 As Canadian and Polish forces liberated Trun , Maczek 's second armoured battlegroup manoeuvred southeast , capturing Champeaux and anchoring future attacks against Chambois across a 6 @-@ mile ( 9 @.@ 7 km ) front . At its closest , the front was 4 miles ( 6 @.@ 4 km ) from forces of the US V Corps in the town . By the evening of 18 August , all of Maczek 's battlegroups had established themselves directly north of Chambois ( one outside of the town , one near Vimoutiers and one at the foot of Hill 262 ) . With reinforcements quickly arriving from the 4th Canadian 4th Armoured Division , Maczek was in an ideal position to close the gap the following day . The presence of the Polish Armoured Division also alerted Generalfeldmarshall Walther Model of the need to keep the pocket open . 
