Bluecoat Day 1 30 July 1944 08.00–24.00 hrs
$3.95
Map Code: Ax00524Operation Bluecoat was timed to coincide with the American Operation Cobra so that protection could be provided to the American eastern flank. There was also a weakening in the German line due to reorganization of divisions that were being moved west, which could be exploited by the Allies. Allied forces would move south and attempt to overrun the elevated German defensive positions after a heavy air bombardment. The bombing runs were accurate but their effectiveness was minimal as the ground troops were slow in their initial advance. The forces on the eastern side of the battlefield were held up by a heavily mined area in front of their start position. This soon led to severe disruption as poor leadership resulted in different combat groups in the area becoming locked together on heavily congested roads. The forces in the west made much quicker progress, although some units suffered heavy losses from German armoured counterattacks.
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