France: 2nd SS Panzer Corps located north Argentan, late Aug 16; 84th Corps to withdraw...

HW 1/3176

1944 Aug 17

France: 2nd SS Panzer Corps located north Argentan, late Aug 16; 84th Corps to withdraw to line east of Flers to Briouze, Aug 17 and 18; situation St Malo deteriorated Aug 17, Allied tanks and infantry 15 km west of Orleans, Orne front being withdrawn to Dives, situation of 7th Army and 5th Panzer Army serious; U-boat due to arrive Gironde redirected to Norway because of critical situation, U-boat loaded for Lorient ordered to off-load and proceed to Norway, Aug 16; Marseilles blockships with steam up ready for positioning for sinking; intentions 19th Army for Aug 15 destruction of Allied airborne troops and recapture main defence line, German tanks still west of Rhone because of destroyed bridges, lack of GAF operations, assault guns and anti-tank weapons, all Rhone bridges up to 60 miles from sea out of action; Corps Abteilung Lieb commanding miscellany of German and Italian troops to take over flank protection of Liguria; Allied break through with tanks east of Dives, south east of Mezidon; 47th Panzer Corps reported losses of men and material uncommonly high, supply difficulties increasing as were tank losses from lack of fuel; request from von Kluge to evacuate Normandy bulge while still possible, 47th Corps in no position to repel strong attacks; 3rd Parachute Division fighting strength down to 1,900, narrower sector requested; GAF report Allied columns passed through Dreux and Houdan towards south-east, Aug 16; Army Group's orders for withdrawal to line of Orne during night Aug 16-17; fighter protection requested by 7th Army and 1st Army for Orne crossings and at Orleans, Aug 16; German flak position found deserted south-west of Falaise, intended as protection of last Orne bridge; 9th SS Panzer Division intentions to close gap in front near Ecouche, Aug 16; U-boat shelter at Lorient intended as fortress for last stand.

Japanese ambassador, Berlin: use of poison gas, Aug 12.

Naval Headlines: although two German naval officers agreed to surrender to US troops, German Naval Harbour Master ordered to hold Concarneau to last cartridge then destroy harbour; Group West transferring from Paris to Saverne, north-west of Strasbourg, Aug 16-17; eleven special weapons operated Seine Bay night Aug 15-16, remaining 42 to operate following night, cooperation of GAF requested; Allied troops advancing along coastal road from St Tropez to Toulon, shipping allocated by German Naval Command, Italy for operation against bridgehead; arrangements for army and navy cooperation in Adriatic for defence of river estuaries; convoy HI-73 to leave Japan for Singapore, Aug 23.

Coversheet not included.

sx937

Public Record(s)

Open Document, Open Description