Falaise pocket
The 85th Infantry Division was raised in February 1944 and placed under the command of Lieutenant General Kurt Chill, previously the commanding officer of the 122nd Infantry. Participating as an occupational division in German-occupied France, the 85th was part of the 15th Army's rear-guard in Northern France during the D-Day landings. It was moved to Normandy in early August as part of a relief force in the forming Falaise pocket, where it was to replace the "12th SS-Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend"" by August 11. On August 14, the division received help from second company of the 102nd SS Heavy Panzer Battalion as it travelled from Assy to Maizieres; its commander was killed when the escort convoy encountered a group of Sherman tanks attached to the 1st Hussars. On August 15, the Canadian 4th Armoured Division broke through the 85th's defences around the Falaise pocket.