VIMOUTIERS Orne - 27 km south of Lisieux
A deferment for the encircled Germans troops 
The Falaise pocket was closed on 19 August by the Allied forces, thousands of soldiers of the 7th German Army were trapped. The new Commander of the western front Marshal Model ordered a counter-attack from the outside. The IInd SS Panzer-Korps with worn out forces was assigned this mission. The manoeuvre started on 20 August, the coordination between the Panzer-Korps units and the encircled troops was everything but perfect but junction was established. General Meindl’s paratroopers first escaped from the "kessel". A few thousands men still managed to break through. But on 21 August about midday the pocket was definitively closed. The Germans organized a temporary resistance line around Vimoutiers, then they began to retreat toward the river Seine.
   
 
 
   
 
German Tiger tank
The Tiger tank was the main threat of the allied tanks. The Tiger E was equipped with a 88 mm gun, its frontal shielding reached 100 mm, and its steering required a confirmed crew. However its production cost was high, for a Tiger tank the Reich’s industry could almost manufacture three hunterplanes Messerschmitt 109.
Situation : at the edge of the D979 road, at the western exit of the town
  VIIIth RECCE plaque
 Plaque dedicated to the 8th Reconnaissance Regiment of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division who fought for the liberation of the city.
Situation : on a low wall right of the church
ROAD MAP
INTERESTING WEB SITES

Web page about the Tiger I of Saumur tank Museum
http://Tiger1.info/saumur/
Web page about the Vimoutiers Tiger I
http://Tiger1.info/vim/vimoutiersfr.html
Personal web site about the German parachutists
http://www.eagle19.freeserve.co.uk/index.html
Calvados departmental tourism office web site
http://www.calvados-tourisme.com/
Personal web site about D-day and Normandy battle
http://www.dday-overlord.com/index.htm

 
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