Longueville (Calvados)
The cities of Normandy during the 1944 battles
Liberation: June 8th, 1944
Deployed units:
115th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Division
110th Field Artillery Battalion, 29th Infantry Division
104th Medical Battalion, 29th Infantry Division
Grenadier-Regiment 914, 352. Infanterie-Division
History:
On June 7, 1944, after the particularly chaotic landing at Omaha Beach, Major General Charles H. Gerhardt, commander of the 29th Infantry Division, issued orders for the initial objectives to be achieved as soon as possible. The survivors of the 115th Infantry Regiment (IR) are currently busy securing Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer.
On the morning of June 8th, the 115th IR, commanded by Colonel Eugene N. Slappey, set off towards Longueville and reached National Highway 13. The division lost the radio link with the regiment for several hours until Brigadier General Norman D. Cota, second in command of the 29th Infantry Division, was able to restore the physical link on Jeep reconnaissance.
Longueville is crossed and released around 9:00 am by the second battalion of 115th IR, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel William E. Warfield, who then moved in defensive position to the west of the village, towards La Cambe. The Germans belonging to the Grenadier-Regiment 914 (352. Infanterie-Division) oppose only a derisory defense and abandon in the village a large amount of equipment and armaments. Colonel Slappey installs his staff there and prepares his orders for the crossing of the valley of Aure which begins the next day. Longueville is installed on a slight movement of ground, allowing to observe a large part of the valley: American observers of the 110th Field Artillery Battalion take advantage of it to watch the surroundings and prepare the artillery fire within the two following days.
On June 10, the 104th Medical Battalion (29th Infantry Division) installs a first aid station in Longueville, which is operational from 16:30. The medical unit remains in place until June 12, when it moves towards Vouilly.
Map of Longueville :
Back to the Normandy cities in 1944
