Henry Duncan Graham Crerar Biography and Timeline

Chief of Staff

Appointed Chief of Canadian General Staff

Chief of Staff

Appointed Chief of Canadian General Staff

Role range: 1939-1945

Commander in Chief

Appointed Commander in Chief, Canadian Corps

Commander in Chief

Appointed Commander in Chief, Canadian Corps

Role range: 1939-1945

First Canadian Army

Crerar's First Canadian Army became operational and assumed responsibility for the Allied sector around Caen.

Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945

Operation Totalize

Commands an encirclement of the German Army Group B in the Caen sector

Role range: 1939-1945

Operation Tractable

By August 10, Canadian troops had reached Hill 195, north of Falaise

Role range: 1939-1945

Wehrmacht

The Canadian Armys offensive stalled on August 9, with strong Wehrmacht counterattacks resulting in heavy casualties for the Canadian and Polish armoured and infantry divisions

Role range: 1939-1945

Operation Totalize

Operation Totalize is abandoned after failure to advance along the Caen-Falaise Road

Role range: 1939-1945

Operation Tractable

Many of the bombers mistakenly dropped short of their targets, causing 400 Polish and Canadian casualties.

Role range: 1939-1945

Operation Tractable

Operation Tractable began at 12:00 on August 14 when 800 Lancaster and Halifax bombers struck German positions along the front.

Role range: 1939-1945

Operation Tractable

The Canadians attempt to encircle the 5th Panzer, 7th Army & Panzer Gruppe Eberbach.

Role range: 1939-1945

Operation Tractable

Throughout the day, continual attacks by the 4th Canadian and Polish 1st Armoured Divisions managed to force a crossing of the Laison River.

Role range: 1939-1945

Operation Tractable

Crerar's army continued the advance from the Caen sector toward Falaise and Trun.

Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945

Operation Tractable

Although the first days progress was slower than expected, Operation Tractable resumed on August 15; both armoured divisions pushed southeast towards Falaise

Role range: 1939-1945

Operation Tractable

The drive for Trun by Polish and Canadian Armoured Divisions began on August 16, with preliminary attacks in preparation for an assault against Trun and Chambois. The 2nd Canadian Infantry Division break into Falaise, encountering minor opposition from Waffen SS units and scattered pockets of German infantry

Role range: 1939-1945

Operation Tractable

Novel tactics by Polish 1st Armoured Division, under the command of Stanislaw Maczek during the drive for Chambois, enabled the Falaise Gap to be partially closed by August 19, 1944, trapping about 150,000 German soldiers in the Falaise Pocket

Role range: 1939-1945

Falaise Gap

Surrender and capture of the remaining units of the German 7th Army which were trapped in the Falaise Pocket. Elements of the First Canadian Army relieved the Polish Armys survivors of this Battle and the Canadian Army was finally able to close the Falaise Pocket by linking up with the troops of the American 3rd Army on the other side

Role range: 1939-1945

Operation Totalize

General Harry Crerar, commanding the newly formed First Canadian Army and Lieutenant General Guy Simonds of the II Canadian Corps, planned an Anglo-Canadian offensive with the code name of Operation Totalize

Role range: 1939-1945

Operation Tractable

Surrender and capture of the remaining units of the German 7th Army which were trapped in the Falaise Pocket. Elements of the First Canadian Army relieved the Polish Armys survivors of this Battle and the Canadian Army was finally able to close the Falaise Pocket by linking up with the troops of the American 3rd Army on the other side

Role range: 1939-1945

Seventh Army

Surrender and capture of the remaining units of the German 7th Army which were trapped in the Falaise Pocket

Role range: 1939-1945

Third Army

Elements of the First Canadian Army relieved the Polish Armys survivors of this Battle and the Canadian Army was finally able to close the Falaise Pocket by linking up with the troops of the American 3rd Army on the other side

Role range: 1939-1945

Operation Tractable

And it was a part of the largest encirclement on the German Western Front during World War II.

Role range: 1939-1945

Operation Tractable

Operation Tractable is the final offensive conducted by Canadian Army and Polish Army troops as part of the Battle of Normandy.

Role range: 1939-1945

Operation Tractable

The goal of operation Totalize is to capture the strategically important French town of Falaise, and following that, the smaller towns of Trun and Chambois.

Role range: 1939-1945

Operation Tractable

This operation was undertaken by the Polish 1st Armoured Division and the First Canadian Army against the Wehrmachts Army Group B.

Role range: 1939-1945

Siege of Chambois

The goal of operation Totalize is to capture the strategically important French town of Falaise, and following that, the smaller towns of Trun and Chambois

Role range: 1939-1945

Siege of Falaise

The goal of operation Totalize is to capture the strategically important French town of Falaise, and following that, the smaller towns of Trun and Chambois

Role range: 1939-1945

Siege of Trun

The goal of operation Totalize is to capture the strategically important French town of Falaise, and following that, the smaller towns of Trun and Chambois

Role range: 1939-1945

Wehrmacht

This operation was undertaken by the Polish 1st Armoured Division and the First Canadian Army against the Wehrmachts Army Group B, and it was a part of the largest encirclement on the German Western Front during World War II

Role range: 1939-1945

Western Front

This operation was undertaken by the Polish 1st Armoured Division and the First Canadian Army against the Wehrmachts Army Group B, and it was a part of the largest encirclement on the German Western Front during World War II

Role range: 1939-1945

Capture of Calais

Calais is liberated by the Canadian 3rd Division

Role range: 1939-1945

Capture of Woensdrecht

The German 15th army is encircled in the Beveland peninsula. Liberated by the Canadian 2nd Division

Role range: 1939-1945

Siege of Beveland

Seals the German 15th army in the Beveland Peninsula

Role range: 1939-1945

Invasion of Germany

Crerar commands Canadian & Allied forces into southern Germany

Role range: 1939-1945