Operation Charnwood was a Second World War Anglo-Canadian offensive to
capture the German-occupied French city of Caen that took place from 8
to 9 July 1944, during the Battle of Normandy. It was also hoped to
forestall the transfer of German armoured units to the American sector
of the front. Preceded by a controversial bombing raid that destroyed
much of Caen's historic Old City, Charnwood began with three infantry
divisions attacking German positions supported by artillery and tanks.
British I Corps made gradual progress against the 12th SS Panzer
Division Hitlerjugend and 16th Luftwaffe Field Division. By the end of
the first day, the 3rd Canadian and British 3rd and
59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Divisions had reached Caen's outskirts.
Entering the city the following morning, the Allies encountered
resistance from German units withdrawing across the Orne river.
Carpiquet airfield was captured, and by evening the Allies had reached
the Orne's north bank. The operation was then halted as the bridges
south were defended or impassable and German reserves were positioned to
oppose their crossing. Despite I Corps' losses, Charnwood was a
tactical success. Operationally, it achieved mixed results.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Charnwood>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1758:
French and Indian War: French forces defeated the British at
Fort Carillon on the shore of Lake Champlain in the British Colony of
New York.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Carillon>
1808:
Joseph Bonaparte approved the Bayonne Statute, a royal charter
intended as the basis for his rule as King of Spain during the
Peninsular War.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayonne_Statute>
1898:
American con artist and gangster Soapy Smith was killed in
Skagway, Alaska, when an argument with fellow gang members turned into
an unexpected gunfight.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shootout_on_Juneau_Wharf>
1994:
Upon the death of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il became the Supreme
Leader of North Korea.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Jong-il>
2011:
Space Shuttle Atlantis was launched in STS-135, the final
mission of the U.S. Space Shuttle program.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-135>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
maw:
1. The upper digestive tract (where food enters the body), especially the
mouth and jaws of a ravenous creature.
2. Any great, insatiable or perilous opening.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/maw>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
We make progress in society only if we stop cursing and
complaining about its shortcomings and have the courage to do something
about them.
--Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Elisabeth_K%C3%BCbler-Ross>