Operation
Goodwood was a
British army operation launched during
Operation Overlord - the invasion of
Normandy in
World War II. It took place from
July 18, 1944 through
July 20, 1944 and directly or indirectly involved three
Corps of Allied Forces around the Norman town of
Caen.
VIII Corps formed the central line of the attack, which was launched southward to the east of Caen itself. To the west, the Canadian II Corps formed the end of the front as they attempted to fully capture Caen itself (
Operation Atlantic). On the east end, the British
I Corps anchored the line. At the end of the operation, on July 20th, the British forces had advanced some 7 miles through the German front defenses with some lighter units having traveled further. Although the push had been stopped by
German forces, the battle prevented those forces and others pulled from German rear areas for reinforcement from engaging in counterattacks on the American
Operation Cobra, which involved breaking out of the
D-Day perimeter. As that 'pinning' action was successful, the operation was considered a British strategic victory, although on the battlefield itself the German Army stopped and attrited the British.
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