Guy Simonds Biography

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

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

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

Operation Tractable incorporated lessons learned from Operation Totalize, notably the effectiveness of mechanized infantry units and tactical bombing raids by heavy bombers. By August 10, Canadian troops had reached Hill 195, north of Falaise, they are unable to advance farther immediately and they had been unable to capture Falaise

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

Operation Tractable began at 12:00 on August 14 when 800 Lancaster and Halifax bombers struck German positions along the front. Many of the bombers mistakenly dropped short of their targets, causing 400 Polish and Canadian casualties

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

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