The Battle of Villers-Bocage

Daniel Taylor examines the debates surrounding the battle for the Normandy town of Villers-Bocage during the Second World War.

The Battle of Villers-Bocage remains lodged in the imagination of many as a costly and controversial defeat for the British Army in Normandy.

Part of the wider Operation Perch, which aimed to capture the German-occupied city of Caen, the battle lasted for two days and eventually saw the British forced to withdraw.

Some have argued that this withdrawal and subsequent loss of recent territorial gains highlights a failure by British forces. Yet for others, the battle is seen as a remarkable and compelling recovery from ambush.

In this exciting talk, Dan Taylor will explore both sides of the debate and put to rest some of the myths that have built up around this battle.