The approach to the Railway Station at Neufbourg-Mortain in August 1944

The Battle of Mortain : Operation Luttich.

“Time spent in recconaissance is seldom wasted”
In March 2024 I spent a special day walking the fields and villages of St Barthelemy, Neufbourg & Mortain to refresh and prepare for an upcoming tour of Operation Cobra and the Falaise Pocket.
On 25th July 1944, The U.S. Operation Cobra finally broke through German resistance in their sector between Coutances and St Lo and the Americans flooded through the gap towards Avranches and into Brittany.
Adolf Hitler ordered an immediate counter attack between Mortain and Avranches. Despite the doubts of General von Kluge, Hitler insisted that the attack proceed. The offensive was poorly co-ordinated, insufficient German forces had been assembled before the attack began on 6th-7th August.
Prior warning from Allied codebreakers, together with stubborn, dogged U.S. defence in the early hours, and the arrival of R.A.F. rocket firing Typhoons stalled the German advance.
The German attack was called off on 13th August, the German attack had been in vain, not only that, the American Third Army led by General Patton was racing around the open flank of the German thrust and would succeed in getting behind them to link up with Canadian and Polish Forces creating the Falaise Pocket from which the majority of the German army did not escape.
The approach to the Railway Station at Neufbourg-Mortain in August 1944

The approach to the Railway Station at Neufbourg-Mortain in August 1944.

The Railway Station as it is today (March 2024)

The Railway Station as it is today (March 2024).

St Barthelemy in 2024, the German advance was along the open ground and the narrow road towards the camera.

The memorial to U.S. Forces at St. Barthelemy

The memorial to U.S. Forces at St. Barthelemy

Another view of the German advance towards St Barthelemy. U.S. Anti-Tank guns which were placed at the road junction ahead succeeded in knocking out a German Panther tank at the location where this photograph was taken.

The memorial to the U.S. 120th Infantry, who held Hill 314 against incredible odds and awful conditions., defying German demands for surrender.

I’m not one for ghosts and ghouls and things that bump in the night, but there was a shiver in the atmosphere amongst the trees here.

The Petite Chappelle St Michelle on Hill 314 built in the 17th Century. Briefly captured by the Germans the Chapel would stand in No Mans Land.

The view from the chapel looking westwards along the old straight road.