Martinville Ridge

On July 15, the 116th Regiment started a flanking maneuver around Martinville in an effort to outflank the town's defenders. The lead elements made good progress but Allied Command didn't have a clear picture of the situation on the ground …

1944-07-16

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On July 15, the 116th Regiment started a flanking maneuver around Martinville in an effort to outflank the town's defenders. The lead elements made good progress but Allied Command didn't have a clear picture of the situation on the ground and ordered the units to halt and consolidate their positions. The order didn't reach the 2nd Battalion in a timely fashion and by the time its commander got the order, the Battalion was already far ahead and overlooking the town of La Madeleine. Rather than call the unit back, General Gerhardt decided to keep the battalion there and try to reinforce it. On July 16 he ordered Major Bingham to hold his ground so he could move forces up to reinforce and hopefully push the Germans off the ridge at Martinville. German command, unaware of the situation developing on the right, put a concentrated effort into gaining control of the Bayeux Road and the recently lost Hill 122 that overlooked it. The German XI Parachute Corps made a strong attack to seize the hill but was eventually repelled, largely because of American air cover. German command's failure to recognize and capitalize on the opportunity to smash the isolated battalions of the 116th helped put to an early end to the fight for Saint-Lô.

Saint-Lo, France

The Battle of Saint-Lô is one of the three conflicts in the Battle of the Hedgerows, which took place between July 7–19, 1944, just before Operation Cobra. Saint-Lô had fallen to Germany in 1940, and, after the Invasion of Normandy, the Americans targeted the city, as it served as a strategic crossroads. American bombardments caused heavy damage and a high number of casualties, which resulted in the martyr city being called "The Capital of Ruins", popularized in a report by Samuel Beckett.

Wikipedia: Battle of Saint-Lô

German

American

Game Type: Standard

Board Type: Countryside

Website Access: Classified