TRUN Orne - 13 km north of Argentan
The Canadians closed the door of the pocket
A new Commander was appointed to the German West front on 17 August 1944, but in Paris Feldmarshall Model had near no room for manoeuvre. The end of the battle was a matter of time for the 7th Army. Order and counter-order followed one another in the Headquarter of the 2nd SS Panzer-Korps; Obergruppenführer Bittrich had to get its units out of the pocket, to reorganize them and then attack again to keep the "kessel" open. On 17 August a flood of German troops evacuated through the narrow corridor between Trun and Chambois, towards Vimoutiers. General Montgomery assigned the mission to the 1st Polish Armoured Division to reach Trun and Chambois. The Canadians of the 10th Infantry Brigade also had Trun as objective. In the night of 17 to 18 August the 2nd Polish Armoured Regiment cut off the Trun-Vimoutiers road. On 18 August around 15 a.m., a Canadian armoured combat command - South Alberta tanks and Lincoln and Welland infantrymen - arrived near Trun. Trun was burning, Trun was cleared from enemy. The Canadians settled in the city and locked all four access roads.
  
     
   
 
4th Canadian Armoured Division plaque
Plaque dedicated to soldiers of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division of the 1st Canadian Army, who fell for the liberation of Trun, and contributed to the closing of the Falaise pocket in July and August 1944.
Situation : on the War memorial
  Canadian plaque
Plaque commemorating the liberation of the city by the Canadiann troops on 18 August 1944.
Situation : in town center, Canada place , on a the wall of a shop
ROAD MAP
 
INTERESTING WEB SITES

Personal web site about city of Trun - file about the liberation
http://trun.free.fr/
Personal web site about D-day and Normandy battle
http://www.debarquement-normandie.com/
Orne departmental tourism office web site
http://www.ornetourisme.com/
Personal web site about the Canadian Army
http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/

 
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