Battle for Carpiquet Airfield – Normandy 1944
On 4 July, General Dempsey launches operation Windsor. The first target is the Carpiquet airfield; it was one of the initial objectives set for the D-Day, like Caen, and that has been resisting since nearly a month. The Canadians of the 3rd Infantry division 8th Brigade, reinforced by the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, conquer the town of Carpiquet on 5 July. But it takes three more days of fierce fightings to take the airfield to the Hitlerjugend panzergrenadiers, who defend their trenches, for much, to the bitter end. The Canadians have to push back several counter-attacks of the Leibstandarte division units supported by tanks; but on 8 July, the Allied forces are at the gate of Caen.