 Following these failed German offensives , the town of Falaise became a major objective of Commonwealth forces , since its capture would cut off virtually all of Generalfeldmarschall Günther von Kluge 's Army Group B. To achieve this , General Harry Crerar , commanding the newly formed Canadian 1st Army and Lieutenant @-@ General Guy Simonds — commanding the Canadian II Corps , planned an Anglo @-@ Canadian offensive with the code name of Operation Totalize . This offensive was designed to break through the defences in the Anglo @-@ Canadian sector of the Normandy front . Operation Totalize would rely on an unusual night attack using heavy bombers and the new Kangaroo armoured personnel carriers to achieve a breakthrough of German defences . Despite initial gains on Verrières Ridge and near Cintheaux , the Canadian Army 's offensive stalled on 9 August , with strong Wehrmacht counterattacks resulting in heavy casualties for the Canadian and Polish armoured and infantry divisions . By 10 August , Canadian troops had reached Hill 195 , north of Falaise . They were unable to advance farther immediately and they had been unable to capture Falaise . 
