Operation Bluecoat

Part of Operation Overlord, the Battle of Normandy

Universal carriers and infantrymen of the 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division move forward during Operation Bluecoat, 30 July 1944.

Date	30 July – 7 August 1944
Location	Normandy, France
Result	Allied victory

Belligerents

United Kingdom

Nazi Germany

Commanders and leaders

Miles Dempsey

Paul Hausser

Strength

3 armoured divisions
3 infantry divisions
2 armoured brigades
+700 tanks

rising to: 4 panzer divisions
2 infantry divisions

Casualties and losses

5,114 (VIII Corps only)
246 tanks (excluding light casualties)

+100 tanks (including light casualties)

Operation Bluecoat was an offensive in the Battle of Normandy, from 30 July until 7 August 1944, during the Second World War. The geographical objectives of the attack, undertaken by VIII Corps and XXX Corps of the British Second Army (Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey), were to secure the road junction of Vire and the high ground of Mont Pinçon. Operationally, the attack was made to exploit the success of Operation Cobra by the First US Army after it broke out on the western flank of the Normandy beachhead and tactically to exploit the withdrawal of the 2nd Panzer Division from the Caumont area, to take part in Unternehmen Lüttich (Operation Liège) a counter-offensive against the Americans.

From 18–20 July, the British Second Army conducted Operation Goodwood in a southerly direction, south-east of Caen on the eastern flank of the Allied beachhead, which had forced the Germans to keep the bulk of their armoured units in the east around Caen. After Goodwood, Ultra revealed that the Germans planned to move the 21st Panzer Division out of the line, in preparation to moving it to the west (American) sector of the front. On 25 July, after a false start the day before, the United States First Army began Operation Cobra.

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Wikipedia