The story
The 2nd Infantry Division joined in the destruction of German forces within the newly formed Falaise Pocket.
It pivoted its attack from south to east as Allied forces squeezed the entrapped Germans into a smaller and smaller area.
The division seized the strategic crossroads of Tinchebray and the high ground surrounding on 15 August before being pinched out by British forces crossing its front as the pocket disappeared.
The Falaise Pocket proved to be yet another disaster for the Germans, who lost 50,000 prisoners in addition to the tens of thousands already killed or wounded in the fighting.
Perhaps equally damaging, the Germans who did escape lost most of their equipment in the pocket or in the pursuit.
The 2nd Infantry Division was now free for another mission.
General Omar N.Bradley decided to send it to Brittany to participate in the siege and capture of Brest.
The division departed en route to Brest on 18 August. See map.
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.