​​Operation Charnwood was planned to begin on the night of 7 June with a pre bombardment. At 04:20 on 8 July the infantry would begin to press forward into the northern half of Caen. The objective of the operation was to liberate the northern half of the city.  

​The bombing raid would be undertaken by the Royal Air Force with 467 Lancaster and Halifax bombers. They would carry 500lb and 1000lb bombers, many had time-delayed fuses. 

​The pre-bombardment intended to hit to specific target areas to the north and northwest of the city. Bombing area ‘A’ was to the northwest and away from the populated built-up area. Bombing area ‘B’ was to the north of the city and on the very periphery of the residential areas. 

​With the targeting of both areas, this should have cut off the German communication lines as well as cutting of routes of withdrawal and stopping any reinforcement reaching the frontlines. It was anticipated that area ‘B’ may have seen some damage to buildings due to its proximity to the city.  

​On the evening of 7 July when the bombers were sighted by the British and Canadian troops all to the north of the city, it was seen as a great spectacle. The soldiers watched as the bombs rained down onto the German positions. It was recorded in some of the war diaries as a great show and morale boost. Some questioned how any of the Germans could survive such an intense bombing. 

​On 9 July when the British and Canadians started to enter the city of Caen, the scene that greeted them in the city was one of devastation. Mounts of rubble from the destroyed buildings blocked the streets; accounts of 15ft high mounds had been encountered. 

​The RAF when bombing area ‘B’ had overshot their target resulting in the populated city being hit. Bombing markers had crept forward and the RAF did not want to bomb the tens of thousands of friendly forces below that were ready to make the advance on the 8 July. 

​Hundreds of buildings were destroyed from the north of the city through to the north banks of the Orne River. Many streets were completely devastated. The civilians were trapped in the rubble, many were killed. Some would suffocate in the basements of buildings where they had taken shelter, survived the bombs falling, but ran out of oxygen with being trapped under mounds of rubble. Some of the Caen citizens would never be seen again. 

​In total between 300-400 civilians were killed in this bombing on 7 July. Up to 80% of the north half of the city was destroyed and damaged by the bombings. The names of the civilians killed during this period are commemorated on numerous memorials around the city. 

​After the war when the city was rebuilt, large areas of destroyed buildings were cleared ahead of this. When looking around the city today, some of the bomb damage buildings remain whilst the new post war buildings stand out from the pre-war.​