In June 1944, as the Allied armies fought to break out from the Normandy beachhead, attention turned to a series of heavily defended German positions west of Caen. Among them was Rauray Spur, a vital piece of high ground that overlooked much of the surrounding countryside and offered the Germans an excellent observation point.

Before the launch of Operation Epsom, the British needed to secure this area and protect their exposed flank. The result was Operation Martlet, a hard-fought battle that has often been overshadowed by the larger operations that followed, but was crucial to the wider campaign in Normandy.

In this episode, I am joined by John Delaney, co-host of WW2 Road Trips on YouTube and Content Lead and Senior Curator at the Imperial War Museum.

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