Saint-Lambert, Calvados

Saint-Lambert-sur-Dives, commonly called Saint-Lambert, is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northern France. Its postal code is 14570 and its INSEE code is 14602.

History

The full name Saint-Lambert-sur-Dives recognises the Dives River that runs along the south edge of the village, location of the final battle of the Normandy campaign of 1944. While often referred to as the Battle of the Falaise Gap, Saint-Lambert was the last village in the narrowing gap between the Canadians and Polish forces advancing southwards from Falaise and Trun, and the American and Free French forces pushing northwards from Argentan and Chambois. The capture of Saint-Lambert would finally close the "Gap", and trap tens of thousands of German troops in the Falaise pocket.

On August 18, 1944 Major David Vivian Currie, commanding the Sherman tanks of C Squadron of the 29th Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (The South Alberta Regiment), with attached infantry from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada and the Lincoln and Welland Regiment (all of the Canadian 4th Armoured Division), was ordered to move from Trun to capture and hold the village, and to attempt to link up with the American forces understood to be advancing towards the village from Chambois. Events in and around St. Lambert over the next three days would eventually be recognized by the awarding of the Victoria Cross to Major Currie.

During the early hours of the action, four personal from the Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit arrived in St. Lambert in two jeeps. They were able to record the events as they unfolded in black and white photographs (taken by photographer Lt. Donald I. Grant) and on cine film (taken by cameraman Sgt. Jack Stollery). The cine film captures the moment when Major Currie sees a German convoy coming towards the Canadian position, pulls his pistol and steps out to take the officer commanding the convoy by surprise, forcing him to surrender his troops. Lt. Grant's still photo captures the German officer in the seconds after his surrender, his arms still in the air.

ee also

*Communes of the Calvados department

References

"Based on the article in the French Wikipedia."