D-Day +42

Saint-Lo is the capital of the Manche region of Normandy and a vital traffic hub. In 1944, it had been a key strategic objective for American forces. Sitting at the center of a major road and rail network which connects Normandy and Brittany, it was to form a pivotal role in the American attempt to swing into Brittany and begin the encirclement of the enemy.

The Germans also had an important command and control centre in St.-Lo. The Germans had been prepared for The Americans. As early as July1st, German High Command had dictated that a fight to the death policy would be adopted, ground was to be yielded only when overrun and harassing counterattacks were to be effectively utilized against the advancing Americans. Every field, lane, and approach to St.-Lo had been prepared by the Germans.

Territorial gains in the weeks leading up to the taking of St.-Lo, could often be measured in terms of yards taken, for men killed.

Germans dug in, American casualty in foreground

The terrain even benefited the Germans. They were able to dig in, camouflage and lay in wait. They only had to knock out the lead tank in a column to bring an armored advance to a complete halt in the narrow country lanes, then their well sighted artillery could go about the job of picking of the remaining tanks at will. Every time a GI raised his head above a hedgerow, he was likely to get it blown off.

The advance on St. Lo had been a miserable affair for the American soldiers, but on July 18th 1944, the 29th Division finally entered what was left of the ancient market town.

The taking of the town has always been credited to the 29th as it was they who had fought their way in, but stout and costly support had been provided by the 30th Division. Without the soldiers of ‘Old Hickory’, engaging the fanatical groups of German paratroopers and SS grenadiers, tightly holding on, the 29th Division casualties, already significant, would have been catastrophic.

St.-Lo had played a pivotal role in Normandy battles through the ages, and has a history dating back to the 8th century. From the Vikings to the Germans, it had been taken and occupied many times, but no war had ever come close to punishing the inhabitants and obliterating their homes like this one.

Thousands of civilians had perished in Allied bombing and artillery strikes and barely a building was left standing, when Lt. Edward G. Jones, Jr of the 29th Recon troop entered the town. The people of St. Lo had paid a heavy price for their freedom.

Saint-Lo, modern day, from http://christopheferey.over-blog.net

Since 1999 St Lo has been twinned with Roanoke, Virginia, USA.