Editing Operation Goodwood (section)

===Preliminary operations===

====Operation Greenline====
{{Main|Second Battle of the Odon}}
Operation Greenline was launched by XII Corps during the evening of 15 July, with the [[15th (Scottish) Infantry Division]] reinforced by a brigade of [[53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division]], the 34th Tank Brigade, [[43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division]] and the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division, minus one brigade.{{sfn|Reynolds|2002|p=46}} Greenline was intended to convince the German command that the main British assault would be launched west of the Orne, through the positions held by XII Corps and to tie down the [[9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen|9th]] and [[10th SS Panzer Division Frundsberg|10th]] SS Panzer divisions, so that they could not oppose Goodwood or Cobra.{{sfn|Daglish|2005|p=38}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2002|p=46}} Supported by {{nowrap|450 guns,}} the British attack made use of [[Moonlight Batteries, Royal Artillery|artificial moonlight]] and started well despite disruption caused by German artillery fire.{{efn|"Artificial moonlight" or "Monty's moonlight" was the term given to the technique of providing illumination at night by reflecting [[searchlight]] beams off the cloud layer.{{sfn|Reynolds|2002|p=47}}}} By dawn XII Corps had captured several of its objectives including the important height of {{nowrap|Hill 113,}} although the much-contested [[Hill 112]] remained in German hands. By committing the 9th SS Panzer Division, the Germans managed by the end of the day to largely restore their line, although a counter-attack against Hill 113 failed.{{sfn|Reynolds|2002|pp=46–48}} Attacks next day by XII Corps gained no further ground and during the evening of 17 July, the operation was closed down and the British force on Hill 113 withdrawn.{{sfn|Reynolds|2002|pp=49–50}}

====Operation Pomegranate====
[[File:Odon valley 16 july.jpg|thumb|{{centre|British Infantry occupy slit trenches between Hill 112 and Hill 113 on 16 July 1944.}}]]
Operation Pomegranate began on 16 July, in which XXX Corps was to capture several important villages.{{sfn|Daglish|2005|p=38}} On the first day British infantry seized a key objective and took {{nowrap|300 prisoners}} but the next day there was much inconclusive fighting on the outskirts of Noyers-Bocage and Elements of the 9th SS Panzer Division were committed to the village defence. Although the British took control of the railway station and an area of high ground outside the village, Noyers-Bocage itself remained in German hands.{{ sfn|Ellis|Allen|Warhurst|Robb|2004|p=334}}{{sfn|Randel|2006|p=17}}

The preliminary operations cost Second Army {{nowrap|3,500 casualties}} for no significant territorial gains but Greenline and Pomegranate were strategically successful.{{sfn|Trew|Badsey|2004|p=52}} Reacting to the threats in the Odon Valley, the Germans retained the 2nd Panzer and 10th SS Panzer divisions in the front line and recalled the 9th SS Panzer Division from Corps reserve.{{sfn|Daglish|2005|p=38}}{{sfn|Ellis|Allen|Warhurst|Robb|2004|p=334}}{{sfn|Reynolds|2002|p=50}} The Germans suffered around {{nowrap|2,000 casualties.}} Terry Copp wrote that the fighting was "one of the bloodiest encounters of the campaign".{{sfn|Copp|2004|p=135}} During the late afternoon of 17 July, a patrolling Spitfire spotted a German [[staff car]] on the road near the village of [[Sainte-Foy-de-Montgommery]]. The fighter made a [[strafing]] attack driving the car off the road. Among its occupants was Field Marshal [[Erwin Rommel]], the commander of [[Army Group B]], who was seriously wounded, leaving Army Group B temporarily leaderless.{{sfn|Trew|Badsey|2004|p=70}}{{sfn|Wilmot|McDevitt|1997|pp=357–358}}