Depicting the terrain that shaped the Battle of Caen.
This hand-coloured topographic map of the Caen area (1:25,000, Sheet 40/16 S.W., Second Edition, March 1944) was produced in 1944 and referenced in Canadian Army war diaries. The elevation bands were carefully shaded by hand to create a watercolour hillshade effect, giving commanders and planners a clear visualization of the city's surrounding terrain.
The Caen region was the focal point of prolonged and intense fighting following the D-Day landings. This map captures the ridgelines, valleys, and open ground south of the city, including the approaches to Verrières and Bourguébus, that made the advance so costly for Allied forces. Both a planning tool and an artistic piece of military cartography, it conveys the tactical challenges of the Normandy campaign.
Product Details:
- Printed on 175gsm premium fine-art paper
- Matte finish for an authentic archival appearance
- Created from high-resolution scans of the original 1944 hand-coloured map
- Highlights the contours and elevation of the Caen battlefield
- Ideal for collectors, historians, educators, and battlefield visitors
- Ships worldwide in protective packaging
A striking reproduction of the Caen hillshade map, illustrating the difficult terrain that defined one of the most hard-fought battles of the Normandy campaign.