The story
The next day saw the enemy resisting furiously, however, on the Division's left flank. Five companies of SS troops engaged the 2nd Battalion, 358th Regiment.
The enemy lost heavily in the ensuing fight which continued throughout the day, and in the evening his remnants were forced to withdraw.
The 1st and 2nd Battalions, 357th, fought last ditch SS defenders at a crossroad near Buchholz and at Pfaffenheck respectively, and forced the enemy to withdraw under cover of darkness.
As an indication of the ferocity with which the SS fought, in one engagement 70 German defenders chose death rather than surrender, and only 9 were captured alive.
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.