Operation Windsor
Encyclopedia
Operation Windsor was a Canadian offensive launched as part of the Battle of Normandy
during the Second World War
. Taking place on 4–5 July 1944, the attack was undertaken by the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division
in an attempt to capture the Norman town of Carpiquet
and the adjacent airfield from German forces. The attack was originally intended to take place during the later stages of Operation Epsom
, as a means of protecting the eastern flank of the main assault. It was postponed and launched the following week.
On 4 July 1944, four battalions of the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division attacked Carpiquet in conjunction with flanking attacks by armoured regiments of the Canadian 2nd Armoured Brigade
. Although the Canadian 8th Infantry Brigade
succeeded in capturing Carpiquet by mid-afternoon, heavy resistance to the south prevented the airfield from being captured—despite significant Allied armour and air support. The following day, Canadian forces defeated multiple German counterattacks and succeeded in holding Carpiquet in preparation for British attacks on Caen as part of Operation Charnwood
.
was a major Operation Overlord
goal for the British 2nd Army
′s I Corps, having landed forces on two Normandy
beaches on 6 June 1944 in order to capture the city and Carpiquet area. Although Caen was the initial objective of British forces landing on Sword Beach
, heavy German resistance prevented the town from being captured on 6 June 1944; an outcome that had been considered a possibility by 2nd Army's commanding officer. For the next three weeks, positional warfare ensued; both sides attacked and counterattacked for minor tactical advantage across the Anglo-Canadian front.
From 26–30 June, the 2nd Army launched Operation Epsom
, utilising the newly arrived VIII Corps and was designed to outflank Caen and seize the high ground near Bretteville-sur-Laize
, south of the town. By the end of the action, VIII Corps had succeeded in advancing six miles through strongly entrenched positions, however the Germans were able to contain the offensive, after committing their last available reserves. Depending on the success of VIII Corps, the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division—supported by the Canadian 2nd Armoured Brigade
—was to capture the village and airfield of Carpiquet in an attack codenamed Operation Ottawa; however, the operation was postponed.
Despite the penetrations to the west of Caen, forces of the I SS Panzer Corps
still held positions north and west of Caen. Strong fortifications on the River Orne and near Carpiquet prevented any further advance toward Caen from the north. Carpiquet—3.5 mi (5.6 km) northwest of the centre of Caen—became a major objective of the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division
, under the command of Major-General Rod Keller
. The need for additional airfields on the Normandy mainland ensured Carpiquet was a valuable prize for the Allies and a heavily-defended position for the Germans.
and machine gun
emplacements manned by the 1st Battalion, 26th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment, a anti-aircraft battery and supported by 15 tanks.
; The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
(QRC), Le Régiment de la Chaudière
, and The North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment. Also included were The Royal Winnipeg Rifles
(RWR) from the Canadian 7th Infantry Brigade
, who would lead the assault. Armoured and machine-gun support was to be provided by Canadian 10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort Gary Horse)
, The Sherbrooke Fusiliers
and the Cameron Highlanders Support Battalion
. Additional support was later made available in the form of two squadrons of Hawker Typhoon
fighter-bomber
s and three squadrons of specialized tank
s from the British 79th Armoured Division. As a means of adding heavy-calibre firepower to the initial bombardment, the 16 in (406.4 mm) guns of the battleship
would bombard German positions around Carpiquet, some 15 mi (24.1 km) inland.
Operation Windsor was designed to commence at 05:00 on 4 July—following a bombardment by 21 artillery regiments—with Le Régiment de la Chaudière and The North Shore Regiment attacking Carpiquet while the Sherbrooke Fusiliers protected their northern flank. To the south, The RWR would advance and seize the hangars of Carpiquet airfield. Once the two regiments had captured Carpiquet, the QWR would push through and take control of the airfield's control buildings. Its capture would enable further Anglo-Canadian attacks against Caen itself.
To the south, the RWR advanced slowly towards the airfield, with German mortar fire inflicting heavy casualties on advancing infantry and armour alike. It would take the RWR 90 minutes to advance the 1.5 mi (2.4 km) between Marcelet and the airfield hangars. Only with eventual indirect fire support from an available squadron of the 10th Armoured Regiment was the RWR able to advance to the airfield. Several Sherman tanks were knocked out; by midday, the RWR were forced to withdraw halfway toward their original positions.
Unaware that the RWR had failed to gain control of the airfield, Keller elected to commit the QRC to the second phase of the assault plan. The regiment moved forward into Carpiquet—now controlled by the Chaudières and The North Shore who attacked German strongpoints bypassed by the initial assault. It took a combination of infantry attacks, flame-throwers, petard-tanks (Churchill tanks mounted with a 290 mm (11 in) spigot mortar), and the immolation of one strongpoint to force the remaining 12 defenders to surrender, with the remainder surrendering after vicious fighting. The QRC reached the edge of Carpiquet as the RWR was withdrawing, and was ordered to hold their positions until the RWR could reorganize for a second attack.
For the second attack on the airfield, Keller secured the assistance of two squadrons of Hawker Typhoon fighter-bombers to support the attacks against 12th SS positions. The survivors of the RWR were ordered to "execute a sweeping attack by the lower ground around the enemy's left flank", with full armour and artillery support. In the late afternoon, the RWR resumed the attack on the airfield. Although they reached the hangars, they were unable to dislodge the German defenders. Facing strong counter-attacks by Panzer units, the RWR was ordered to withdraw to their start-line under the cover of darkness. In Carpiquet, three battalions of the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade rapidly fortified their positions. Following their seizure of the town, the 8th Brigade was now positioned closer to Caen than any other Anglo-Canadian unit. Although the Canadians had firm control of Carpiquet and the northern hangars, the southern hangars and control buildings remained in German hands.
Shortly after midnight, the first of the SS counterattacks began, throwing itself against the Canadian defences. Although 13 tanks had been lost the previous day, the remainder of the 10th Canadian Armoured Regiment, supported by mortars from the Cameron Highlanders, prevented German panzers from penetrating the ruins of Carpiquet. Strong Canadian defensive positions and machine-gun fire caused heavy German casualties. By dawn, almost no ground had been gained by the attackers. By midday, the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade and 10th Canadian Armoured Regiment had defeated three counterattacks with artillery and Hawker Typhoon assistance, ensuring that German forces could not breach the Canadian positions. The town remained under Canadian control, even though German Nebelwerfer Rocket-Artillery
and mortars continued to bombard Carpiquet.
. On 9 July, the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade succeeded in capturing Carpiquet airfield, as 450 aircraft of the Royal Air Force
bombed Caen in preparation for a full assault. By day's end, the northern half of Caen had been seized by British forces, while the remainder of the city had been leveled. On 18 July British and Canadian forces launched Operations Atlantic
and Goodwood
; the Canadians launched the former operation liberating the remainder of Caen while British forces secured the terrain to the east and south of the city. Canadian forces then attacked German positions on Verrières Ridge
.
Canadian casualties for the operation totaled 377, of which 127 were fatal. The majority of these losses occurred on 4 July— the RWR and The North Shore Regiment took approximately 130 casualties each on the first day. In total, 17 tanks were lost by the 10th Canadian Armoured Regiment, with an unknown number of losses by the Sherbrooke Fusiliers. Casualty statistics for the German defenders indicate 155 total losses, the majority of which occurred during the counter-attacks on 5 July.
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
during the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Taking place on 4–5 July 1944, the attack was undertaken by the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division
3rd Canadian Infantry Division
The Canadian 3rd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Canadian Army from 1940 to c.1945.- History :The formation of the division was authorized on 17 May 1940...
in an attempt to capture the Norman town of Carpiquet
Carpiquet
Carpiquet is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France. Caen – Carpiquet Airport is located in Carpiquet.-Geography:Carpiquet is on the western side of the Caen metropolitan area...
and the adjacent airfield from German forces. The attack was originally intended to take place during the later stages of Operation Epsom
Operation Epsom
Operation Epsom, also known as the First Battle of the Odon, was a Second World War British offensive that took place between 26 and 30 June 1944, during the Battle of Normandy...
, as a means of protecting the eastern flank of the main assault. It was postponed and launched the following week.
On 4 July 1944, four battalions of the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division attacked Carpiquet in conjunction with flanking attacks by armoured regiments of the Canadian 2nd Armoured Brigade
2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade
-History:Soon after 3rd Canadian Tank Brigade assumed the designation in summer 1943 of the original 2nd Canadian Tank Brigade, the new 2nd Tank was redesignated and reorganized as 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade. Although reorganized as an armoured brigade, no motor battalion served under its command...
. Although the Canadian 8th Infantry Brigade
8th Canadian Infantry Brigade
The 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade was an infantry formation of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division during World War II-World War II:After training in Britain, the 8th Brigade formed part of the assault forces on D-Day, at Juno Beach...
succeeded in capturing Carpiquet by mid-afternoon, heavy resistance to the south prevented the airfield from being captured—despite significant Allied armour and air support. The following day, Canadian forces defeated multiple German counterattacks and succeeded in holding Carpiquet in preparation for British attacks on Caen as part of Operation Charnwood
Operation Charnwood
Operation Charnwood was a Second World War Anglo-Canadian offensive that took place from 8–9 July 1944, during the Battle of Normandy. The operation was intended to at least partially capture the German-occupied French city of Caen , which was an important Allied objective during the opening stages...
.
Background
The historic Norman town of CaenCaen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
was a major Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
goal for the British 2nd Army
British Second Army
The British Second Army was active during both the First and Second World Wars. During the First World War the army was active on the Western Front and in Italy...
′s I Corps, having landed forces on two Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
beaches on 6 June 1944 in order to capture the city and Carpiquet area. Although Caen was the initial objective of British forces landing on Sword Beach
Sword Beach
Sword, commonly known as Sword Beach, was the code name given to one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast during the initial assault phase, Operation Neptune, of Operation Overlord; the Allied invasion of German-occupied France that commenced on 6 June 1944...
, heavy German resistance prevented the town from being captured on 6 June 1944; an outcome that had been considered a possibility by 2nd Army's commanding officer. For the next three weeks, positional warfare ensued; both sides attacked and counterattacked for minor tactical advantage across the Anglo-Canadian front.
From 26–30 June, the 2nd Army launched Operation Epsom
Operation Epsom
Operation Epsom, also known as the First Battle of the Odon, was a Second World War British offensive that took place between 26 and 30 June 1944, during the Battle of Normandy...
, utilising the newly arrived VIII Corps and was designed to outflank Caen and seize the high ground near Bretteville-sur-Laize
Bretteville-sur-Laize
Bretteville-sur-Laize is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.The scene of heavy fighting following the Normandy landings, much of the town is of post-WW2 construction.-Population:-Twin towns:...
, south of the town. By the end of the action, VIII Corps had succeeded in advancing six miles through strongly entrenched positions, however the Germans were able to contain the offensive, after committing their last available reserves. Depending on the success of VIII Corps, the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division—supported by the Canadian 2nd Armoured Brigade
2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade
-History:Soon after 3rd Canadian Tank Brigade assumed the designation in summer 1943 of the original 2nd Canadian Tank Brigade, the new 2nd Tank was redesignated and reorganized as 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade. Although reorganized as an armoured brigade, no motor battalion served under its command...
—was to capture the village and airfield of Carpiquet in an attack codenamed Operation Ottawa; however, the operation was postponed.
Despite the penetrations to the west of Caen, forces of the I SS Panzer Corps
I SS Panzer Corps
The I SS Panzer Corps Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler or I SS Panzer Corps was a German Waffen-SS panzer corps which saw action on both the Western and Eastern Fronts during World War II.-Formation and training:...
still held positions north and west of Caen. Strong fortifications on the River Orne and near Carpiquet prevented any further advance toward Caen from the north. Carpiquet—3.5 mi (5.6 km) northwest of the centre of Caen—became a major objective of the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division
3rd Canadian Infantry Division
The Canadian 3rd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Canadian Army from 1940 to c.1945.- History :The formation of the division was authorized on 17 May 1940...
, under the command of Major-General Rod Keller
Rod Keller
Major General Rodney Frederick Leopold Keller CBE was a notable Canadian Army officer who rose to divisional-level command in the Second World War...
. The need for additional airfields on the Normandy mainland ensured Carpiquet was a valuable prize for the Allies and a heavily-defended position for the Germans.
German defences
The German defences in and around Carpiquet were formidable, as the position was considered "strategically vital" by both sides. The defences at Carpiquet airfield relied on a 1.2 mi (1.9 km) expanse of level ground, which offered the perfect "killing field" for the defenders. The airfield had been converted into a defensive fortress, employing minefields, field gunField gun
A field gun is an artillery piece. Originally the term referred to smaller guns that could accompany a field army on the march and when in combat could be moved about the battlefield in response to changing circumstances, as to opposed guns installed in a fort, or to siege cannon or mortars which...
and machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
emplacements manned by the 1st Battalion, 26th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment, a anti-aircraft battery and supported by 15 tanks.
Allied forces
For the attack on Carpiquet, Keller selected the three Infantry Battalions of the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade8th Canadian Infantry Brigade
The 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade was an infantry formation of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division during World War II-World War II:After training in Britain, the 8th Brigade formed part of the assault forces on D-Day, at Juno Beach...
; The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada is a militia regiment within the Canadian Forces, based in Toronto, Ontario. The regiment is part of Land Force Central Area's 32 Canadian Brigade Group. It is the only Primary Reserve regiment in Canada to have a parachute role. The regiment consists of the reserve...
(QRC), Le Régiment de la Chaudière
Le Régiment de la Chaudière
The Régiment de la Chaudière is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.-Insignia:The regimental insignia consists of two crossed machine guns, surmounted by a beaver supporting a fleur-de-lys...
, and The North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment. Also included were The Royal Winnipeg Rifles
The Royal Winnipeg Rifles
The Royal Winnipeg Rifles are a Primary Reserve one-battalion infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. Nicknamed the "Little Black Devils", they are based at Minto Armouries in Winnipeg, Manitoba...
(RWR) from the Canadian 7th Infantry Brigade
7th Canadian Infantry Brigade
The 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade , along with the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade and the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade , formed the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, which was a Canadian Army formation during World War II...
, who would lead the assault. Armoured and machine-gun support was to be provided by Canadian 10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort Gary Horse)
The Fort Garry Horse
The Fort Garry Horse is a Canadian Army Reserve Armoured Regiment based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is currently part of Land Force Western Area's 38 Canadian Brigade Group.- History :...
, The Sherbrooke Fusiliers
Sherbrooke Hussars
The Sherbrooke Hussars is a Primary Reserve armoured regiment of the Canadian Forces.-Sherbrooke Regiment:The Sherbrooke Regiment was initially formed in 1866 as the Sherbrooke Battalion of Infantry, becoming the 53rd Battalion in 1867. The regiment provided volunteers for the 12th Battalion,...
and the Cameron Highlanders Support Battalion
The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada
The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada is a Primary Reserve infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces.-Formation:As early as 1905 the local Scottish community in Winnipeg, led by the St Andrew's Society, began lobbying the government to raise a Highland regiment...
. Additional support was later made available in the form of two squadrons of Hawker Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
fighter-bomber
Fighter-bomber
A fighter-bomber is a fixed-wing aircraft with an intended primary role of light tactical bombing and also incorporating certain performance characteristics of a fighter aircraft. This term, although still used, has less significance since the introduction of rockets and guided missiles into aerial...
s and three squadrons of specialized tank
Hobart's Funnies
Hobart's Funnies were a number of unusually modified tanks operated during World War II by the United Kingdom's 79th Armoured Division or by specialists from the Royal Engineers. They were designed in light of problems that more standard tanks experienced during the Dieppe Raid, so that the new...
s from the British 79th Armoured Division. As a means of adding heavy-calibre firepower to the initial bombardment, the 16 in (406.4 mm) guns of the battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
would bombard German positions around Carpiquet, some 15 mi (24.1 km) inland.
Operation Windsor was designed to commence at 05:00 on 4 July—following a bombardment by 21 artillery regiments—with Le Régiment de la Chaudière and The North Shore Regiment attacking Carpiquet while the Sherbrooke Fusiliers protected their northern flank. To the south, The RWR would advance and seize the hangars of Carpiquet airfield. Once the two regiments had captured Carpiquet, the QWR would push through and take control of the airfield's control buildings. Its capture would enable further Anglo-Canadian attacks against Caen itself.
Canadian assault on Carpiquet, 4 July
As dawn broke on 4 July 1944, 21 artillery regiments opened fire on German positions in and around Carpiquet, laying down a creeping barrage 1 mi (1.6 km) wide and 400 yd (365.8 m) deep. At 05:00, two Canadian infantry regiments advanced on Carpiquet, while the Sherbrooke Fusiliers attacked to the north. The Sherbooke Fusiliers attack succeeded in breaking through the German minefields, but the defensive positions of the 26th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment remained intact and continued to fire on advancing infantry of The North Shore Regiment. In the centre, the Chaudières avoided much of the fire directed at The North Shore Regiment as they advanced on Carpiquet. By 06:32, both regiments had reached the outskirts of the town, coming into contact with elements of the 12th SS Panzer Division. As fighting in Carpiquet degenerated into a house-to-house battle of attrition, tanks of the Canadian 10th Armoured Regiment assisted the infantry in gradually overcoming German opposition.To the south, the RWR advanced slowly towards the airfield, with German mortar fire inflicting heavy casualties on advancing infantry and armour alike. It would take the RWR 90 minutes to advance the 1.5 mi (2.4 km) between Marcelet and the airfield hangars. Only with eventual indirect fire support from an available squadron of the 10th Armoured Regiment was the RWR able to advance to the airfield. Several Sherman tanks were knocked out; by midday, the RWR were forced to withdraw halfway toward their original positions.
Unaware that the RWR had failed to gain control of the airfield, Keller elected to commit the QRC to the second phase of the assault plan. The regiment moved forward into Carpiquet—now controlled by the Chaudières and The North Shore who attacked German strongpoints bypassed by the initial assault. It took a combination of infantry attacks, flame-throwers, petard-tanks (Churchill tanks mounted with a 290 mm (11 in) spigot mortar), and the immolation of one strongpoint to force the remaining 12 defenders to surrender, with the remainder surrendering after vicious fighting. The QRC reached the edge of Carpiquet as the RWR was withdrawing, and was ordered to hold their positions until the RWR could reorganize for a second attack.
For the second attack on the airfield, Keller secured the assistance of two squadrons of Hawker Typhoon fighter-bombers to support the attacks against 12th SS positions. The survivors of the RWR were ordered to "execute a sweeping attack by the lower ground around the enemy's left flank", with full armour and artillery support. In the late afternoon, the RWR resumed the attack on the airfield. Although they reached the hangars, they were unable to dislodge the German defenders. Facing strong counter-attacks by Panzer units, the RWR was ordered to withdraw to their start-line under the cover of darkness. In Carpiquet, three battalions of the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade rapidly fortified their positions. Following their seizure of the town, the 8th Brigade was now positioned closer to Caen than any other Anglo-Canadian unit. Although the Canadians had firm control of Carpiquet and the northern hangars, the southern hangars and control buildings remained in German hands.
German counterattacks, 5 July
Less than 1 miles (1.6 km) away from the outskirts of Caen, the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade posed a significant threat to German positions in the town. With most of the defence concentrated north of Caen and by the River Odon, it was feared that Anglo-Canadian forces could attack from Carpiquet and bypass the majority of the defences. Despite growing misgivings about the success of a counterattack, Kurt Meyer, the German commander, ordered the soldiers of the 12th SS Panzer Division to retake Carpiquet from the Canadians. SS forces prepared to counterattack at Carpiquet from Francqueville with armour, artillery, mortars and infantry.Shortly after midnight, the first of the SS counterattacks began, throwing itself against the Canadian defences. Although 13 tanks had been lost the previous day, the remainder of the 10th Canadian Armoured Regiment, supported by mortars from the Cameron Highlanders, prevented German panzers from penetrating the ruins of Carpiquet. Strong Canadian defensive positions and machine-gun fire caused heavy German casualties. By dawn, almost no ground had been gained by the attackers. By midday, the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade and 10th Canadian Armoured Regiment had defeated three counterattacks with artillery and Hawker Typhoon assistance, ensuring that German forces could not breach the Canadian positions. The town remained under Canadian control, even though German Nebelwerfer Rocket-Artillery
Nebelwerfer
The Nebelwerfer was a World War II German series of weapons originally designed to deliver chemical weapons. They were initially developed by and assigned to the Wehrmacht's so-called Chemical Troops ...
and mortars continued to bombard Carpiquet.
Aftermath
Three days after Operation Windsor ended, full-scale attacks on Caen were renewed, with the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division taking part in Operation CharnwoodOperation Charnwood
Operation Charnwood was a Second World War Anglo-Canadian offensive that took place from 8–9 July 1944, during the Battle of Normandy. The operation was intended to at least partially capture the German-occupied French city of Caen , which was an important Allied objective during the opening stages...
. On 9 July, the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade succeeded in capturing Carpiquet airfield, as 450 aircraft of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
bombed Caen in preparation for a full assault. By day's end, the northern half of Caen had been seized by British forces, while the remainder of the city had been leveled. On 18 July British and Canadian forces launched Operations Atlantic
Operation Atlantic
Operation Atlantic was a Canadian offensive during the Battle of Normandy in the Second World War, from July 18–21, 1944. This Canadian offensive was launched in conjunction with a British-led offensive, Operation Goodwood...
and Goodwood
Operation Goodwood
Operation Goodwood was an attack launched on 18 July 1944, during the Second World War, by the British army to the east of the city of Caen...
; the Canadians launched the former operation liberating the remainder of Caen while British forces secured the terrain to the east and south of the city. Canadian forces then attacked German positions on Verrières Ridge
Battle of Verrières Ridge
The Battle of Verrières Ridge was a series of engagements fought as part of the Battle of Normandy, in western France, during the Second World War. The main combatants were two Canadian infantry divisions—with additional support from the Canadian 2nd Armoured Brigade—against elements of three...
.
Canadian casualties for the operation totaled 377, of which 127 were fatal. The majority of these losses occurred on 4 July— the RWR and The North Shore Regiment took approximately 130 casualties each on the first day. In total, 17 tanks were lost by the 10th Canadian Armoured Regiment, with an unknown number of losses by the Sherbrooke Fusiliers. Casualty statistics for the German defenders indicate 155 total losses, the majority of which occurred during the counter-attacks on 5 July.