List of military operations in the West European Theater during World War II by year

Western Front

Includes land and sea operations relating to north-west Europe, but excludes:

1935–1938
  • Fall Rot ("Case Red") (1935) — overview of defense planning in tandem with Fall Blau. Rot covered defense in the west in the event of military action in the east (Fall Blau).
  • Fall Blau ("Case Blue") (1935) — overview of defense planning in tandem with Fall Rot.
  • Fall Otto ("Case Otto") (1937) — plan to occupy Austria.
  • Fall Richard ("Case Richard") (1937) — Contingency planning for Soviet/communist takeover in Spain.
  • Fall Grün ("Case Green") (1938) — plan for invasion of Czechoslovakia.

1939

1940
  • Ariel (1940) — Allied retreat from France using ports between Cherbourg and the Spanish frontier.
  • Ambassador (1940) — commando raid on Guernsey
  • Attila (1940) — German seizure and occupation of Vichy France, without Italian support. See also Fall Anton ("Case Anton") and Lila.
  • Cycle (1940) — British and Allied evacuation from Le Havre
  • Dynamo (1940) — British & Allied evacuation from Dunkirk.
  • Fall Gelb ("Case Yellow") (1939–40) — offensive against the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
  • Fall Rot ("Case Red") (1939–40) — invasion of France and rout of British Expeditionary Force
  • Grunpfeil (1940) — invasion of British held Channel Islands.
  • Granit (Granite) (1940) — Fallschirmjäger capture of Fort Eben-Emael
  • Mondscheinsonate ("Moonlight Sonata") (1940) — Luftwaffe raid on Coventry
  • Royal Marine (1940) — Dropping of naval mines into the Rhine (originally Operation Marine)
  • Seelöwe ("Sealion") (1940) — planned invasion of Britain
    • Adlerangriff ("Eagle Attack") — Axis effort to destroy the RAF prior to invasion. Preceded by attacks on shipping known as "Kanalkampf" (Channel Battle). Aerial battles during the period were later dubbed the Battle of Britain.
    • Fall Grün ("Case Green") (1940) — planned invasion of Ireland as part of Seelöwe
    • Herbstreise ("Autumn Journey") — planned/diversionary invasion of Scotland as part of Seelöwe.
  • Tannenbaum ("Christmas Tree") (1940) — planned invasion of Switzerland.
  • XD (1940) — a series of demolition operations to prevent capture of oil installations and stocks by the Germans

1941

1942
  • Aflame (1942) — commando raid on Berck in France
  • Aquatint (1942) — commando raid on Normandy in France
  • Barricade (1942) — commando raid on Pointe de Saire south of Barfleur in France
  • Basalt (1942) — commando raid on Sark in the Channel islands
  • Batman (1942) — commando raid near Cherbourg in France
  • Biting (1942) — commando raid on Bruneval radar site in France
  • Bolero (1942) — build-up of US forces and matériel for Roundup. Later utilized during Torch and Overlord.
  • Branford (1942) — commando raid on Burhou in the Channel islands
  • Zerberus — ("Cerberus") (1942) — break-out of German capital ships from Brest later dubbed the "Channel Dash".
  • Chariot (1942) — British raid on Saint Nazaire.
  • Clawhammer (1942) — planned commando raid on a radar site in France.
  • Dryad (1942) — commando raid on Casquets lighthouse in the Channel islands
  • Fahrenheit (1942) — commando raid at Pointe de Plouezec on the north Brittany coast
  • Fall Anton (1942) — German occupation of Vichy France: Attila renamed, with Italian support.
  • Frankton (1942) — commando raid on shipping in Bordeaux.
  • Jubilee (1942) — repelled raid on Dieppe. See Also Operation Rutter.
  • Lila (1942) — plan to capture French fleet at Toulon.
  • Millennium (1942) — British 1000 bomber raid on Cologne.
  • Outward (1942–44) ; free balloon attacks on Germany.
  • Roundup (1942) — plan to invade Europe in event of German or Soviet collapse. Later abandoned in favor of Torch landings. Planning for Roundup included;
  • Sickle (1942) — build-up of US air forces in UK
  • Plan W (1942) — planning between Allies and neutral Éire (Ireland) to deal with Fall Grün.

1943

1944
  • Abel (1944) — harassment of German retreat in France
  • Astonia (1944) — assault on Le Havre
  • Axehead (1944) — proposed assault crossing of the lower Seine and capture of Le Havre and Rouen (superseded by Astonia)
  • Benson (1944) — reconnaissance mission by Belgian SAS near Amiens
  • Bergbang (1944) — unsuccessful mission by Belgian SAS east of River Meuse
  • Brutus (1944) — mission by Belgian SAS in Ardennes to arm local resistance and reinforce SAS forces
  • Bulbasket (1944) — SAS operation to prevent German reinforcements moving from southern France to Normandy
  • Bunyan (1944) — disruption mission by Belgian SAS in Chartres area
  • Caliban (1944) — mission by Belgian SAS near Leopoldsburg to disrupt German communications
  • Chaucer (1944) — Belgian SAS operation near Le Mans to harry German retreat
  • Clipper (1944) — Allied assault on Siegfried Line at Geilenkirchen.
  • Constellation (1944) — occupation of Venray and Venlo by British VIII Corps.
    • Aintree (1944) — occupation of Overloon and Venray by British 3rd Infantry Division.
  • Cooney (1944) — French SAS operation in Brittany to cut railway lines
  • Derry (1944) — SAS operation near Le Mans to disrupt German retreat to Brest
  • Diver (1944) — Defence of London against V-1 attack.
  • Fabian (1944) — Belgian SAS reconnaissance operation around Arnhem (also involved in recovery of British paratroops after Operation Market Garden)
  • Franklin (1944) — French SAS operation in the Ardennes in support of the US VIII Corps
  • Fusilade (1944) — capture of Dieppe
  • Gaff (1944) — SAS operation near Rambouillet to kill or capture Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, but which instead destroyed trains and attacked a German headquarters
  • Gain (1944) — SAS successful SAS operation southwest of Paris to disrupt enemy communications
  • Gatwick (1944) — precursor of Operation Veritable
  • Gobbo (1944) — Belgian SAS intelligence gathering operation in northern Holland, near Drente
  • Haft (1944) — Special Air Service (SAS) intelligence gathering mission near Le Mans.
  • Haggard (1944) — SAS operation near Bourges
  • Hardy (1944) — SAS information gathering operation near Dijon
  • Harrod (1944) — French SAS operation in the Saone et Loire in support of the US 3rd Army
  • Houndsmith (1944) — Special Air Service (SAS) action near Dijon.
  • Houndsworth (1944) — Special Air Service (SAS) campaign in and around Morvan.
  • Hurricane (1944) — Bombing of Ruhr. See Also Chastise.
  • Independence (1944) — clearance of German garrisons on the Gironde estuary (postponed, later revived as Operation Venerable)
  • Infatuate (1944) capture of Walcheren Island — final phase of the Battle of the Scheldt.
  • Jedburgh (1944) — Airdrop of operatives into France, Belgium and the Netherlands to conduct sabotage and guerrilla warfare, and to lead the local resistance forces in actions against the Germans.
  • Jericho (1944) — air-raid on Amiens prison to release French Resistance prisoners
  • Jockworth (1944) — French SAS operation near Lyons to impede German movements and bolster local Resistance; became active in the fighting in Lyons
  • Kipling (1944) — British SAS action near Auxerre to aid Allied airborne landings in Orleans Gap; these were cancelled and the SAS harassed the enemy in support of allied ground advance
  • Loyton (1944) — unsuccessful large SAS action in Vosges mountains.
  • Lüttich (1944) — German counter-offensive at Mortain.
  • Marine (1944) — Dropping of naval mines into the Rhine
  • Market Garden (1944) — Allied land and airborne attempt to cross the lower Rhine.
    • Comet (1944) — early draft of Market Garden
    • Berlin (1944) — withdrawal of British 1st Airborne.
  • Marshall (1944) — French SAS mission to harass enemy and stiffen local resistance around Correze
  • Moses (1944) — Free French SAS action around Poitiers
  • Newton (1944) — Free French SAS action in Burgundy, France
  • Noah (1944) — response to blowing of river dykes near Nijmegen and consequential flooding
  • Olive (1944) — offensive against the Gothic Line.
  • Overlord (1944) — invasion of Normandy, France. See also Pointblank.
    • Aberlour (1944) — cancelled follow-up to Mitten.
    • Astonia (1944) — assault on Le Havre
    • Bluecoat (1944) — Launched to support Operation Cobra
    • Bodyguard — deception plan, including:
      • Fortitude (1944) —
        • Skye
      • Fortitude (1944) — two deception operations to mislead over location of landings
      • Glimmer (1944) — feint towards Pas-de-Calais
      • Hambone (1944) — also known as Copperhead
      • Jael
      • Quicksilver
      • Zeppelin (1944) — deception plan to depict an amphibious landing on Crete, western Greece, or the Romanian Black Sea coast
    • Charnwood (1944) — assault on Caen.
    • Chicago — Allied airdrop
    • Cobra (1944) — breakout from Normandy.
      • Dunhill (1944) — SAS reconnaissance action in support of Cobra.
    • Cooney (1944) — Free French SAS action in St Malo area.
    • Dauntless (1944) — See Operation Martlet
    • Defoe (1944) — ineffective SAS reconnaissance around Argentan in Normandy
    • Detroit (1944) — American airdrop in Normandy
    • Dingson (1944) — Free French SAS operation around Vannes to disrupt communications and arm local Resistance
      • Lost (1944) — French SAS team in Brittany to link with Dingson
    • Epsom (1944) — British assault west of Caen, Normandy, aimed at capturing the city
      • Martlet (1944) — Supporting operation launched the day before Operation Epsom
    • Goodwood (1944) — British armoured assault to capture the Bourguébus Ridge, destroy German armoured reserves and support Operation Atlantic
      • Atlantic (1944) — Operation to capture the remaining sections of the German-occupied city of Caen. Launched side by side with Operation Goodwood
      • Greenline (1944) — diversionary attack by XII Corps designed to draw German attention away from the upcoming assault, out of the Orne bridgehead, codenamed Goodwood.
      • Pomegranate (1944) — diversionary attack by XXX Corps designed to draw German attention away from the upcoming assault, out of the Orne bridgehead, codenamed Goodwood.
    • Grouse (1944) — advance towards Tinchebray (also called Wallop).
    • Jupiter — British attack to occupy and hold Hill 112, near Caen
    • Kitten (1944) — British and Canadian advance to the Seine.
    • Mulberry (1944) — creation of safe anchorages using block ships
    • Neptune — landing phase of Overlord
      • Accumulator (1944) — diversionary naval operation near to the Channel Islands
      • Bravado (1944) — mine-laying around Kiel Canal to inhibit German naval reaction
      • Gambit (1944) — use of X-Craft midget submarines as navigation beacons off Sword and Juno beaches
      • Maple — Allied naval minelaying operations to inhibit German naval reaction
    • Mitten (1944) — elimination of German position at Chateau de la Ronde
    • Paddle (1944) — Canadian pursuit of German forces
    • Pirate (1944) — Anglo-Canadian training exercise prior to D-Day, at Studland Bay, England
    • Pluto (1944) — construction of undersea oil pipelines between England and France
    • Postage Able (1944) — landing beach surveys using X-Craft and divers
    • Smash (1944) — British training exercise prior to D-Day, at Studland Bay, Dorset, England
    • Spring — Canadian attack on high ground, south of Caen
    • Sussex — insertion of French OSS operatives into France to report German troop movements
    • Tiger (1944) — Allied training exercise prior to D-Day, near Slapton, England
    • Tonga — British airdrop in Normandy, east of the Orne River
    • Totalize (1944) — Allied advance to capture highground north of the city of Falaise
    • Tractable (1944) — Attack to capture the city of Falaise, and to help close the Falaise pocket
    • Trousers (1944) — Anglo-Canadian training exercise prior to D-Day, near Slapton, England
    • Walter (1944) — tidy-up operation, using two brigades.
    • Wallop (1944) — advance towards Tinchebray (also called Grouse).
    • Windsor (1944) — capture of Carpiquet.
  • Dickens (1944) — highly successful French SAS operation around Nantes to disrupt rail lines, gather intelligence and support local Resistance
  • Pegasus (1944) — Allied rescue of troops after failure of Market Garden
  • Queen (1944) — aerial close-support operation in Hurtgen Forest, east of Aachen
  • Switchback (1944) taking of Breskens pocket, first phase of the Battle of the Scheldt.
  • Totter (1944) combined ROC and RAF anti V-1 efforts
  • Undergo (1944) — assault on Calais
  • Vitality (1944) taking of South Beveland, second phase of the Battle of the Scheldt.
  • Wacht am Rhein ("Watch on the Rhine") (1944) — counteroffensive in the Ardennes
    • Greif ("Griffin") (1944) — infiltration using troops disguised in Allied uniforms.
    • Stösser (1944) — airborne drop in support of the Wacht am Rhein.
    • Bodenplatte ("Baseplate") (1944) — Luftwaffe support raids on Allied airbases. Rescheduled to 1 January 1945.
  • Wellhit (1944) — assault on Boulogne

1945
  • Amherst (1945) — French airborne SAS raid in north-east Netherlands
  • Anger (1945) — cross the Neder Rijn and capture Arnhem
  • Barker (1944) — French SAS operation to protect exposed right flank of US 3rd Army
  • Blackcock (1945) — clearance of the Roer Triangle by the British 2nd Army
  • Bremen (1945) — occupation of Bremen
  • Cannonshot (1945) — crossing the IJssel
  • Cleanser (1945) — advance to the IJsselmeer
  • Crosskeys (1945) — the establishment of allied coastal and minesweeping forces in Danish waters
  • Destroyer (1945) — clearing the "Island"
  • Eclipse (1945) — occupation of north German ports
  • Exodus (1945) — repatriation of POWs
  • Goldflake (1945) — Canadian 1st Corps moves from Italy to northwest Europe under command of Canadian First Army
  • Grenade (1945) — US Ninth Army advance from the Roer (see also Veritable)
  • Howard (1945) — Special Air Service reconnaissance operation ahead of Canadian 4th Armoured Division advance towards Oldenburg
  • Keystone (1945) — Special Air Service mission to capture bridges over Apeldoorn canal and harass the enemy south of IJsselmeer
  • Larkswood (1945) — Belgian SAS reconnaissance operation ahead of Canadian and Polish units in Holland and Germany
  • Manna and Chowhound — Food droppings in Holland to relieve the Dutch famine.
  • Nestegg (1945) — reoccupation of the Channel Islands
  • Nordwind ("North Wind") (1945) — attempt to open a second front in Alsace
  • Placket (1945) — delivery by sea of essential supplies to Dutch civilians
  • Plunder (1945) — 21st Army Group crossing of the Rhine
  • Schneeman (1945) — German attempt to open a second front in Netherlands.
  • Valediction (1945) — original plan for Canadian First Army's advance through the Klever Reichswald to Xanten, delayed then renamed Veritable
  • Venerable (1945) — clearance of German garrisons on the Gironde estuary (Operation Independence, revived)
    • Jupiter (1945) — assault on Île d'Oléron
  • Veritable (1945) — Canadian First Army's advance through the Klever Reichswald to Xanten co-ordinated with Grenade (formerly Valediction)
    • Blockbuster (1945) — final phases of Veritable'
    • Heather (1945) — reinforcement of XXX Corps by British 3rd Infantry Division
    • Ventilate (1945) — cancelled assault crossing of the Maas by British 3rd Infantry Division

See also

List of World War II military operations

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