The tour below takes you to some points of remembrance of the slaughter in August, 1944, better known as 'The Falaise Pocket'. We start at Mont-Ormel, but you can start anywhere you like.

To get a good overview of the 'Falaise Pocket' you have to visit Mont-Ormel, 'Hill 262'. This is the hill from which the Polish troops had a good look into the valley of the 'Falaise Pocket'. There is a monument to remember the horror that took place in these area. Underneath the monument is a visitor centre where the whole story is told, step by step. In a little cinema they show fragments from 'The Corridor of Death'. A guide tells the whole story, also in English, of the struggle that took place on this spot.

Descent from Mont-Ormel into the valley, and head for Chambois, on the D 13, toward St-Lambert-sur-Dives. You are now driving in the small gap of the 'Pocket' through which the Germans escaped.

In September 2002, I had a nice surprise. I found out that there are still items to be found that reminds us to that fierce fighting in August 1944. Between Lambert-sur-Dives and Chambois was a small sector where the Germans could escape from the 'Falaise Pocket'. In this so called 'Corridor of Death', I found in a field a 20mm shell, a handle from an ammunition box and a (so far) unknown part (a German detonator?).

I have to warn you if you're looking for 'souvenirs'. It is still possible that among the potatoes some 'life' ammunition is hiding. If you may come across an item you don't trust, LET IT BE! DO NOT PICK IT UP!

Continue the tour towards Trun and head for Falaise. Here was once a museum, the Musée Août 1944, dedicated to the 'Faliase Pocket'. It was located just south of the castle from William the Conqueror (Château de Guillaume le Conquérant). It is now cloesed and made a restart in Colleville-sur-Mer as 'Overlord Museum'.

In Falaise is very little more to find of the battle which bears it's name. After the war the town was completely rebuilt.

Head north for Caen, but follow the old road beside the N 158 (the D 658). This is the road the Canadians took in 1944. After 16 km you drive into Grainville-Langannerie.

Many killed Polish fighters are buried at the Polish Cemetery at Grainville-Langannerie on the N158, halfway the road between Caen and Falaise. It is an impressive cemetery with 650 graves.

Another, Canadian cemetery, lies a few kilometres north from here. Leave Grainville and go north and head for Urville on the D 131. In Urville, take the first right and take the road to Haut-Mesnil and head for Cintheaux (on the D 167). Parallel on the highway, north of Cintheaux is the Canadian cemetery of Bretteville located (and it's not even located near Bretteville!). Buried in these grounds are 2957 soldiers (87 with no identity), most of them are Canadian.

In Cintheaux go left and go over the highway and head for St. Sylvain, towards St. Pierre-sur-Dives, on the D 183. Three kilometres out of St. Sylvain you'll see on the left side of the road, at the crossroad with the D 91, a pile of concrete remains of unknown origins. It seems to me it has something to do with the war of 1940-45, but what was it? An old V1 launching side? For some pictures of the remains, see the photopage. At the beginning of the pile stands a small momentum to honour three killed crewmembers of a B-26 Marauder. The Marauder 'Hitch Hiker' crashed near this point on July 28th, 1944.

At this crossraod, take the D 91 south to Maizières. In the village go left on the D 131 towards Estrées-la-Campagne. On the left of the road is after a couple of kilometres a small Canadian monument (see the page before this one).

Return to Maizières and head for Ernes and to Pierre-sur-Dives on the D 131. St. Pierre-sur-Dives is a very nice town to visit. Leave St. Pierre and take the D4 to Hiéville and Livarot. You are now on the road Generalfeldmarschall Rommel took to Livarot on Monday July 17, 1944. Probably Rommel left at some point the D4 and went on the southern back-road through St. Georges-en-Auge and Montivette to stay under cover of the trees and to avoid Allied fighterplanes.

For the allied fighter pilots it was business as usual on Monday 17 July, 1944. Spotting German troops, shoot them up or throw bombs on them. Since the invasion in Normandy thousands of vehicles were destroyed on French roads. That afternoon, approximately 16.00 hours, Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel boarded his Horch staff car that was parked outside the headquarters of SS Oberstgruppenfurher Josef Dietrich, commander of 1ste SS Panzer Corps, at Pierre-sur-Dives.

Rommel took the D4 that should lead him through Livarot. He was in great hurry, everywhere the allies broke through the German defences. The roads were blocked at many places by burning wrecks that were knocked out by fighter-bombers. Because of some detouring Rommel arrived in Livarot around 18.00 hours that afternoon. Despite the danger the staff car continued it's way to Vimoutires on the N179. At that time eight Spitfires, of the No 602 Squadron, flew in the vicinity. Two Spitfires broke out of the formation when they spotted the staff car. Squadron Leader J.J. Le Roux, DFC (an ace with 23½ destroyed enemy airplanes), took a shot at the staff car. His shells smacked with heavy force into the Horch. Rommel his driver was hit badly in the arm. Rommel was wounded in the face and his skull is fractured in three places. Driver Daniel lost the car and it runs into the verge of the road, hits a tree and the car turns over. Rommel lands unconscious besides the car. They fear for his life, but Rommel survives the attack. Daniel, his driver dies of his wounds that same night.

You can still find the spot where the Horch staff car hit the trees. Follow the N179 from Livarot towards Vimoutiers. After you passed Ste-Foy-de-Montgommery you come across a gatehouse to the right that belongs to the estate of Usine Laniel. Opposite of this building, on the other side of the road, is the spot of the crash.

There is some contradiction who was responsible for the shooting at Rommel. Besides J.J. Le Roux of the 602 Squadron, there is also the claim by Charley Fox, a Canadian pilot from RCAF 412 Squadron. Also Richard Rohmer of the 430 Squadron claimes to have shot at Rommel. And there is a pliot of 411 Squadron and an American Thunderbolt pilot who both claim the shooting.

Continue your journey towards Vimoutiers.