Pointing to a column of tanks following from Villacoublay, Ivanoff said, “Massu has got to catch up.”
“That’s just great,” railed Guigon. “We bust ourselves to secure the route and others get to use it.”
Soon crowds gathered around the Petit-Clamart crossroads, singing the Marseillaise and clambering over their vehicles. To any German gunner such scenes made inviting targets. A shell exploded, followed quickly by another.
“There’s an 88 in that thicket,” someone shouted.
Sergeant Duc dismounted from his half-track and ordered Tiraileur Schmidt to follow him with a bazooka. They climbed a wooded embankment, seeking cover under which to advance on the 88. Duc eventually stopped, pointing out the gun to Schmidt.
“Load,” said Duc.
As they approached the gun it fired a shell past their legs. A few metres in front of the 88, Duc stopped, put the bazooka to his shoulder, aiming at the gun shield. The bazooka shell slammed into the gun’s breach area, buckling its shield and killing several of its crew. The rest bolted for the gun tractor standing nearby. Schmidt reloaded the bazooka and destroyed the tractor as well. Rejoining the main force, Duc noticed that his trousers were badly ripped exposing burnt skin. Realising that the 88’s last shell had passed between his legs, Duc said, “Les vaches! Any higher and I could have said ‘good-bye’ to my descendants!”
Once the Petit-Clamart crowds had been shed from their vehicles, GT Langlade could move again. While sub-group Minjonnet held the road, sub-group Massu moved through to lead them towards Sèvres. Three weeks’ continuous action had made their vehicles look fit for the scrapyard.108
IN WESTERN PARIS Dr. Nussbaum saw German vehicles heading for the Porte Maillot from which to join the northern boulevards and effect their retreat.109 The fact that, at noon on 24 August, Rol-Tanguy’s FFI could not prevent this, demonstrated that the FFI had reached the limits of what it could do. They would never be strong enough to take the Prinz-Eugen barracks on the Place de la République or the Palais de Luxembourg until the 2e DB arrived. Indeed the Palais de Luxembourg could still attack the Latin Quarter and pressure the Ile de la Cité.
“I need a hundred men if I am going to recover the barricades in this sector,” Raymond Massiet (aka Dufresne) told Parodi’s chief of staff. “Give me the Gardes Republicains!”
“I have had no such orders from the FFI command,” came the reply.
“That’s a pity, because we need bird scarers!” said Massiet sarcastically.110
But Massiet returned to his position with around fifty young FTP who helped beat back the attack on this sector.111
Massiet’s report for 24 August indicates pessimism. The Palais de Luxembourg Stützpunkt still had twelve tanks. Admittedly eight were pre-war French tanks whose machine-guns were probably more dangerous than their cannons. The Rue de Bougogne barricade needed twelve hits from a Somua’s 47mm gun to dismantle it. Luckily, no one was killed. Once the Somua moved on, the FFIs began rebuilding it. Elsewhere, irrespective of von Choltitz’s orders, frustration made the Germans use 75mm PAK guns; while from the rooftops, much harassing fire came from desperate Miliciens. Another concern was that petrol needed for Molotov cocktails was running low. Used sump and cooking oil caught fire easily but had little explosive value. Coal oil was effective, however, and could be obtained from the Boulevard Ney gas works.112
Massiet’s superior, Colonel Lizé, insisted that the offensive should be maintained. Believing that too many FFIs were engaged in defence, he ordered fighting patrols plentifully armed with petrol bombs. “If you don’t yet know the formula for bottle bombs, ask at once from the 3e Bureau at my HQ,” finished Lizé’s mid-day order.113
ON THE RUE D’ANJOU, RAOUL NORDLING was horrified by the sound of fifty German railwaymen running for their lives from the Gare Saint-Lazare. Trying to reach one of the main Wehrmacht routes eastwards, they strayed into FFI controlled side streets before a German patrol rescued them. They were scared witless by a refuse tipper truck which they suspected had been converted into something more dangerous.114
Negotiations to keep retreat routes open now involved Bobby Bender. While undoubtedly motivated by salvaging Germany’s conscience, Bender’s intrigues became significant acts of treason now that the Paris garrison was engaging the 2e DB. Why should Bender inform Nordling and Colonel Lelorrain that the German garrison was ordered to resist? Concerned for ordinary German soldiers, Bender asked, “What will become of them? Must more soldiers die uselessly? What do we do? Will it be possible to spare them, whatever their orders?”115
Neither Nordling nor Lelorrain could answer him.
“General von Choltitz cannot surrender without some clash of sabres,” declared Bender. “His family is threatened; held hostage by Hitler. He himself is a soldier tied to traditions of military honour. He can not surrender without a fight.” Bender continued, shaking his head, his eyes welling up, “Yes, he has to fight, but bloodshed for nothing must be avoided. What’s the point of attacking them [the German strongpoints] from all sides? The key to the defence is the Hôtel Meurice where the general is based. One attack is all that is necessary. The general will defend himself. A military leader cannot surrender without fighting first. When he goes, the other strongpoints will surrender with him.”116
Hence Bender believed that saving German lives, along with Paris, depended upon von Choltitz surrendering quickly. Colonel Lelorrain decided that General Leclerc should be informed of Bender’s viewpoint via one of Jacques Chaban-Delmas’ liaison officers, Lieutenant Jacques Petit-Leroy.117
Behind von Choltitz, OKW still insisted that Paris should be held to the last man and the Insurrection squashed uncompromisingly. Locally, however, General Blumentritt recognised that a small tank force could punch its way into Paris and once that happened, its liberation would be unpreventable. Only the Panzer Lehr Division was close enough to reinforce Paris, though it now amounted to little more than a mixed brigade. The 47th Infantry Division was ordered to Paris but held up at Amiens because Allied air strikes had wrecked the required rolling stock.118
WATCHING GT LANGLADE PASS THROUGH PETIT CLAMART, Lieutenant Sorret noticed Lieutenant Guigon’s glum expression.
“Cheer up,” said Sorret. “I’ll save you a place at Fouquet’s.”
That superb Champs Élysées restaurant beloved of France’s bright young things was an obvious goal for Langlade’s officers.
“You aren’t there yet,” replied Guigon, smiling.
Shermans from Lieutenant Rives-Henry’s troop rumbled past with Lieutenant Batiment’s platoon riding shotgun. They reckoned their next stop was the Pont de Sèvres; provided that felled trees along Avenue Trivaux did not delay them.119
Parisians were beginning to kiss and hug Les Leclercs. For cooler souls like Sorret, however, it got a bit much. “Leave it out,” he said. Others, less familiar with Parisian charms, were more impressed.
“Look!” exclaimed Caporal-chef Bernadicou, pointing towards the dome of Sacré-Coeur, bathed in early evening sunshine.
“And there’s the Eiffel Tower!”
“It isn’t true!”120
Southwest Paris has changed enormously since 1944. Roads and flyovers have often been completely rebuilt to accomodate modern transport. Surrounded by his staff officers—Langlois de Bazillac, Vigneux and his gypsy driver Georges Hipp—Massu was pleased with his sub-group’s progress. Seeing waving Tricolores as they passed through Meudon gave them all a lift. But the Germans still arranged little ambushes from higher ground overlooking Sèvres. From the Ile Saint-Germain a German machine-gun firing along a side street inflicted several casualties among jubilant civilians. “Yet again,” Massu wrote, “we witnessed the foolish temerity of those whose joy and enthusiasm pushed them towards us while the battle was still raging.” But by 8.30pm his infantry had reached the Seine.121
Dating from the 1960s, today’s Pont de Sèvres is a mighty steel and concrete affair supporting six lanes of traffic. However, the bridge representing G
T Langlade’s finish line on 24 August 1944 was a stone multi-arched design, with spans barely wide enough for an old fashioned barge to pass easily. It was fitted with mining pans so that it could be blown up if military exigencies required it.
“Sorret here,” came a voice over Massu’s radio. “I am at the Pont de Sèvres.”
Driven by Georges Hipp, the Tricolore with Croix de Lorraine fluttering from his Jeep’s radio mast, Massu rushed to the Seine’s west bank. Despite his toughness, Massu was deeply emotional. He knew what Sorret would ask him.
“Our orders were to reach the Pont de Sèvres. We’re there,” said Sorret. “So? Do we cross or not?”
So long as the bridge was not mined it was possible. Lieutenant Batiment was ready with his platoon and Rives-Henry’s Shermans. Some FFIs offered assistance. Scouring the bridge’s opposite end with binoculars, Massu saw little to oppose them. “Should they continue?” He radioed Paul de Langlade who was already concerned that huge crowds were restricting his battlegroup’s movements. The built-up sprawl of Paris impeded radio contact with those battlegroups approaching from the south. Langlade hesitated. He had reached the limit of his orders and his supplies were running low.
“Continue? That’s impossible,” Langlade declared firmly. “Fuel supplies have not caught up with us and we’ve only got an hour left of autonomie.”122
Massu assured Langlade that he had enough fuel to reach the Place de la Concorde.
“That is not your mission,” Langlade said firmly.123
Massu sent his men cautiously across the Pont de Sèvres, wondering with each step if somewhere a German sapper’s hand was pushing down on a detonator’s plunger ready to send them sky high. “Non!” wrote Massu. “Thank God!”124
Lieutenant Batiment established a bridgehead while others checked the bridge itself for explosives; there were none. Darkness was descending, making further progress unrealistic. Sorret radioed Guigon, “Fouquet’s is off for tonight, the Germans are saying their Adieux!”125
AT MID-DAY LA NUEVE REACHED ANTONY, a satellite industrial town south of Paris. Covered by its 57mm anti-tank gun, Montoya’s platoon advanced up the main street and found the local butcher had placed a trestle table outside his shop to serve them snacks. Then an 88 shell exploded, wounding Montoya and sending his platoon diving for cover. The 88 was firing from the Croix de Berny crossroads further north, which would remain an obstacle for several hours.126
La Nueve’s other platoons were luckier, outflanking and capturing a set of four German 20mm machine-guns. But the order which superseded all others was to keep advancing and bypass opposition. Dronne kept pushing northwards along the Route Nationale. He would have preferred to outflank that 88 rather than comtinue advancing as though it was not there. So Putz altered his orders, allowing Dronne to act independently, sending Campos’ platoon along Antony’s eastern arteries up to the railway in a flanking manoeuvre. They captured twenty-four Germans and killed many others for the loss of one from la Nueve.127
With GT Billotte blocked at Antony, Leclerc visited the forward CP.
“Why have you stopped?” Leclerc asked. “Don’t you want to do any more?”
Putz’s officers expected a Leclerc tongue-lashing.
“It’s all in hand, Mon Général,” replied Putz, pointing north. “Branet and Sarazac are in front of Massy.”
“Well, that’s all right,” replied Leclerc. “But tell Branet firmly not to let himself get held up. Manoeuvre, right? Manoeuvre!”128
Soon afterwards these elements were targeted by German artillery whose shells passed over their heads but damaged Lieutenant Teddy-Rasson’s troop of Shermans following behind. The crowd prevented the Shermans from firing back. While most of Antony’s citizens ignored the danger of obstructing the 2e DB’s progress, some understood perfectly. From upper-storey windows, they squinted through binoculars and telescopes looking for German positions, relaying information back along the road. 88s were waiting up ahead. Maurice Sarazac’s 10th Company 3/RMT was ordered to hunt them down. As they began advancing to contact, they were pestered by boys eager to carry their gear.
“How bizarre,” remarked Lieutenant Granell, watching the 10th Company advance through la Nueve’s positions. “I’m beginning to miss Normandy. At least there one only had the Germans to worry about!”129
Again, only German methods could clear the roads; several high-explosive shells scattered shrapnel and macadam in all directions. Screaming, terrified civilians vanished into buildings or sought whatever safety they could find, leaving Antony’s main road littered with all types of personal items and whimpering casualties both civil and military.130
To the right of the main road, Sarazac’s men slowly manoeuvred towards Wissous and Orly. When contact was made with the enemy, the ensuing action was fast and savage. Their opponents were often Eastern Front veterans.131 They fought hard. No sooner had Warabiot outflanked German positions at Morangis, where a strongpoint incorporated the local orphanage, than he faced an 88 which turned ninety degrees, re-sighted and knocked out three 501e RCC Shermans.
Standing beside Putz, Leclerc called forward Tank Destrroyers and Captain Buis’ squadron of Shermans, “Move up on the left towards Massy. Perhaps you can bypass the obstacle.” Buis’ Shermans infiltrated through side roads until they reached the railway viaduct from whose cover a 75mm PAK and some 20mm heavy machine-guns were causing the problem. Buis decided upon a two-pronged tank charge; the Elchingen destroying the 75mm PAK and sending its crew scurrying for cover, while other Shermans attacked the German positions from further along the railway, shooting up every gun crew they saw under cover of the viaduct’s embankment.
“Faster, faster,” said Leclerc.132
No sooner was this obstacle dealt with than Buis ran into another at Rungis; there was more confused fighting amid the built-up areas north of Orly airport. Another two hours.
“Keep pushing, keep pushing,” Putz told his officers.
GT Billotte’s entrance into southern Paris was degenerating into time-consuming street fighting. Bradley had forbidden heavy artillery only in central Paris; this was les banlieues. 2e DB 105mm artillery shells began hammering German strongpoints, suspect crossroads and anywhere a 20mm heavy machine-gun was reported.133
None of this was helped by the crowds, congregating then receding in waves, depending on the fighting’s intensity. Oblivious of the dangers, they sang, passed bottles around and accepted Camel cigarettes from Leclerc’s men. For everyone who witnessed it, the march up the National 20 was unforgettable; one moment could be intensely tragic and the next utterly bizarre. Second Mate Meté, commanding the Tank-Destroyer Audacieux, saw his machine-gunner Manet suddenly collapse backwards. He had simply recoiled under a bouquet of flowers thrown from a fourth-storey window.134
Again a German 88 halted the jollity, sending the crowds inside their houses, leaving only an injured child in the street who was gathered up by senior Rochambelle Suzanne Torres.135 By the time the 501e RCC passed Rungis it was 4pm.
“Get yourself to Croix de Berny,” Billotte ordered Warabiot. “Putz is in trouble.”
The Germans’ defence system was quite elaborate. Witasse’s 2nd Company 501e RCC and Sarazac’s 10th Company RMT were held up by anti-tank and mortar fire.136 La Nueve, along with Dupont’s 11th Company RMT, was now directed towards the Fresnes prison. After Nordling released the political prisoners a few days before, the remaining inmates were German personnel held on disciplinary charges. As GT Billotte pushed north, Wehrmacht warders trawled the cells for men fit enough to fight. Incentivised by hopes of a reduced sentence, these men fought hard. Captain Dupont was mortally wounded; a tragic loss of a man who had followed de Gaulle since 1940.137
Yet, after hearing Dupont had fallen, Dronne recognised that once this strongpoint was defeated the road ahead would be clear and they could outflank the Croix de Berny. Even so, the German punishment unit fought desperately, held to their task by an officer who shot one of them d
ead in plain view of Dronne’s men. Seeing this, a Spaniard shot the officer dead from one hundred metres. La Nueve cheered and pushed forward, forcing the punishment unit’s survivors back inside Fresnes. “Take care,” shouted a TD commander. “There are French people in these buildings!”138
Shortly afterwards Dronne was ordered to return to the main axis of advance, the National 20, which was still obstructed by an 88 at the Croix de Berny. Dronne was furious but the voice on the radio was insistent. It made little sense. There was another factor. “The crowd, an immense crowd, invaded pavements and roads, surrounding all our vehicles, stopping them, submerging them, embracing the men, giving them preserves and bottles which had been carefully set aside for this day.” Nor did the Germans refrain from firing long bursts of machine-gun fire into the crowds. Dronne saw “a beautiful young girl, her torso sodden with blood, sliding down the side of a tank, her arms stretched out trying to grab hold of the steel turret”.139
With support weapons held up by the crowd, Putz wanted the Croix de Berny’s 88 eliminated. The National 20 was essential to GT Billotte’s advance. Always, it seemed to Dronne, such tasks fell to men who had already given a lot.140
Supported by a Sherman from Witasse’s 2nd Company and a section of combat engineers, Moreno’s platoon set out to outflank the 88 from the railway station. Everywhere the crowd made movement virtually impossible. It took a bemedalled Great War veteran to persuade ecstatic civilians to let Moreno’s men through. From there the veteran guided them to a road behind the 88’s position and the Sherman fired at its breech mechanism, immediately disabling it. Six Germans were killed and eight taken prisoner. The Croix de Berny flooded with ecstatic civilians. Putz personally thanked la Nueve.141
The day, however, was disappearing. Had he known of GT Langlade’s excellent progress in western Paris, Leclerc might have been happier. But Leclerc heard little from GT Langlade after Massu reached Massy. Turning to Boissieu, Leclerc said, “Your friend Billotte doesn’t know how to manoeuvre.” Though respectful of Billotte’s tank experience, Leclerc regarded him as a political appointee who had been foisted on his division by de Gaulle.
Paris '44: The City of Light Redeemed Page 43