Battle for Caen
Part of World War II
Battle for Caen
Date 6 June to 8 August 1944 Location Normandy, France Result Allied victory
Combatants
United Kingdom Canada Poland United States	Germany
Commanders
Bernard Montgomery, Miles Dempsey, Richard O'Connor, Guy Simonds	Edgar Feuchtinger, Erwin Rommel, Gerd von Rundstedt, Günther von Kluge
Strength
2nd British Army, 51st Highland Division, 11th British Armoured division, 7th British Armoured Division, Polish 1st Armoured Division, VIII British Corps, Royal Air Force, United States Army Air Force, Royal Tank Regiment	German Seventh Army, German Fifth Panzer Army, 16th Luftwaffe Field Division, 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend, German 21st Panzer Division, German Panzer Lehr Division

The Battle for Caen from June to August 1944 was a battle between the Allied and German forces during World War II's Battle of Normandy. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Image File history File links Battleforceanmapenglish. ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 220th day of the year (221st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... For other uses, see Normandy (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Canadian_Red_Ensign_1921. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Poland. ... Image File history File links US_flag_48_stars. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany_1933. ... Bernard Law Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (November 17, 1887 - March 24, 1976) was a British military officer during World War II often referred to as Monty. ... Lieutenant-General Dempsey Lieutenant-General Sir Miles Christopher Dempsey GBE KCB DSO MC (15th December 1896 - 5th June 1969) was commander of the British Second Army during the D-Day landings in World War II. After graduating from Sandhurst Military Academy in 1915 Dempsey joined the Royal Berkshire Regiment. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds inspecting II Canadian Corps in Meppen, Germany, May 31st, 1945. ... Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel ( ) (15 November 1891 – 14 October 1944) was one of the most famous German field marshals of World War II. He was the commander of the Deutsches Afrika Korps and also became known by the nickname “The Desert Fox” (Wüstenfuchs,  ) for the skillful military campaigns he... Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt (December 12, 1875 - February 24, 1953) was a Generalfeldmarschall of the German Army during World War II. He held some of the highest field commands in all phases of the war. ... Günther “Hans” von Kluge (October 30, 1882 – August 19, 1944), was a German military leader. ... The British Second Army was extant in both World Wars. ... For the First World War unit, see British 51st (Highland) Division (World War I). ... British 11th Armoured Division: The Black Bull. ... The 7th Armoured Division (known as the Desert Rats) of the British Army was the most famous unit of its type in British service during World War II. It was a regular division in the Middle East, designated the Mobile Division at first, renamed the Armoured Division (Egypt) in September... Polish 1st Armoured Division at Haddington 1943 The Polish 1st Armoured Division (Polish 1 Dywizja Pancerna) was an Allied military unit during World War II, created in February 1942 in Scotland. ... The British VIII Corps was an army corps formation that existed during World War I and World War II. World War I The VIII Corps was first formed at Gallipoli during World War I. The main British battle front was at Cape Helles on the tip of the Gallipoli peninsula. ... “RAF” redirects here. ... The United States Army Air Forces, or USAAF, was a part of the U.S. military during World War II. The direct precursor to the U.S. Air Force, the USAAF formally existed between 1941 and 1947. ... The Royal Tank Regiment is a unit of the British Army. ... The German Seventh Army (German: ) was a World War II field army. ... 5. ... The 12. ... The 21st Panzer Division was a German armoured division best known for its role in the Battles of El Alamenein (1942) and Normandy (1944) during World War II. Created as 5th Light Division or 5th Light Afrika Division in Africa in early 1941, from an ad hoc collection of smaller... Panzertruppschule I & II Panzer-Lehr-Division 130. ... This article is about the independent states that comprised the Allies. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Combatants United States United Kingdom Canada Free France Poland Nazi Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (land) Bertram Ramsay (sea) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (air) Omar Bradley (U.S. 1st Army) Miles Dempsey (UK 2nd Army) Harry Crerar (Canadian 1st Army) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel...

Originally the Allies aimed to take the French city of Caen, one of the largest cities in Normandy on D-Day. Caen was a vital objective for several reasons. First, it lay astride the Orne River and Caen Canal; these two water obstacles could strengthen a German defensive position if not crossed. Second, Caen was a road hub; in German hands it would enable the enemy to shift forces rapidly. Third, the area around Caen was relatively open, especially compared to the bocage country in the west of Normandy. This area was valued for airfield construction. Caen (pronounced /kɑ̃/) is a commune of northwestern France. ... For other uses, see Normandy (disambiguation). ... Land on Normandy In military parlance, D-Day is a term often used to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. ... Orne is the name of two rivers in France: one in Normandy and one in Lorraine. ... Canal de Caen à la Mer (Canal from Caen to the sea; also called the Caen Canal) is a small canal in the department (préfecture) of Calvados (Apple-Brandy), France, that connects the Port of Caen, in the city of Caen, downstream to the town of Ouistreham and the English... Bocage is a French word referring to a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture, with tortuous side-roads and lanes bounded on both sides by banks surmounted with high thick hedgerows limiting visibility. ...

On D-Day, Caen was an objective for the British 3rd Infantry Division. Because Caen was not taken during the D-Day assault, it became the focal point for a series of battles through June, July and into August.

The old city of Caen, with many buildings dating back to the Middle Ages, was largely destroyed by Allied bombing and the fighting. The reconstruction of Caen lasted until 1962. Today, little of the prewar city remains. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

Background

Canadian Troops land at 'Nan White' Beach at Bernières-sur-Mer

On 6 June 1944, Allied forces invaded France by launching Operation Neptune, the beach landing operation of Operation Overlord. A force of several thousand ships assaulted the beaches in Normandy, supported by approximately 3,000 aircraft. The D-Day landings were generally successful, but the Allied forces were unable to take Caen as planned. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Operation Neptune refers to the landing phase of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy. ...

In addition to seaborne landings, the Allies also employed Airborne forces. The U.S. 101st and 82nd Airborne Divisions, as well as British and Canadian paratroop units, were inserted behind the enemy lines. The British and Canadian paratroopers behind Sword Beach were tasked with reaching and occupying the strategically important bridges such as Pegasus and Horsa, as well as to take the artillery battery at Merville in order to hinder the forward progress of the German forces. They managed to establish a bridgehead north of Caen, on the east bank of the Orne, that the Allied troops could use to their advantage in the battle for Caen. Airborne Military parachuting form of insertion. ... 101st Division redirects here. ... The 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army is an elite airborne infantry division and was constituted in the National Army as the 82nd Division on March 5, 1917, and was organized on March 25, 1917, at Camp Gordon, Georgia. ... An American Paratrooper using a T-10C series parachute Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and formed into an airborne force. ... Combatants United Kingdom Germany Commanders General-Lieutenant Miles Dempsey, British 3rd Infantry Division Generalleutnant Wilhelm Richter, German 716th Static Infantry Division Hans von Luck, German 21st Panzer Division Strength 28,845 Unknown Casualties 630 Unknown German defense at Ouistreham. ... Pegasus Bridge before its replacement Pegasus Bridge in 1944 Original Pegasus Bridge in the Pegasus Museum - July 2005 The replacement Pegasus Bridge in operation The Pegasus Bridge is a bascule bridge over the Caen Canal, near Ouistreham, France. ...

Attempts to take Caen

Fighting near Tilly-sur-Seulles

A Sherman of the Royal Armoured Support Group on the way to Tilly-sur-Seulles on 13 June

From 8 June to 19 June 1944, fighting raged near the village of Tilly-sur-Seulles between parts of the 30th British Army Corps and the German Panzer-Lehr-Division. This battle is known as the Battle of Tilly-sur-Seulles. The British forces were able to break through on the evening of 18 June and after several isolated German counterattacks, the German commander, Major General Fritz Bayerlein, ordered a retreat. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Tilly-sur-Seulles is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ... The Panzerlehrdivision (also called Panzer-Lehr-Division), commonly known as Panzer Lehr, was a German armoured division during World War II, one of the most élite units in the entire German army. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... General Fritz Bayerlein Fritz Bayerlein (January 14, 1899 - January 30, 1970) was a German Panzer general during the Second World War. ...

Finally on 19 June the 50th British Infantry Division was able to take and hold the area. During the fighting 76 civilians from the nearby village were killed, a tenth of the population of Tilly-sur-Seulles. is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The German Panzer-Lehr-Division had 190 tanks at the start of the battle, of which 66 remained after the battle. In addition to the lost tanks, the Germans lost 5,500 men. Today there is a British military cemetery in Tilly-sur-Seulles, as well as a museum that gives information about the battle. Nearby is the "Jerusalem War Cemetery," the smallest military cemetery in Normandy.

Operation Perch

Main article: Operation Perch

Destroyed Cromwell tanks in the Ruins of Villers-Bocage

A week after the Normandy invasion of 6 June, the German 352nd Infantry Division had been pushed back by the U.S. 1st Infantry Division: this left the flank of the German Panzer-Lehr-Division exposed. This vulnerability in the German lines opened up an opportunity for the Allies to thrust forward with armored units and turn the flank of the German defensive position. The British General Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery commenced Operation Perch in order to turn this flank, seize the road hub at Villers-bocage, and drive northeast to take Caen in the flank. On 13 June the Battle of Villers-Bocage took place. In fierce, close-range fighting the Germans succeeded in holding onto the town and securing their front. Thus ended the second attempt to take Caen. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Big Red One redirects here. ... Bernard Law Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (November 17, 1887 - March 24, 1976) was a British military officer during World War II often referred to as Monty. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants United Kingdom Germany Commanders Bernard Montgomery William Onslow Michael Wittmann Karl Mobius Fritz Bayerlein Helmut Ritgen Strength 200 tanks 25 tanks Casualties +30 tanks 30 lightly armoured vehicles 11 tanks (3 repaired) The Battle of Villers-Bocage (June 13, 1944) was a clash between the British and Germans in...

Operation Epsom

Main article: Operation Epsom

An ammunition carrier of the 11th Armoured Division explodes after it was hit by a mortar round during Operation Epsom on 26 June 1944

The Allies, after they had consolidated their forces and after a delay because of bad weather between 19 June and 22 June, began Operation Epsom on 26 June. Three attacks were carried out by Canadian and Scottish units of the British VIII Corps. The mission was to bring Caen and the surrounding countryside under Allied control. Dempsey had 60,000 soldiers, over 700 pieces of artillery and about 600 tanks under his command, although most of the troops had seen very little combat to that point. Combatants Allied Powers Nazi Germany Commanders Lieutenant General Richard OConnor SS General Paul Hausser Strength 1 armoured division 3 infantry divisions 1 armoured brigade 2 SS Panzer Divisions 5 Panzer battlegroups Casualties British VIII Corps 4,020 12th SS Panzer Regiment 324 25th SS Panzer-Grenadier Regiment 383 26th... Image File history File links Operationepsom. ... Image File history File links Operationepsom. ... Combatants Allied Powers Nazi Germany Commanders Lieutenant General Richard OConnor SS General Paul Hausser Strength 1 armoured division 3 infantry divisions 1 armoured brigade 2 SS Panzer Divisions 5 Panzer battlegroups Casualties British VIII Corps 4,020 12th SS Panzer Regiment 324 25th SS Panzer-Grenadier Regiment 383 26th... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... is the 170th day of the year (171st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants Allied Powers Nazi Germany Commanders Lieutenant General Richard OConnor SS General Paul Hausser Strength 1 armoured division 3 infantry divisions 1 armoured brigade 2 SS Panzer Divisions 5 Panzer battlegroups Casualties British VIII Corps 4,020 12th SS Panzer Regiment 324 25th SS Panzer-Grenadier Regiment 383 26th... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The British VIII Corps was an army corps formation that existed during World War I and World War II. World War I The VIII Corps was first formed at Gallipoli during World War I. The main British battle front was at Cape Helles on the tip of the Gallipoli peninsula. ...

The Allied attack was hampered by bad weather and bad preparation. The Allied artillery supported the advance with a creeping barrage. On 26 June the Allied bomber fleet in England was prevented from supporting the attack because of bad weather. The Allied attacks were stopped by Waffen-SS and Wehrmacht units. Most of the gains made by the Allies could not be held. After heavy fighting the Allies had secured and held on to only one location, Hill 112. Rolling barrage is a military tactic in which massed artillery support an infantry advance by firing continuously at positions just in front of the advancing troops. ... is the 177th day of the year (178th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ...

Operation Windsor

Main article: Operation Windsor

The airfield at Carpiquet was to have been taken on D-Day, but this plan had failed. In order to correct the failure, the Allies undertook Operation Windsor to break through the strongly held German positions near the airfield. Parts of the 7th and 8th Canadian Brigades of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division received the mission. Carpiquet is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse_Normandie région in France. ...

The airfield was reinforced with concrete shelters, machine gun towers, underground tunnels and 75 mm anti-tank guns and 20 mm air defense cannons. The surrounding area was also protected by mine fields and barbed wire entanglements. The Resistance had informed the Canadian troops about the defenses surrounding the airfield.

After hard fighting the Canadians were able to take the city of Carpiquet on 5 July. Three days later, after repulsing several German counterattacks, they also controlled the airfield. is the 186th day of the year (187th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Operation Charnwood

Main article: Operation Charnwood

A Sherman tank taking part in Operation Charnwood on 8 July

A Canadian soldier in the ruins of Caen looking for German sharpshooters, 9 July

A Sherman tank and an anti-tank gun in the Caen city center, 10 July

The Allies planned to use heavy bombing in order to scare the German defenders as well as destroy their defensive positions. It was also hoped that the bombardments would raise the morale of the British troops as well. During World War 2, Operation Charnwood (Allies, 1944) had the objective to capture Caen and its surroundings during the ongoing Battle of Normandy. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The M4 Sherman was the primary tank produced by the United States for its own use and the use of its Allies during World War II. Production of the M4 Medium tank exceeded 50,000 units, and its chassis served as the basis for thousands of other armored vehicles such... is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Meanwhile the following instruction was issued on 7 July from the German armed forces operations staff^[1] is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

1. Stop the current front, [...] free up the 12th SS-Panzerdivision and replace the besieged Infantry divisions with fresh troops; [...]

9. Deployment of the entire Organisation Todt [...] ^[2].

SS-Oberführer Kurt Meyer, commander of a unit within the 12th SS-armored division, said that these instructions meant that their orders were to die in Caen.^[3]. Organisation Todt Flag Organisation Todt (OT) was a Nazi construction and engineering group during the years of the Third Reich, which enslaved over 1. ... SS-Oberführer Collar Patch (1942 version) SA-Oberführer Collar Patch Oberführer was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party dating back to 1921. ... Kurt Panzermeyer Meyer in 1942 after being awarded the Oakleaves to the Knights Cross Kurt Panzermeyer Meyer (December 23, 1910-December 23, 1961) served as an officer in the Waffen-SS during the Second World War. ...

After taking some time to reorganize, resupply and refit, the Allies began Operation Charnwood on 7 July. is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Canadian 1st and British 2nd Army, with approximately 115,000 men, struck out at villages held by German forces north of Caen. The Allies had planned to conduct a bombing run on the villages but cancelled them because of the proximity of their own troops. The bombardment area continued to shift towards Caen. On the evening of 7 July, 467 airplanes flew in clear weather and dropped 2,276 bombs. The bombings did little to harm the German forces, but the northern suburbs were mostly destroyed in the attacks. French civilians also bore the brunt with about 3,000 being killed. The Germans were able to shoot one airplane down with their anti-air guns (flak), and three others fell over Allied air space. The air bombardment was supported by naval gun fire from the beaches. is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Alexander McKee said about the bombardment on 7 July: "The 2,500 tons of bombs made no distinction between friend and foe. If the British commanders believed that they would intimidate the Germans by killing the French, then they were sorely mistaken." ^[4]. is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The intimidation factor was non-existent, since the attack did not take place immediately after the bombardment, when the defenders were still diverted and scared. Instead the main attack began the next morning, 8 July, around 04:30. The employment of tanks was made more difficult because of the bombings. Later, when the city was finally taken, it was determined that no German cannon, tanks or soldiers were killed in the targeted areas. is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

At the end of 8 July the Allied had only advanced one kilometer towards the city of Caen. After the German troops withdrew on 9 July from the city center to the north and west of the city, the Allied troops engaged in the north but were kept from further advancement by German snipers. At 18:00 on 9 July, the first units reached the river Orne in Caen. On the evening of 9 July and on 10 July, the Allied reached the city center. Engineers were tasked with repairing bridges over the Orne and moving the rubble out of the city. Arthur Wilkes described the situation after the action: "Mountains of rubble, [approximately] 20 or 30 feet [≈ 6 or 9 meter] high [...] the dead lay everywhere." ^[3]. In the daily war journal of the 1st Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers there is an entry on 9 July: "In the house that were still standing there slowly came life, as the French civilians realized that we had taken the city. They came running out of their houses with glasses and bottles of wine." ^[3]. is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Operation Charnwood was a minor tactical success for the Allies, because the city was still not entirely in Allied hands. The northwest portion of Caen had been taken, but the eastern as well as the eastern suburbs, where the steel factory at Collombelles (with high observation posts) were still under German control. Strategically the operation contributed towards the German belief that the Allied breakout would be in the British sector, where it in fact was not.

Operation Jupiter

Main article: Operation Jupiter

Soldiers of the 43rd Wessex Division seek shelter from German mortar attacks, 10 July

A Priest and soldiers from the 11th British Armoured Division pray before the attack on Eterville on 10 July

Gen. Richard O'Connor tried again to develop the bridgehead with Caen. The British 43rd (Wessex) Division was to retake Hill 112 on 10 July during Operation Jupiter. In the first phase the Allied forces were to take Hill 112, Fontaine and Eterville and in the second phase use Hill 112 as a defensive position and move towards Maltot. A bombardment of mortars and over 100 field artillery pieces preceded the Allied attack. There were 3 operations called Jupiter during World War 2: in 1942, a proposal to invade Norway in 1942, a failed Soviet offensive against the Rzhev salient in 1944, an attack to capture Hill 112, a prominent height in Normandy This is a disambiguation page — a list of articles associated... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Fontaine is a French word meaning fountain or natural spring. ... Maltot is a commune of the département of Calvados, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ...

The Germans had five infantry battalions, two Tiger tank battalions, as well as two Sturmgeschütz companies and Nebelwerfer drawn mostly from the 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg, with elements of the 9th and 12th SS Panzer Divisions in reserve. Sturmgeschütz is a German word for assault gun, abbreviated StuG. They were widely as fire support to infantry, panzer and panzergrenadier units. ... Six barreled Nebelwerfer The Nebelwerfer (German for fog launcher, a code name to obscure the real nature of the weapon) was a German towed rocket artillery piece, developed in the 1930s and used in World War II against light infantry targets. ...

The operation failed because of strong resistance from the Germans which had dug themselves in and were well prepared for the attack. The 43rd Wessex Division lost over 2,000 men during the operation.

Operation Goodwood

Main article: Operation Goodwood

Operation Goodwood was an Allied military operation of World War II from July 18 to 20 July 1944 taking place in Normandy some weeks following D-Day. ...

Preparation

A Sherman drives over the "Euston Bridge" on the first day of Operation Goodwood, one of the few bridges over the Orne

At a meeting with General Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery on 10 July, the commander of the 2nd Army, General Miles Dempsey suggested the plan for Operation Goodwood on the same day Montgomery had approved Operation Cobra. The Canadian part of Operation Goodwood was given the codename Operation Atlantic. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Bernard Law Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (November 17, 1887 - March 24, 1976) was a British military officer during World War II often referred to as Monty. ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Lieutenant-General Dempsey Lieutenant-General Sir Miles Christopher Dempsey GBE KCB DSO MC (15th December 1896 - 5th June 1969) was commander of the British Second Army during the D-Day landings in World War II. After graduating from Sandhurst Military Academy in 1915 Dempsey joined the Royal Berkshire Regiment. ...

Since the middle of July 1944, the British had brought 2,250 medium and 400 light tanks in three Armoured divisions and several independent armoured brigades to Normandy. The Second Army could afford to lose tanks—but not men—in order to bring about the plan to break through the German positions on the eastern side of the Orne and in the north of Caen. Operation Goodwood was to begin on 18 July, two days before the beginning of the U.S. Operation Cobra. Cobra however, did not begin until 25 July. is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Although heavy losses were expected in the operation, Dempsey believed that the British had a good chance to break through. The Armoured divisions of the VIIIth British corps under the command of General Richard O'Connor was to be the main effort. Approximately 700 guns shooting about 250,000 rounds was to make the attack easier. Furthermore, the RAF was to bombard three targets—Collombelles-Mondeville, Toufreville Emiéville and Cagny.

The goal was to capture all of Bras, Hubert-Folie, Verrieres, Fontenay, Garcelles-Secqueville, Cagny and Vimont. A further goal was to push the Germans back from the Bourgebus ridge. The Canadian forces had the task of securing the western flank, and the British infantry were to secure the eastern. Broadband Remote Access Server (B-RAS) is an application running on your router that: Aggregates the output from digital subscriber line access multiplexers (DSLAM) Provides user PPP sessions or IP over ATM sessions Enforces quality of service (QoS) policies Routes traffic into an ISP’s backbone network A DSLAM collects... Hubert-Folie is a commune of the département of Calvados, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ... Verrières is the name or part of the name of several communes in France: Verrières, in the Ardennes département Verrières, in the Aube département Verrières, in the Aveyron département Verrières, in the Charente département Verrières, in the Marne département... Fontenay can refer to: Abbaye de Fontenay, see Marmagne Fontenai and Fontenay is the name or part of the name of several communes in France: Fontenay, in the Eure département Fontenay, in the Indre département Fontenay, in the Manche département Fontenay, in the Saône-et-Loire... Garcelles-Secqueville is a commune of the département of Calvados, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ... There are communes beginning with Cagny in France: Cagny, in the Calvados département Cagny, in the Somme département This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Vimont is a commune and a canton of the département of Calvados, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ...

Execution

Sherman tanks advance with infantrymen seated on top, 18 July 1944

On 18 July, 942 Allied bombers and fighters attacked five villages on the eastern end of Caen in order to facilitate the 2nd British Army's Operation Goodwood. The attacks took place at dawn and were helped by good weather. Four of the targets were marked by pathfinders; for the fifth target the bombardiers had to find another way to find their mark. Supported by American bombers and fighters, the British dropped approximately 6,800 tons of bombs on the villages and surrounding area. Two German units, the 16th Luftwaffe Field Division and the 21st German Panzer Division were hit hard by the bombing. German air defenses and ground troops were able to shoot down six aircraft. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Pathfinder squadrons of the Royal Air Force were elite squadrons of RAF Bomber Command during World War II. At the start of the war Bomber command made many daylight raids but the losses incurred due to lack of escorting fighters when operating over Europe led them to switch the...

The three Allied armored divisions had to overcome water obstacles and a minefield in order to reach their start point. The river Orne and the Caen was an obstacle for the British troops during their advance. Six small bridges were available for the 8,000 vehicles including the tanks, the artillery, the motorised infantry, the engineers and the supply vehicles to cross the river. It was obvious that there would be a large traffic problem. Dempsey's solution was nearly fatal—he allowed his corps commander O'Connor to leave the infantry, engineers, and artillery on the other side until all of the tanks got across.

After the bridges were crossed, the British had to cross a minefield that, only a few days before, had been laid by their own 51st Highland Division. The minefield consisted of a combination of anti-tank and anti-personnel mines. This obstacle would have taken a massive effort from the engineers to be cleared before the battle. But since the Germans had their own minefield at the steel plant in the German occupied suburb of Collombelles and could observe the mine clearing effort, they would have been forewarned of the attack. For the First World War unit, see British 51st (Highland) Division (World War I). ...

British Infantry entrenched, 18 July

The Allies made the mistake of giving up the element of surprise. Many tanks were slowed by the bridges and minefields. Thus the artillery was not firing at the right distances in order to support the attack. Through Allied broadcasts, the Germans had known about the attack since 15 July and had plenty of time to prepare their defenses. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 196th day of the year (197th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Additionally fire support was not effective. The artillery units stayed west of the Orne, so that the main German defense at Bourgebus ridge was not in range. Also, the coordination between the field artillery and the tanks was lacking.

It became clear that the area that had been selected was strategically poor. There were many small villages, and in each one there was a small German garrison. Each of these were connected by tunnels. There were many observation posts that could watch the progress of the Allies. The Bourguébus ridge had many resistance points that had heavy weapons such as machine guns that had free fields of fire.

The German artillery on the Bourguébus ridge at Cagny and Emieville was not weakened by either air or artillery. From these places, the Germans had free fields of fire on the Allied forces. The Germans had the 16th Luftwaffe Field Division as well as the 346th Infantry Division dug in on the ridge. Behind the ridge, in solid stone structures, were the antitank guns of the 21st Panzer Division with overlapping fields of fire; they also had infantry support. On the ridge there were 78 88 mm guns which could destroy a Sherman with one shot. On the reverse slope three kampfgruppen (battle groups) were stationed, made up of 40 tanks and a panzergrenadier armored infantry regiment—further back were the artillery reserves. The engineers of the 51st Highland Division had taken the two nights before the battle to clear 17 corridors through the minefield. German 88 mm guns were used in anti-aircraft and anti-tank roles. ...

The Allies failed to relieve the pressure on the 11th British Armoured Division . Although it was the unit that led the attack, it also was tasked to clean out the small villages along the front lines, namely Cuverville and Demouville. These were to be secured by units following the initial effort. Instead the armored units of the division attacked Bourgebus ridge while the infantry battalions took care of the villages. This slowed the attacks down and prevented meaningful cooperation. British 11th Armoured Division: The Black Bull. ... There are communes that have the name Cuverville in France: Cuverville, in the Calvados département Cuverville, in the Eure département Cuverville, in the Seine-Maritime département See also: Cuverville-sur-Yères, in the Seine-Maritime département This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid... Démouville is a commune of the département of Calvados, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ...

For the most part, the Allied force pressed forward very slowly. The 29th Armoured brigade of the 11th Armoured Division, the only active Allied unit of the day, made the biggest gains, capturing almost 7 miles (11 km). The 29th Armoured Brigade was a Second World War British Army brigade. ...

When the railroad line was reached in the morning at Caen Vimont on 18 July at 09:30, the Germans had recovered from bombardment. Twelve Allied tanks were destroyed by one 88 mm gun that fired on them several times. The Allies advanced slowly and crossed the rail line in order to approach the Bourgebus ridge held by the 21st German Panzerdivision, the 1st SS-armored division and numerous other guns. For most of the day, only the British 29th Armoured Brigade of the 11th Armoured Division were without artillery support. The 159th Infantry Brigade was busy clearing out two villages behind the 29th Armoured brigade. The remaining two armoured divisions were also busy crossing the bridges or passing through the minefield. At dawn only one tank battalion of the 7th British Armoured division was involved in combat while most of the remaining armour units had to wait from 10:00 to midday on 18 July to cross the Orne. is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... German 88 mm guns were used in anti-aircraft and anti-tank roles. ... The 7th Armoured Division (known as the Desert Rats) of the British Army was the most famous unit of its type in British service during World War II. It was a regular division in the Middle East, designated the Mobile Division at first, renamed the Armoured Division (Egypt) in September... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Individual tank battalions fought without support and behind one another instead of fighting together which was what was planned at the outset of the operation. Most of the land won came on the morning of 18 July. By 20 July most of the city of Caen was under Allied control. is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Germans began a counterattack after midday on 18 July that lasted until 20 July. Montgomery brought the operation to a close on 20 July after having lost 4,000 soldiers and approximately 400 tanks. is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 201st day of the year (202nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Results

Medics on 18 July treat wounded soldiers during Operation Goodwood

The operation did not go as planned for the Allies. They lost roughly 400 tanks and about 5,500 British and Canadian soldiers. The Germans held their most important positions while losing 109 tanks—a figure that was high for them as opposed to the Allies, in that they could not replace their tanks as quickly. While tactically the operation went poorly for the Allies, strategically it was partly successful in that the Germans remained convinced that the main attack would still come in the British Second Army sector. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 199th day of the year (200th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Operation Spring

Main article: Operation Spring

A Churchill tank in Maltot, 26 July 1944

At a conference on 22 July it was decided that Operation Spring would begin on 25 July under the command of General Guy Simonds. The goal of the operation was for the Canadian 2nd Corps to capture, among others, the high ground near Cramesni and La Bruyers, approximately three miles (5 km) south of Brougebous During World War II, Operation Spring (Allies, 1944) enabled to secure territory gains around Caen and its surroundings during the Battle of Normandy, after Operation Goodwood. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 207th day of the year (208th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... is the 203rd day of the year (204th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds inspecting II Canadian Corps in Meppen, Germany, May 31st, 1945. ...

Two Canadian infantry divisions were to attack, after which follow-up armor divisions would break through the holes opened up by the infantry and advance even further, in order to take the targeted areas. The 2nd Canadian Infantry division was to be on the right, the 3rd Canadian Infantry division on the left. The operation was to go forward in three parts. First to the May-sur-Orne—Verriéres—Tilly-la-Campagne line. Then to the Fontanay-le-Marmion—Roquancourt line, and then onto the plateau. May sur Orne is a commune of the département of Calvados, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ... Tilly-la-Campagne is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ...

The Germans tried to bring more troops into the Caen-Falaise area. On 20 June the Supreme Command of the Wehrmacht announced that the advance of their forces was finished. The Germans had five armored divisions and various other infantry units in the area. Since these units had been available on the first day of the operation the chance of an Allied break through was small. is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The command flag for the Chief of the High Command of the German Armed Forces (1938 - 1941) The command flag for a Generalfeldmarschall as the Chief of the High Command of the German Armed Forces (1941 - 1945) The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht or OKW (Wehrmacht High Command, Armed Forces High Command...

After the air and artillery bombardment that had preceded the attack, the Canadians could have reached their goal on 25 July, but because of the strong German resistance, they were forced to withdraw entirely or at least pull back to defensive positions. On 26 July and 27 July, a German counterattack in the area around Verriéres where the Canadians had taken the day before was pushed back by an Allied artillery strike. is the 206th day of the year (207th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 207th day of the year (208th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The operation did not reach its intended goals; instead it ensured that Verriéres remained in Allied hands which amounted to a good tactical position, as the town lay on the high ground and allowed observation of several lower lying areas. The advantages afforded by the view that the Allies had was lost to the Germans, as Tilly-la-Campagne was also taken. The operation was the Canadians' most costly in the war, as they lost approximately 1,500 men, many of whom are buried in the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery. Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, September 2006. ...

Treatment of prisoners of war and war crimes

Treatment of prisoners

An Allied soldier watches two German POW's near Caen, 11 July 1944

Canadian soldiers watch a French woman and German prisoners near Caen, 19 July 1944

Kurt Meyer reported what happened in the handling of the German prisoners of war by the Canadian troops: Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 192nd day of the year (193rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Kurt Panzermeyer Meyer in 1942 after being awarded the Oakleaves to the Knights Cross Kurt Panzermeyer Meyer (December 23, 1910-December 23, 1961) served as an officer in the Waffen-SS during the Second World War. ...

"On the 7th of June I was given a notebook taken from the body of a dead Canadian captain. In addition to handwritten orders, the notes stated that 'no prisoners were to be taken'. Some Canadian prisoners were asked to verify these instructions...they confirmed orders that if prisoners impeded the advance, they were not to be taken" ^[5]

The Canadian company commander Major Jacques D. Dextraze said and to a certain extent confirmed the accusations by Meyer:

"We crossed the river - the bridge had been blown up...Eighty five prisoners we take. I select an officer, "take them back to the P.W. cage". He goes back, making them run, to the bridge that we had... These guys had been running for a couple of miles. They came to the bridge (bad cut) No no, you don't take the bridge, you swim. Now these guys fell...went into that water you know. Most of them drowned. Imagine having run you know, they had been fighting before, running you know for a couple of miles, and then the water you know. Now, they were picked up by the engineers rebuilding the bridge. I could have been accused of not having protected them. I'm responsible for these prisoners you see. I felt very bad when I saw them all piled up beside the bridge..."^[5]

War crimes by the German troops

More than 156 Canadian prisoners, according to reports, were murdered near Caen by the 12th SS-Panzerdivision in the days and weeks following D-Day.

Twenty Canadians were executed near Villons-les-Buissons, northeast of Caen in the Ardenne Abbey. The abbey was made up of buildings from the middle-ages and a gothic church. The commander of the 25th German heavy armored regiment of the 12th SS-Panzerdivision, Kurt Meyer, had his headquarters in the area and probably was involved in the execution. Villons-les-Buissons is a commune of the Calvados département, in the Basse-Normandie région, in France. ... The abbaye dArdenne (Ardenne Abbey) is a site in Saint-Germain-la-Blanche-Herbe, near Caen, France containing a chapel built in 1121 and other medieval buildings. ...

On 7 June Canadian troops fighting at Authie were taken prisoner. The abbey was fast filling up with prisoners. Ten were selected and executed outside the abbey. The rest of the prisoners were brought to Bretteville sur Odon. In the evening on the same day eleven prisoners were shot in the garden of one of the Chateaus. is the 158th day of the year (159th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Authie is the name of several places in France: Communes Authie, commune of the Calvados département Authie, commune of the Somme département River Authie, French river This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Bretteville-sur-Odon is a commune of the Calvados d partement, in the Basse_Normandie r gion in France. ...

On the evening of 8 June another seven prisoners that had fought at Authie and Buron were brought to the abbey. There they were questioned and then afterwards executed. The seven were brought into the garden and ten minutes later all seven were dead, shot in the back of the head. Jan Jesionek, a Polish soldier serving with the 12th SS, later reported the events and that the German units commander Meyer supposedly had said: "'What should we do with these prisoners? They only eat up our rations. In future no more prisoners are to be taken."^[6] The last corpses of the Canadians that were killed were found in the fall of 1945. is the 159th day of the year (160th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Büron is a municipality in the district of Sursee, in the canton of Lucerne, Switzerland. ...

A memorial to the executed Canadian soldiers in the garden of the Abbey.

The Abbaye d'Ardenne was captured at midnight on 8 July by the Regina Rifles. The executed soldiers were exhumed and buried in the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2592 × 1944 pixel, file size: 2. ... is the 189th day of the year (190th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, September 2006. ...

Meyer was sentenced to death in December 1945, although he had denied knowledge of the incident. His sentence was later commuted to life in prison. On 7 September 1954, he was released from prison. is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

A small chapel at the abbey was set up in memory of the Canadian soldiers. The chapel consists of a wooden cross, over which is a niche with a statue of Mary. On the cross is a Canadian steel helmet. Every year the children of Authie place flowers at the chapel. In 1984 a bronze plaque was erected at the abbey, it reads:

"On the night of June 7/8, 1944, 18 Canadian soldiers were murdered in this garden while being held here as prisoners of war. Two more prisoners died here or nearby on June 17. They are dead but not forgotten."

Aftermath

Provisional wood shop in the destroyed city during the rebuilding, 1945

View of the destruction of Caen

Operation Overlord and the battles in Normandy successfully gave the Allies a foothold in France, which led to the liberation of the rest of Europe. On 25 August the Allies were able to retake the French capital Paris. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... is the 237th day of the year (238th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Caen and the surrounding towns and villages were mostly destroyed; the cathedral in Caen and the University of Caen (founded in 1432) were both razed to the ground. The buildings were eventually rebuilt after the war and even expanded. For this reason the symbol of the University of Caen is the Phoenix. Approximately 35,000 citizens of Caen were rendered homeless after the fighting.

After the war ended, the West German government had to pay reparations as compensation to any civilians in Caen killed, starved, or left homeless by the war.

The rebuilding of Caen officially lasted from 1948 until 1962. On 6 June 2004, Gerhard Schröder became the first German Chancellor to be invited to the anniversary celebration of the invasion. is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...   [] (born April 7, 1944), German politician, was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. ...

There are many monuments to the Battle for Caen and Operation Overlord. For example on the road to Odon-bridge at Tourmauville, there is a memorial for the 15th Scottish Division; or the monument on hill 112 for the 53rd Welsh Division, as well as one for the 43rd Wessex Division. Near hill 112, a forest was planted in memory of those that fought there.

The landings at Normandy, the Battle for Caen and the Second World War are remembered today with many memorials—in Caen there is the Mémorial with a "peace museum" (Musée de la paix). The museum was built by the city of Caen on top of where the bunker of General Wilhelm Richter, the commander of the 716th German Infantry Division was located. On 6 June 1988 the museum was opened by the French president at the time, François Mitterrand as well as twelve ambassadors from countries that took part in the fighting in Normandy. The museum is dedicated to pacifism and borders the Parc international pour la Libération de l'Europe, a garden in remembrance of the Allied participants in the invasion. is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ...   IPA: (October 26, 1916 – January 8, 1996) served as President of France from 1981 to 1995, elected as representative of the Socialist Party (PS). ...

The Allied fallen are buried in the Brouay War Cemetery, the Banneville-la-Campagne War Cemetery (2,170 graves), the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery (2,049 graves) and the Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery (2,957 graves). Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, September 2006. ... The Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery is a Cemetery containing predominantly Canadian soldiers killed during the later stages of the Battle of Normandy in the Second World War. ...

Media

Films

• The documentary D-Day 6.6.44 - Entscheidung in der Normandie from British television BBC documents the results of the advances on Caen. Producer: Tim Bradley; Director: Richard Dale, Kim Bour, Pamela Gordon, Sally Weale.
• The U.S. black and white documentary Crusade in Europe from 1949, based on Eisenhower's book, documenting Operation Overlord as well as the Battle for Caen
• The Norman Summer: 1962 Canadian documentary about the fight for Caen as well as Normandy.
• In Desperate Battle: Normandy 1944 1992 Canadian television film about the Battle for Caen.
• Road to Ortona, Turn of the Tide and V Was for Victory as well as Crisis on the Hill (all 1962): Canadian documentary about the Battle.

For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ... Richard Dale (6 November 1756 - 26 February 1826) was an officer in the United States Navy. ... Pamela Gordon (born Pamela Anne Gordon on 10 February 1943 in British Columbia) is a Canadian model and actress. ...

Games

• Call of Duty 2: Computer game from the U.S. game developer Infinity Ward. Released on 3 November 2005, the player is British Sergeant John Davis in the attack on Caen.
• D-Day: In this real-time tactical computer game the player can play one of the operations involved in the Battle for Caen. Also the player can simulate the action on D-Day and other actions in the breakout in Normandy.
• Hidden & Dangerous 2: The player is a British SAS soldier that must liberate a town near Caen from the Germans.
• Battlefield 1942: This extremely popular multi-player game features a map of Caen only available with the latest patch which can be found on the Battlefield 1942 website. The two opposing teams, the Germans and the Canadians, must fight over the city of Caen. This was the only WWII game which featured the Canadian Army until the release of Call of Duty 3.
• Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts: The entire British campaign, spanning 9 missions, is about the British 2nd Army's advance towards Caen and the battle of Caen.

For the GameCube, PS2 and Xbox game, see Call of Duty 2: Big Red One. ... A computer game is a game composed of a computer-controlled virtual universe that players interact with in order to achieve a defined goal or set of goals. ... Infinity Ward, located in Encino, California, is a computer game developer founded by the former developers of Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Battlefield 1942 is a 3D World War II first-person shooter (FPS) computer game developed by Digital Illusions CE and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows (2002) and Apple Macintosh (2004). ... Call of Duty 3 is the third installment in the Call of Duty video game series. ...

Literature

• Simon Trew: Battle Zone Normandy: Battle for Caen, Sutton, 2005, ISBN 0-7509-3010-1
• Henry Maule: Caen: The brutal battle and break-out from Normandy, David & Charles, 1976, ISBN 0-7153-7283-1
• Ken Ford: Caen 1944, Osprey Publishing, ISBN 1-84176-625-9
• Ken Ford: D-Day 1944: Sword Beach & British Airborne Landings, Osprey Publishing, ISBN 1-84176-366-7
• Ken Ford: Falaise 1944: Death of an Army, Osprey Publishing, ISBN 1-84176-626-7
• Chris Going, Alun Jones: D-Day: The Lost Evidence (Above the Battle), Crecy Publishing, 2004, ISBN 0-85979-097-5
• Stephen Badsey: Normandy, 1944, Osprey Publishing, ISBN 0-85045-921-4
• Anthony Hall: Operation Overlord---D-Day---: Operation Overlord, Zenith Imprint, ISBN 0-7603-1607-4
• Jane Penrose: The D-Day Companion: Leading Historians Explore History's Greatest Amphibious Assault, Osprey Publishing, ISBN 1-84176-779-4
• Russell Hart, Stephen Hart: The Second World War (6): Northwest Europe 1944-1945, Osprey Publishing, ISBN 1-84176-384-5
• Ian Daglish: Operation Bluecoat (Battleground Europe S.), Pen and Sword Books Ltd., 2003, ISBN 0-85052-912-3
• Ian Daglish: Operation Goodwood: Battleground, Leo Cooper Ltd., 2004, ISBN 1-84415-030-5
• Tim Saunders: Operation Epsom (Battleground Europe S.), Pen and Sword Books Ltd., 2003, ISBN 0-85052-954-9
• Eric Hunt: Mont Pinçon, Pen and Sword Books Ltd., ISBN 0-85052-944-1
• Tim Saunders: Hill 112, Pen and Sword Books Ltd., ISBN 0-85052-737-6

Notes

1. ^ The 12th SS-armored division was under direct control of Adolf Hitler
2. ^ Percy E. Schramm: War Diary of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces 1944-1945 , ISBN 3-7637-5933-6, volume 1, page 325
3. ^ ^{a b c} British Ministry of Defense: http://www.veteransagency.mod.uk/pdfolder/60th_anniversary/drive_on_caen.pdf, PDF
4. ^ Yves Lecouturier: Entdeckungspfade - Die Strände der alliierten Landung (Discovery Paths - The Beaches of the Allied Landings), ISBN 3-88571-287-3, Page 102
5. ^ ^{a b} valourandhorror.com: http://www.valourandhorror.com/DB/ISSUE/POWs.php
6. ^ waramps.ca: http://www.waramps.ca/military/wwii/tnop.html#abbaye2, Report from a Polish Private from the 12th SS Panzerdivision

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Battle for Caen

• Overview of the Battle for Caen
• Information about Operation Charnwood
• Additional information about the battle
• Info on the battle for hill 112
• Information about the battle from valourandhorror.com
• diverse information
• Maps
• ibiblio.org
• Caen Memorial
• Info
• Operation Bluecoat from the BBC
• Info
• Journal of the RAF:
  • June 1944
  • July 1944
  • August 1944
• Information
• ornebridgehead.org
• junobeach.org
• Abbaye d'Ardenne
• Info about the massacre
• Info about the battle
• [PDF] Britishes Ministry Of Defence on the Battle - Part 1
• [PDF] British Ministry Of Defence on the Battle - Part 2
• [PDF] Operation Charnwood
• [PDF] Report from the Canadian military

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ...