Communique Number 141 – 27 August 1944
Allied troops advancing eastwards towards the upper Seine Valley have reached the river in the northern outskirts of Troyes and at a point 12 miles farther north. Near Paris, armored units have launched an attack between Melun and Corbeil where a bridgehead had been previously established. Approximately 10.000 enemy troops including the German commander and his staff were taken prisoner in Paris. One enemy strong point has been holding out in Champigny on the southeast edge of the city and small enemy groups still operate in the northeast and northwest suburbs. Within the city, formal resistance has ceased but some sniping continues. In the Seine Valley, armored elements have advanced along the south side of the river in the area between Mantes-Gassicourt and Paris encountering slight opposition. Allied forces have closed in towards the south bank of the Seine and have crossed the river at Vernon and Pont-de-l’Arche. Further west, our troops have captured Bourgtheroulde-Infreville and are clearing the enemy from the Forêt de la Londe. In the coastal area, the enemy has been driven over the lower Risle and Pont-Audemer is in our hands.
Heavy fighting is in progress in the area north or Brest on the Brittany Peninsula where the enemy garrison is offering stubborn resistance. Gun positions and fortified targets at Brest were again attacked without loss by escorted heavy bombers. Attacks on enemy transport in northeast France by our fighter bombers and fighters are being extended into Belgium and Germany. Locomotives and hundreds of motor vehicles and railway cars – some loaded with ammunition and oil – have been destroyed or damaged during the last 24 hours, especially near the Seine at Rouen. Marshalling yards at Gisors and Charleroi (Belgium) also were hit. Rail movements in the Lille – Amiens – Dieppe area have been pounded incessantly.
Concentrations of enemy troops and vehicles seeking passage over the Seine were hit throughout the day by waves of escorted light and medium bombers which dropped fragmentation and high explosive bombs. Their targets also included four fuel dumps to the east and southeast of Rouen. Enemy air opposition was slight, but heavy anti-aircraft fire has been concentrated at many points to the east of the Seine. Six enemy aircraft were shot down and at least twelve others were destroyed on the ground. Seven of our bombers and 17 fighters are missing.
Communique Number 142 – 28 August 1944
Allied forces which crossed the Seine south of Paris are continuing their eastward drive between the Marne and the Seine. At the southern end of this sector, elements have advanced beyond Troyes, and other units are in the immediate vicinity of Romilly-sur-Seine. Nogent-sur-Seine is in our hands. Our troops are approaching Provins, and, to the northwest, they have advanced to the vicinity of Lagny. The enemy has been cleared from Bourdenay and St-Lupien, south of Nogent-sur-Seine. In the Paris area, the situation is now generally quiet, although resistance continued on Sunday at Champigny. The Bois de Boulogne has been cleared of Germans but minor isolated groups have been operating in the Bois de Meudon, on the southwestern outskirts of the city.
Elimination of enemy forces between Paris and Mantes-Gassicourt has been proceeding mainly in the vicinity of Villennes-sur-Seine, near Poissy. The Allied bridgeheads over the Seine at Mantes-Gassicourt, and Véron to the east of Elbeuf were strengthened and enlarged. Our troops pushed eastwards from Pont Audemer in the face of stubborn enemy resistance and the road from that town to Bourg-Achard is now in our hands. The clearing of the Forêt de la Londe is now almost complete.
In Brittany, gains have been made by forces fighting near Brest. Enemy troops, vehicles and barges concentrated on the west bank of the Seine at Rouen have been attacked throughout the last 24 hours by hundreds of Allied airplanes. Waves of light and medium bombers dropped thousands of fragmentation and high explosive bombs in their second consecutive day of operations against these targets, despite intense anti-aircraft fire. Attacks lasting several hours were also delivered by strong formations of fighters and fighter bombers. Results were excellent. Other formation of light and medium bombers hit two fuel dumps at Bucy-lès-Pierrepont and in the Forêt de Samoussy, northwest of Reims, as well as radio installations near Boulogne. Locomotives, military vehicles and hundreds of railway cars were destroyed or damaged by other fighters which bombed and strafed over a wide territory from the mouth of the Seine to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, in Germany and into Denmark. Escorted heavy bombers again hit shipping targets at Brest, without loss. At least 16 enemy aircraft were destroyed in the air and 14 on the ground. Seventeen of ours are missing.
Communique Number 143 – 29 August 1944
Allied forces which crossed the Seine at Troyes have reached a point approximately 15 miles northeast of the town, and another crossing has been made several miles to the north. Other elements are in the immediate vicinity of Arcis-sur-Aube. Troops advancing north and east below the Marne River have reached Montmirail. La Ferté-sous-Jouarre has been liberated. Forces north of the river have advanced to within six miles of Château-Thierry. North of Meaus, Allied armored units have reached Cuvergnon, 14 miles from the Marne, in a rapid advance against light resistance.
The bridgeheads over the Seine below Paris, at Mantes-Gassicourt, Vernon and Pont-de-l’Arche have all been extended. Varied enemy resistance was encountered on the north side of the river near Mantes-Gassicourt. Our forces in the two other bridgeheads have made good progress. Another bridgehead east of Louviers has now been established. Our troops are firmly along the general line of the Seine and the only ground south of the river remaining in the enemy hands is in the loop between Elbeuf and the sea. In Brittany, Allied forces closing in on Brest from three sides continue to make slow, steady progress against heavy opposition.
Our long-range fighters, operating well ahead of the advancing Allied armies, carried out low-level attacks on road, rail and water communications in northeastern France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, and western Germany. Extensive destruction was wrought, including some 320 locomotives, 279 railway cars, and three ammunition trains. Many barges were damaged, two railway marshalling yards were attacked and 17 enemy aircraft were destroyed in combat, in addition to some on the ground. Twenty-three of our long-range fighters are missing.
The area between the Seine and the Somme was swept by our close support fighters and fighter bombers. There were fewer targets but much damage was inflicted on road transport. Fuel dumps at Ham, Doullens and south of Amiens were the principal targets for medium and light bombers and a successful attack was carried out on an ammunition dump in the Forêt de l’Aigle near Compiègne. The Seine ferry at Duclair was also raided and great destruction was caused to barges and massed vehicles. Small groups of enemy shipping off the Pas-de-Calais were attacked by our coastal aircraft yesterday morning and some vessels were left ablaze.
Yesterday evening, heavy bombers attacked shipping at Brest and a battery on the island of Cézembre near St Malo. Last night, low level attacks from the battlefront to Strasbourg were continued by our light bombers. Targets included marshalling yards near Metz, rail installations at Charleville, Abbeville, Arras and Doullens, a large horse-drawn convoy at Laon, and other road transport.
Communique Number 144 – 30 August 1944
Allied forces, continuing their sweep beyond Paris, have crossed the Aisne River and the Marne River. In the upper Marne valley, mopping-up is in progress in Vitry-le-François, and our troops have reached Marson and L’Épine, southeast and east of Châlons-sur-Marne. Other units are less than one mile south of Châlons on the west side of the river. Château-Thierry, on the Marne, has been occupied, and our armored units have moved north to take Soissons and established a bridgehead across the Aisne River at Pont-Arcy, 14 miles to the east. Other troops are advancing through the area between the Marne and the Aisne, north of Meaux and Château-Thierry.
In the Paris area, advances have been made through the northeastern outskirts of the city beyond Le Bourget and Montmorency, and further west, elements have cleared the Forêt of St-Germain-en-Laye and moved northward to a point less than two miles south of Pontoise. The bridgehead across the Seine in the vicinity of Mantes-Gassicourt has been further enlarged to the north and to the east beyond Meulan. Contact was made with troops from the bridgehead to the north.
Advancing from the Vernon bridgehead, our troops pushed across the Paris-Rouen road to the town of Étrépagny and from there to the village of Longchamps. The Paris-Rouen road was also cut near the village of Écouis by troops from the Louviers bridgehead. In the evening, contact was established between these two bridgeheads. Southeast of Rouen, our forces advanced in the face of persistent opposition and captured the village of Boos, some five miles from the center of Rouen. In the Caudebec area, fighting was heavy, but the Forêt de Brotonne was cleared and the whole of this loop of the river is now in our hands.
In Brittany, hard fighting continues at Brest as Allied forces close in slowly on the port. Air operations yesterday were restricted by weather. Fighter and fighter bombers attacked enemy rail and road movement over a wide area in the Low Countries (Belgium-Holland-Luxembourg), western Germany and in France as far south as Lyon. Large numbers of locomotives, railway cars and motor transport were attacked successfully, and 20 enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground near Bruxelles. Six of our aircraft are missing.
Round-Up Communique 08/30/44 – 30 August 1944
To: Combined Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.
From: SHAEF
1. The following facts will be released here to the press at 1900 hours double British summer time on 31 August. They may be released in Washington and London at that time and hour.
2. (Report begins) Enemy Losses: The equivalent of 5 Panzer Divisions have been destroyed and a further 6 severely mauled, including one Panzer Grenadier Division. The equivalent of 20 Infantry Divisions have been eliminated and a further 12 vary badly cut up and have suffered severe losses. Included in this total of Infantry Divisions are 3 of the enemy’s crack Parachute Divisions. In addition 1 Parachute Division and 2 Infantry Divisions have no hope of escape from the fortress ports of Brittany Peninsula in which they are marooned. One Infantry Division is isolated in the Channel Islands.
3. Enemy Casualties: Total enemy casualties amount to over 400.000 killed, wounded and prisoners of war. 135.000 of these prisoners have been captured since July 25. The total continues to mount. 1300 enemy tanks and over 20.000 M.T. have been captured or destroyed. About 500 assault guns and 1500 field and heavier artillery guns have been captured or destroyed. In addition, the enemy has suffered very heavy losses in coast artillery equipment. The German Seventh Army and newly formed Fifth Panzer Army have been decisively defeated and into this defeat have been drawn the bulk of the fighting strength of First and Fifteenth Armies. Three Field Marshals and one Army Commander have either been dismissed or incapacitated by wounds. One Army Commander, three Corps Commanders, 15 Divisional Commanders and one Fortress Commander have been either killed or captured.
4. Enemy Air Losses: In the air the Luftwaffe has taken a fearful beating. Since June 6, 2387 German aircraft have been destroyed in the air and 1167 on the ground. In addition, 270 aircraft were probably destroyed and 1028 aircraft were damaged in the air.
5. Enemy Naval Losses: At sea the enemy has been unable, in spite of his former boasting, to interfere seriously with the invasion forces. Enemy attacks on convoys have been driven off on very many occasions and losses to Allied shipping have been small. Of the enemy’s naval forces, some 300 vessels of all classes have been sunk or heavily damaged by Allied action. In addition, a number of enemy merchant ships have been sunk and the Germans themselves have been forced to scuttle, in their harbors, large numbers of all types of shipping, both naval and mercantile. A large proportion of the enemy’s effort has been devoted to attack by mine-laying. The sustained work of minesweepers has resulted within three months, in a ‘mine-bag’ off the French beaches which totals 1/10 of all mines swept in five years in all theaters of war.
6. Allied Team Work: Allied team work, extending through all services, has again demonstrated its ability to overcome the most adverse kind of conditions in defeating the enemy. Allied units from other countries have fought effectively alongside American and British Forces and the FFI have done much valuable work. The command system has functioned smoothly in spite of difficulties due to enforced separation of Commanders and of poor signal communications due to distances and rapidly changing situation.
Many factors are woven into the wrap and woof of this great victory. Among these a few are listed below, with no attempt to give their order of importance. One was meticulous care in planning and preparation, supported resolutely in all important aspects by the Combined Chiefs of Staff. Another was the fact that we achieved some degree of surprise involving place, timing and strength of the attack. The excellence and efficiency of amphibious equipment, with measures for dealing with beach defenses and obstacles, was also important. The brilliant preparatory work of the Air Forces, a belief in the effectiveness of which was the very cornerstone of the original invasion conception, began months ago and reached its highest intensity at the very moment of landing. It is my conviction that except for this aerial preparation, including as a specific mission a prolonged campaign against the transportation systems of northwest Europe, the venture could not have logically been undertaken. The air support of ground forces has been most effective throughout the campaign. The supply and maintenance services have performed miracles. But the greatest factor of all has been the fighting qualities of the soldiers, sailors and airmen of the United Nations. Their valor, stamina and devotion to duty have been beyond praise. They will continue to be.
(Telegram to Combined Chiefs of Staff on result of operations in Northern France between 6 June (D Day) and 25th August.)
Communique Number 145 – 31 August 1944
Allied armor yesterday drove swiftly northward from the bridgeheads over the lower Seine. By-passing scattered areas of enemy resistance, our forces captured Gournay-en-Bray, Beauvais and Marseille en Beauvaisis and leading troops are now within 20 miles of Amiens. Further west, we have reached a point eight miles northeast of Rouen, and Fleury-sur-Andelle is in our hands. Opposite Duclair, our troops cleared the enemy from the south bank of the Seine. Troops from the Mantes-Gassicourt bridgehead are advancing northward along the Epte River and have reached a point less than two miles south of Chaumont-en-Vexin. Other advances were made beyond the northern suburbs of Paris.
In the drive to the east of the capital, Allied forces have reached Reims. Armored units, moving towards the Aisne River, are ten miles north of Reims, and elements which crossed the Vesle River are now several miles southeast of the city. Our reconnaissance elements have penetrated to points two and one-half miles north and northwest of Laon and to Montaigu, ten miles southeast. The bridgehead across the Aisne near Soissons has been extended east and north. In the Marne River Valley, our troops have crossed the river and are opposite Épernay, with some elements one mile south of the town. Up river, forces which made another crossing have reached Les Grandes-Loges, eight miles northwest of Châlons-sur-Marne on the Châlons-Reims road.
Allied air activity was sharply curtailed yesterday by thick clouds over northeast France. Light and medium bombers attacked by instruments the enemy forces still occupying the small but strongly fortified island of Cézembre off the entrance to the St Malo harbor. Others bombed a large enemy oil storage center in the Forêt d’Arques near Dieppe. Several enemy aircraft were shot up on the ground near Copenhagen by fighter bombers which also operated over the Skagerrak. Other small forces harassed enemy movements in the Rouen-Abbeville-Gournay area as weather permitted.
