Mayenne liberation part two

 A month ago we celebrated the liberation of ville Mayenne, a photo dump of photos I have collected over the last ten years 

Ville Mayenne bombing 1944 Part 1

 Ville Mayenne 1944

As I commence my Ville Mayenne build I wanted to look at the buildings that were destroyed by allied bombing during the preparation and during the landings so I could add them to my build. The archives here have a number of useful photos I thought I would add. Also some before and after shots of the area I want to build. This post is more of an overview, the follow post will more in detail to the Ville. 

Ville Mayenne, at the top is the German barracks and the route to Oisseau and the radar station 

A close up of the two road bridges, on the left is the Basilica bridge, on the right is the bridge in front of The Grand Hotel now known as the McCracken bridge.

Bombing in June 1944 on the south east bank of the river,the absolutely hammered section is the railway station and stock yards 

Looking from McCracken bridge towards the renaissance bridge in the foreground and the railway viaduct in the background. Both were demolished by the Germans after the breakout occurred at Avaranches on the 2nd of August.

This photo really shows the depth of the embankment looking at the basilica of Norte Dame in the background, just to the left was the renaissance bridge and too the right about 100m is the McCracken bridge. 

Facing southeast the bridge to the right is the McCracken bridge, in the foreground are the lavoir and former water Mill, in the background is the edge of the Military hospital. The bridge had 6 500lb bombs strapped under the arches by the Germans in preparation to destruction. 

The Hospice, further upstream from the McCracken bridge, the former Moulin was full of refugees at the time of the bombing of the city by American aircraft in June. 

The Railway Viaduct, designed by Gustavo Eiffel, destroyed by the Germans in August 44, below this you can see the weir. Opposite are the gate keepers house and a Floch Maison behind had a German garrison, which was captured on the 5th of August by members of the 90th inf division.  

The Basilica of Notre Dame des Miracles, many of the medieval buildings were damaged or destroyed by the bombing in June, to the left is the chateau, the forked road to the left goes up to the marketplace 

The Carolingian Chateau of Mayenne, it was being used as a transit prison for German forced labour, to the right is the Basilica 

A photo from the 60’s, however a good view of the south east bank staging area for the linen barges 

Photos of the damaged Basilica from the June 44 bombing

The damaged church at the hospital, the hospital and hospice had more than 300 casualties from the bombing in June 44

The damaged railway Viaduct, looking back towards the city side of the river 

The flattened railway switch yards 

The route to Aaron, much of the fighting between the 5th and 13th of August occurred in the southeastern part of the city 

Another view of the switch yards, the line to the right went over the viaduct 

A view back towards McCracken bridge North toward the Barracks and the route to Oisseau, Ernée, Fougeres after the city was taken, three 88mm guns defended the south eastern side of the river along with two flak 20mm.

Next installment will be the city streets and some more photos from the fighting. 

Cheers

Matt

708th Infantry Division in Pays de Loire August 1944

708th Division History

The 708th Infantry Division was created in February 1941 in the region of Metz and Strasbourg. Transferred to south west France as a static division in June manning on the coastal defences in the Gironde region. The 728 battalion was in the Gironde estuary at Royan, the 748th at Lesparre in Médoc. The 360th is stationed at Soulac, Lesparre (Saint-Vivian)and at the Caserne Nansouty in Bordeaux. Both artillery battalions are in positions along the Gironde river (1). For the muster to depart for Pays de Loire the 13th of July the Division numbered 8123 men.(2)

The 708th division was split up on the 2nd of July with part of the division to remain defending the positions along the coast and the remainder to be sent North to Pay’s de Loire to defend a new blocking line. The 360th regiment remained in the Festung Gironde Nord position along with the two fortress gun regiments 1280 (Blonville-sue-mer) and 1282 (Royan), KVGR (Gironde Harbour defence) the 708 field replacement battalion and RAD elements under the command of Generalmajor Arndt. 

A new structure was formed on the 13th of July (3) and the 708th field Division was appointed its former commander generalleutnant Herman Wilck. At this time the division also received nine self propelled Marder 1 sdkfz 135 Panzerjager and twelve 88mm Anti tank guns from 2/AOK1 reserves. The division commenced movement on the 2nd of August by train and vehicles via Angers, then North to join the blocking line and deployed in a triangle defensive position, from Domfront (Normandy ) along the Mayenne river through Ambrieres, Ville Mayenne to Laval to the south and then. following the national highway to Le Mans (German 7th Army HQ), then back via Sillé-le-Guillaume back to Mayenne.  

Most of the division was in place by the 5th, however the American 90th Infantry Division had already captured the important remaining river bridge across the Mayenne river at Ville Mayenne on the afternoon of the 5th of August and then formed a bridgehead driving deep towards Le Mans. 

The 708th divisions 1st and 3rd battalions of 728th Regiment joined the counterattack on the Mayenne river breach flanks from the direction East from Aaron and Pre-en-Pail from the N12 north of Mayenne. The Kampfgruppe Coretti assaulted the north east of the city and was commanded by Oberst Julius Coretti (appointed by 7th Army HQ). Counter attacks persisted over the 6th and 7th of August. The Kampfgruppe consisted of the reconnaissance battalion Panzer Lehr, III Kp (6 x sturmgeshütz  III) of Sturmgeschützbrigade 341, 1st Sicherungs Regiment, flak battalion 496 (most of the battery were lost in the fighting in Mayenne), a Radfahr battalion (30?), Luftwaffe Landschutzen Lisieux (elements from the radar station at Oisseau), plus another Kampfgruppe Reich from 9th Panzer Division on the 7th and 8th of August. Over the next three days fierce night and street fighting between Aaron and Mayenne erupted which almost destroyed Kampfgruppe Coretti with the remainder retreating towards Sille Le Guilliame, Pre-en-Pail and Evron on the 9th August.

Thirty Kilometers south Between the 5th and 6th of August heavy fighting occurred around Laval, a second breach and crossing of the river occurred south at Laval by 5th US Armoured, 105th Cavalry and 79th Infantry Division. Kampfgruppe Oberst Kutzen defending Laval and the Laval lufwaffe airfield (elements 91st Infantry Division, 17th SS Panzerjager Abteilung, 708 Fusilier battalion, 842 Flak battalion and Sicherungs Regiment 195) many were caught in a pincer movement and surrounded (1667 prisoners) with escaping units retreating towards Le Mans on the route National.

The division reorganised and prepared a new blocking line as elements of the 9th Panzer arrived to help defend Le Mans, again being savaged at Evron and Saint Suzanne (where majority of the artillery regiment was destroyed or captured) retreating through Sillé-le-Guillaume north towards Alençon, hasty kampfgruppes were thrown together to prevent the the breakthrough, however against overwhelming odds the front had collapsed by the 9th. On the 10th generalleutnant Herman Wilck was wounded when his car was destroyed by artillery fire and command fell to Oberst Bruno Gerlock and by the 18th much of the division was surrounded and surrendered (Gerlock was captured on the 19th)(5) . The remainder of the Divisions men either escaped into the Falaise pocket and moved west via Chartres with the retreating German VIIth army.

708th Infantry Division Commanders 

The division's former commander, Generalmajor Arndt with his aides Hauptmann Wilhelm Schöps and Oberleutnant Arthur Jordan were captured on the 24th of August and executed by Free French Forces south of Troyes on 27th August at Chateau de Grogny, there bodies have never been found.

Commanded by lt General Herman Wilck a WW1 veteran, he commanded the highly decorated Kaiser Franz Garde Grenadier 2nd Battalion where he was awarded the Iron Cross first, second class and the Pour le Merite. He was wounded in his vehicle by artillery on the 10th of August and replaced by Oberst Bruno Gerloch.

Photo with permission, Sarthe Août 1944 Histoire d'une libération, Fabrice Avoie

Organisation 708th Infantry Division

Organisation 13th April 1944

728th Grenadier Regiment

I 728 battalion
HQ Kp

I Kp cycles 12 MMG, 2x 120mm mortar
II kp 12 MMG
III kp 12 MMG, 2 x 81mm mortars, 1 x 120mm mortar
IV kp 12 MMG, 4 x 81mm mortars

II 728 battalion
HQ Kp
V Kp
VI Kp
VII Kp
VIII Kp

XIV kp
I ZUG 3 x 75mm
II ZUG 3 x 50mm
II Zug 18 x panzerschrek

748th Grenadier battalion

Oberst Lebrecht-Georg von Viebahn von der Borne Photo with permission, Sarthe Août 1944 Histoire d'une libération, Fabrice Avoie

I battalion Oberst Heyer (664 men 17th July)Consisted of 50% Polish volunteers and Silesian’s.

HQ Kp

I Kp cycles 12 MMG, 2 x 81mm mortar, 1x 120mm mortar
II kp 12 MMG 2 x81mm mortar, 1 x 120mm mortar
III kp 12 MMG, 2 x 81mm mortars, 1 x 120mm mortar
IV kp 12 MMG, 4 x 81mm mortars, 3 x 120mm mortars

III battalion Major Leister
HQ Kp

IX Kp cycles 12 MMG, 2x 120mm mortar
X kp 12 MMG
XI kp 12 MMG, 2 x 81mm mortars, 1 x 120mm mortar
XII kp 12 MMG, 4 x 81mm mortars


XIV Komp Hauptmann Karl
1 ZUG 3 x 75mm antitank
2 ZUG 18 panzerschreck
3 ZUG 2 x 47mm anti tank

1708 artillery regiment (658 men)

I battalion
I battery 4 x French Schneider 105mm horse
II battery 4 x French Schneider 105mm horse
III battery 4 x French Schneider 105mm motorised
IV battery 4 x French Schneider 105mm horse


II battalion
V battery 4 x 7.62cm IKH 290(r) in II./1708 Art 76 mm M1927 regimental guns were placed into service as the 7.62 cm Infanteriekanonehaubitze 290(r) (infantry gun-howitzer), horse drawn
VI battery as above
VII battery as above
VIII battery 4 x 122mm Russian
IX Battery 4 x 122mm Russian

708 Anti Aircraft

I battery
4 x 20mm AA horse towed

II battery
5 x 20mm AA horse towed

708 (II Abteilung 748 ) Fusilier Abteilung Hauptmann Knerrlich 

Defended Laval with Kaupfgruppe Oberst Kutzen, the 667 men on the 13th July were mounted on cycles and acted as the recon element of the Kampgruppe, formally the second Abteilung of 748th Regiment.

HQ Kp

I Kp cycles 12 MMG, 2 x 81mm, 2x 120mm mortar
II kp cycles 12 MMG, 2 x 81mm, 1 x 120mm mortar
III kp cycles 12 MMG, 2 x 81mm mortars, 1 x 120mm mortar
IV kp cycles 12 MMG, 4 x 81mm mortars, 3 x 120mm mortars

708 Panzerjager Abteilung

Attached is the war structure of the Pz.Jg.Abt.708 from July 2, 1944, from reserves.
On the 13th July 140 men 1.Pz.Kp 9 x Marder I sdkfz 135

2.Pz.Kp. (mot. Z) with 5 x 8.8 cm anti-aircraft guns (assigned from AOK1)

3.Pz.Kp. with 12 x 2cm anti-aircraft guns on self-propelled gun sdkfz 10/5

708 pioneer battalion Hauptmann Ahfeld 1 komp Mayenne

II komp (deployed) Foret grand Charlie cycles 
III Komp (deployed) St Ouen en champagne French truck

708 Sanitäts company

I plan to build command elements, two infantry regiments, artillery and the Panzer jager companies for Rapid Fire

References 

Photos with permission, 

Sarthe Août 1944 Histoire d'une libération, Fabrice Avoie

Cheers

Matt

Terrain bits arrived

 As I charge on with my Ville Mayenne build I have purchased some walls and fences for the gardens and the wall for the river and port. Work will progress this week as I work on the structure of the river first, then the bridges. 

Cheers

Matt

Mayenne 1944 build

 A bit more in progress work on my 20mm building for my ww2 Mayenne city table, doctor Morriset house, which was the lodging of the commandants  of the Oisseau Wurzburg/ Freya radar station 

The building is a post office from the Vollmer HO scale range,I have two of these one is the post office for my Nijmegen table. I managed to get the roof off and plan to build a floor in the top. The base colours are on, the washes and the weathering will commence once I complete the interior and base it. I ordered the garden fences today for the front and have printed the rear garden stone fences.

I also managed to pick up some Masonite today to commence the street layout of the six tiles for the city. 

Cheers

Matt. 

Mayenne Build : Maison particular ville WIP

Mayenne Ville Build

This year I want to commence my Ville Mayenne city tiles that can be used for any major French city really on a river. one side will be predominately intact with a few damaged buildings the other side heavily damaged to represent Ville Mayenne in August 1944.

My main focus for the build will be the main buildings between place de Cheverus to the Pont McCracken where a majority of the fighting occurred in the city.

Maison Particular

This week a new work in progress of a recent second hand purchase of some model railway buildings I picked up at a market very cheaply. The first building is a Vollmer post office which I will convert to a town house (Maison Particular ). This building will represent Dr Morrisett’s house which was the headquarters for the German commander of the Oisseau radar station. First up I washed the building in warm soapy water, then cleaned up the glue and prepared the rear of the building for render treatment. As I want it to represent the actual building a little more. I did think about cutting it up but have decided against it. I also need to scratch build a garage for the Maison and front gates.

Dr Morrisets House, the commandant of the Oisseau radar station 3 klm north west of the city.

Garage detail

The dependencies

a 20mm figure sitting on the steps

Building rear, I will render this and add plastic card under the floating verandahs or add steps. 

cheers

Matt