Advance on Caen
Foster's brigade pushed inland from Juno Beach toward the western approaches to Caen.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1944 in Canada
Explore 62 historical events and records for Canada in 1944.
Historical records for Canada in 1944
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June
Battle of Caen
Kitching prepared his armoured division for later operations intended to break the German front south of Caen.
Operation Overlord
Major General Rod Keller, the Canadian commander at Juno Beach, reports to General Crerar in England at 10:30, "Beach-head gained. Well on our way to our immediate objectives"
Operation Overlord
Keller commanded the Canadian division landing on Juno Beach and advancing toward the Caen-Bayeux road.
July
Operation Windsor
Foster's brigade captured Carpiquet village during the battle west of Caen.
Operation Windsor
Keller directed the Canadian assault on Carpiquet village and airfield west of Caen.
Operation Windsor
Simonds oversaw the Canadian effort to capture Carpiquet and improve the approach to Caen.
Operation Charnwood
Foster's brigade fought through the western approaches during the capture of northern Caen.
Operation Charnwood
Keller's division advanced from the west toward the centre of Caen.
Operation Atlantic
Foulkes led his division across the Orne through Caen and toward the high ground south of the city.
Operation Atlantic
Keller's division advanced through eastern Caen during the Canadian portion of Goodwood.
Operation Atlantic
Kitching prepared armoured forces to exploit beyond Caen as Canadian troops moved toward Verrieres Ridge.
Operation Atlantic
Simonds directed the Canadian attack through southern Caen toward Verrieres Ridge.
First Canadian Army
Crerar's First Canadian Army became operational and assumed responsibility for the Allied sector around Caen.
Normandy Campaign
Commands First Canadian Army during the Normandy campaign.
Operation Spring
Foulkes commanded the Canadian division making costly attacks south of Caen toward Verrieres Ridge.
Operation Spring
Simonds planned Spring to seize Verrieres Ridge and open the route south from Caen.
August
Operation Totalize
Commands an encirclement of the German Army Group B in the Caen sector
Operation Totalize
Launches the II Canadian Corps on a renewed offensive towards Falaise
Operation Totalize
Foster commanded Canadian infantry during the first phases of the attack south of Caen.
Operation Totalize
Kitching led his armoured division in the offensive south from Caen.
Operation Totalize
Simonds planned the night attack using armoured columns and heavy bombing south of Caen.
Wounding of Rod Keller
Keller was wounded when Allied bombers accidentally struck Canadian positions during Operation Totalize.
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
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
Operation Totalize
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
Operation Tractable
By August 10, Canadian troops had reached Hill 195, north of Falaise
Operation Tractable
By August 10, Canadian troops had reached Hill 195, north of Falaise
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
Operation Totalize
Operation Totalize is abandoned after failure to advance along the Caen-Falaise Road
Operation Tractable
Many of the bombers mistakenly dropped short of their targets, causing 400 Polish and Canadian casualties.
Operation Tractable
Operation Tractable began at 12:00 on August 14 when 800 Lancaster and Halifax bombers struck German positions along the front.
Operation Tractable
The Canadians attempt to encircle the 5th Panzer, 7th Army & Panzer Gruppe Eberbach.
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.
Operation Tractable
Crerar's army continued the advance from the Caen sector toward Falaise and Trun.
Operation Tractable
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
Operation Tractable
Simonds launched Tractable as the next armoured drive from the Caen-Falaise axis.
Operation Tractable
Although the first days progress was slower than expected, Operation Tractable resumed on August 15; both armoured divisions pushed southeast towards Falaise
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
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
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.