VIDECOSVILLE Manche - 10 km nord-est de Valognes
General retreat on Cherbourg fortress
On 18 June 1944 the American forces that landed on Utah Beach reached the west coast of Cotentin peninsula at Barneville. General Collins launched the VIIth Corps against Cherbourg fortress. East of the front line the 4th Infantry Division under General Barton entered Montebourg on 20 June. The Kampfgruppe Keil that held the city had withdrawn. The German carried on a general retreat on Cherbourg defensive positions. The Val de Saire area was evacuated, the Luftwaffe pulled back of a transmitting station in Theurtéville-Bocage and of several artillery batteries. General von Schlieben took command of the encircled troops. Despite German rearguards left behind the American progression was swift, and in the evening of 20 June the 8th, 12nd et 22nd Infantry Regiments of the 4th Infantry Division reached a line Rufosses-Le Theil. Cherbourg was about ten kilometers away. Videcosville was liberated in the advance.
  
     
   
 
 
Captain Hawkins plaque
Plauee dedicated to Captain A. Hawkins Jr., of the 82nd American Airborne Division.
Situation : on the wall of a house, near the church		  
   
   
   
ROAD MAP
 
INTERESTING WEB SITES

Official web site of the 4th US Infantry Division
http://www.4thinfantry.org/home.html
Personal web site about the World War II generals
http://www.generals.dk/
Manche departmental tourism office web site
http://www.manchetourisme.com/
Personal web site about the Atlantic Wall in the Cotentin
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/batteries.du.cotentin/index.html
Personal web site about the Atlantic Wall in the north Cotentin
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/bunker.cotentin/

 
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