The Last Battle of the Fallschirmjäger - Volume 2 - From 6 to 31 August 1944

Supported by their comrades of the 363. Inf.-Div., virtually stripped of heavy support, paratroopers and Landser had to face armoured battalions. To destroy and knock out the Shermans, they had only Panzerfaust and magnetic mines at their disposal.

By mid-August 1944, Meindl's strength had been reduced by two-thirds… Only cunning and the sacrifice of rearguard units allowed the remainder of the II. Fallschirmjäger-Korps to be saved. Devastated by the loss of his officers, General Meindl could no longer rely on anything but his company commanders, or even courageous non-commissioned officers.

Finally came the withdrawal towards the Orne, passing through Tinchebray-Flers. Soon engaged in the Falaise-Chambois pocket, General Meindl organised a remarkable feat by leading the breakout of 100,000 men, under the authority of the 7th Army commander, Hausser, himself wounded. All that remained was to head for the Seine to escape the Allied steamroller. 4,000 men out of the 22,000 engaged in June would cross the Seine.

Meindl's Fallschirmjäger entered into legend, earning the respect of their adversaries. This account is reinforced by the recollections of Meindl's daughter, Ursula, who provided the author with previously unpublished information.