Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (July 18, 1944)
Communiqué No. 85
Sporadic fighting from LESSAY to NOYERS has brought further gains of important and commanding ground for the Allies.
North of REMILLY-SUR-LOZON, we overran the villages of LA SAMSONNERIE and L’ABBAYE and they are now firmly in our hand.
On the west bank of the VIRE River, there was a mile-deep advance south of LE MESNIL-DURAND.
MARTINVILLE on one of the approaches to SAINT-LÔ has been taken.
There has been heavy fighting north of NOYERS and ÉVRECY. HAUT DES FORGES has been captured.
Enemy airfields, troops, gun positions, rail centers, and fuel and ammunition dumps were targets yesterday afternoon and evening for Allied aircraft which ranged through comparatively clear skies southward to the LOIRE and eastward to the SOMME.
In operations in close support of our ground forces, fighters and fighter-bombers hit many pin point targets in the path of our troops near SAINT-LÔ and blocked a highway in use by the enemy south of the town. Others successfully attacked guns and an ammunition dump near PÉRIERS. Airfields at LE MANS and at CORNE and VALADE, on the outskirts of ANGERS, were bombed and strafed with good results. Railway tracks were cut at SABLE-SUR-SARTHE and near CHARTRES and a railway bridge northeast of MANERS was severed.
Our fighters attacked an enemy headquarters south of CAEN, destroyed motor transport south of HOTTO, and made a number of sweeps deep into FRANCE.
Medium bombers in the afternoon attacked a fuel dump on the outskirts of ALENÇON and bombed trains and a transformer station near ARGENTAN.
Communiqué No. 86
Allied forces have broken through the enemy positions east of the river ORNE.
In an attack which commenced early this morning, supported by a terrific and accurate air bombardment, our troops have driven along the east bank of the river into the open country southeast of CAEN, where armored and mobile forces are now in action against strong enemy forces.
Along the ORNE, our troops are steadily clearing the enemy out of the area, including the town of VAUCELLES on the south bank of the river opposite CAEN. Heavy fighting continues.
In preparation for the advance, the massive weight of Allied airpower was concentrated in the heavily-defended CAEN sector at dawn today.
Waves of escorted heavy medium and light bombers, numbering more than 2,200, showered enemy troops, artillery and strongpoints south and southeast of CAEN with 7,000 tons of high explosive and fragmentation bombs.
The attack continued for almost four hours with the bomb line moving gradually southward ahead of our troops on prearranged schedule.
Fighter-bombers operating in great strength, in even more direct support of our advancing troops, sought out individual targets which might have impeded their progress. Others stabbed to the east and southeast of the target area to interfere with enemy air and ground movement.
No enemy aircraft appeared during the entire bombardment. Nine of our bombers are missing.
On the western sector, Allied troops have made another important advance at SAINT-LÔ. The high ground to the east of the town was captured by our forces this morning after very stiff resistance. Fighting continues in the vicinity of SAINT-LÔ itself.