Saturday July 1st, 1944
The days that marked the Battle of Normandy
Since 6 June 1944, the Allies have disembarked nearly 630,000 men, about 177,000 vehicles and 600,000 tons of equipment. On Saturday, July 1st, 25 days after D-Day, 37,034 Americans and 24,698 British and Canadian soldiers were killed, wounded, taken prisoner or missing in action.
Operation Epsom, which ended on June 30, did not tip the balance for one of the two adversaries engaged in the battle on the Odon. But Caen still lost part of its defenses to the north, sent to fight the British forces to the east of the city.
General Montgomery attempts to catch up with Epsom by launching a major offensive north of Caen. The German defenders bend under the weight of intensive bombing of the British artillery and aviation and gradually retreat, while advanced English elements approach the suburbs of the city. The Germans of the 1st SS Panzer tried in their turn an offensive directed north of Caen in the direction of Tilly-sur-Seulles and which ended in failure, due to the valiant resistance of the British troops belonging to the 2nd Army, being helped by a large artillery barrage in front of their positions.
In the Cotentin Peninsula, the Americans attack south towards Saint-Lô, the main objective of the US troops. The “punch” attacks in the Bois de Bretel region north of Saint-Lô against German defensive positions by the 115th American infantry regiment are continuing. Violent fighting, including tanks, is taking place in this area region.
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