German surrender in St. Nazaire.

German surrender in St. Nazaire. Major Adalbert Engelken, chief of staff for Major General Werner Junck, commander of the German garrison at St. Nazaire, signs (at right) unconditional surrender torms May 8, 1945, freeing the French Channel port and surrender 28,000 Germans to the 66th U.S. Infantry Division. Colonel John W. Keating (at left), Chief of Staff of the 66th Division, signs on behalf of major General Herman F. Krammer, Commander of the 66th and all Allied forces around the St. Nazaire and Lorient pockets. Previously, 26,000 Germans had surrendered in the Lorient pocket. The French Channel ports were defended bitterly by the Nazis as the war moved on into Germany, leaving the rest of France liberated.