Poland · Warfare / World War, 2nd. Chronological records rendered directly from the World History Database.
The drive for Trun by Polish and Canadian Armoured Divisions began on August 16, with preliminary attacks in preparation for an assault against Trun and Chambois. Stanislaw Maczek, the Polish divisional commander, split his forces into three battlegroups each of an armoured regiment and an infantry battalion
Maczeks second armoured battlegroup manoeuvred southeast, capturing Champeaux and anchoring future attacks against Chambois across a six-mile front
Trun is liberated on the morning of August 18. The Polish 1st Armoured Division had outflanked the 12th SS Panzer Division, enabling several Polish formations to both reach the 4th Armoured Divisions objectives and significantly expand the bridgehead northwest of Trun
Novel tactics by Polish 1st Armoured Division, under the command of Stanislaw Maczek during the drive for Chambois, enabled the Falaise Gap to be partially closed by August 19, 1944, trapping about 150,000 German soldiers in the Falaise Pocket
Elements of the First Canadian Army relieved the Polish Armys survivors of this Battle and the Canadian Army was finally able to close the Falaise Pocket by linking up with the troops of the American 3rd Army on the other side
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