Falaise pocket
Between the 12 and 20 August 1944 the Allies launched an offensive to close the Falaise pocket at Chambois, from where remnants of the German army were attempting to escape. Vimoutiers was near the junction of Anglo-Canadian and Polish forces in the north and US and French forces in the south. On 21 August 1944, along with other German tanks (Panthers, Panzer IIIs and IVs and other Tigers) and a variety of military vehicles, the Tiger was heading out of the Falaise pocket to a fuel dump at the Chateau de l'Horloge in Ticheville during the final days of the Battle of Normandy. It is thought the tank ran out of fuel on RN 179 just after leaving Vimoutiers. The tank's crew abandoned the tank and set off two explosive charges on the vehicle, which left the tank's turret immobilized and damaged the engine decking, leaving distinct cracking on the thick armoured plates. About sixty German armoured vehicles were abandoned in the vicinity of Vimoutiers.