Mapping the Battle of Normandy

Soldiers, sailors and airmen from Canada played a crucial role in the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944. Over 5,000 Canadian soldiers gave their lives during the Battle of Normandy and there were over 18,700 Canadian casualties during the campaign.

Project '44 is an interactive map which visualizes the Allied advance and the Canadian contribution to the D-Day landings and subsequent land campaign. The map provides an animated chronology of the positions of all the German and Allied units through June, July and August. On the map the German units are colored grey, the U.S. divisions are a khaki green, British units are brown and the Canadian units are shown in red.

From the map you can explore and learn more about each of the units of the First Canadian Army. If you a Canadian unit on the map you can actually read that unit's war diary for the 87 days of the Battle of Normandy. As you progress through the days of the campaign you can therefore not only observe the advance of the unit on the map but also read the unit's account of the action, including details about the soldiers who were wounded or killed during each day's fighting.

Over the coming weeks users will also also be able to add photos and stories to the maps.

Also See

D-Day military maps - a look at some of the original maps used during the D-Day campaign
D Day Journeys - a story map following the journeys of four Americans who took part in the D Day landings