Saint-Lambert, Calvados

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Saint-Lambert is a commune of the département of Calvados, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. Its full name is Saint Lambert-sur-Dives. Its postal code is 14570. The INSEE code is 14602.

[edit] History

More properly known by its full name of Saint Lambert-sur-Dives, which denotes the River Dives that runs along the south edge of the village, this was the location of the final battle of the Normandy campaign of 1944. While often referred to as the Battle of the Falaise Gap, Saint-Lambert was the last village in the narrowing gap between the Canadians and Polish forces advancing southwards from Falaise and Trun, and the American and Free French forces pushing northwards from Argentan and Chambois. The capture of Saint-Lambert would finally close the "Gap", and trap tens of thousands of German troops in the Falaise pocket.

On August 18, 1944 Major David Vivian Currie, commanding the Sherman tanks of C Squadron of The South Alberta Light Horse, with attached infantry from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada and the Lincoln and Welland Regiment (all of the Canadian 4th Armoured Division), was ordered to move from Trun to capture and hold the village, and to attempt to link up with the American forces understood to be advancing towards the village from Chambois. Events in and around St. Lambert over the next three days would eventually be recognized by the awarding of the Victoria Cross to Major Currie.

During the early hours of the action, four personal from the Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit arrived in St. Lambert in two jeeps. They were able to record the events as they unfolded in both black and white photographs (taken by photographer Lt. Donald I. Grant) and on cine film (taken by cameraman Sgt. Jack Stollery). The cine film is remarkable in that it captures the moment when Major Currie spots a German convoy coming towards the Canadian position, pulls his pistol and steps out to take the officer commanding the convoy by surprise, forcing him to surrender his troops. Lt. Grant's still photo captures the German officer in the seconds after his surrender, his arms still in the air.