around the stalled vehicles, then headed north towards Chambois and St. Lambert-Sur-
Dives, which were under fire at the time. Every place where there were more than four
vehicles grouped, artillery fire would drop. Those trucks that were still trying to escape
through Chambois were piling up, caught our fire.”
“– The road east of Bailleul was blocked and the trapped vehicles began to move
into the fields, the roads through Tournai-Sur-Dives were blocked also, and then the
roads were forgotten. Vehicles flooded out into the fields and it looked like a stampede
of cattle.”
“– A large body of vehicles, trucks, tanks, SP guns, grouped south of Tournai,
numbering around 200 or more. It looked as if they wanted to give up, but then they
started firing, and I called for artillery. After what seemed like hours, it was actually
minutes, the group of vehicles turned into Tournai. The roads were blocked and they
assembled in the woods just south of town. Artillery hammered the woods until the
assembly area was a mass of burning vehicles. Black smoke obscured our vision and
prevented further fire at this point. The enemy gathered his vehicles along hedgerows,
under trees, or out in the open. No cover was too small, but it still was not enough.
Continued pressure from the rear forced them to try and move.”
“– Moving out into the open, and in regular lines, were several regiments of horse
drawn artillery, carts and wagons. They came forward as our first rounds landed right on
them. The line wavered north of the fire and continued on. Several volleys landed right
in the column and the line turned at right angles and headed north. It was a slaughter.
Horses would fall and stop a wagon. Many were running away, some would turn right
into the fire, others gathered in the shelter of an old rock quarry to escape but
immediately artillery fire drove them out. They turned south into a crossroad just
southeast of Tournai-Sur-Dives and the road was soon blocked by fire. More units piled
up on top of them and soon it was impossible to turn the horses. Then it became a
shambles. Horses loose and running everywhere. Some teams still hitched to caissons
and wagons and one or more killed in the traces. All semblance of organization had
ceased at this point.”
“– Vehicles were still headed northeast towards the once formed outlet, the creek,
but none could be seen making their way past it. Very late in the day, another column of
trucks and vehicles tried to make Tournai-Sur-Dives. They were already blocked and
turned south into other stopped vehicles. Breaks were in the column as they tried to
dodge the fire, but soon they came to a halt, and as it grew dark only occasional
movement could be seen. Grouped vehicles in Villedieu Les Balleul were given as
interdiction for the night."
The above extracts were just a few brief samples of what our air liaison did during the whole
engagement. Those targets that could not be adjusted from the ground were referred to him, and he took
them over with devastating results.
Aside from the terrific firing that was continued over the period of three days, we had a little
excitement on the morning of August 21. That morning as we were all going to breakfast we heard that
familiar washing machine engine flying overhead. The ceiling was extremely low, therefore the plane
was down to about 300 feet, apparently looking for German troops, though at the time we thought that
perhaps he was looking for us. We all had the same question on our lips, "why in hell doesn't the ack-
ack open up on him?" On his third circle every known gun, that is 40 mm and 50 calibers opened up as
he made a sharp bank right over the batteries, and he immediately burst into flames crashing about two
hedgerows away from us. Everyone broke into a dead run for the plane, more for souvenirs and to see
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