On 13 February 1942, Operation Cerberus, also called the “Channel Dash”, was a major naval engagement during the Second World War. Consisting of the large battleships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Prinz Eugen, as well as a number of smaller ships, this fleet ran a British blockade and successfully sailed from Brest in Brittany to their home bases in Germany via the English Channel. This DVD begins by documenting this spectacular operation by the German Kriegsmarine in a superb example of German planning and foresight.

The DVD then switches to the Dieppe Raid which took place seven months later on 19 August 1942 where 6,000 Canadian troops, supported by the Royal Navy, attempted to take control of one of Germany's major ports. This tentatively put forward attack took place under the pressure of Stalin, who called for the establishment of a second front in the west.

The DVD then switches to the Normandy campaign in June 1944. In December 1944, the German forces met again against the Allied forces on the west and ran into a masterfully planned campaign. Lack of supplies and lack of air support finally led to the collapse of the last major German offensive of the Second World War. Told through a selection of original and rare archive footage, this DVD gives a compelling insight into a selection of major offensives fought during the Second World War.

Produced by - Pen & Sword Digital
Duration - 58 minutes
DVD only