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:

purely naval operations in the adjoining waters (see: List of World War II military operations - Atlantic Ocean)
operations in Scandinavia (Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden), Iceland and Greenland (see: Military operations in Scandinavia and Iceland during World War II)
operations in the Mediterranean and Italy (see: World War II operations in the Mediterranean region).

1935–1938

Fall Rot ("Case Red") (1935) — overview of defense planning in tandem with Fall Blau. Rot covered defence 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

Fall Weiss ("Case White") (1939) — invasion of Poland

1940

Aerial (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) — an invasion of France and rout of British Expeditionary Force
Grünpfeil (Green Arrow) (1940) — invasion of British held Channel Islands (1940)
Granit (Granite) (1940) — Fallschirmjäger capture of Fort Eben-Emael in Belgium
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 the capture of oil installations and stocks by the Germans

1941

Chess (1941) — commando raid on Ambleteuse, Pas-de-Calais, France
Colossus (1941) — Feb. 10, commando raid on Tragino aqueduct near Calitri, Italy.

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.
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.
- Abercrombie (1942) — raid on Hardelot in preparation for Jubilee.
- Cauldron (1942) — raid on Varengeville in support of Jubilee.
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 the event of German or Soviet collapse. Later abandoned in favour of Torch landings. Planning for Roundup included;
- Sledgehammer (1942) — establishment of beachhead in Cherbourg or Brest.
- Roundhammer — revised planning for Roundup.
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

Bellicose (1943) — British bombing mission against Friedrichshafen and La Spezia.
Bolero (1943/1944) — build-up of US forces and matériel in preparation for Allied invasion of France.
Chastise (1943) — the bombing of Ruhr area dams popularly known as the "Dambusters" raid.
Corona (1943) — bombing raid on Kassel, Germany.
Constellation (1943) — one of several proposals to retake the Channel Islands;
- Condor (1943) — proposal to retake Jersey
- Concertina (1943) — proposal to retake Alderney
- Coverlet (1943) — proposal to retake Guernsey
Crossbow (1943–1944) — plan to destroy rocket production and launch sites. See Also Pointblank.
- Hydra (1943) — bombing of Peenemünde rocket research center.
Double Strike (1943) — bombing of Regensburg and Schweinfurt.
Huckaback (1943) — commando raid on Herm in the Channel Islands
Project Habakkuk (1943) — project to construct an aircraft carrier from ice.
Pointblank (1943) — umbrella for bombing offensive by USAAF and RAF in preparation for Overlord.
- Gomorrah (1943) — sequence of air raids on Hamburg.
Rankin (1943) — planned liberation of the Channel Islands

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 the 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
Guildford — 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division capture of Blerick[1]
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.
Mallard (Maas) — British XII Corps' advance to the Maas[1]
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 the 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
Nutcracker — British VIII Corps' advance to the Maas[1]
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 the 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) — the creation of safe anchorages using block ships
- Mitten (1944) — elimination of German position at Chateau de la Ronde
- 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
- Neptune (Seine) — 43rd (Wessex) Division's assault crossing of Seine[2]
- Paddle (1944) — Canadian pursuit of German forces
- Peppermint (1944) — Precautions against German spreading of radioactive poison materials
- 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
  - Mallard (Airdrop) — British air landing follow-up to Tonga
- Totalize (1944) — Allied advance to capture high ground 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 the 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[3]
- Archway (1945) — SAS operation to support Plunder and the subsequent advance to Kiel
- Flashpoint — Ninth US Army element of Plunder[3]
- Torchlight – British XII Corps element of Plunder[3]
- Turnscrew – British XXX Corps element of Plunder[3]
  - Widgeon – British 1st Commando Brigade element of Plunder[3]
- Varsity — airborne element of Plunder[3]
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 Meuse (Maas) by British 3rd Infantry Division

References

John Buckley, Monty's Men: The British Army and the Liberation of Europe, London: Yale University Press, 2013, ISBN 978-0-300-13449-0.
Anon, British Army of the Rhine Battlefield Tour: Operation Neptune, Germany: BAOR, 1947/Uckfield: Naval and Military Press, 2022, ISBN 978-1-4745-3529-8.
Anon, British Army of the Rhine Battlefield Tour: Operation Plunder, Germany: BAOR, 1947/Uckfield: Naval and Military Press, 2022, ISBN 978-1-4745-3532-8.

External links

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[Buckley-1] John Buckley, Monty's Men: The British Army and the Liberation of Europe, London: Yale University Press, 2013, ISBN 978-0-300-13449-0.

[2] Anon, British Army of the Rhine Battlefield Tour: Operation Neptune, Germany: BAOR, 1947/Uckfield: Naval and Military Press, 2022, ISBN 978-1-4745-3529-8.

[AnonPlunder-3] Anon, British Army of the Rhine Battlefield Tour: Operation Plunder, Germany: BAOR, 1947/Uckfield: Naval and Military Press, 2022, ISBN 978-1-4745-3532-8.