Kampfgruppe Kutzen, Laval 5/6th August 1944 Pays de Loire

 Laval 1944

During Pattons 3rd armies breakout from Normandy first through Brittany then into Pay’s de Loire in early August 1944 the first real defensive line it met was along the Mayenne River, only three bridges remained along its 200klm length, one at Ville Mayenne (captured by task force Weaver) and another south of Laval at Houssay and the third near Chateau Gontier (captured by the 2e Demi brigade).

  Laval is the regional capital of the department of Mayenne in Pays de Loire. The city sits astride the river Mayenne a tributary of the Maine then Loire river. The city is a major transport rail and road link for western France.  The Laval rail infrastructure was the main east west corridor between east and western France. Consequently the city was frequently bombed by the allies, the rail viaduct bridge was damaged twice and finally destroyed allied bombing in late July of 1944 cutting the route west to Rennes and Bretagne. Laval also had important rail centre it had two large rail yards (one east and one west of the river) it was also the junction for 6 light railway lines in the region for moving iron, stone, food, linen canvas, livestock and troops east and west and north and south.

Laval also is the crossroads of two main highways, the N157 east west Paris, Le Mans to Rennes and coast, and a huge number of Main departmental roads south to Nantes and Angers,  Tours - Orleans east, and N12 Alençon - Caen- Paris to the North.

The three road bridges that crossed the river in the city were destroyed by the retreating German units on the 6th, the morning the Americans arrived, how ever both river weir walls were traversable on foot after the FFI had opened the sluice gates draining the river.

South of Laval also was a major airfield that was built by the Armee de l’Air in 1914 and used in the defence of France in 1940. Captured by the Germans it was used as a luftwaffe base hosting bombers of ZG76, KG2 and two fighter sqaudrons of FW190 from JG2, and Me109 JG27. Consequently the southern part of the city was heavily bombed by the allied air forces 7 times in 1944 leading up to June.  This lead to the dispersal of the Luftwaffe group to various fields in the region. 

The Borel (Société Générale des Constructions Industrielles et Mécaniques) aircraft factory was in the central city right beside the railway bridge. The factory built radiators and seaplane hulls for Dornier 24 seaplanes were assembled for the Luftwaffe, then floated down the river for further assembly in Angers. It was damaged twice in the June 1944 bombing of the centre of the city. 

Defending Laval

 Kampfgruppe Kutzen was commanded by Oberst Hans Kutzen, tasked to create a blocking line to allow the retreating supply units  in front of the American breakout to gain safe refuge behind the Mayenne defence line. Reinforcements arriving included 9th Panzer, 1st Sicherung and 708th infantry division were rushing to the Pay’s de Loire area to join the river defensive line also but would not be in position fully until the 6-8th of August.  

The kampfgruppe consisted of elements of 

91st Infantry Division, retreating elements 

17th SS anti tank Abteilung (who were not in position fully when the Americans arrived and fought in the rear guard action along the Le Mans highway, jadgpanzer IV )

266 Infantry division, retreating elements 

319th infantry division, retreating elements 

708 Fusilier Abteilung, cycles, buses, French trucks two pak 40s

Heavy Flak Abteilung 842 & 124 (842 at Laval airfield) 

Luftwaffe feld defence unit depot laval ( laval airfield )

Retreating Luftwaffe support elements, formed an alarm company at the airfield. 

V &VI companies of Sicherungs Regiment 194 on cycles (no heavy weapons)

Sicherungs Regiment 195, 3rd battalion plus elements from Rennes, 3 rifle coys no heavy weapons. 

5th Fallschirmjager replacement battalion and various 5th FJR rear elements. 3 coys. 

Cheers

Matt