German Obergefreiter of 13th flak division captured 1st July 44 during the battle of Cherbourg.

German Obergefreiter of 13th flak division  captured 1st July 44 during the battle of Cherbourg.


Assault on Cherbourg
A German gun emplacement

On 18 June the US 9th Infantry Division reached the west coast of the peninsula, isolating the Cherbourg garrison from any potential reinforcements. 

Within 24 hours, the 4th Infantry, 9th and 79th Infantry Divisions were driving north on a broad front. 

There was little opposition on the western side of the peninsula and on the eastern side, and the exhausted defenders around Montebourg collapsed. 

Several large caches of V-1 flying bombs were discovered by the Americans in addition to a V-2 rocket installation at Brix.

In two days, the American divisions were within striking distance of Cherbourg. The garrison commander, Lieutenant General Karl-Wilhelm von Schlieben, had 21,000 men but many of these were hastily drafted naval personnel or from labour units.[citation needed] The fighting troops who had retreated to Cherbourg (including the remnants of von Schlieben's own division, the 709th), were tired and disorganised. Food, fuel and ammunition were short. 

The Luftwaffe dropped a few supplies, but these were mostly items such as Iron Crosses, intended to bolster the garrison's morale.[citation needed] Nevertheless, von Schlieben rejected a summons to surrender and began carrying out demolitions to deny the port to the Allies.

Collins launched a general assault on 22 June. Resistance was stiff at first, but the Americans slowly cleared the Germans from their bunkers and concrete pillboxes. Allied naval ships bombarded fortifications near the city on 25 June.

 On 26 June, the British elite force No. 30 Commando also known as 30 Assault Unit launched an assault on Octeville – a suburb to the south west of Cherbourg.

 This was the location of the Kriegsmarine naval intelligence HQ at Villa Meurice which the Commandos captured along with 20 officers and 500 men. 

On the same day the 79th Division captured Fort du Roule, which dominated the city and its defenses. 

This finished any organised defense. Von Schlieben was captured. 

The harbor fortifications and the arsenal surrendered on 29 June, after a ruse by Allied officers, Captain Blazzard and Colonel Teague, who convinced the German officers to surrender the peninsula, bluffing about their manpower and ordnance. Some German troops cut off outside the defenses held out until 1 July.

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