​​The Canadian forces played a key role in the Allied campaign in Western Europe, beginning with their participation in the Normandy landings on June 6, 1944. As part of the first waves to land, they faced intense combat around Caen and in the Falaise Pocket, where they suffered 7,500 casualties. Their success in this battle helped break German defensive positions, allowing the Allies to initiate a rapid pursuit of the retreating German forces.

​In late August 1944, after crossing the Seine, the First Canadian Army was assigned to liberate the coastal regions of northern France. Their objectives were to secure French ports along the English Channel and the North Sea, which were vital for the logistical support of the advancing Allied armies, and to eliminate the launch sites of the V1 flying bombs that had been targeting London since mid-June 1944.

​Under the command of General Harry Crerar, the First Canadian Army was an international force that included Canadian and British units, the 1st Polish Armoured Division led by General Stanisław Maczek, as well as smaller Belgian and Dutch contingents. After crossing the Seine on August 26, the Canadians advanced towards Dieppe, a town of symbolic importance. Two years earlier, in August 1942, a failed amphibious landing had resulted in heavy Canadian losses, with 900 soldiers killed and 2,000 taken prisoner. This time, they entered Dieppe without resistance on September 1, welcomed by its inhabitants.

​With the German army in full retreat, the First Canadian Army advanced rapidly towards the Belgian border. Their efforts played a crucial role in securing the northern flank of the Allied advance and ensuring the liberation of both France and Belgium. By September 1944, they had helped clear key territories of German occupation, setting the stage for further operations in Western Europe.​