During World War II, Operation Totalize (Allies, 1944) was a ground attack on 7 August1944 by British, Canadian and Polish forces to breakout from the Normandy beachhead along the Caen-Falaise road. Although the attack failed in its objective, it did serve as a spoiling attack, disrupting German forces massing for the Operation Lüttich attack.
Benefiting from the British-led operations around Caen, American armed forces made somewhat better progress in the effort to breakout on the right flank of the Allied line.
The successful breakout from Normandy was reflected in the Allied sweep across northern France during this period.
Landings in southern France (Operation Dragoon) took place on August 15th and the US and French forces swept northward against light opposition.
The bridge was a major objective of the British 6th Airborne Division, which was landed by glider near it during the Normandy Invasion on the 5th/6 June 1944.
One of the men killed during the operation was Lt. Den Brotheridge, the first Allied soldier to be killed on D-Day.
The operation is frequently referred to as Operation Coup de Main, although since coup-de-main is a term frequently used for a swift pre-emptive strike it is not clear if this is a description or an official codename.
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