The story
Having been relieved of its frontline duties near Caumont-l’Êventé, the 5th Infantry Division marched for three days to join General George S. Patton’s Third Army at Vitre on 7 August.
The division was directed to attack another 55 miles southeast to seize Angers while dispatching a battalion 65 miles southwest to outpost Nantes. Moving quickly through collapsing resistance, the division captured a railroad bridge that provided access to Angers. It rushed a regiment across the bridge, and then positioned for an attack the following day. In a little over a day of fighting the division secured Angers on 11 August, capturing over 2,000 prisoners in the process.
Meanwhile the battalion dispatched to Nantes had reached the outskirts, destroyed communications facilities, and established blocking positions to preclude interference from that sector. The situation was developing rapidly, and the 5th Infantry Division drove on to the northeast as Patton’s encirclement of the Falaise pocket matured.
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.