding the calvary
 
ROAD MAP
 
INTERESTING WEB SITES

Official web site of the 2rd US Armored Division
 http://www.2ndarmoredhellonwheels.com/
Official web site of the 35th US Infantry Division
http://www.35thinfdivassoc.com/Normandy/
Personal web site about the German parachutists
http://www.eagle19.freeserve.co.uk/index.html
Official web site of the 4th US Infantry Division
http://www.4thinfantry.org/home.html
Manche departmental tourism office web site
http://www.manchetourisme.com/

 
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