THE SURRENDER
The Battle for Festung Brest By Rich Hamilton
Once the Allied forces began moving
into the city itself the fighting became brutal and the American
infantry had to fight house to house. The Germans had created many
strong points throughout the city and anyone venturing into the open
was cut down immediately. The only way the Americans could precede
was to use explosives to blow out the walls of the buildings. It was
in this way that progress through the city was made.
The Allied advance was halted when
it reached the fortress wall of the old city. In some places the wall
was reported to be thirty feet high and fifteen feet thick.
The assault on Brest
On 10 September Corps Artillery
attempted to breach the wall using large caliber guns in direct fire,
but this failed. It was decided that a direct assault on the wall
would not be attempted because it would be too costly. From this
point on the Allies would secure the wall on all sides before
proceeding.
Street fighting
The last phase of the encirclement
of the fortress wall began on 14 September as the Allies attempted to
assault Fort Montbarey. The assault was led by 15 Churchill
“Crocodile” flame tanks. The first attack was repulsed, but on
the following day the fort fell. With the capture of Fort Montbarey
the German positions finally began to collapse. On the night of 15
September US forces began crossing the old fortress wall and by 17
September they were closing in on the last pockets of German
resistance. General Ramcke surrendered on 19 September 1944 and
20,000 German soldiers were taken prisoner. (Sources for article at bottom of this post)
GERMANS SURRENDER BREST AND THEMSELVES
FOOT SOLDIER by Fred Felder
September 17, 1944 On the 17th our division reached the harbor, in the center of the city. German resistance was disintegrating. At the time we were fighting inside the city, living in houses, firing our mortars day and night. This was a kind of fighting we hadn’t been trained for but we liked being in a big city, living in houses.
September 18
We were overjoyed on the 18th when the German commander, General Herman Ramke, surrendered 38,000 German troops to the three U.S. infantry divisions (Second, 29th and 8th) and part of 6th Armored. This was General Troy Middleton’s VIII Corps, which had been transferred from Hodge’s 1st Army to Patton’s Third and then to General William Simpson’s 9th in this campaign. The Corps had suffered 9,831 killed, missing and wounded in capturing Brest and liberating the Brittany Peninsula.
Somewhere in France
Sept 22, 1944
Dear Mother
Since last I wrote you, we have been having some nice weather even thought the nights have been quite cold. One can even realize fall is on it's way for it seems so much like Good Old Maine in September. Today, as I write, there is a little change for as I lay near the opening of my tent I see the rain is sure coming down. Looks like it might stay for a day or so. Oh well, I'm taking it easy for a few days so let it rain and I'll just stay in my tent and sleep. {He has just gone through the Battle for Brest and just says, "I'm taking it easy for a few days." Doesn't let on about all the fighting he has gone through. Doesn't want to worry his mother.} No fun eating chow outside in a downpour of rain but the day is coming when things will change. As for now I seem to keep well and on the go which is a big help when living outside in all kind of weather.
Guess I told you about Dan taking sick just after coming ashore and being sent back to England. He never has come back and guess he never will as his stomach wouldn't stand the chow. He told me his dad had had stomach trouble too. He seemed nervous all the time and you may be sure this is no place for a fellow like that. We had another new fellow from Boston, Massachusetts, come in but he wasn't with us long. If people could only realize how much some have to give that they might have freedom.
Just came back from chow. We ate twenty five minutes early tonight. It's still raining hard.
There's another woman at the mill [S.D. Warren] has been writing quite a lot lately, seems she's taken up where Margaret Dinsmore left off. You ask Eugene if he knows Bernice Parker. She sent one letter written on a sheet of mill paper about a foot wide and three or four feet long, gee what a bunch of junk or maybe I shouldn't say that but it's the way she words all the news - and I mean all the news ha ha.
I received two small cards from Helen Borek [sister] and must send her a few lines. Sure glad it was a boy. What did Sis say about the puff?
I'd be very careful not to get mixed up in any trouble across the street as I can see it's sure some mess. It would be a good thing if they'd move and if those signs don't mean anything to them maybe they'll find themselves in plenty of hot water. It sure must be the talk of the town or soon will be.
That invasion poem you sent was wonderful and I saw one fellow read it three times. Kind of made me do some thinking for it was the prayers of many thousand of mothers.
Here is a good one, I saw Hitler only it was his picture but still in a very appropriate place. As I was walking through some battle ruins I saw a dead horse somewhat swollen from the heat and there beside its a double s was none other then the picture of Adolph's himself. Well, we had a good laugh and you can see some G.I. had taken good care of his picture. It would be too good to shoot him, a rat like that should die by inches.
Mother, if some of the people back in the States who are always finding fault or starting trouble could see the refugees of war traveling along the roads with no homes to return to and their few belongings in a bag, case, tied to a bicycle or in a wagon, old men and women walking slowly down the road, I know they'd stop to think and thank God for what they have and the good old U.S.A.
This envelope is one captured from the Krauts so will send this letter in it. Everything is well so keep up courage. Say hello to all.
Since last I wrote you, we have been having some nice weather even thought the nights have been quite cold. One can even realize fall is on it's way for it seems so much like Good Old Maine in September. Today, as I write, there is a little change for as I lay near the opening of my tent I see the rain is sure coming down. Looks like it might stay for a day or so. Oh well, I'm taking it easy for a few days so let it rain and I'll just stay in my tent and sleep. {He has just gone through the Battle for Brest and just says, "I'm taking it easy for a few days." Doesn't let on about all the fighting he has gone through. Doesn't want to worry his mother.} No fun eating chow outside in a downpour of rain but the day is coming when things will change. As for now I seem to keep well and on the go which is a big help when living outside in all kind of weather.
Guess I told you about Dan taking sick just after coming ashore and being sent back to England. He never has come back and guess he never will as his stomach wouldn't stand the chow. He told me his dad had had stomach trouble too. He seemed nervous all the time and you may be sure this is no place for a fellow like that. We had another new fellow from Boston, Massachusetts, come in but he wasn't with us long. If people could only realize how much some have to give that they might have freedom.
Just came back from chow. We ate twenty five minutes early tonight. It's still raining hard.
There's another woman at the mill [S.D. Warren] has been writing quite a lot lately, seems she's taken up where Margaret Dinsmore left off. You ask Eugene if he knows Bernice Parker. She sent one letter written on a sheet of mill paper about a foot wide and three or four feet long, gee what a bunch of junk or maybe I shouldn't say that but it's the way she words all the news - and I mean all the news ha ha.
I received two small cards from Helen Borek [sister] and must send her a few lines. Sure glad it was a boy. What did Sis say about the puff?
I'd be very careful not to get mixed up in any trouble across the street as I can see it's sure some mess. It would be a good thing if they'd move and if those signs don't mean anything to them maybe they'll find themselves in plenty of hot water. It sure must be the talk of the town or soon will be.
That invasion poem you sent was wonderful and I saw one fellow read it three times. Kind of made me do some thinking for it was the prayers of many thousand of mothers.
Here is a good one, I saw Hitler only it was his picture but still in a very appropriate place. As I was walking through some battle ruins I saw a dead horse somewhat swollen from the heat and there beside its a double s was none other then the picture of Adolph's himself. Well, we had a good laugh and you can see some G.I. had taken good care of his picture. It would be too good to shoot him, a rat like that should die by inches.
Mother, if some of the people back in the States who are always finding fault or starting trouble could see the refugees of war traveling along the roads with no homes to return to and their few belongings in a bag, case, tied to a bicycle or in a wagon, old men and women walking slowly down the road, I know they'd stop to think and thank God for what they have and the good old U.S.A.
This envelope is one captured from the Krauts so will send this letter in it. Everything is well so keep up courage. Say hello to all.
Love Son Charles
THE ENVELOPE FROM A DEAD GERMAN SOLDIERUSED BY UNCLE CHARLIE TO ENCLOSE A LETTER
THE SURRENDER VIDEO
Diary of Staff Sgt. Maurice Rice (before Uncle Charlie's letter)
Division
Took
a Brief
Rest
September 19-26,
1944
Sept 19,
1944 (Tuesday) “Close order drill and training.” Sept 20, 1944 (Wednesday) “Close order drill and training. We saw a picture show.”
Sept 21, 1944 (Thursday) “More training. We ought to get English (relief troops) after awhile.”
Sept 22, 1944 (Friday) “More training. We get passes for a change.”
MOST OF THE CITY WAS DESTROYED BEFORE THE GERMANS SURRENDERED 
Sources:
The Battle for Festung Brest By Rich Hamilton
Bradley, Omar, A Soldier’s
Story, Henry Holt & Co., New York: 1951.
Blumenson, Martin, Liberation: World War II,
Time-Life Books, Alexandria, VA: 1978. Personal
account:
http://home.thirdage.com/military/friends2idww2/07_Whitehead.html
“BRITTANY/FORTRESS
BREST --THEIR SIEGE AND SURRENDER: The Battle of Brest: Chapter 7”
by Alfred Whitehead II
General Middleton’s After Action Report:
http://pagesperso-orange.fr/alain.liscoet/recitan.htm
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