II Canadian Corps - Major Operations

Major Operations

II Canadian Corps engaged in combat operations in North-West Europe from the beginning of July 1944 to just before VE Day in early May 1945. During the Battle of Normandy, the Corps was used to spearhead the British-Canadian advance from Caen to Falaise. With the final closure of the Falaise Gap on August 23, 1945, the remaining German forces in northern France were forced into a rapid retreat back towards defensive positions in port cities along the coast, and in the regions just south of the Netherlands and outside the western borders of Germany, in Belgium and eastern France. The First Canadian Army formed the left flank of the advancing Allied armies, and was charged with capturing or sealing off German-occupied ports in Northern France and in Belgium. Dieppe, Boulogne, Calais, Cap-Gris-Nez and Ostend were captured in September by troops of II Canadian Corps. However, the defences of Dunkirk proved to be so strong that it was decided to leave the German-occupied port city under siege until the end of the European war. Antwerp had been captured by the British Second Army on September 4, but the city's large port facilities were useless to the Allies as long as German forces continued to occupy the banks of the Scheldt Estuary. As the spearhead of the First Canadian Army, II Canadian Corps was heavily involved in the Battle of the Scheldt to clear out those German positions. II Canadian Corps was involved in the battles to expel German forces from the eastern provinces of the Netherlands, back across the western border of Germany, and then to drive them out from the west bank of the Rhine River. In the final phases of the war, II Canadian Corps advanced into the northern provinces of the Netherlands and across the border into Germany towards the North Sea coast. On May 5, 1945 Lt.-Gen. Simonds received the unconditional surrender of those German forces facing the Corps in northern Germany.

• Operation ATLANTIC, crossing the Orne River and unsuccessful attempt to capture Verrières Ridge, area south of Caen, July 18–21, 1944
• Operation SPRING, assault against Verrières Ridge, July 25–28, 1944
• Operation TOTALIZE, capture of Verrières Ridge and advance towards Falaise, Normandy, August 8–13, 1944
• Operation TRACTABLE, capture of Falaise, Normandy, August 14–21, 1944
• Advance up to and then across the River Seine at Elbeuf and Rouen, Aug. 23-28, 1944
• Liberation of Dieppe, abandoned by the retreating German Army, Sept. 1, 1944
• Investment of Dunkirk as the initial part of the 8-month-long siege of that port city, Sept. 7-18, 1944
• Liberation of Ostend, Sept. 9, 1944
• Liberation of Bruges, Sept. 12, 1944
• Operation WELLHIT, capture of Boulogne, September 17–22, 1944
• Operation UNDERGO, capture of Calais and the heavy batteries at Cap Gris Nez, September 25–30, 1944
• Operation SWITCHBACK, clearing area north of the Albert Canal, Belgium, October 6 to November 3, 1944
• Operation VITALITY, South Beveland peninsula and Walcheren Island, the Netherlands, October 24 to November 3, 1944
• Operation INFATUATE I, South Beveland, October 26, 1944
• Operation VERITABLE, Reichwald Forest, Germany, February 8 to March 11, 1945
• Operation BLOCKBUSTER, Hochwald gap and the capture of Xanten on the Rhine River, Germany, February 23 to March 3, 1945
• Battle of Groningen, northern Netherlands, April 14–18, 1945
• Operation DUCK, crossing of the Ems River and the capture of Leer, April 28 to May 4, 1945
• Capture of Oldenburg, April 25 to May 4, 1945