German defenses in the Louvières region
German Card of Resistance Nests (WN)
The organization of German troops
The Germans had not prepared important positions inside for an in-depth defense. Some minefields were placed just south of the cliff as well as some scattered and rarely occupied fortified sites. The defense beyond the beach depended largely on the use of local reserves in counterattack.
Louvières was part of the sector held by the 352° Division German Infantry, between the Vire estuary and Arromanches. This division was reinforced locally by detached units of the 716th Infantry Division .
The 716th was a defense division, scattered between the Vire and the Orne. The non-German elements of this division were important, most of them from Eastern Europe and their morale was not very high. In fact, when the Americans found themselves in close contact with these troops, they sometimes surrendered easily.
Louvières was concerned by the 3rd Battalion of its 726th Infantry Regiment (PC in Jucoville) which was responsible for coastal defenses from Grandcamp to St-Laurent, with the cie 9/726 in Englesqueville and La Percée (PC at the Château de Gruchy), and the cie 11/726 in Vierville. According to the available information, the troops defending the 4 strong points of Vierville were about 200 men.
On the other hand the 352nd division (PC at Molay-Littry) was a good quality division, with a core of veterans experienced in combat on the Russian front. The PC of the 2nd battalion of its 916th Rég. was in Formigny, with 2 cies (5th and 7th) available in Surain and Formigny.
Aerial photo of the Percée on April 27, 1944 (from Englesqueville to Vierville, WN 72 to 74)
Position of German units around Louvières and Omaha Beach, carried on a map at 1/50,000 established by the Allies
The only map existing in 1942 was at the 1/50000th, with hatching to approximately include the relief and whose revision dates from 1907
Map of the objectives of the German Drums of Formigny
Below, the maps of the region established by the Allies in 1943, at 1/25000th and 1/50000th, in color and with contour lines. They featured the small train track (60 cm gap track) from Littry to Trévières, St-Laurent, Vierville, Gruchy and Grandcamp. This route had actually been removed in the early 1930s but it was indicated on all available French maps.
US card at 1/25000 The American card at 1/25000 was very detailed, indicating in particular all the hedges. It covered at least the departments of Calvados and Manche.
US card at 1/50000
