On 26 June 1944, British General Montgomery launched, under the code name "Operation EPSOM", a major offensive for the capture of the Odon Valley west of Caen.
The aim of this offensive was to bypass Caen from the west and finally take this city, which was still occupied by the Germans nearly three weeks after the Landing. But contrary to the optimistic forecasts of the British General Staff, and despite considerable numerical and material superiority, Operation EPSOM was a failure. However, the strong pressure of the British divisions, forces the Germans to maintain in the sector, several divisions of Waffen SS and two SS battalions of heavy tanks (Tiger), which could have gone to the American sector.
The failure is all the more shocking as Montgomery wanted an easy and quick victory to stand out from his American ally.
Hill 112, which in fact locked the entire sector, became a major battleground between German and Anglo-Canadian troops for more than 7 weeks. The fighting was of a rare intensity. On both sides, human losses were very heavy and the number of tanks destroyed was enormous, especially on the British side. But Montgomery could then count on considerable material and human reserves, whereas for the Germans, any tank destroyed was not replaced.