The Normandy Invasion – My Fathers Untold Story: The Campaign for Brest

My Fathers Untold Story: The Campaign for Brest

World War II – Normandy Invasion

by Dennis Blackmore, U. S. Navy (retired)

On the 18th of August, the battalion commander and operations officer received movement orders at a meeting at Regimental Headquarters. The Division was to move all its units into a combat zone on the Brittany Peninsula with the mission of capturing that portion of the City of Brest within its zone of action.

The Battalion was ordered to be ready to move by motor to an assembly area in the vicinity of Lesneven on the Brittany peninsula at 2300 hours that night.

The movement started according to plan, and at 2345, the Battalion convoy had crossed the IP. It travelled all night past sleeping homes shrouded in darkness, and all day through French towns thronged with happy villagers and along highways lined with French people, joyous with liberation, who threw flowers, bouquet, and fruit at the troops, and when possible handed up some hard cider, receiving in return, most delightedly, portions of "K" rations and cigarettes.

After traveling 212 miles from Tinchebray, the Battalion reached its destination, Tremagenyan, at 1615, 19 August. The execution of the continuous 17 hour motor move without accident spoke well of the ability and discipline of our drivers. The next day, the Regiment was informed of its battle task.

The 38th infantry regiment had been selected to be the infantry elements of the task force which had been assigned the mission of securing the Daoulas Peninsula which extended from the mainland just south of the City of Brest. The 38th infantry regiment with attached supporting units was to be known as Task Force "B", under the command of brigadier General Van Fleet, Assistant Division Commander. This operation was to precede the seizure of Brest itself.

General Patton’s swift advance had struck in many directions, and the unit sent against Brest had been halted several miles from the city, which was extremely well defended. The fall of Brest could be very useful at the time as a port for supplies which were urgently needed now that the battle lines in France were expanding so swiftly. The importance of the Daoulas Peninsula lay in the fact that it’s commanding high round overlooked Brest.

On the 20th of August, orders came down for the battalion to be prepared to make a foot movement to an assembly area southwest of the town of Landerneau. On the following day, the battalion left remagneyan and moved to an assembly area on the Daoulas Peninsula. It was here that some members of the FFI (Free French of the Interior) offered their services and were assigned to the various companies; being well conversant with the country, they proved helpful in pointing out enemy positions and strong points. Here too was revealed the other units in Task Force "B"; 3rd Battalion, 330th Infantry Regiment; one battalion of self-propelled 105mm guns; "C" battery, 332nd Field Artillery Battalion (155m); and two companies of Tank Destroyers.

The Battalion moved out on the 23rd of August and established itself in the vicinity of Traon. At 1300 hours, it was ordered to take over the 3rd Battalion’s positions near Rerdu, which was some three miles northwest of Plougastel-Daoulas. This key to the enemy’s positions on the Peninsula lay behind a strong defensive line running through Le Fresq and Lesquivit and extending on both flanks down to the water. The line itself utilizing the natural strength of hedgerows was extremely well dug in and was protected around Lesquivit by AT and AP mines. For fire support of their line the Germans used their coastal guns on Crozon, AA guns on the Brest side of the Landerneaw River, and AA, AT and self propelled guns on the Daoulas Peninsula itself.

For manning their lines the Germans had between 3000 and 4000 men. The battalion displaced to Le Dreff without meeting opposition, and then to Le Cosquien St Jean where it met some machine gun fire. The same day, at 1745, the Germans blew the modern concrete bridge, the only bridge between Brest and the Daoulas Peninsulas. It was not evident that the Germans intended to stay on the Peninsula.

The next day, 24 August, the Battalion sent out patriots and reconnaissance groups to establish the main enemy defensive positions and establish contact with the 3rd, 330th infantry. Information obtained several days earlier form the FFI was confirmed when elements of E and G companies received machine gun fire from the exact spots we had plotted on our maps.

At 0845, 25 August, Regiment issued its attack order. This order called for the 2nd Battalion to attack in the Regimental zone on a 2500 yard front with the objective of seizing Plougastel, then moving on down to the Peninsula’s tip. Artillery fire was on call – no preparation was planned.

At 1300 hours, companies "E" and "F" jumped off and immediately ran into small arms and automatic fire. The companies moved ahead, nonetheless, until they ran into extremely heavy concentrations of flat trajectory fire; at 1435, the battalion commander reported that the battalion had "met a brick wall". Against the mutually supporting machine guns, excellently reinforced as they were by mortars and artillery there could be no forward movement without excessive casualties. An attempt to bring tanks and TD up was made, but these, restricted as they were by the unfavorable Normandy like terrain were soon immobilized by a deluge of AT fire. A report of the situation was made to Regiment and at 1935 the Battalion was ordered to withdraw the 400 yards it had gained.

The attack was to be renewed at 0800 on the 26th. However, this time we were to attack under much more favorable conditions. All night long the enemy was punished and harassed by the TOT’s, the Battalions zone of action was cut in half, the 1st Battalion was given the right 1200 yards of our original zone, we moved the attached tanks and TD’s, under cover of darkness to positions where they could put direct fire on the enemy’s positions, our heavy machine guns were placed for over-head fire, and a 15 minute artillery preparation was planned and delivered beginning at 0745.

Companies "E" and "F" jumped off at 0800; "E" was to take La Fresq, "F" was to take Lesquivit. Immediately both assault companies ran into heavy automatic and flat trajectory fire from the two fiercely contested strong-points. By 0845, however, the ground taken the day before was retaken. Thereupon, the battalion commander, Lt. Col. Norris requested of Regiment and received permission to shift company "E" over into the 1st Battalion’s zone, then have this company attack south, flanking the resistance holding up Companies "F" and "G", company "G" having been committed on the right of "F". These tactics proved most effective, for in short order the fire on Company "G" began to slacken and a good number of prisoners were taken by both "E" and "G".

The resistance in front of Company "F", however, still remained stubborn, but this too, was reduced when Company "G" made a similar flank attack on these defenses. When the Battalion consolidated its positions for the night on the 27th all three Companies were in the line. The strong defenses around Lesquivit and Le Fresq were no more, and we were ready to take up the assault of Plougastel itself. The prisoners taken on these two days number 247.

The attack on the 28th was resumed at 1000 hours. The jump off was effected by Companies "F" and "G", "E" being placed in reserve due to heavy losses, sustained in action around Le Fresq. The assault companies met no resistance until 1100 when "G" reported assault companies had contact and had entered Plougastel meeting little resistance within the town and taking numerous prisoners.

By 1540, "G" had pushed all the way through Plougastel to Hill 133 southwest of the town where it was ordered to hold fast until company "F"’, which earlier in the day had to take care of a counter thrust made against their left flank and near, could move up abreast. To protect Company "F"’s left flank, a platoon from "E" company was rushed over in the gap between us and the 3rd Battalion of the 330 the Infantry. This day, the 28th, put the town of Plougastel securely in our hands, gave us the last remaining high ground on the Peninsula, and broke the back of further German resistance. 128 prisoners were taken.

At 0930 the next day, patrols were sent out with the mission of locating the enemy’s next line of defense and to spot any possible strong points in the way of advance. At 1100, a French doctor informed members of the forward command group that there were groups of enemy including a colonel willing to surrender at St. Christine. At 1140, Lieutenant Erwin, Company "H" Commander and an interpreter made plans to go to St Christine and accept their surrender.

After they left, the battalion received order to advance to the vicinity of Kervezingai, and if not held up to send combat patrols ahead to reconnoiter. The Battalion jumped off at 1300. News finally came from St. Christine group stating that as they had made no contact with the group sought; they were instructed to keep trying. By 1440, the advance units were moving forward at a swift pace meeting no effective resistance and taking many prisoners.

Indeed so rapid did the advance become that at 1620, Regiment directed that all restraint on movement forward be lifted and that the battalion move on to the tip of the peninsula prior to darkness. At 1720, came the report on the results of the St. Christine party. At 1620, the commander of the German garrison on the peninsula, a Colonel Bauman, a Major Roehm and some members of their staff had been contacted at Keronzei.

The Colonel had agreed to surrender, but due to faulty communications, he stated that some units on the southern tip could not be reached and might continue to resist. However, he had issued orders immediately for the cessation of hostilities on the peninsula. Following this there was no opposition as the battalion moved on to its final objectives. The day’s prisoner count was 456.

This Plougastel Peninsula adventure, though not as rough as Normandy, had cost the Battalion close to 200 casualties, and in return gave us the main enemy’s defenses around Lesquivit and Plougastel, and by actual count 956 PW’s including the garrison Commander, Colonel Bauman.

To be continued……….

Dennis Blackmore, U. S. Navy (retired)
REALTOR®, Avalar Realty, Virginia Beach, VA