Falaise Bloody Falaise.

Discussion in 'Veteran Accounts' started by sapper, Mar 11, 2007.

  1. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    WE were at the back of the bag... Pushing. the fights that went on at the back were violent in the extreme fanatical violemce.
    At the time it was said that Patton was too busy capturing empty of enemy countryside. Just for his own egotism.

    Even then he ran out of fuel. There is no doubt that the bag could have been closed had the Americans used the forces available. As to Patton driving the British out? He must be joking. He would have had the hiding of his life, for in all honesty he did not come up against anything like we had been fighting.

    In fact my opinion of the man was that of a big loud mouthed idiot, that when faced with the real thing?

    If anyone is in any doubt as to the fighting qualities? then perhaps the German opinion should be heard? They sent half a panzer div to fight the huge American army and the rest to fight the British...Does that not speak for itself?

    Patton....... IT seemed to us at the time that all he wanted was to swan around France where there was no enemy.
    Sapper..... Brutal? I suppose it is....
    Duck Sapper.... incoming!
     
  2. m kenny

    m kenny Senior Member

    Can't think of the book I read this in but it alleges that Patton was boasting that as he would close the pocket - he might just carry on and throw the British back into the sea for another Dunkirk - Dempsey having had some experience of Patton in Sicily took that as a threat and called off the battle at that point - Patton then 'swanned" off towards Paris....


    Patton's superiors decided that trying to close the gap by driving across the neck was too much of a risk. The German Units still in the pocket were deemed capable of steamrolling over any opposition blocking their escape.
    I believe the phrase used was 'better a hard shoulder than a broken neck'.
    This decision had nothing to do with Monty or Dempsey. It was a simple military judgement that no undue risks were to be taken.
     
  3. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    NO UNDUE RISKS? We were at war for crying out loud, Against a totally evil regime What do you mean taking undue risks. Does that mean not getting yourself killed.
    That's an odd idea of conflict.

    I contribute to the view that the whole idea of war is to kill the enemy...But not if its an Undue risk? I took undue risks every day of my life. If it was from shelling or in the middle of a minefield.
     
  4. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

  5. britman

    britman Senior Member

    It's been a great thread and I wanted to show you some pics of when I was there in 2005. Hope you like them.

    Pictures from Hill 262, where the Poles defended the Hill from the retreating Germans.

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    Some pictures at St.Lambert-sur-Dives

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    dbf likes this.
  6. Gunpowder

    Gunpowder Junior Member

    It's been a great thread and I wanted to show you some pics of when I was there in 2005. Hope you like them.

    Pictures from Hill 262, where the Poles defended the Hill from the retreating Germans.

    Some pictures at St.Lambert-sur-Dives


    Great then-and-now photos -- thanks for posting these.
     
  7. sapper

    sapper WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    I can still smell the vast areas of death. After 65 years.
    Sapper
     
  8. DoctorD

    DoctorD WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Living with just two, bloated and unburied, in an adjacent cornfield was enough to imprint that unique stench on my memory! I can only just about imagine the psychological result of witnessing that much carnage. Glorious war!
     
  9. Rob Dickers

    Rob Dickers 10th MEDIUM REGT RA

    I was there back in May this year with my son, we did a round trip from Villers, St Lambert, the bridge, Trun, The Mace etc and was struck by the quiet and peacefullness of the place in the sunshine, just could'nt imagine the horrors that took place there only 65 years before. I read that part of the War-Diaries of the Regt before I went, which said that the Regt were firing into the pocket 24hrs a day and ordered to blaze away at anything that was seen to move, only stopping when the U.S. FDLs were at risk of being hit. As has been said by the Vets, this must live with you forever.
    Rob.
     
  10. Bernhart

    Bernhart Member

    st lamber-sur-dives, isn't that where the Canadian won a Victoria Cross?
     
  11. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    st lamber-sur-dives, isn't that where the Canadian won a Victoria Cross?

    You may wish to check the 'All the VC's of the Second World War' thread ;)
     
  12. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    crrie.png

    Currie is on the left with revolver and wearing binoculars. Probably the closest anyone has come to actually filming a VC being won!
     
  13. Gunpowder

    Gunpowder Junior Member

    Accounts seem to focus on the air attacks on the pocket, which must have been terrifying. But there was also an incredible amount of artillery fire poured into the pocket also.
     

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