Allied Second Bombing of Caen in Anglo-Canadian Operation Charnwood Followed by Massive Carpet-Bombing in British Operation Goodwood

RAF Lancasters taxing out for another bombing mission over Normandy

Survivors of Allied carpet bombing of Normandy's cities and towns

Unidentified Leibstandarte SS Panzergrenadier captured by the Brits

The Germans ordered all remaining civilians to leave Caen on July 6 1944. By the time Caen was bombed again in a controversial bombing raid on the evening of July 7 1944, only 15,000 inhabitants remained. 467 Lancaster and Halifax bombers of RAF Bomber Command attacked the city in preparation for Operation Charnwood. Although their delayed-action bombs were aimed at the northern edge of Caen, massive damage was again inflicted on the city centre. The bombers missed virtually all the German positions on the edge of the city and instead reduced the centre of Caen to rubble. 350 civilians were killed in this raid. The southern part of Caen was not taken until July 18 1944, when the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division advanced through it as part of Operation Goodwood. On this morning, starting at 06.15 hours, 850 heavy bombers of the RAF attacked three targets – the Colombelles–Mondeville and Touffreville–Emiéville areas and Cagny in the Calvados. At 07.00 hours, over 340 American and British medium bombers struck Giberville, Cuverville, Démouville and Manneville. From 08.30 to 09.30 hours, over 640 American Liberator heavy bombers attacked three locations – two areas located along the northern face of the Bourguébus Ridge and Bures–Saint-Pair region on the extreme eastern flank. Franklin D'Olier (chairman of U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey) quoted in 1949 the survey’s summary report: The German experience suggests that even a first class military power - rugged and resilient as the Wehrmacht was - cannot live long under full-scale and free exploitation of air weapons over the heart of its territory. Top image: Avro Lancaster B Mark IIs of No.514 Squadron RAF taxi onto the main runway in Cambridgeshire for an early daylight attack on villages east of Caen during Goodwood on July 18 1944. Photo by RAF official photographer Flight Lieutenant S. A. Devon. Credit: Nathan Howland. Imperial War Museums. Fair use. Middle image: a civilian couple walk through ruins of the heavily bombed Normandy in 1944. Photo by American photographer Frank Scherschel. LIFE photo archive. Fair use. Bottom image: British Military Police Officers question an unidentified SS-Sturmmann of the Leibstandarte SS in Normandy on July 20 1944. According to the caption the soldier was found to be carrying a large quantity of Soviet banknotes. Imperial War Museums. Fair use.