Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (July 2, 1944)
Communiqué No. 54
The Allied bridgehead across the River ODON stands firm despite continuous enemy assault.
All day Saturday there was fierce fighting, particularly on the west of the deep salient. The enemy made repeated counterattacks in a vain effort to cut off our wedge at its base. During the afternoon, the enemy managed once to effect some penetration, but this temporary success was vigorously beaten back with heavy loss to the enemy of men and tanks.
Enemy units forming up for a major attack were broken up by a concentration of Allied artillery fire and the attack collapsed.
Attacks by smaller forces, supported by a few tanks, have continued to prove very costly to the enemy. At least forty enemy tanks were knocked out.
The official count of prisoners taken since the initial landing now exceeds 4,000.
From midnight until noon today, air operations were confined to patrols over the area occupied by our forces.