Bernard Montgomery

Given command of the assault phase for Overlord on the ground

47 divisions are committed to the Battle of Normandy: 19 British, 5 Canadian, 21 US & 1 Free French

Montgomerys plans for D-Day are approved by the Allies

Succesfully argues the case for more troops & a broader landing area

Montgomery presents his strategy for the invasion at St Pauls School, a ninety day battle, ending when all the forces reach the Seine, pivoting on an Allied-held Caen, with British and Canadian armies forming a shoulder & US armies wheeling right

The US will invade Utah & Omaha beaches, the British Gold & Juno & the Canadians Sword

Presents the final plan to senior commanders, the King, Smuts & Churchill at St Pauls. Expresses his belief that that Allied tanks will reach Falaise on D-Day

Final conference at Montgomerys HQ in St Pauls School

Orders the Second Army to hold the line between Villers-Bocage & Caen

Orders the Second Army to hold the line between Villers-Bocage & Caen

Montgomery directed the Allied ground campaign and treated Caen as the principal objective of the British Second Army.

Royal Marine Commandos land on Gold Beach & capture Arromanches

The British capture Bayeaux

The British 3rd Division fails to capture 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

Caen. Commander of all ground forces for Operation Overlord. By the end of the day the Allies land 130,000 men & 22,000 parachutists.

On Sword Beach the regular British infantry came ashore with light casualties they advance about 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) by the end of the day but failed to make some of the deliberately ambitious targets set by Montgomery in particular

The Allies lose 9,500 killed or wounded.

Montgomery's forces made Bayeux the first mainland French town liberated after D-Day.

Montgomery considered an airborne and armoured encirclement intended to isolate Caen.

Manages to land 16 Divisions ashore facing 14 enemy Divisions

The Allies gain a bridgehead over the River Odon near Caen

Launches an attack on Caen, operation Epson. Fails to make any advance

Montgomery launched Operation Epsom to draw German armour into battle west of Caen.

Launches an attack on Caen, operation Epson

The Allies capture Hill 112 but Dempsey withdraws & the Germans recapture it

British engineers built a bypass so military traffic could avoid Bayeux's narrow medieval streets.

Montgomery established his headquarters near Bayeux while directing the Battle of Normandy.

Asks for heavy bomber support from Leigh-Mallory

A massive air bombardment commences on Caen which devastates the city

The press refer to attempts at capturing Caen a "stalemate"

Montgomery launched Charnwood to capture northern Caen and force German troops behind the Orne.

1st day of the operation launched by Montgomery to capture Caen

1st day of the operation launched by Montgomery to capture Caen

Montgomery's forces occupied northern Caen while German troops retained the southern suburbs.

Caen is bombed to obliterate enemy defences but only the southern suburbs are taken

Montgomery intended Goodwood to hold German armour around Caen and gain ground south-east of the city.

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

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.

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.

The southern suburbs of Caen are captured. Caen is bombed in to obliterate enemy defences but only the southern suburbs are taken

The Allies capture Caen

Montgomery accompanied Churchill through Caen and explained the current battle situation.

Supports Bradleys left flank & engages the Germans south of Caen

Supports Bradleys left flank & engages the Germans south of Caen

Endorses Bradleys order for Patton to clear Brittany with "minimum forces"

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

Launches another operation against Falaise

The Poles & Americans meet & seal the Falaise pocket, ends the Normandy Campaign