Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (June 15, 1944)
Communiqué No. 20
Further steady progress has been made west of CARENTAN and between the rivers VIRE and ELLÉ.
Allied troops have repulsed several violent armored attacks in the CAUMONT-TILLY sector with considerable loss to the enemy.
In the CHERBOURG PENINSULA, ground gained in the area of QUINÉVILLE has made available a valuable new outlet from the beaches.
During yesterday, mobile batteries on the flanks were engaged as necessary by Allied warships. On the eastern flank HMS BELFAST (Capt. A. H. MAXWELL-HYSLOP, AM RN) engaged the batteries of LE HAVRE.
During an unsuccessful enemy air attack in the western assault area, an enemy aircraft was shot down by the USS AUGUSTA (Capt. E. H. Jones, USN) wearing the flag of RAdm. ALAN GOODRICH KIRK, USN.
Convoys of Allied merchant ships are arriving satisfactorily and the armies continue to build up with men, stores and equipment.
Allied aircraft in great strength ranged from the CHERBOURG PENINSULA southwards to the LOIRE and eastwards to CHARTRES and PARIS, continuing their attacks on communications, airfields, and tactical targets. Coastal aircraft kept up their attacks on enemy shipping in the channel early today.
Heavy bombers in great strength attacked many targets in FRANCE this morning, including railyards at ANGOULÊME, airfields near BORDEAUX and PARIS, and railway bridges near TOURS. They were escorted by strong forces of fighters which also strafed ground targets. In these operations, twelve enemy planes were destroyed. Three of our bombers and three of our fighters are missing.
Medium and light bombers attacked bridges at CONDÉ-SUR-NOIREAU, SAINT-LÔ, LESSAY, CHARTRES and COLTAINVILLE, and a road junction at ARGENTAN. None of these bombers was lost.
Fighter bombers and fighters provided close support for the ground forces and swept over NORMANDY, attacking supply dumps, troop concentrations, tanks, convoys, and railway bridges. Other fighters attacked a ferry at QUILLEBEUF near the mouth of the SEINE. In the course of a patrol this morning, five enemy fighters were destroyed near ÉVREUX.
Photographic reconnaissance shows that the German naval forces in the port of LE HAVRE suffered very severely from the attack by heavy night bombers on the evening of June 14.