Brittany Village
A Brittany Village
bigpigeon.us webpage WWII-Germany > The ETO > Liberation > Brittany, © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 9 Sep 2022.

​In early August 1944, German forces in Brittany withdrew into fortified strongpoints, while the remainder of the peninsula was liberated by French resistance fighters and VIII Corps of Patton's Third Army.
The Liberation of Brittany
The US Third Army, commanded by George Patton and operational on 1 August, was charged with securing Brittany, and in turn Patton had assigned his powerful VIII Corps to this task.

At the beginning of August, elements of VIII Corps began entering Brittany from the Avranches area of Normandy, spearheaded by the 4th and 6th Armored Divisions. Thereupon:
  • The large German forces in Brittany began withdrawing into the fortified ports marked with red on the accompanying map.
  • French resistance fighters took measures to facilitate the US advance.

Brittany, outside of the fortified ports, was quickly occupied, with the capital of Rennes falling to the 8th Infantry Division on August 4.

Unfortunately, German resistance in the fortified ports led to intense warfare, heavy casualties, and disappointing results.
The Liberation of Brittany
The Liberation of Brittany
VIII Corps Advance into Brittany
VIII Corps Advance into Brittany, 1-12 August 1944
Intensive combat on Brittany was confined to two lengthy sieges, the Battle of St. Malo and the Battle for Brest, both fought by VIII Corps units.
Battle of St. Malo, 4 August - 2 September 1944
VIII Corps' 83rd Infantry Division was the major Allied unit involved in the Battle of St. Malo.

The last German mainland fortress near St. Malo fell on 17 August and the last St. Malo island fortress fell on 2 September.
​
Like the larger port of Brest (see below), the St. Malo port facilities and infrastructure were thoroughly destroyed and were of no use by the ETO.
St. Malo Fortification
St. Malo Fortification Turret
Battle for Brest, 7 August - 20 September 1944
'The Allies very much needed the large port of Brest to support ETO activity in western Europe. In fact, Brest had been the major port used by the American Expeditionary Force in France in World War 1.

The Brest garrison surrendered to VIII Corps' 8th Infantry Division on 19 September, with the last outpost falling on 20 September.

The protracted VIII Corps Battle for Brest was costly in human lives, as you can see looking at the list of dead below.

By the time Brest was captured, its port facilities were so thoroughly destroyed that Brest was never useful in WWII.
The Battle for Brest
The Battle for Brest
General Eisenhower wisely close to leave Lorient and St. Nazaire, as well as several other French ports outside of Brittany, in German hands until WWII ended.
Brittany Liberated - Timeline and Order of Battle:
  • 1 August - US Third Army activated at western end of Allied line in Normandy. VIII Corps, transferred from the First to the Third Army, and is tasked with clearing Brittany. VIII Corps divisions are 4th Armored, 6th Armored, 8th Infantry, 83rd Infantry (as of 3 August)
  • 4 August - German forces in Brittany fall back to fortified seaports of Brest, St. Malo, Lorient, and St. Nazaire.
  • 13 August - the 4th Armored Division reassigned from VIII Corps to XII Corps.
  • 18 August - 2nd Infantry Division attached to VIII Corps from First Army's XIX Corps.
  • 19 August - 29th Infantry Division attached to VIII Corps from First Army's V Corps.
  • 5 September - the Ninth Army becomes operational w/ responsibility for Brittany and for the Loire River line east to Orleans. It initially consists of VIII Corps, transferred from the Third Army, containing five divisions.
  • 20 September 6th Armored Division assigned to Third Army's XII Corps.
Sources for Big Pigeon's The ETO > Liberation > Brittany webpage:
​Major Sources:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Saint-Malo Sources for webpage images:
​Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - The ETO > Liberation > Brittany: 03-02 - The ETO > Liberation > Brittany: (six dead, updated 31 Dec 2022)
  • On 5 September 1944, VIII Corps was reassigned from the Third Army to the new Ninth Army.
† Crockett, Oliver Eldon, SN 37-490-415, US Army, Pott. Co. & Gentry Co., MO
  • 23rd Inf. Regt., 2nd Inf. Div., VIII Corps, Ninth Army; KIA 11 Sep 1944 near Brest, Brittany, France; Battle for Brest - The ETO > Liberation > Brittany.
† Kreger, Lewis Elwin, SN 37-261-801, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • 28th Inf. Regt., 8th Inf. Div., VIII Corps, Third Army; KIA 31 Aug 1944, near Brest, Brittany, France; Battle for Brest - The ETO > Liberation > Brittany.
† Powell, Oliver Preston Jr., SN 37-420-870, US Army, Harrison Co.
  • 38th Inf. Regt., 2nd Inf. Div., VIII Corps, Ninth Army; KIA 9 Sep 1944, near Brest, Brittany, France; Battle for Brest - The ETO > Liberation > Brittany.
† Rihner, John Jerome, SN 37-422-955, US Army, Shelby Co.
  • Co. G, 116th Inf. Regt., 29th Inf. Div., VIII Corps, First Army, attached to VIII Corps, Third Army; KIA 3 Sep 1944 near Brest, Brittany, France; Battle for Brest - The ETO > Liberation > Brittany.
† Thompson, Albert Bernard, SN 37-394-633, US Army, Pott. Co. & Howell Co., MO
  • Co. A, 12th Engr. Combat Bn., 8th Inf. Div., VIII Corps, Third Army; KIA 30 Aug 1944 near Brest, Brittany, France; Battle for Brest - The ETO > Liberation > Brittany.
† Wright, Bruce Ware, SN 39-161-053, US Army, Pott. Co. & Los Angeles Co., CA
  • 13th Inf. Regt., 8th Inf. Div., VIII Corps, Third Army; KIA 31 Aug 1944 near Brest, Brittany, France; Battle for Brest - ​The ETO > Liberation > Brittany.