The 24th august 1944, a german unit (SS) took 63 persons hostages in the village of Criquebeuf (the village on the oposite side of the river of sotteville), because of the death of a german soldier. The persons were shut up in the church and in great danger to be killed. During the Maire negociated , somebody went to the Allied lines in the south of the village to explain the situation. They decided to bomb here and there around the villege, and the german escaped. Every year, the 24th of august there is a mass at the church to thanks God (help by the Allies...) to have avoid a tragedy. It should be interesting to know which unit it was ? supposed it was the Argyll and Snthland, but the avrrived later the 27 ? this point is worth studying, don't you think ? OWEN, For the pictures, no problem, it depends on the weather, may be you can show me the 2 places on your wonderful map ACY
Alain, I've copied this post from the Igoville thread as it looks like it could do with some discussion. Did you say there was a street named after the Polish Armoured Division? I know they crossed the Seine & called their bridge Warsaw Bridge EDIT ignore Polish connection, "Warsaw bridge" was at Elbeuf & they crossed 29th August. Poland in Exile - March to Germany I'll look at some books.
The SS unit sounds like the same as those at Oradour-Sur-Glane with the use of a church. Interesting their should be some Canadian involvement too. The Canadians suffered at the hands of the 12th SS Recon. Batt. at Chateau d’Audrieu just after D-Day. Cheers Andy
Just looked at Copp & Bechthold's book Canadian Battlefields in Normandy a Visitors Guide , The Lincoln and Welland Regiment , with a squadron of South Alberta tanks and a platoon of New Brunswick Rangers , occupied Criquebeuf without incident. Lieutenant-Colonel Bill Cromb sent his scout platoon across the Seine in borrowed boats and by darkness a company of Lincs was established on the north bank of the Seine.
also Fortunately for 4th Division the scout platoon and ‘D’ Company of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, using shovels as paddles, propelled a small boat across the river near Criqueboeuf, three miles above Elboeuf, on the previous afternoon. Next morning the division attempted to expand this bridgehead only to be pinned to the ground by a veritable hurricane of artillery and MG fire. Evidently 17th Luftwaffe Division had no intention of allowing an advance on Rouen from this direction. Seine Crossings 1944 « War and Game
and The traffic congestion hampered all movement and 4th Div. arrived at the Seine widely dispersed in small battle groups. The Lincoln and Welland Regt., known as the Lincs and Winks, together with troops of 8th Light Anti-Aircraft Regt., a platoon of New Brunswick Rangers and a squadron of South Alberta tanks reached the river at Criquebeuf-sur-Seine. The villagers, who have since named their main street Rue des Canadiens, welcomed their liberators, but Lt.-Col. Bill Cromb had been ordered to bounce the Seine. Boats, borrowed from the village, were used to cross the 80-metre-wide river and the Lincs’ scout platoon reported that there was no opposition. Cromb sent D Company across the river to establish a bridgehead which the Lincs, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada and the Algonquin Regt. expanded the next morning. There followed a costly struggle for two rounded hills known as Pt. 88 and Pt. 95. This two-day battle, the last fought by the division in Normandy, reminded everyone of the advance to Falaise. When the heights were occupied it was evident the enemy had enjoyed an unobstructed view of the river crossing and the bare slopes of the hillsides. There was no cover for the attackers except for smoke which was of little help against artillery and mortar concentrations. 10th Bde. suffered more than 100 casualties in this forgotten encounter. The March To The Seine: Army, Part 30 | Legion Magazine
I've just thought, the Canadians never got there until the 26th. But American units had been operating on the Seine before then.
Here you go, August 24th leading elements of the US 2nd Armored Division were at the southern outskirts of Elbeuf where they came up against an armoured kampfgruppe which had the job of protecting the Seine crossing points downstream. After The Battle Issue 119 page 8. I'd say it was units of US XIX Corps that were near Criquebeuf on the 24th August.
It should be interesting to know which unit it was ? supposed it was the Argyll and Snthland, but the avrrived later the 27 ? I have the War Diaries of the 2nd and 7th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders and neither of them were involved in this.
I have the War Diaries of the 2nd and 7th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders and neither of them were involved in this. Alain's refering to A & SH of Canada , Paul. Could do with some help from US members now.
Bit more here. HyperWar: US Army in WWII: The Breakout and Pursuit [Chapter 28] By 24 August 2d Armored Division spearheads were at the southern outskirts of Elbeuf. There they struck stubborn resistance. On 24 August, when American spearheads were approaching Elbeuf, the German commanders foresaw the danger that the remainder of the army might be cut off from the Seine crossings. They therefore deployed the battered splinters of eight panzer divisions along the southern part of the front, between the Risle and Seine Rivers This force, representing the concentration of armored units on the southern flank of the German bridgehead west of the Seine--with part under the II SS Panzer Corps and part under the 116th Panzer Division (once again commanded by Schwerin)--had the mission of protecting the Seine crossings to Rouen. It defended Elbeuf, but not for long. On 25 August CCA of the 2d Armored Division, reinforced by a combat team of General Cota's 28th Division, launched a co-ordinated attack on Elbeuf and entered the town. The troops secured Elbeuf on the following day, then turned it over to Canadians arriving from the west.
