Falaise Pocket

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

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 town of Falaise becomes a major objective of Commonwealth forces, since its capture would cut off virtually all of Generalfeldmarschall Gunther von Kluges Army Group B

The town of Falaise becomes a major objective of Commonwealth forces, since its capture would cut off virtually all of Generalfeldmarschall Gunther von Kluges Army Group B

The town of Falaise becomes a major objective of Commonwealth forces, since its capture would cut off virtually all of Generalfeldmarschall Gunther von Kluges Army Group B

The town of Falaise becomes a major objective of Commonwealth forces, since its capture would cut off virtually all of Generalfeldmarschall Gunther von Kluges Army Group B

The town of Falaise becomes a major objective of Commonwealth forces, since its capture would cut off virtually all of Generalfeldmarschall Gunther von Kluges Army Group B

The town of Falaise becomes a major objective of Commonwealth forces, since its capture would cut off virtually all of Generalfeldmarschall Gunther von Kluges Army Group B

Orders Patton to Le Mans & the British to Falaise. Launched by Bradley to totally defeat the Germans in Normandy

Launches the II Canadian Corps on a renewed offensive towards Falaise

The town of Falaise becomes a major objective of Commonwealth forces, since its capture would cut off virtually all of Generalfeldmarschall Gunther von Kluges Army Group B

Orders Patton to create a "short hook" from Le Mans to Falaise to trap the Germans

Ordered by Bradley to create a "short hook" from Le Mans to Falaise

Maczek's division joined the armoured exploitation from the Caen sector toward Falaise.

Meyer directed German resistance against the Canadian-led offensive from Caen toward Falaise.

Germany's greatest tank ace of the war is killed in action

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

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

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

The "Falaise Pocket" forms as a French patrol enters Argentan

The "Falaise Pocket" forms as a French patrol enters Argentan

Pattons 3rd Army was at Falaise & Montgomerys 2First Army Group at Argentan. Patton is ordered to halt, Montgomery takes 2 weeks to close the gap

The "Falaise Pocket" forms as a French patrol enters Argentan

Pattons 3rd Army was at Falaise & Montgomerys 2First Army Group at Argentan

The Allies capture Falaise & advance towards the Seine

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

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

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

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

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

Launches another operation against 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

Simonds launched Tractable as the next armoured drive from the Caen-Falaise axis.

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

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

Refuses to carry out an order from the OKW to counter-attack

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. Stanislaw Maczek, the Polish divisional commander, split his forces into three battlegroups each of an armoured regiment and an infantry battalion

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

Dismisses von Kluge

Authorizes a retreat

Trun is liberated on the morning of August 18. The Polish 1st Armoured Division had outflanked the 12th SS Panzer Division, enabling several Polish formations to both reach the 4th Armoured Divisions objectives and significantly expand the bridgehead northwest of Trun

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

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

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

The final pocket of resistance in the Falaise Gap is removed by the Alies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Poles & Americans seal the Falaise pocket officially ending the Normandy Campaign

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

Poles & Americans seal the Falaise pocket officially ending the Normandy Campaign

Defends the Caen-Falaise road forcing the abandonment of Operation Totalize

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

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

This record states: 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.

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

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

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

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

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