Here on August 7, 1944 at 10:45 a.m., the first elements of theAmerican 6th Armored Division commanded by General Grow entered Plouvien via this road. After the Avranches breakthrough, spearheading the Brittany campaign, the 6th AD had received orders from General Patton to take Brest.
The commanding Generals were:
★ Dwight D. Eisenhower Commander-in-Chief.
★ Omar N. Bradley Ct. 12th Army Group.
<★ George J. Patton Ct. 3rd Army.
<★ Troy H. Middleton Ct. VII Corps.
<★ Robert W. GrowCt. 6th Armored Division.
LE CHEMIN DE MEMOIRE,.PLOUVIEN, AUGUST 1944
On Wednesday, August 7, in the middle of the day a large German column moved from Boteden to the market town of Plouvien, passing through Saint-Jean. The convoy was about 8 kilometers long. Here, the isolated act of two FFI has far-reaching consequences. They shoot down a German soldier. In retaliation, the Germans massacre seven men in the Abiven house. Shortly after the shooting, the American air force attacks the German column, leaving hundreds of dead soldiers, horses and other assorted equipment along the road. The air attack was carried out by American aircraft based near Cherbourg. Makeshift hospitals were set up, in particular at the Chapelle Saint Jean. In Lannaneyen, the Le Gall family is hard hit: Jean-Marie and his two sons, Albert and Claude are arrested for packets of American cigarettes in their pockets. Jean-Marie and Claude succumbed to the shootout. As for Albert, he survived his injuries, the bullet .having been stopped by his pocket knife.
On the Narret and Toul ar Bleiz sides the fighting was intense. Five people are gunned, while the Germans seize seventeen hostages. The Americans attack, supported by tanks, the Germans resist and carry out further house searches. A nightmare for civilians! The farms of Ti-Guen; Ti-Poas, Toul ar Bleiz are destroyed as well as the Narret forge and the farms of Korn-ar-C'hefeleg, Menez-Hir and du Rascol.
Contribution and photo credit Philippe Boudot.
Here on August 7, 1944 at 10:45 a.m., the first elements of theAmerican 6th Armored Division commanded by General Grow entered Plouvien via this road. After the Avranches breakthrough, spearheading the Brittany campaign, the 6th AD had received orders from General Patton to take Brest.The commanding Generals were:★ Dwight D. Eisenhower Commander-in-Chief.★ Omar N. Bradley Ct. 12th Army Group. George J. Patton Ct. 3rd Army.Troy H. Middleton Ct. VII Corps.Robert W. GrowCt. 6th Armored Division.LE CHEMIN DE MEMOIRE,.PLOUVIEN, AUGUST 1944 On Wednesday, August 7, in the middle of the day a large German column moved from Boteden to the market town of Plouvien, passing through Saint-Jean. The convoy was about 8 kilometers long. Here, the isolated act of two FFI has far-reaching consequences. They shoot down a German soldier. In retaliation, the Germans massacre seven men in the Abiven house. Shortly after the shooting, the American air force attacks the German column, leaving hundreds of dead soldiers, horses and other assorted equipment along the road. The air attack was carried out by American aircraft based near Cherbourg. Makeshift hospitals were set up, in particular at the Chapelle Saint Jean. In Lannaneyen, the Le Gall family is hard hit: Jean-Marie and his two sons, Albert and Claude are arrested for packets of American cigarettes in their pockets. Jean-Marie and Claude succumbed to the shootout. As for Albert, he survived his injuries, the bullet .having been stopped by his pocket knife. On the Narret and Toul ar Bleiz sides the fighting was intense. Five people are gunned, while the Germans seize seventeen hostages. The Americans attack, supported by tanks, the Germans resist and carry out further house searches. A nightmare for civilians! The farms of Ti-Guen; Ti-Poas, Toul ar Bleiz are destroyed as well as the Narret forge and the farms of Korn-ar-C'hefeleg, Menez-Hir and du Rascol.Contribution and photo credit Philippe Boudot.
