Let us remember The Mace.
August 18, 1944, the 1st Polish Armoured Division took up position with 87 Sherman tanks on the wooded "Hill 262" (known as Mont-Ormel to the French, "Maczuga", The Mace, to the Poles) to prevent any counter-offensive from the east seeking to open the door to the Falaise Pocket. From the hill the Poles had a commanding position overlooking the Chambois to Vimoutiers road (by now the last road out of the pocket), and proceeded to attack the fleeing Germans. In response, the isolated Poles were repeatedly and ferociously attacked, especially on August 20 when the II SS Panzer Corps attacked from the Vimoutiers direction (REALLY hard boys - ed.). The II SS Panzer Corps (
Corps!!), escaping the pocket earlier, turned around and attacked The Mace so as to enable the Germans in the the Pocket to escape. On many occasions the Germans penetrated the Polish perimeter. War to the knife. Hand to hand.
The Poles had lost 325 dead, with 1,002 wounded and 114 missing when they were relieved the 21st. The casualties were about 20% of the unit's strength. There was no loss of unit cohesion.
The Germans lost around 2,000 dead, with 5,000 taken prisoner, and 359 vehicles destroyed.
