6 JUNE 1944: D-DAY
12 JUNE (D+6)
Carentan, a small town on the Cherbourg Peninsula, is captured by American troops. All the Allied bridgeheads in Normandy are now linked up. The following day, British troops attempt to advance through the village of Villers-Bocage but are unsuccessful. The Allies are also taunted by German propaganda leaflets dropped from the air, boasting of the launch of the new V-1 flying bombs against England. Ten days later, on 22 June (D+16), the Soviet Union launches Operation Bagration, the major offensive which devastates the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front.
13 JUNE: BATTLE OF VILLERS-BOCAGE
26 JUNE (D+20)
The key port of Cherbourg is captured by the Allies. The German garrison there, having largely destroyed the port facilities, surrenders to American forces who have fought their way up from Utah Beach. At the same time, British and Canadian forces launch Operation Epsom, an attempt to outflank and seize the German-occupied city of Caen. In the previous week, a major storm has slowed the Allied advance, damaging landing craft and ships as well as destroying the American Mulberry A (artificial) harbour at Omaha Beach.
8 JULY (D+32)
Operation Charnwood launched by British and Canadian forces, part of the bitter and long-fought struggle over Caen. An ancient Norman city, it is also the heart of the region’s rail and road network, making its capture a vital strategic goal for the Allies. Further battles around the suburbs, including over Hill 112 and the Odon River, follow in the coming days and weeks, while the city is continuously bombarded from the air by the Allies. Operation Goodwood, launched by the British on 18 July (D+42), pins down the strongest German troops around the Caen area.
The last laugh