Appendix A
Chronology of the Normandy Campaign
|
1943 |
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|
13 |
March |
Lt-Gen. F. E. Morgan appointed COSSAC – Chief of Staff to the Supreme Commander (designate) |
|
1944 |
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|
23 |
January |
Eisenhower approves Montgomery’s plan for the landings in Normandy |
|
7– |
8 April |
Montgomery presents the OVERLORD plan at St Paul’s, and presides over Exercise THUNDERCLAP with subordinate commanders |
|
15 |
May |
Montgomery’s final presentation at St Paul’s |
|
3 |
June |
D-Day postponed from 5 June to 6 June |
|
4 |
June |
D-Day ordered for 6 June |
|
6 |
June |
Allied landings in Normandy |
|
7 |
June |
Bayeux falls |
|
8 |
June |
US First and British Second Armies link near Port-en-Bessin |
|
12 |
June |
Omaha and Utah beachheads united |
|
13 |
June |
British 7th Armoured Division checked and repelled at Villers-Bocage. Germans open V-I frying bomb offensive against Britain |
|
18– |
21 June |
The ‘great storm’ in the Channel |
|
18 |
June |
US VII Corps reach west coast Cherbourg peninsula at Barneville |
|
19 |
June |
Americans take Montebourg |
|
22 |
June |
Russians open their summer offensive against Army Group Centre with 146 infantry divisions and 43 tank brigades attacking on a 300-mile front |
|
25 |
June |
British Operation EPSOM south-west of Caen |
|
26 |
June |
Americans in Cherbourg |
|
27 |
June |
Resistance in Cherbourg ends |
|
29 |
June |
British break off EPSOM |
|
1 |
July |
Geyr von Schweppenburg sacked and replaced by Eberbach. Americans secure Cap de la Hague |
|
2 |
July |
Von Rundstedt sacked and replaced by von Kluge. |
|
6 |
July |
Flotilla of biber one-man submarines attack Allied shipping off the beachhead, sinking three minesweepers and damaging a Polish cruiser for the loss of seven German craft |
|
8 |
July |
British attack Caen, Americans seize La Haye-du-Puits |
|
10 |
July |
British occupy Caen |
|
17 |
July |
Rommel wounded and replaced as C-in-C Army Group B by von Kluge |
|
18 |
July |
British Operation GOODWOOD east of Caen. Americans take St Lô |
|
20 |
July |
Hitler wounded by bomb at his headquarters, abortive conspiracy and its aftermath rocks the Third Reich |
|
25 |
July |
American Operation COBRA launched west of St Lô |
|
30 |
July |
British Operation BLUECOAT launched south-east of Caumont. Americans ‘turn the corner’ at Avranches |
|
31 |
July |
Russians within 10 miles of Warsaw. Uprising begins |
|
1 |
August |
Hodges assumes command US First Army, Patton’s Third Army activated, Bradley becomes C-in-C US Twelfth Army Group |
|
7 |
August |
Germans launch Mortain counter-attack. Canadian Operation TOTALIZE launched towards Falaise |
|
10 |
August |
TOTALIZE broken off |
|
12 |
August |
US XV Corps takes Alençon |
|
14 |
August |
Canadian Operation TRACTABLE launched towards Falaise. DRAGOON landings in southern France |
|
17 |
August |
Model assumes command German armies, orders full retreat east from Allied pocket. Falaise falls |
|
19 |
August |
Polish Armoured Division and US 90th Division reach Chambois |
|
21 |
August |
Falaise Gap closed |
|
25 |
August |
Paris falls |
|
1 |
September |
Eisenhower assumes direct command Allied ground forces. Montgomery promoted Field-Marshal |
|
2 |
September |
US First and Third Armies ordered to halt by Eisenhower in view of huge fuel and supply problems |
|
3 |
September |
Brussels falls |
|
16 |
September |
US First Army units cross the German border near Aachen |
|
17 |
September |
Operation Market Garden launched against Arnhem and the Maas and Waal bridges |