Duchy of Normandy

Saint-Martin-de-Fontenay (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ maʁtɛ̃ də fɔ̃tnɛ] ) is a commune in the Calvados department, region of Normandy, northwestern France.

Ifs (French pronunciation: [if] ) is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France.

Fleury-sur-Orne (French pronunciation: [flœʁi syʁ ɔʁn] , literally Fleury on Orne) is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. It is part of the Communauté urbaine Caen la Mer and of the agglomeration of Caen.

The canton of Ifs is an administrative division of the Calvados department, northwestern France. It was created at the French canton reorganisation which came into effect in March 2015. Its seat is in Ifs.

Saint-André-sur-Orne (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃.t‿ɑ̃dʁe syʁ ɔʁn] , literally Saint-André on Orne; named Saint-André-de-Fontenay until 1911) is a village in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France.

The Odon (French pronunciation: [ɔdɔ̃]) is a river in the Calvados department, in Normandy, northwestern France. It is 47 km long and is a left tributary of the Orne. The river passes through Jurques, Aunay-sur-Odon, Baron-sur-Odon, Bretteville-sur-Odon, Épinay-sur-Odon, Grainville-sur-Odon, Parfouru-sur-Odon, Tournay-sur-Odon and Tourville-sur-Odon. It flows into the Orne in Caen.

May-sur-Orne (French pronunciation: [mɛ syʁ ɔʁn] , literally May on Orne) is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France.

Louvigny (French pronunciation: [luviɲi] ) is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France.

The canton of Caen-4 is an administrative division of the Calvados department, northwestern France. Its borders were modified at the French canton reorganisation which came into effect in March 2015. Its seat is in Caen.

Operation Spring (July 25–27, 1944) was an offensive operation of the Second World War conducted by II Canadian Corps during the Normandy campaign in 1944. The plan was intended to create pressure on the German forces operating on the British and Canadian front simultaneous with Operation Cobra, an American offensive. Operation Spring was intended to capture Verrières Ridge and the villages on the south slope of the ridge. The German defence of the ridge contained the offensive on the first day and inflicted many casualties on the Canadians.

The Battle of Verrières Ridge was a series of engagements fought as part of the Battle of Normandy, in Calvados, during the Second World War. The main combatants were two Canadian infantry divisions—with additional support from the Canadian 2nd Armoured Brigade—against elements of three German SS Panzer divisions. The battle was part of the British and Canadian tacks south of Caen, and took place from 19 to 25 July 1944, being part of Operation Atlantic (18–21 July) and Operation Spring (25–27 July). The immediate Allied objective was Verrières Ridge, a belt of high ground which dominates the route from Caen to Falaise. The ridge was occupied by battle-hardened German veterans, who had fallen back from Caen and entrenched to form a strong defensive position. Over the course of six days, substantial Canadian and British forces made repeated attempts to capture the ridge. Strict German adherence to defensive doctrine, as well as strong and effective counterattacks by Panzer formations, resulted in many Allied casualties for little tactical gain.From the perspective of the First Canadian Army, the battle is remembered for its tactical and strategic miscalculations—the most notable being a highly controversial attack by The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada on 25 July, in which 315 of its 325 soldiers were killed, wounded or captured. This attack—the costliest single day for a Canadian battalion since the 1942 Dieppe Raid—has become one of the most contentious and critically analysed events in Canadian military history. While failing to achieve its original objective, an important strategic result of the Battle of Verrières Ridge was to aid the overwhelmingly successful Operation Cobra, by tying down powerful German Panzer formations that might otherwise have been moved to counter-attack Cobra.

Fontenay-le-Marmion (French pronunciation: [fɔ̃tnɛ lə maʁmjɔ̃] ) is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France.