INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN19 AUG 1944 - SHAEFF

Presented by Tibor Ipavic conducted September 23, 2015

The Recorded History

The Falaise Pocket or Battle of the Falaise Pocket (12–21 August 1944) was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy in the Second World War. A pocket was formed around Falaise, Calvados, in which the German Army Group B, with the 7th Army and the Fifth Panzer Army (formerly Panzergruppe West) were encircled by the Western Allies. The battle is also referred to as theBattle of the Falaise Gap, after the corridor which the Germans sought to maintain to allow their escapeand is sometimes referred to as the Chambois Pocket, the Falaise-Chambois Pocket, the Argentan–Falaise Pocket or the Trun–Chambois Gap. The battle resulted in the destruction of most of Army Group B west of the Seine river, which opened the way to Paris and the German border for the Allied armies.

Following Operation Cobra, the American breakout from the Normandy beachhead, rapid advances were made to the south and south-east by the Third U.S. Army under the command of General George Patton. Despite lacking the resources to defeat the U.S. breakthrough and simultaneous British and Canadian offensives south of Caumont and Caen, Field Marshal Günther von Kluge, the commander ofArmy Group B, was not permitted by Adolf Hitler to withdraw but was ordered to conduct a counter-offensive at Mortain against the U.S. breakthrough. Four depleted panzer divisions were not enough to defeat the First U.S. Army. Operation Lüttich was a disaster, which drove the Germans deeper into the Allied envelopment.

On 8 August, the Allied ground forces commander, General Bernard Montgomery, ordered the Allied armies to converge on the Falaise–Chambois area to envelop Army Group B, the First U.S. Army forming the southern arm, the British Second Army the base and the First Canadian Army the northern arm of the encirclement. The Germans began to withdraw on 17 August and on 19 August, the Allies linked up in Chambois. Gaps were forced in the Allied lines by German counter-attacks, the biggest being a corridor forced past the 1st Polish Armoured Division on Hill 262, a commanding position at the mouth of the pocket. By the evening of 21 August, the pocket had been sealed, with c. 50,000 Germans trapped inside. Many Germans escaped but losses in men and equipment were huge. Two days later the Allied Liberation of Paris was completed and on 30 August, the remnants of Army GroupB retreated across the Seine, which ended Operation Overlord.

The Battle - "Mind the Gap"

The opening gambit of this final act of the Falaise encirclement, was initiated by the German forces who won the toss to move first, in the attempt to escape the Falaise Pocket. The date was 19 Aug 1944.The 2nd SS Panzer units moved out smartly in line formation in the center of the battlefield towards Hill 262, from their zone first, with Blake moving with the 2SS Panthers east of highway N84 that leads to Trun. Bob's Tigers, 102nd Schwere (Hvy) Panzer Co., moved up negotiating terrain between Hills 113 and 127 directly towards Hill 262, Mont Ormel, the most prominent geographic height dominating the terrain in center of the battlefield.

Blake's Panthers using the woods to cover their movement just east of Hwy N84.Kampfgrüppe Klemic's scouts can be seen pulled off the road lower left.

Blake's Panthers and Bob Fischer's Tigers moving across battlefield center to Hill 262.

Unbeknownst to the Germans, were concealed and dug-in, elements of the 1st Polish Armd Div (Koszutski's Battle Group) on Hill 262. The Poles had been the vanguard of the Canadian's, "OperationTractable" offensive, having advanced far ahead and taking up a blocking position, and lying in ambush, quite alone, in the path of the thundering advance of heavy panzers making for the river. The Germans knew the Ami's (Americans) were racing from the south towards Chambois and the Canadians from the north towards Trun, and they needed to cross the Dives in a hurry at a ford betweenthe two towns. A pair of P-38 Lightings attempted to attack the heavy tank assault but was ineffective.

Looking to the north across Hwy N84 towards Trun. Kampfgrüppe Klemic can be seen having sustained umerous tank kills - the battle has begun in earnest!

Hill 262 in the background, with Panthers approaching - the Poles not yet having sprung their ambush from the heights, which was exposed as the panzers came within 12". The 2SS Recon of

Kampfgrüppe Rett rapidly advances along N68 to take the still unoccupied town of Chambois.

The 12th SS "Hitlerjungen" were to stave off the Canadians to the north and the "12th SS Das Reich" the Americans from the south in an effort to keep the Falaise Gap open for von Kluge's Army Group B to escape the encirclement.

On the German right flank elements of the advance guard of the U.S. 90th ID, the 358th Armd Rgmt Recon (Danielle's), made a headlong rush northwestwards on Hwy. N75 to beat the Germans in securing the crossroads and vital bridge crossing in Chambois. But was already hampered by getting engaged by Rett's 2SS MkIV panzers! His 2SS Recon Units (SdKfz 250/1's) made city center before any US elements could get there. They managed to even get on the bridge, but that unit was put out of action just as quickly.

Kampfgrüppe Rett contesting the city center and threatening Allied forces south of Chambois, but taking heavy casualties. The battle was getting bloody!

Well camouflaged PzKpfw IV H's and SdKfz 251/9's taking Hills 107 (far) and 103 (near rgt.)

On the right flank Rett moved smartly amongs the hills and fields with platoons of PzKmpf IVH's, (2) SdKfz 251/9 75mm Howitzers, and Recon units containing Puma arm'd cars.

358th Haftracks and armor heading down N75 towards Chambois.In forground Bernies 359th Shermans move to engage Rett's MkIV panzers!

following behind Danielle's 358th was Bernie's 359th Armd Rgmt. coming off the road (N75) charging due west over open terrain and through some woods to make the hills to engage Rett's Mk IV's coming on swiftly.

Meanwhile, on the German left flank Jim was coming down the Caen-Falaise Rd (N158) with his 4th CDN Armd Div elements and recon.

Jim's 4th CDN Armd rushing Hill 115 and attempting to secure the Caen-Falaise Rd.

Simultaneously, in the attempt to cross the bridge into Trun on N84, Kevin's units immediately got bottled up, as units from Klemic's scouts, a mix of Panthers and MkIV's fired down the road at the bridge causing the 3rd CDN Inf to take cover from the bridge.

Return fire from Kevin's 3rd Inf's tanks and recon units sent Klemic's vehicles scurrying for cover either side of the road, as well! But, that wasn't enought to protect them. Almost immediately an artillery barrage of heavy guns took out (2) Panthers and (2) MkIV's seriously reducing his armored force by half! His scouts immediately dismounted their halftracks and took a positions at the base of Hill 119 on the outskirts southwest of Trun. A sort of stalemate developed with neither the 3rd CDN or Kampfgrüppe Klemic being able to make a commanding move to take control of the city.

Kevin's 3rd CDN Inf Recon unable to cross the bridgein Trun due to heavy fire from Klemic's panzers.

Kampfgrüppe Klemic (12SS) charging Trun and engaging elements of the Canadian 3rd Inf Div Recon beyond the bridge.

Task Force Klemic gets hammered almost right away! Six (6) smoking wrecks, (4) tanks, and (2) 250/1 halftracks, can be seen!!! Scouts immediately deployed from halftracks.

A bit further to the west, Lorraine's formidable collection of (11) MkIV's and a trio of AA AFV's were making for high ground overlooking N158 Caen-Falaise Rd. from Hills 129 and 115. Her panzers consolidated their positions quickly and started firing down on Jim's advancing Shermans.

Kampfgrüppe Lorraine consolidates Hill 115 (foreground) and Hill 129 off to the right of the picture.

Jim's Recon units hot-footed down N158 towards Trun, with a platoon of Shermans in tow, before the Germans could concentrate more firepower over the roadway, while the rest of the 4th CDN attacked hills 115 and 129 dominating Hwy N158 held by a platoon of Lorraine's PzKpfw IV's and the Company HQ! Further to the east of this position two platoons of her Kampfgrüppe and a unit of AA AFV's moved directly to Trun across some wheat fields. By this time Kevin's TF had broken the deadlock and unf**ked itself at the bridge and managed to form a small bridgehead, also fanning out the rest of his tanks to provide supporting fire on the far side of River Dives. Lorraine's tanks and Kevin's exchanged fire. Kampfgrüppe Lorraine was now beginning to lose tanks across the front.

On hill 115 on the extreme German left flank, Lorraine lost control having one tank bog down the otherhad the crew bail after being hit. Jim's recon forces and Lorraine's forces were mixing it up all along the Caen-Falaise (N-158) roadway. Jim lost a pair of Sherman's in that vicinity, as well. Some Brens managed to make it all the way to the first houses along N-158 in Trun taking cover from the PzKpfw IV's just around the corner!!!

Meanwhile things exploded in battlefield center! The Poles unleashed their ambush at nearly point-blank range, managing to get some kills on some scouting vehicles, but couldn't put any hurt on the heavy German armor. With the Polish positions now revealed, the counter-fire from the heavy Panther-Tiger units took an immediate devastating toll in one single salvo! As historic as the original - it was a massacre, as the Poles valiantly tried to slow down the 2SS juggernaut. A few units managed to still hold out while the bulk of the German force swarmed around Hill 262 and Koszutski's Battle Group, orwhat was left of it. They were nothing more than a speed bump. Blake's Kampfgrüppe swarmed around the left of Mont Ormel (Hill 262) as did Kampfgrüppe Fischer around the right of the hill

grazing the north end of Chambois. The Germans dominated the center 5 kilometers of the battlefield. Up to 8 panthers managed to cross the ford north of Hill 262. The lumbering Tigers simply mopped upopposition left behind. And, the last of the Poles were surrounded, between the river and Hill 262 while the Germans pummelled the remanants. The carnage was complete. The concentration of surrounding Panthers prevented any artillery response due to being "danger close" to the Poles. However, a few of the tanks that crossed were knocked out, of the (8) that made it over. Had all (8) made it safely they could have had a marginal victory!

The Poles having the "snot beat out of them"!!! Panther seen crossing the river (upper left). Sole Polish survivorseen surrounded by (4) Panthers (top center), and heavy fighting seen in Chambois (upper right)

Over on the German right flank it was "Go-TIme" between Bernie's Sherman/halftrack force (359th)and Rett's Kampfgrüppe PzKpfw IV H's amongst the hills 107 and 103! Bernie's forces emerged from the woods and tank fire ensued vigorously. Bernie taking some of the first losses. Danielle had taken losses almost right out of the gate along N75.

359th bursting forth with a powerful combined arms task forces, combined with Danielle's358th duking it out with Rett's recon in the city and his panzers on his left flank which

were takikng casualties Kampfgrüppe Rett was starting to weaken!

Bernie's attack came on strong and took some initial casualties, but soon began to overwhelm the 2SS right flank.

359th initially taking some seriouis losses, but came on strong slugging.

Rett's tank forces were unable to withstand the onslaught of regiments from the 90th Inf Div. being outnumbered and overwhelmed.

2SS Panzers (Rett's) on the German right flank move to contact.

The battle for Chambois swayed to the advantage of Danielle's 358th Rgmt. though losses were heavy on both sides, as the battle raged for control of the city the 358th finally beat back forces of the depleated 2SS and managed to consolidate control of the city.

Germans losing control of Chambois, as Kampfgrüppe Rett begins to capitulate!Chaos ensues as a pair of US M8 Armd Cars appear to outflank a pair of PzKpfw IV's!!!

The last Pumas all that is left of Kampfgrüppe Rett, having retreated to Hwy N68 southof Chambois and a tank or two, seen upper left - these last defenders would die where they stood!

Bernie's 359th Armd Rgmt drove back the right flank decisively driving the 2SS up against Hwy N68! The end was near!!!

Wiped out!!! The 359th Armd Rgmt. smashing the 2SS right flank - the last two vehicles of Kampfgrüppe Rett can be seen burning (Pumas) at the top center of photo.

The left flank of the battlefield - the Battle of Trun ended indecisively, but with the Canadian's holding the Caen-Falaise Road weakly and having a foothold in Trun. The 12SS suffered serious losses compared to their Canadian counterparts, but in the final analysis it was slightly favoring the Canadian's as the German's would not be able to muster a significant attack to take Trun, much less the bridge to freedom.

I can be said that the heavy losses in equipment on the German side was substantial and represented thereality of the outcome of the actual battle pretty accurately. The Poles had carnage visited upon them as they were essentially wiped out. Yet, despite the strength of German Army Group center, it was not able to breach a significant amount of surviving vehicles across the river ford, but still maintained strength in it's armor on the west bank. The right flank of the Germans crumbled as completely as possible, but the US forces suffered a bloody encounter as well, but came up strong and possessed the entirety of that 1/3 of the battlefield, and were, clearly, the most successful of all combatants engaged.

On the west flank without being able to overmatch the Canadian's they had no chance to cross the bridge in Trun and perhaps should have established a defensive line along N84 the road to Trun, and

bled off units in the cover of the Kampfgrüppe's Blake and Fischer zone to make the escape of more vehicles possible. Shrinking their frontage that way may have increased their firepower to a narrower front running north - south along N84 and would have been a formidable line for the Canadian's to penetrate. Kampfgrüppe Klemic was hamstrung by bad luck right from the beginning having been pounded by heavy artillery before they could even formulate a more cooridinated attack.

It was a tough battle for the Germans, but then it wasn't supposed to be easy. The comments that the deployment zones were too generous in giving the Germans a big jump on the assault of Trun and Chambois, doesn't seem to have helped and was therefore probably good that they had that supposed advantage. As it were, it wasn't enough anyway, and without it they would have faired even worse thanthey did.

The battle played out proportionally correct when compared to the actual battle of the Falaise Pocket. Very little equipment such as units, like Panzer Lehr or Das Reich, barely escaping with but a few platoons of tanks out of the whole division.

Having said that, I am almost inclined to hand victory to the Germans who did proportionally better that their real counterparts, but I still would say the Allies won the battle, having almost snatched defeatfrom the jaws of victory, and win, marginally and only just! I was shooting for 15% success rate of vehicles being able to cross the river, but this was not achieved - that would have given the Germans a marginal victory. It was a furious and bloody game battle and lot's of interesting maneuvering was had. I hope you enjoyed the experience and this After Action Report as much as I had conducting it.