Uncommonly Hobert: Falaise Gap / Chambois, France.

Hobert Winebrenner fought at the Falaise Gap.

It’s April, and tax time for procrastinators everywhere in the States, including the History Junkie.  This past weekend, I was shuffling through stacks of papers, looking for that golden receipt that might save HJ some cash when I came across another random note from my old pal, Hobert.  It was a October 1944 newspaper article from the Bridgeport (Connecticut) Telegram retyped on a clean sheet of copy paper.  I can just picture Hobert some fifty years ago, pecking away at the keys on an old typewriter.  Again, it put a smile on my face.  Thanks old buddy.

“NEW HAVENER TELLS HOW YANKS ROUTED NAZIS IN CHAMBOIS TRAP

“WASHINGTON Oct 8 – (AP) One of the major feats of the American Infantry was the drive of the American Third Army from the incredible Chambois ambush in France to Metz and beyond, in the opinion of Lt. Col. Donald L. Durfee, of New Haven, Conn., infantry observer with the 90th Infantry Division.

“Durfee has just returned to the United States to make his report at Army Ground Forces Hq.  He stated today that, contrary to widespread belief, it was the foot-slogging doughboy who spearheaded the rapid push to Metz.  He believes that because Lt. Gen. George C. Patton commands the Third Army, many people here in the U.S. think that armored units led the advance.

“INFANTRY LED THE WAY — ‘It was the standard triangular Infantry Division that led the push all the way,’ he said.  ‘In support was one battalion of tanks, but otherwise it was all foot soldiers.  Naturally, some of the troops were motorized, but a good part of the men went by foot.  In one day a unit of the 90th Inf. Division marched 27 miles and still was ready to fight.

‘The 90th Infantry Division is doing a beautiful job.  It is highly respected by the Germans.  We found that out from prisoners of war who said they knew it was the 90th chasing them and that the 90th was one of the toughest they had met.’

“He (Durfee) saw the Chambois ambush from start to finish, often from observation posts watching the destruction of remnants of the German Seventh Army, which was virtually wiped out in France. ‘It was really incredible,’ Durfee said.  ‘This campaign which began with the advance north from LeMans and culminated with the juncture of American and British forces north of Chambois will forever be regarded as one of the most brilliant episodes in the Battle of France.  The 90th Inf. Div. initiated the campaign in a support roll, subsequently became the motivating factor in the success of the scheme.’

“NAZI FORCES ROUTED –  ‘The Nazi defeat there was plainly a rout,’ he said.  ‘It was every man for himself.  The roads were cluttered with all kinds of equipment, horses, tanks, artillery, foot soldiers and supplies, all mixed together and all being shot to pieces by the remarkable marksmanship of our artillery.  The greatest number of shots I saw fired at any one vehicle was four rounds by a 57 mm gun.  Many hits were made with just a single round.  There were a number of sunken roads running between hedgerows.  The Germans were trying to escape along these roads.  Our technique was simple–we’d smash the leading vehicle and then the last vehicle.  And there they were, trapped and ready for our guns to cut the column to bits.  There was a general looting going on among the Germans too.  We found many wagon loads of French clothing and shoes.  We found horses tangled in their harnesses, just abandoned because drivers couldn’t take time to untangle them.’

“CAPTURE MUCH EQUIPMENT — ‘We got vast quantities of technical equipment and radio sets.  We captured mobile ordnance shops and medical laboratories and also two complete field hospitals with all their personnel and equipment.  The field hospitals continued to operate under their own doctors with German wounded being treated as they had been prior to capture.  In two days the 90th Inf. Div. took 10,000 prisoners.  In a period of four days the Division took over 13,000 prisoners, killed or wounded 8,000 Germans and 1,800 horses, freeing 1,000 more horses which we turned over to the French.  All this the Division accomplished at the cost of only 600 casualties and a loss of five tanks, two anti-tank guns and six vehicles for the entire campaign.  It was the greatest ambush of the war.’

“Durfee is a regular army officer, a West Point graduate of 1934.  His home is at 1655 Norton Street, New Haven, where his wife and two sons live.  He continued with the 90th Infantry Division to a point north of Metz, leaving it on Sept. 20th to return to Washington.”

Thanks again, Hobert.

2 Responses to “Uncommonly Hobert: Falaise Gap / Chambois, France”

  1. Tristan says:

    Mike,
    did you receive my last email ? I sent it last week with some additional infos for you. Let me know if it worked !
    BTW, great article.
    Don’t forget that Canadian and French fought in the Gap as well.
    Actually, Maj. David Currie, C Sqd from 29th Rec. Arm. Rgt “The South Alberta”, 4th Canadian Arm. Div. was awarded the Victoria Cross for his courageous behavior west of Chambois. He is the only Canadian soldier who won the Victoria Cross (as prestigious in England as the MoH is in the US) in Normandy and this happened in the Gap.
    Another anecdote : Chambois was the first moment in the whole History that Polish and American soldiers fought together on the same battlefield. It had never happened before August 1944 !
    Best.

    • mikemccoy says:

      Tristan,

      Yes, I did receive your info. Look for it in a post yet this week. Thanks again.

      And absolutely, we must not forget the contributions of the Canadians and French at the Falaise Gap. Thank you for bringing it to my attention.

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