21 August, 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 403 % Postmaster, N.Y.

France

21 August, 1944         0930

Dearest darling Wilma –

Today is the first bad day in about 3 weeks and so we’re not complaining too much. Ordinarily when it’s like this, dear, you can hardly find a place that’s comfortable – let alone find a spot dry enough to write in. But that is another advantage of this little German car that I have. It has a nice canvas top – not too much unlike the one I had on the Buick. The jeep top is practically useless when it rains, but this one comes down on the sides and is very low anyway – so that it gives very good protection. So that’s where I am this morning, It’s comfortable here and quiet. Most of the fellows have gone back to sleep – but that’s one habit I’ve never cultivated.

Trying to describe the German car reminds me to tell you, darling, that I’m taking more snapshots now of various things I see. I believe I told you I was able to buy about 10 rolls of film to fit my camera. How I’ll get them developed – I haven’t the faintest idea, dear. There are no civilian facilities, and if I send them to the Signal corps – they retain the privilege of impounding for the duration any roll of film that has a picture in it containing military material. I now have 3 rolls taken and I’ll just hang on to them. I don’t think they’ll spoil.

Yesterday, as I wrote you, I went after a pair of combat shoes. I ended up by traveling about 130 miles – but I got them. They are not particularly good looking shoes – but darned serviceable and that’s what counts. I got very homesick when I noticed a Boston trademark stamped inside. Gosh – it was a beautiful Sunday and all I could think of was last summer. I don’t quite remember when you went back to school – I think it was about the 2nd of September – or thereabouts. I remember your telling me of your early return to school and how badly I felt immediately – because I thought I might not get to see you of a weekend – and when you think of it, darling, you must have been quite an attraction. It meant not going home to see my folks. I think they are the ones who deserve the credit, though, because much as they wanted to see me – they never said a word except that they were glad I knew a nice girl and was spending nice week-ends. And you certainly tore back and forth from Holyoke to Boston those first couple of months at school – it’s a wonder your folks didn’t object. It was all so wonderful – short as our courtship was, darling. I know that after we’re married – I’ll go on courting you – because I don’t want anyone pointing at us as we’re walking down the street and saying “Look at them – they had an awfully short courtship!” Of course, sweetheart, that is only one of the reasons why I’ll continue to court you.

Oh – I almost forgot to mention that McDermott fellow. If it’s the one I think it is – I know him fairly well – and his father – much better. The one I know comes from Salem, his dad is on the staff; Mac came to Edwards and was there only a short while before coming overseas – I think – with the 550th, but I’m not sure. I had run into him at Edwards – but never quite got to see him in England or France. I’ll keep a lookout for him now that I know he’s attached to the air force – or at least – his battalion.

Well – sweetheart – I’ll have to cut this short – it’s starting to get wet – even in here and I don’t want to get this messed up. I haven’t told you in so many words yet that I love you deeply – sweetheart, and miss you ever so much. This damned war seems interminable sometimes – but one fine day it will be over and I’ll be coming back to you to love you hard and long and forever. Just keep hanging on, darling.

So long for now, then – love to the folks – and

My everlasting love, sweetheart –

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about Mont Ormel Ridge (Hill 262) - Part 2

CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE

Continuing from "Hill 262" on Wikipedia:

Further German attacks were launched during the morning both from inside the pocket along the Chambois–Vimoutiers road, and from the east. Raids from the direction of Coudehard managed to penetrate the Polish defenses and take captives. The final German effort came at around 1100 — SS remnants had infiltrated through the wooded hills to the rear of the 1st Armored Regiment's dressing station. This "suicidal" assault was defeated at point-blank range by the 9th Infantry Battalion with the 1st Armored Regiment's tanks using their anti-aircraft machine guns in support. The machine guns' tracer ammunition set fire to the grass, killing wounded men on the slope. As the final infantry assaults melted away, the German artillery and mortar fire targeting the hill subsided as well. The Canadian Grenadier Guards reached the ridge just over an hour later, having fought for more than five hours and taking out two Panthers, a Panzer IV, and two self-propelled guns along their route. By 1400, with the arrival of the first supply convoy, the position was relieved. The Falaise pocket was considered closed by the evening of 21 August, with around 50,000 Germans trapped inside.

The quite compelling account of Colonel Pierre Sévigny, then a Canadian artillery observation Captain attached to the 1st Polish Armored Division, appears in BBC's WWII People's War as translated by Jim Dillon from the book Dans la tourmente de la guerre, by M. l'abbé Marcel Launay. It is worth going to the BBC site to read the account from 19-21 August. The portion describing 21 August is copied here:

Canadian Colonel Pierre Sévigny

Nearly 4 in the morning, Monday, August the 21st

A shaft of moonlight lit the clearing in front of me: shadows! Immediately came a burst of machine-gun fire. A quarter of an hour later, a new attack! We were losing a lot of men, among them two of the Polish lieutenants: there was only one left!

Half an hour later it was dawn. I went to sleep literally standing up. Suddenly my signaller woke me and I started: “Captain, I can hear our tanks!”

There was no possible mistake! They must have been very close, perhaps 600 meters to the west, and I could clearly distinguish the two, green flares. Between them and us, however, on the side of the hill lay a small, thick wood and the Germans were still in it. What were we to do? If our friends bumped into resistance the likelihood was that they would pull back and look for another way. No hesitation! We had to attack and link up with our relief no matter what it cost.

Immediately I gathered the men. They all agreed: we had to take the enemy by surprise. Luckily his attention was diverted by the noise of the tanks! At the blast of a whistle we went forward! We advanced quickly despite branches, craters and the SS. Nothing could stop the wrath of the Poles. The Polish lieutenant was in front of me: I saw him fall, hit in the forehead by a bullet. At the same time, from behind a tree, a soldier aimed his carbine at me: I threw myself to one side as he fired: he missed and was instantly bayoneted. A bullet grazed my left shoulder: it was nothing, and we reached the bottom of the hill to see six Shermans firing on us! They finally recognized us and, with our strength increased, we were soon climbing back up that famous Hill 262.

When we reached the Command Post the Polish major greeted us, he was shaking with emotion and I became part of a scene of delirious joy. We laughed, we wept, we embraced each other. The soldiers told long stories in Polish to the Canadians who understood not a word but nevertheless burst into peals of laughter!

Our victory was total, but at a terrible price: only seventy Poles survived the slaughter unhurt: I was the only officer still able to stand!

The Poles now call that hill “Maczuga”, which means “The Mace”. And that is it exactly: the battle of “Maczuga” hill was the final, crushing blow which broke German power.

One balance-sheet of this fearful confrontation (and there are many different numbers suggested):

The Poles, who went into this fight with eighty-seven Sherman tanks against all the remaining weaponry of the German Seventh army surrounded on the plain of Tournai, Aubry, St-Lambert, lost 325 dead, 16 of whom were officers, 1,002 wounded and 114 missing. Eleven tanks were destroyed.

The Germans had about 2,000 killed, 5,000 taken prisoner, including a general, six colonels and 80 officers. They left on the battlefield 55 tanks, of which 14 were Panthers and 6 Tigers, 44 guns and 152 armored vehicles, 359 vehicles of all types were destroyed.

The World War II Database's Normandy Campaign, Phase 2 by C. Peter Chen reports:

Before the Allies closed the pocket, the death and destruction dealt against the German Army was horrifying even though a number of Panzer divisions were able to escape from the envelopment. "The battlefield at Falaise was unquestionably one of the greatest 'killing fields' of any of the war areas", Eisenhower noted in his memoirs.

Forty-eight hours after the closing of the gap I was conducted through it on foot, to encounter scenes that could be described only by Dante. It was literally possible to walk for hundreds of yards at a time, stepping on nothing but dead and decaying flesh.

The smell was all-pervading and overpowering. It was so strong, in fact, that pilots of light artillery observation aircraft flying over the area reported that the stench affected them even hundreds of feet in the air.

CLICK ON PICTURES TO ENLARGE

Eight infantry divisions and two Panzer divisions were captured as German resistance in the pocket died down. The nightmarish narrow escape route was later named the "Corridor of Death" by the Germans who survived it.

20 August, 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 403 % Postmaster, N.Y.

France

20 August, 1944

Sweetest girl –

Yes we both have been good at writing – and if I’ve ever complained, darling, it was not at your writing – but at the service. And when you come down to it – there’s been little reason to complain. It does amaze me the way we do manage to get mail at all. Sometimes our mail clerk makes a 50 mile trip to the rear – to get mail – or 100 miles round trip.

Yesterday I got 3 letters – all from you and all so wonderfully pleasant. You do tell me – and in so many ways, sweetheart, that you love me – and I hope that I’m making myself as clear to you. Certainly my life is wrapped up inexorably and inextricably with yours, dear – and that we’ll be happy together – I don’t doubt at all. I’m sure of it.

One of your letters mentioned Stan and then I suddenly remembered the Wilcoff girl. The name had not meant a thing to me and apparently – neither did her face; but when you mentioned Youngstown, steel and millionaires – I remembered it all. I did meet her at Irv’s house – I believe it was a Saturday p.m. after a game at the Stadium. There must have been 20 couples there that p.m. As I remember it I went to the game – stag and later dropped over to see Irv and Verna. As I recall it further – I was told the “qualifying” points of Betty W. and rather urged to pay a little attention. She too had no date and had I cared to stay around – I could have gone out with them that evening. I stayed around about one or one and ½ hours and then said I had to return to Salem. Now – remember, darling, I’ve been in the Army 2 years and I may be all confused about time. As a matter of fact it seems to me this all happened when I was at Edwards in ’42. Anyway – I do remember that I didn’t find her the least bit attractive – millions or otherwise. She made very little impression upon me and that was that.

So that’s the Wave Stan has been taking out? You know, dear, sometime later – I saw Stan and he asked me why I hadn’t taken her out, pointed out her assets etc. I told him what I thought and he laughed and agreed. Well – it just goes to show how much he’s changed. About one thing I have no doubt – and that is that he’s looking for security; he made that clear when he took out what’s-her-name, I can’t seem to think of it now; you know – when the 4 of us went out together. I’m sorry for Stan – and more so for the girl, because if he does follow this up – and very apparently he is – he’s not marrying for love – and what you say about his being a good husband – may not be. I hope I’m wrong. One thing is sure though – if he does marry a rich girl – he’ll have one swell time, because Stan does know how to live. Anyway, I’ll beinterested in how he makes out.

I was sorry to hear about your spending a hot Sunday at home when you might have been at the beach with the folks. I agree with you 100% about disliking crowds, crying babies and lunch boxes – but it would have been cooler. I’m sure Mother A wants you and why she didn’t invite you – I don’t know – except that in fact she thought you’d come over anyway. Well, I hope before the summer is over, you get over a few times. Boy – I hate the hot weather also – although I can manage to keep going. But I am thankful that we’ve had no hot weather. It’s been mild and luke warm and very livable.

I was glad to read about Mary’s new teeth and the fact that she liked them so well. Lawrence had written me about it – and the truth is – he said he wasn’t too satisfied with them. Apparently there had been some difficulty because of occlusion – or some such thing. As long as she likes them – that’s all that matters, I guess.

Well – darling – I’ll have to close now – I’m going to a town about 30 miles off to try and buy some combat shoes. I have one pair, but this is a new style and will do away with my need for leggings. The country here is really pretty and I enjoy driving through it. Incidentally I still have that German car. We have large Red Crosses and U.S.A.’s painted over it and it comes in handy when we’re pinched for space.

Until tomorrow then, Sweetheart, so long. Remember, dear, that I love you more than anyone in the world and dream only of you and me as married happily together and doing the things we want to do in life – also together.

Love to the family and

All my love, darling

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about Mont Ormel Ridge (Hill 262) - Part 1

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Hill 262N and 262S in the dark brown areas
with Mont-Ormel in the center

From Wikipedia comes this information:

Northeast of Chambois overlooking the Dives River valley, an elongated, wooded ridge runs roughly North to South above the village of Coudehard. The ridge's two highest peaks — Points 262 North (262N) and 262 South (262S) — lie on either side of a pass within which the hamlet of Mont-Ormel, from which the ridge takes its name, is situated.

View of Mont-Ormel from "Hill 262" today

Of the approximately 20 German infantry and armored divisions trapped in the Falaise pocket, around 12 were still operating with a degree of combat-effectiveness on 19 August 1944. As these formations retreated eastwards they fought desperately to keep the jaws of the encirclement — formed by the Canadians in Trun and St. Lambert, and the Poles and Americans in Chambois — from closing. German movement out of the pocket throughout the night of 19 August cut off the Polish battlegroups on the north side of the Mont Ormel ridge. Lacking sufficient means to either seal the pocket or fight their way clear, the Poles decided that the only chance of survival for their force was to hold fast until relieved. Although the Polish soldiers on Point 262N could hear movement from the valley below, without possession of Point 262S they were unable to interfere with the large numbers of German troops slipping past the southern slopes of the ridge.

As it grew light on 20 August, Lieutenant-Colonel Zdzisław Szydłowski, commanding the 9th Infantry Battalion, prepared to fulfill his orders of the previous day for an attack across the road towards Point 262S. However, hampered by the wreckage littering the pass, the attack soon bogged down in the face of fierce German resistance.

Wreckage of a German convoy

Field Marshal Walther Model, who upon succeeding von Kluge two days earlier had authorized a general withdrawal, ordered elements of two SS Panzer Divisions — located outside the pocket — to attack Hill 262. After an hour and a half, they were beaten back by the Polish forces. Meanwhile, from within the pocket, German formations seeking an escape route were filtering through gaps in the Allied lines between Trun and Chambois, heading towards the ridge from the west. The Poles could see the road from Chambois choked with troops and vehicles attempting to pass along the Dives valley and subjected them to an hour-long bombardment, breaking them up and scattering their infantry.

Around midday the Germans opened up an artillery and mortar barrage that caused casualties among the ridge's defenders and would last for the entire afternoon. By mid afternoon about 10,000 German troops had escaped the pocket through a corridor past Point 262N cleared by units of several Panzer divisions. Although another early afternoon German assault on the ridge was eventually repulsed, with a large number of prisoners being taken and artillery again causing significant casualties, the Poles were being gradually pushed back. However, they managed to retain their grip on Point 262N and, with well-coordinated artillery fire, continued to exact a toll on German units traversing the corridor.

Exasperated by the casualties to his men, German Seventh Army commander Oberstgruppenführer (General) Paul Hausser ordered the Polish positions to be "eliminated". By 1700 the attack was at its height and the Poles were contending with German tanks and infantry inside their perimeter. The integrity of the position was not restored until 1900, by which time the Poles had expended almost all their ammunition leaving themselves in a precarious situation. A 20-minute ceasefire was arranged to allow the Germans to evacuate a large medical convoy, after which fighting resumed with redoubled intensity.

Earlier in the day Canadian Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds had ordered his troops to "make every effort" to reach the Poles isolated on Hill 262, but at "sacrificial" cost the remnants of the German 9th SS Panzer and 3rd Parachute Divisions had succeeded in preventing the Canadians from intervening. Dangerously low on supplies and unable to evacuate their prisoners or the wounded of both sides — many of whom received further injuries from the unremitting hail of mortar bombs — the Poles had hoped to see the Canadian 4th Armored Division coming to their rescue by evening. However, as night fell it became clear that no Allied relief force would reach the ridge that day. Lacking the means to interfere, the exhausted Poles were forced to watch as the remnants of the Panzer Corps left the pocket. Fighting died down and was sporadic throughout the hours of darkness; after the brutality of the day's combat both sides avoided contact although frequent Polish artillery strikes continued to harass German forces retreating from the sector.

Lieutenant-Colonel Aleksander Stefanowicz of Poland's 1st Armored Regiment, himself wounded during the day's fighting, struck a fatalistic note as he addressed his men on the evening of 20 August:

Gentlemen. Everything is lost. I do not believe [the] Canadians will manage to help us. We have only 110 men left, with 50 rounds per gun and 5 rounds per tank... Fight to the end! To surrender to the SS is senseless, you know it well. Gentlemen! Good luck – tonight, we will die for Poland and civilization. We will fight to the last platoon, to the last tank, then to the last man.