Operation Spring

Operation Spring (July 25–27, 1944) was an offensive operation of the Second World War conducted by II Canadian Corps during the Normandy campaign in 1944. The plan was intended to create pressure on the German forces operating on the British and Canadian front simultaneous with Operation Cobra, an American offensive. Operation Spring was intended to capture Verrières Ridge and the villages on the south slope of the ridge. A successful German defence of the ridge contained the offensive on the first day, and inflicted many casualties on the Canadians.

Background

The districts of Caen north of the Orne were captured during Operation Charnwood (8–9 July 1944) and those south of the Orne had been captured on July 19, during Operation Goodwood, in Operation Atlantic by the II Canadian Corps (Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds) at a cost of 1,349 casualties. About south of Caen, Verrières Ridge blocked a direct advance by Allied forces on Falaise. Attempts to take the ridge during Goodwood had been thwarted by the I SS Panzer Corps (General Sepp Dietrich).

Prelude

Plan

The attack was to take place in four stages; the 2nd Canadian Division would attack on the west side of the Caen–Falaise road with the 4th and 5th Canadian Infantry brigades after the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade had cleared the start line by retaking the Beauvoir and Troteval farms and capturing Saint-Martin-de-Fontenay. The 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade, on the right flank, would then capture May-sur-Orne and Fontenay-le-Marmion. The 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade, on the left flank, would take Verrières and then Rocquincourt. The 3rd Canadian Division, on the east side of the road, was to capture Tilly-la-Campagne with the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade followed by Garciers-Secqueville. The infantry brigades would have the support of the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade. Phase I of the plan required the 2nd and 3rd Canadian divisions to capture May-sur-Orne, Verrières and Tilly-la-Campagne. Phase II, to begin at H+2½ hours, required the divisions to press on and capture Fontenay-le-Marmion, Rocquancourt and Carciers-Sequeville. In phase III, the 7th Armoured Division was to capture Point 122 and exploit towards Cintheaux and in phase IV the Guards Armoured Division was required to capture woods to the east of Garciers-Secqueville as the 3rd Canadian Division occupied La Hogue.

Artillery support was to be provided by the divisional artilleries of the participating divisions, the 2nd Canadian Army Group Royal Artillery , the 8th Army Group Royal Artillery (8th AGRA) and 83 Group RAF. Twelve field regiments had 264 field guns, comprising a hundred and ninety-two 25-pounder gun-howitzers and ninety-six 105 mm howitzers, nine medium regiments with a hundred and forty-four 5.5-inch guns, two heavy regiments with sixteen 155 mm guns and sixteen 7.2-inch howitzers and a heavy anti-aircraft regiment with twenty-four 3.7-inch anti-aircraft guns in use as ground artillery, a total of 488 guns.

German preparations

The Germans were expecting further attacks on Verrières Ridge and sent reinforcements. Late on 19 July, a counter-attack against the gains made during Goodwood was delayed until the 116th Panzer Division had arrived, which had been ordered to move by road regardless of loss. At 10:30 p.m. the XLVII Panzer Corps and the II SS Panzer Corps were ordered to send (battlegroups) across the Orne

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