In 1346 Edward III summoned the largest fleet ever known in England to carry an army overseas. Initially it was intended to land and support operations in Brittany, by the time the fleet sailed Gascony was the object but with winds against Edward finally landed in Normandy, south of St Vaast-La Hougue on 12 July.
The French were unprepared to fight a campaign in Normandy, the army marched through Normandy and Picardy to Crecy and the fleet systematically destroyed the harbours and ships on the Normandy coast.
At the battle of Crecy 26 August the English archers and infantry with new tactics learnt in defeat to the Scottish inflicted a crushing defeat on the French.
Edward went on to besiege and blockade Calais, the French forced small convoys past the blockade from Boulogne but on 25 June 1347 the English fleet surprised and took a convoy assembling in Boulogne and scattered another in July, Calais surrendered on 4 August.
The French and English agreed a truce 28 September