In February 1944, Eisenhower and Montgomery made the crucial decision to expand the landing area to 80 kilometres, stretching from Colleville to Varreville and encompassing the Cotentin Peninsula. This strategic move aimed to secure Cherbourg Harbour as swiftly as possible.
Cherbourg Harbour: a strategic objective
For the Allies, Cherbourg represented a vital strategic objective in the success of Operation Overlord. Its harbour was essential for receiving ships directly from the United States, laden with the troops and equipment necessary for the liberation of Europe.
The initial offensive launched from Utah Beach, advancing along National Route 13, soon found itself stalled by fierce German resistance in Montebourg. Undaunted, the Allies mounted another attack, striking where the enemy least expected it, towards the western coast of the Cotentin Peninsula. By June 18, the Americans had reached the sea at Barneville, effectively severing the peninsula from the German forces. The operation had been executed with remarkable speed and precision, resulting in the encirclement of forty thousand German troops. Their days of freedom were now perilously numbered.
With the VII Corps pivoting northward, General Collins pressed onward. Advancing rapidly with three divisions in formation, he liberated Bricquebec and then Valognes, which lay in ruins—a grim testament to the aerial bombardments that had ravaged the town. During their advance, the Americans uncovered numerous launch sites for V1 and even V2 rockets in Brix.
By June 21, American forces had reached the outer defensive lines encircling Cherbourg. When called upon to surrender, the commanding officer, General von Schlieben, defiantly refused and ordered the complete destruction of the port facilities.
On June 23, the first defensive curtain was breached. Two days later, Collins’ men infiltrated the streets of the city from all directions, while battleships and cruisers engaged in titanic combat with the heavy German batteries offshore. By June 26, the Fort du Roule had fallen; General von Schlieben and Admiral Hennecke, the naval commander, emerged from their underground command post to surrender. The last remaining Germans, holed up in the arsenal, held out for a few more hours before joining the thousands of their comrades already in captivity. Cherbourg was now firmly in American hands!
In the city, church bells rang joyfully. The jubilant population extended a warm welcome to their liberators, particularly as Cherbourg had suffered relatively little during the fighting. On June 27, thousands of Cherbourgeois gathered to cheer the victorious generals, who stood on the steps of the Town Hall, basking in the glory of their hard-won triumph.
The only dark cloud over the victory was the dire state of the port. The docks were littered with mines and the wrecks of scuttled ships. Rails had been torn up, cranes toppled, the quay was riddled with booby traps, and the swing bridge was sabotaged. The maritime station was nothing more than a heap of ruins. Undeterred, teams of specialists immediately set to work. While it would take several months to restore the port of Cherbourg to full operational capacity, it was ready to receive its first Liberty ships from the United States by late July. Just days later, PLUTO (Pipeline Under the Ocean) would come online: the undersea pipeline laid from the Isle of Wight enabled the Querqueville oil terminal to begin pumping essential fuel for the Allied advance.
D-Day and the Battle of Normandy Site in Cherbourg
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Musée de la Libération de Périers
Do you like authenticity? Do you like history, especially local history? Then come and discover how a small town in Normandy, 30 km from Utah-Beach, waited over 50 days for its liberation. Away from the hustle and bustle of tourism and the media, a team of enthusiasts welcomes you to Périers to relive the summer…
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Weekend in Cherbourg
Inspiration for a trip to Cherbourg by train
Explore Normandy at your own pace and enjoy a more sustainable stay. Discover our recommended hotels, restaurants, and attractions, all conveniently accessible by train or ferry / from the nearest train station without the need for a car.
