War destruction in Vierville
I suggest that you appeal to the memories of many of you who lived through this post-war era when they had to rebuild a village strongly marked by destruction and lack of many resources.
The subject is immense and the data on display deserve to be verified and supplemented by everyone's memories.
1 - How did the destruction occur?
2 - What was the state of play at the end of 1944, when the armies left the village?,
3 - What provisional measures have been applied?
4 - In principle, reconstruction was financed by the State in application of the Law on "War Damage" but
----- this did not prejudge the staggering of expenses. In fact, the reconstruction in Vierville was roughly completed around 1959/60, after about forty years.
----- the reconstruction was not financed identically, especially in the case of old constructions of architectural interest but not classified.
----- Allowances could be transferred to other municipalities.
5 - Various areas must be distinguished:
The public services: urban planning, roads, various networks (noting that some were non-existent),
The demining, including damage to farms
private buildings, shops, artisans, farms:
The descent to the sea,
The Boulevard de Cauvigny west part,
The boulevard de cauvigny part center west,
The boulevard de Cauvigny part center east,
The boulevard de Cauvigny east part
And in the village and isolated hamlets
Very generally, at the end of 1944:
Had been destroyed: most of the public buildings, all the second homes and shops on the beach and 5 of the large isolated old houses (Than, Les Isles, L'Ormel, Vacqueville farm, Le Large house).
Had been spared: most of the main or secondary residences of the village and hamlets, large and small scattered farms, and 3 large isolated old houses (Château de Vierville, Vaumicel, Saint-Sever).
But most of the saved constructions had suffered significant damage because:
- fights,
- lack of maintenance for 6 years,
- damage due to unrepaired roofs,
- the occupation by German troops (June 40 to June 44)
- then American (June to December 44),
- the aftermath of the ammunition explosion in Asnières in November 1945,
- etc. ...
The origin of all this destruction must be sought in a series of events that occurred even before the landing,
- from 1943/44,
- June 6 and 7, 1944,
- then during the operation of the Mulberry port of Vierville until the end of 1944 and even several years later.
Below is a working document to prepare the list of war damage affected by each home:
Before the landing, as early as 1943, the Germans had undertaken the construction of coastal defenses.
Since they could not have sufficient numbers to keep the entire shore, they had established isolated fortified points that could beat with their fires the spaces left empty between them. This involved the destruction of all constructions that could obstruct their firing ranges. This is how on the date of landing, most of the buildings on the beach were
- or already destroyed
- or being destroyed.
On June 6 between 6 a.m. and 6:20 a.m., the fortified points of Vierville, (WN 70 to 73), were bombed by Allied aircraft and ships.
The aerial bombing had no effect, all the bombs having fallen out of their targets and out of the village. Time is responsible for these errors.
The naval bombardment actually reached German fortifications targeted on the coast, but the town also received naval shells, from the natural dispersion of artillery fire.
Some buildings were thus damaged: the castle, the bakery (a shell that entered the bakery killed the baker's baby and her niece), Mr. Leterrier's house and probably some other houses.
Around 2 p.m. on the same day, the bell tower, the only one targeted, was destroyed by the destroyer "Harding", but the church and neighboring buildings were destroyed at the same time.
On June 7, during the fighting for the final cleaning, several large isolated and old houses in the commune were set on fire by the Americans who were trying to get German defenders out.
On June 7 at 8 p.m., the main crossroads was bombed by the Germans, several shells reached and destroyed the crossroads buildings, fatally injuring the postman. Thus, the post office, the premises serving as a town hall, the school, the library room, a wing of the Hotel de la Pie qui Tette, and the housing of the teachers and the postman disappeared.
Between June and December 1944, the Americans exploited their bridgehead of Omaha Beach by widening the roads, creating new ones and occupying many grass land and plows for their needs of cantonment and equipment storage.
On this occasion they reopened and expanded the quarry of the rue de la Mer, used all the pebbles on the beach and sometimes destroyed only damaged houses to obtain road materials.
For the record, at the end of 1945, an explosion of an American explosives depot in Asnières caused significant damage in Vierville, by long-distance blowing effect. See a letter from the prefect on this subject.
In 1945, peace returned, the destruction in France was such that it was quite impossible to rebuild everything simultaneously.
For our municipality, it was in fact necessary to devote about fifteen years to it, because Vierville was far from being a priority, other cities were completely destroyed, not to mention France's essential infrastructures.
