​​Operation Charnwood was planned to begin on the night of 7 June 1944 with a pre-bombardment. At 04:20 on 8 July the infantry began 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 was undertaken by the Royal Air Force with 467 Lancaster and Halifax bomber aircraft. They carried 226kg and 453kg bombs, many with time-delayed fuses. The pre-bombardment intended to hit 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. By ​targeting both areas, the Allies hoped to cut off German communication lines as well as routes of withdrawal, and to stop any reinforcement reaching the frontlines. It was anticipated that area ‘B’ may damage some 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 German forces could survive such an intense bombing. 

​On 9 July when the British and Canadian forces 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, with accounts of 4.5 metre high mounds being encountered. During their bombing of area ‘B’, the RAF (British Royal Air Force) 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 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 suffocated in the basements of buildings where they had taken shelter, survived the falling bombs, but ran out of oxygen, trapped under mounds of rubble. Some of Caen's citizens were never seen again. 

​In total between 300 to 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. When looking around the city today, some of the bomb damaged buildings remain whilst the new post war buildings stand out from those from pre-war.​