This relic is a German anti-aircraft gun type 38. He stayed for 69 years on the same place where he was knocked out. Vestige of the battle, he bears the scars of the violence of the fighting that occurred in the valley of the Dives at the end of August 1944.
Left for more than half a century in operation agricultural gun was lost during the battle. He belonged to a convoy that was destroyed before it could cross the Dives. He wears impacts at multiple locations that reflect the violence of the fighting that took place.
Aware
historical interest, but also the tourist attractiveness of this relic, the commune of Saint-Lambert-sur-Dives bought in 2012. The village, share the important role he held during the battle, already has several monuments evoking the fighting in 1944.
The village is also soon undertake major development work. The establishment of the barrel and the organization of the space that will host are included in the financing of work. It will be installed in the center of the village a few kilometers from where he was knocked out. An explanatory panel will give the public a historical and technical information.
Food
To date, no relic of fighting in 1944 is visible in the community. Respond to public expectations implementation of this authentic canon aims. An association was created, to raise funds to for the rehabilitation and maintenance of the gun weapon
having remained many years exposed to the elements, a major restoration to be undertaken to ensure. its preservation and public presentation. The first operation was to demilitarize. Wheels and mudguards missing must be submitted. The gun still needs to be sanded and past the rust. Finally, camouflaged, identical to the original, some traces are still visible paint will be applied. It should be implemented before the end of first quarter 2014.
“After two and a half months of fighting incurred during the landing on June 6 on the Normandy coast, German troops find themselves encircled in the Falaise-Chambois” traces Stéphane JONOT, Director Memorial. “Near 100,000 Germans from 12 divisions to deliver fierce fighting to escape the trap tended their allied forces. In the south, the Americans and the French. To the west the British. Canadian north. On August 19, the German army rushes into a vast movement to break the Allied device and escape to the surrounding. Under an artillery barrage, harassed by a myriad of fighter-bombers, the Germans rushed to the bridge and ford that bridge the natural barrier of Dives.
Advantage of the terrain, allies s’ picking on bottlenecks. Saint-Lambert-sur-Dives are two of the three crossing points available for the Germans. The artillery, fighter-bombers and the Canadian infantry maintain a constant pressure on these two points.
Aircraft guns are then the only weapon available to repel the German aviation. The Germans did not hesitate to use strong firepower is automatic firing guns of 20 mm. Once past the Dives, the Germans involved in the death row, the name they have given themselves to this passage 5 km that leads to the foot of the hill held by the Poles. With concentric attacks from inside the pocket, but also outside, the Germans managed to open and maintain two breaches in which 50,000 of them will manage to exfiltrate until noon of 21 August time when Canadians and Poles manage to reach the town of Coudehard and permanently close the pocket.
At that time the Germans lost about 50,000 men with 10,000 killed and 40,000 prisoners, as well as a considerable amount of material including 187 tanks and 1,000 guns including a large number of pieces of 20 mm “.
Tags: argentan – Canon – war – World War II – Le Journal de l’Orne – Falaise Pocket – Relic – Saint-Lambert-sur-Dives – tourism
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