The story
The 28th Infantry Division continued its attack to destroy German forces in the newly forming Falaise Pocket.
General George S.Patton’s Third Army had encircled numerous enemy troops when it sped east from Avranches and then hooked northwards towards Falaise.
The 28th Infantry Division pivoted through the town of Ger, and then continued its attack northeast as Allied forces squeezed the entrapped Germans into a steadily shrinking perimeter.
Not far from Ger the division was pinched out by British forces crossing its front as the pocket disappeared.
The Falaise Pocket proved to be a disaster for the Germans, who lost more than 50,000 prisoners, in addition to the tens of thousands already killed or wounded in the fighting.
The Germans who did escape lost most of their equipment in the pocket or in the course of the pursuit.
The 28th Infantry Division pulled out of the line and prepared to displace over 100 miles to Mortagne, to position for another mission.
There's more to discover
You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.