Saunders, Tim The Advance on Caen

From Sword Beach Towards the City, 6-9 June 1944

In 1943, COSSAC planners devised an airborne strategy to take the city of Caen, some 16 kilometres inland from the coast. After taking command of the 21st Army Group, General Montgomery expanded the invasion and gave the 3rd Division the order to take the city on SWORD beach on D-Day or shortly thereafter. However, the Germans, who had multiplied the number of Allied divisions on their maps, many of which were fictitious, believed that a second landing would take place in Normandy. In April 1944, they therefore significantly reinforced their position around the important transport hub of Caen, which, if held, blocked the way into the more open countryside to the south of Falaise. Although the Allies were aware of the German reinforcements thanks to ULTRA, their goal remained to take Caen and turn the Germans on the eastern flank of the base against the British 2nd Army. It became clear that the city could not be taken as quickly or as cleanly as originally planned. On D-Day, the 3rd Division faced not only coastal defences but also deep German formations, including the 21st Panzer Division, which blocked the road to Caen. The landing was difficult due to Eisenhower's decision to go ahead under less than ideal conditions, was slow, and the division was unable to develop the momentum necessary to reach the city.