In late July 1944 the Allies began their breakout from the Normandy beachheads. The Americans in Operation COBRA and the British in Operation BLUECOAT. VIII and XXX British Corps were to seize the dominating ground running north west from Mont Pincon and exploit towards Vire. Mont Pincon is the highest hill in Normandy and is a formidable obstacle as well as magnificent observation post. The Germans saw it as essential to their defensive plans for Normandy. Three armored and three infantry divisions, together with two armored brigades, were hurriedly regrouped for the BLUECOAT advance into the bocage, in which determined German resistance meant that it was 5 August before the 'mountain' itself could be tackled. The Guide outlines the principal actions of BLUECOAT, but concentrates on the key players in the assault on Mont Pincon: 43rd Wessex Division and 8th Armoured Brigade. Contemporary accounts, including personal diaries, as well as more recent personal interviews are also covered.
