German Armour Drawn toward Caen
Keeps strong British and Canadian pressure around Caen, drawing major German armoured forces into the eastern sector.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Bernard Law Montgomery Biography and Timeline — Page 7
Follow Bernard Law Montgomery through 322 dated historical records for Great Britain.
Bernard Law Montgomery, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
322Distinct records
7 of 9Page
1944–1944Years on this page
1944
Headquarters near Bayeux
Montgomery established his headquarters near Bayeux while directing the Battle of Normandy.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Operation Charnwood
Asks for heavy bomber support from Leigh-Mallory
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Capture of Caen
A massive air bombardment commences on Caen which devastates the city
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Siege of Caen
The press refer to attempts at capturing Caen a "stalemate"
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Operation Charnwood
1st day of the operation launched by Montgomery to capture Caen
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Operation Charnwood
Montgomery launched Charnwood to capture northern Caen and force German troops behind the Orne.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Siege of Caen
1st day of the operation launched by Montgomery to capture Caen
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Capture of Caen
Montgomery's forces occupied northern Caen while German troops retained the southern suburbs.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Northern Caen Taken after Charnwood
British and Canadian troops secure northern Caen after Operation Charnwood.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Bombing of Caen
Caen is bombed to obliterate enemy defences but only the southern suburbs are taken
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Goodwood Armoured Offensive Begins
Launches a major armoured offensive east of Caen to gain ground and hold German armour in the British sector.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Operation Goodwood
Launched in order to clear Caen but the British lose 5,537 casualties & 400 tanks. Caen is bombed to obliterate enemy defences but only the southern suburbs are taken. 7 out of 8 Panzers in Normandy are engaged in battle
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Operation Goodwood
Montgomery intended Goodwood to hold German armour around Caen and gain ground south-east of the city.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Operation Goodwood
The British VIII and I Corps, to the east of Caen, launch Operation Goodwood. The British lose 450 tanks, the Sherman displays serious weaknesses. Launches 3 Divisions east of Caen to gain the Bourguebus Ridge on the road to Falaise.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Operation Goodwood
The offensive began with the largest air bombardment in support of ground forces yet, with more than a thousand aircraft dropping 6,000 short tons (5,400 t) of high explosive and fragmentation bombs from low altitude.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Siege of Caen
The southern suburbs of Caen are captured. Caen is bombed in to obliterate enemy defences but only the southern suburbs are taken
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Capture of Caen
The Allies capture Caen
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Visit to Caen
Montgomery accompanied Churchill through Caen and explained the current battle situation.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Bluecoat Pressure Protects American Flank
Uses British operations toward Vire to maintain pressure and support the left flank of the American breakout.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Bluecoat
Supports Bradleys left flank & engages the Germans south of Caen
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Bluecoat
The Canadians & British move into Vire & force a German rereat
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Siege of Caen
Supports Bradleys left flank & engages the Germans south of Caen
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Caen Battle Transitions toward Falaise
Shifts emphasis south and east after Caen is secured, preparing further operations toward Falaise.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Operation Overlord
Endorses Bradleys order for Patton to clear Brittany with "minimum forces"
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Battle of Caen
A major objective, was still in German hands by the end of D-Day, and would remain so until the battle for Caen, 8 August
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Canadian Drive toward Falaise Reinforced
Supports renewed Canadian operations intended to narrow the escape route for German forces.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Operation Totalize
Orders an airborne division to Gace to close the ring around the main German forces
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Operation Tractable
Launches another operation against Falaise
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Operation Totalize
Orders the Canadians to close the gap between the 1st Canadian & 3rd US Army
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Falaise Pocket Closure Coordinated
Coordinates British, Canadian, Polish and American pressure as the Falaise pocket is closed.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Operation Totalize
The Poles & Americans meet & seal the Falaise pocket, ends the Normandy Campaign
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Falaise Encirclement Strategy Intensified
Presses Allied armies to close around German forces retreating from the Normandy battlefield.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Normandy Campaign Declared Won
Oversees the transition from the Normandy battle to the rapid Allied pursuit across France.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Promoted Field Marshal after Normandy
Is promoted field marshal as Eisenhower assumes direct command of Allied ground operations.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Antwerp Captured by Eleventh Armoured Division
Troops of 21st Army Group capture Antwerp and its docks largely intact during the rapid advance through Belgium.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Battle of Arnhem
Secures the Nijmegen Bridge & the South Bank of the Lek
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Market Garden Airborne Landings Begin
Airborne divisions land along the route to Arnhem as XXX Corps begins the ground advance.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Operation Market Garden
In a bid to open the Belgian port of Antwerp to facilitate the shipment of supplies to Allied armies in France and cross the Lower Rhine river, American, British and Polish forces launch Operation Market Garden
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Operation Market Garden
Airborne troops were dropped in The Netherlands to secure key bridges and towns along the Allied axis of advance.
Role range: 1939-1945 – 1944-1945
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.