Saint-Germain-sur-Sèves

Saint-Germain-sur-Sèves
Saint-Germain-sur-Sèves
Location within Normandy region  Saint-Germain-sur-Sèves
Coordinates: 49°13′21″N 1°22′11″W / 49.2225°N 1.3697°W / 49.2225; -1.3697Coordinates: 49°13′21″N 1°22′11″W / 49.2225°N 1.3697°W / 49.2225; -1.3697
Country	France
Region	Normandy
Department	Manche
Arrondissement	Coutances
Canton	Périers
Intercommunality	Sèves et Taute
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Robert Hérout
Area1	8.19 km2 (3.16 sq mi)
Population (2006)2	198
• Density	24/km2 (63/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code	50482 / 50190
Elevation	3–19 m (9.8–62.3 ft) (avg. 46 m or 151 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Saint-Germain-sur-Sèves is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.

Prior to Operation Cobra in World War II it was an impediment, a small island in a stretch of marshy area. The position was held by a kampfgruppe of the Das Reich Division and the 6th Parachutist Regiment (Fallschirm-Jäger-Regiment 6). The 358th Regiment of the 90th Infantry Division under General Landrum started the attack on 22 July, but without air support because of bad weather. The 1st Battalion suffered heavy losses but held on to the island. The 2nd battalion failed to cross the marshes. In the evening the German Fallschirmjäger with company leader Alexander Uhlig counterattacked with one tank of the 2nd Panzer Regiment. The Americans were driven back, in one hour they had suffered losses of a 100 soldiers killed, 400 wounded and 250 prisoners. Saint-Germain-sur-Sèves was liberated a few days later in the same operation.