Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944) [entry point]

Normandy campaign (6 June – 21 August 1944) [entry point]

Operation Overlord, Battle of Normandy

The Normandy campaign was the Allied land forces invasion of Occupied Europe from the beaches on D-Day itself to the breakout from the Normandy region towards the rest of north west Europe. The events detailed below were the result of co-ordinated effort by Allied forces including American, British and Canadian Armies, the Royal Navy, The United States Army Air Force and the Royal Air Force. The Second Tactical Air Force provided air support for the land forces. From April 1944 Bomber Command was used in a more tactical role to prepare for and then support the invasion. Transport links were targeted as were coastal gun emplacements. Deception flights using Window to simulate phantom naval fleets were also carried out by Bomber Command. Tactical bombing operations prevented German torpedo boats from engaging the Allied fleet off the Normandy coast. Tactical bombing also helped delay German reinforcements as well assisting Allied land forces overcome pockets of resistance.

Milestone	Start Date	End Date
Beach landings	5 June 1944	6 June 1944
In detail: Normandy deception operations (5/6 June 1944);  Bombing of the Normandy coastal batteries (5/6 June 1944)
	6 June 1944	7 June 1944
	7 June 1944	8 June 1944
	8 June 1944	9 June 1944
In detail: Bombing of the Saumur tunnel (8/9 June 1944)
	9 June 1944	10 June 1944
	10 June 1944	11 June 1944
	11 June 1944	12 June 1944
Carentan liberated	12 June 1944	13 June 1944
	13 June 1944	14 June 1944
	14 June 1944	15 June 1944
In detail: Bombing of the Le Havre E-boat pens (14/15 June 1944) Tactical support for Normandy troops
	15 June 1944	16 June 1944
In detail: Bombing of the Boulogne E-boats (15/16 June 1944)
First operation against V-weapons	16 June 1944	17 June 1944
	17 June 1944	18 June 1944
	18 June 1944	19 June 1944
In detail: Bombing of the Watten V-2 site (19 June 1944)
	19 June 1944	20 June 1944
	20 June 1944	21 June 1944
	21 June 1944	22 June 1944
	22 June 1944	23 June 1944
	23 June 1944	24 June 1944
	24 June 1944	25 June 1944
In detail: Bombing of the Wizernes V-2 site (20, 22, 24 June 1944) Bombing of the Pas de Calais V-1 sites (24/25 June 1944) Bombing of the Siracourt V-1 site (25 June 1944)
	25 June 1944	26 June 1944
	26 June 1944	27 June 1944
Cherbourg liberated	27 June 1944	28 June 1944
	28 June 1944	29 June 1944
	29 June 1944	30 June 1944
Direct support of Allied ground troops	30 June 1944	1 July 1944
	1 July 1944	2 July 1944
	2 July 1944	3 July 1944
	3 July 1944	4 July 1944
	4 July 1944	5 July 1944
In detail: Bombing of the Creil/St Leu d'Esserent V-1 storage areas (4/5 July 1944)
	5 July 1944	6 July 1944
	6 July 1944
In detail: Bombing of the Mimoyecques V-3 site (6 July 1944)
		7 July 1944
Bayeux liberated, direct support of Allied ground troops	7 July 1944	8 July 1944
	8 July 1944	9 July 1944
Caen liberated	9 July 1944	10 July 1944
	10 July 1944	11 July 1944
Fisrt heavy Oboe attack of the war	11 July 1944	12 July 1944
	12 July 1944	13 July 1944
	13 July 1944	14 July 1944
	14 July 1944	15 July 1944
	15 July 1944	16 July 1944
	16 July 1944	17 July 1944
	17 July 1944	18 July 1944
Saint-Lô liberated; direct support of Allied ground troops	18 July 1944	19 July 1944
	19 July 1944	20 July 1944
	20 July 1944	21 July 1944
	21 July 1944	22 July 1944
	22 July 1944	23 July 1944
	23 July 1944	24 July 1944
	24 July 1944	25 July 1944
	25 July 1944	26 July 1944
	26 July 1944	27 July 1944
First use of Gee-H	27 July 1944	28 July 1944
	28 July 1944	29 July 1944
	29 July 1944	30 July 1944
Direct support of Allied ground troops	30 July 1944	31 July 1944
	31 July 1944	1 August 1944
	1 August 1944	2 August 1944
	2 August 1944	3 August 1944
	3 August 1944
In detail: Bombing of Trossy St Maximin (3 August 1944)
		4 August 1944
	4 August 1944	5 August 1944
	5 August 1944	6 August 1944
	6 August 1944	7 August 1944
Direct support of Allied ground troops	7 August 1944	8 August 1944
	8 August 1944	9 August 1944
	9 August 1944	10 August 1944
	10 August 1944	11 August 1944
	11 August 1944	12 August 1944
Alençon librated, direct support of Allied ground troops	12 August 1944	13 August 1944
	13 August 1944	14 August 1944
Direct support of Allied ground troops	14 August 1944	15 August 1944
	15 August 1944
In detail: Bombing of Luftwaffe night-fighter airfields (15 August 1944)
		16 August 1944
Falaise liberated	16 August 1944	17 August 1944
	17 August 1944	18 August 1944
Final attack on French and Belgium railways	18 August 1944	19 August 1944
	19 August 1944	20 August 1944
Argentan liberated	20 August 1944	21 August 1944
	21 August 1944

• Not all Archive items can be accurately dated at day level, for a more thorough coverage browse all items about the Normandy campaign or start from the map.
• Coverage may be excellent for some events and minimal for others. However, new items are added each week so check this page regularly. 
• Entries are based on Bomber Command War Diaries: An Operational Reference Book 1939-1945 by Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt, supplemented by IBCC Digital Archive research.

Refinements:

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Moving image                       Text. Log book and record book
Photograph                         Text. Memoir
Physical object                    Text. Personal research
Physical object. Clothing          Text. Poetry
Physical object. Decoration        Text. Service material
Sound                              Text. Training material
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