The stone bridge over the Selune River.

The Brittany Campaign 1944

U.S. 4th Armoured Division’s capture of the bridges at Pontaubault opens the way into Brittany. Once through Pontaubault, the U.S. forces drove on through the village of Montanel the last village in Normandy and then on to Saint Ouen La Rouerie, the first village in Brittany to be liberated.
The original OVERLORD plan focused on the capture of the Breton ports of St Malo, Brest, L’Orient and Saint Nazaire to support the supply needs of the Allied Armies. Lt General George Patton’s Third Army would lead the way once the Americans had broken out of the Normandy Beach head.
Operation COBRA in late July 1944 finally cracked open the German defences which began to collapse. By 30th July the Americans had reached Avranches and looked further South to the bridges over the Selune River at Pontaubault and on into Brittany. U.S. 4th Armoured Division would capture those bridges on 31st July. Within 72hrs despite German counter attacks General Patton had pushed 7-8 Divisions across the river and on into Brittany towards Saint Malo and Rennes.

The 15th Century stone bridge over the Selune River.

An aerial Photograph of the crossing, looking north towards Avranches. The Allied line of attack and the German defences are illustrated.

The bridges were attacked by U.S. P47 Fighter Bombers on 10th &11th June 1944 in an effort to disrupt German reinforcements reaching the Normandy Beaches.

A 2013 image of the same area today.

The Eastern bridge today is still in use, it carries the line from Avranches to Rennes.

The old bridge is now abandoned and quite unsafe to cross.

A 2011 recreation of the crossing of the bridge by U.S. forces, 7 -8 Divisions crossed in less than 72 hrs (Over 70,000 men with their vehicles)

The commemorative plaque of the crossing of the River Selune, on into Brittany and ultimately Paris.

This second plaque on the Southern end of the bridge illustrates the strategic importance of the bridge through the ages. As well as 1944 it commemorates another crossing in 1793.

This plaque on the wall of the old church, tells the remarkable story of Francois Mutschler a German soldier from Alsacse. In February 1943 following an attack by French Ressistance Fighters upon the railway. Mutschler, through his feigned incompetence saved the lives of many Pontabaubault residents held hostage in the church.

General Patton himself stands on the banks of the River Selune at Pontaubault.

Once through Pontaubault, the U.S. forces drove on through the village of Montanel the last village in Normandy and then on to Saint Ouen La Rouerie, the first village in Brittany to be liberated.