Operation Charnwood was an Anglo-Canadian offensive that took place from 8 to 9 July 1944, during the Battle for Caen. The operation was intended to capture the German-occupied city of Caen, which was an important objective for the Allies during the opening stages of Overlord. It was also hoped that the attack would forestall the transfer of German armoured units to the American sector to the west. The capture of that key city and the neighbourhood of Carpiquet was the most ambitious, the most difficult and the most important task of Lieutenant-General J. T. Crocker’s I Corps.
About Operation Charnwood in brief
Operation Charnwood was an Anglo-Canadian offensive that took place from 8 to 9 July 1944, during the Battle for Caen. The operation was intended to capture the German-occupied city of Caen, which was an important objective for the Allies during the opening stages of Overlord. It was also hoped that the attack would forestall the transfer of German armoured units to the American sector to the west, where an offensive was being prepared. The Germans retired from north of the Orne River but did not stop sending formations to the U.S. front. The Allies maintained the initiative and began Operation Jupiter the next day and Operation Goodwood and Operation Atlantic a week later, in which the rest of the Caen was secured. The capture of that key city and the neighbourhood of Carpiquet was the most ambitious, the most difficult and the most important task of Lieutenant-General J. T. Crocker’s I Corps. The Norman city was one of the D-Day objectives for the British 3rd Infantry Division which landed on Sword Beach on 6 June 1944. The 3rd Division came ashore as planned but was hampered by congestion in its beachhead, diversions en route and the late arrival of much of its armoured support. The division was unable to assault Caen in force and its lead elements were brought to a halt short of the outskirts. Later attacks failed as the German defenders were reinforced by the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend and the 16th Luftwaffe Field Division.
On June 7, a pincer attack by I Corps and XXX Corps, encircle Caen from the east and west flanks to the east was halted by the 21st Panzer Division and the XXX Corps near T-sur-Seulles-Bocage. In June, the British 7th Armoured Division attacked the western flank of the German 7th Panzer Division to withdraw the division through a gap created by the 1ststst Infantry Division. To date, no Allied forces have been able to recapture Caen and its environs from the Germans. The city was captured by the Allies on July 9, 1944, and the Battle of the Bulge began on July 10, 1944. In the aftermath of the battle, the Germans established another defensive line along two ridges to the south of the city. The British and Canadians advanced on a broad front and by the evening of the second day had taken Caen up to theOrne and Odon rivers. The remaining bridges were defended or impassable and with German reserves positioned to oppose their crossing, I Corps ended the operation. On July 13, the Allies began Operation Perch, encircling the German flanks from the west and encircling the east flanks of the town. The attack was contained near the Villers-BOCage and the 7th Armoured Division was ordered to retire to high ground near Villers Bocage until the 7st Armoured Divisions vanguard held its positions.
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