Grave of General der Artillerie Erich Marcks, Marigny cemetery.

graveofgeneralderartillerieerichmarcksmarignycemetery.jpg

Marcks commanded the German LXXXIV Army Corps, and despite loosing his leg on the Eastern front continued command major German units until his death on June the 12th 1944.

On this morning at 09:30 he left his HQ for a routine inspection tour. Since it was a foggy morning he ordered his driver to take the quicker route down the RN 800 main road out of St Lo, expecting that he would be hidden from the view of marauding Allied aircraft. However the gamble failed to pay off when the fog suddeny lifted. Within seconds his staff car was spotted by RAF Typhoon fighter-bombers who swept down to strafe the fast moving target. His driver was unharmed but the General was hit in his remaining leg by a 20mm shell and Marcks bled to death at the side of the road by 09:45.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_Marcks