Operation Epsom

E95858

Operation Epsom was a major British offensive during the Battle of Normandy in June 1944, aimed at outflanking Caen and weakening German defenses following the D-Day landings.

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Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf World War II battle
military operation
aimedAt creating conditions for the capture of Caen
weakening German defenses around Caen
belligerent Nazi Germany
United Kingdom NERFINISHED
codename Epsom
commander Bernard Montgomery
surface form: Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery

Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey
Lieutenant-General Richard O’Connor
conductedBy British Second Army
conflict World War II
surface form: Second World War
country France
dateContext June 1944
endDate 1944-06-30
followedBy Operation Jupiter
Operation Windsor
front Normandy front
involvedUnit 11th Armoured Division
15th (Scottish) Infantry Division
43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division
location Normandy
surface form: Normandy, France

west of Caen
mainBritishFormation VIII Corps (United Kingdom)
notableFeature heavy use of British artillery support
intense armored clashes with German panzer divisions
objective force German armored reserves into battle
outflank Caen from the west
weaken German defenses after the D-Day landings
opposingCommander Erwin Rommel
surface form: Field Marshal Erwin Rommel

Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt NERFINISHED
SS-Obergruppenführer Sepp Dietrich NERFINISHED
opposingUnit German 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg
surface form: 10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg

12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend
1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler
9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen
II SS Panzer Corps
partOf Battle of Normandy NERFINISHED
precededBy D-Day landings NERFINISHED
Operation Perch
result diversion of German panzer divisions from other sectors
establishment of a British bridgehead over the River Odon
heavy German armored losses
strategic Allied advantage
tactical German defensive success
riverCrossed River Odon NERFINISHED
River Orne (area of operations)
startDate 1944-06-26
theatre Western Front

Referenced by (6)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.