There are a lot of tour guides in Normandy, mostly helping Canadian, British, and American tourists visit the beach areas and understand the experiences of the soldiers who landed on June 6. A French friend of mine, whose family farm was near Carpiquet, often volunteers to show Canadian visitors around the beaches, sharing his great knowledge of the battle for no charge. He tells me that likely no more than one in a hundred visitors to the Normandy battlefield ever venture inland more than a mile. Carpiquet, the Abbaye d’Ardenne, Verrières Ridge, Point 111 where Worthington Force met disaster, Falaise, and Saint-Lambert-sur-Dives are seldom visited. Even the Canadian War Cemetery at Bretteville-sur-Laize draws fewer visitors than the closer-to-the-coast Bény-sur-Mer Canadian Cemetery.
Yet all these sites are within a couple of hours’ drive of the beaches and readily accessible with the help of the many guidebooks published in recent years. At each site there are monuments, commemorative plaques, and interpretive panels that explain the course of battle. To see the ground, surprisingly little changed over the course of time in many places, is to better appreciate what the soldiers faced.
Verrières Ridge is a case in point. Standing on its summit, looking north to the route that the Black Watch took during their ascent on July 25, it is impossible not to see how that attack was doomed to fail. Verrières is not a ridge in the way most Canadians imagine. Its northern slope rises only 121 feet over a distance of 3,280 feet. So, contrary to what Brian McKenna claimed in a November 11,2002, Maclean’s article, the problem was not that the Black Watch had to scale this great height. Instead, they faced a long, futile hike into the face of German fire from well-sited positions along the ridge’s crest. Heroism here, to be sure, but also fatal errors of judgement from the corps commander, Lieutenant General Guy Simonds, down to the acting battalion commander, Major Philip Griffin.
Verrières Ridge is a grim place for Canadians—a place of tears, for so many of the nation’s youth perished here during the series of attacks. Each line of approach is as poor as any other. The Germans on the crestheld all the advantages. Yet Canadians did ultimately prevail. The ridge fell, and the way was opened for Totalize, Tractable, and the closing of the Falaise Gap.
Today, at points along the ridge there are various monuments recognizing the battalions that seized or attempted to seize that particular section of it. All are worth visiting. This is also true for the many other monuments and battle sites scattered from Carpiquet to Chambois.
One, however, is unique. In Verrières village there is a small, dark chapel—really all that is left of the village. Facing it, a monument honours the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry for being the only fighting unit in the battle for the ridge to win its objective on July 25. Having visited several times, I’ve invariably found the chapel’s door unlocked. Unheated, thick walled, it is chilly inside. Where once there was likely a small window, today there is inset a wooden-framed glass case. Within the case is a photograph of a young Canadian soldier, wearing a beret and standing in a snowy field that is probably in Quebec. He is a smiling, handsome lad. Beneath the photo is a newspaper clipping in French.
On July 23, 1944, Gérard Doré was just fifteen years and nine months old. He was a soldier in Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, and he died at nearby Beauvoir Farm. Doré came from the small village of Roberval. He used falsified documents to enlist. According to the newspaper report, he joined the regiment in England in 1943 and was inspired to fight for the liberation of France. This small shrine to Doré’s memory is touching, but not just because of its presence in this chapel. Each time I have visited, set on the ledge before his picture has been a bouquet of fresh flowers in a brass vase. A Royal Canadian Legion poppy is pinned to the right-hand side of the wooden frame, a small Canadian flag leans against the left. Someone nearby ensures that the memory of this young man is lovingly preserved. I wonder who?
During my visits to Normandy and travels across the battlefields where Canadians, like Gérard Doré, fought and died for the freedom of others, I am repeatedly struck by the care and attention local people give to the maintenance of the many monuments recognizing this sacrifice. There are skeptics who say that it is only the old French people, those alive when the liberation came, who remember, and that the time of remembrance in Normandy will pass with their deaths. I am optimistic, however, that this will not be the case. During my journeys I encounter many younger French people, who do care and do remember. The schoolchildren coming in and out of the Juno Beach Centre seem genuinely interested and moved by the experience of their visit.
And it is children who are the hope of remembrance. Not just in France or the other parts of Europe that the war rolled through with such destructive force, but also here in Canada. It is heartening to see school tours being organized that take young people to Europe to visit the battle sites. It is heartening to see, in conjunction with Remembrance Day, schools inviting veterans in to talk of their experiences—to see other activities designed to make the nation’s children aware of the sacrifices that one generation made to ensure the freedom of those to come. Ultimately, though, children only remember if adults ensure that they are given the opportunity to do so. It falls on our shoulders to keep the stories and the history alive, to pass it on down.
APPENDIX A :
PRINCIPAL COMMANDERS IN THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN
AMERICAN
Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF), Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
Twelfth U.S. Army Group, Gen. Omar Bradley
First Army, Gen. Bradley, then Lt. Gen. Courtenay Hodges
Third Army, Gen. George S. Patton
BRITISH
Chief of Imperial General Staff, Gen. Sir Alan Brooke
Commander Allied Ground Forces and Twenty-First Army Group, Gen. Bernard Law Montgomery
Second Army, Lt. Gen. Miles Dempsey
I Corps, Lt. Gen. John Crocker
VIII Corps, Lt. Gen. Richard N. O’Connor
CANADIAN
First Army, Lt. Gen. Harry Crerar
First Army Chief of Staff, Brig. Church Mann
II Corps, Lt. Gen. Guy Simonds
II Corps, General Chief of Staff, Brig. Elliot Rodger
II Corps, Corps Royal Artillery, Brig. Bruce Matthews
2nd Division, Maj. Gen. Charles Foulkes
3rd Division, Maj. Gen. Rod Keller (WIA Aug. 8), then Brig. Ken Blackader, then Maj. Gen. Dan Spry
4th Division, Maj. Gen. George Kitching, then Maj. Gen. Harry Foster
2nd Brigade, Brig. Ron Wyman (WIA Aug. 8), then Brig. John Bingham
4th Armoured Brigade, Brig. Leslie Booth (KIA Aug. 14), then Lt. Col. Bill Halpenny, then Brig. Robert Moncel
4th Brigade, Brig. Sherwood Lett (WIA July 18), then Brig. Eddy Ganong
5th Brigade, Brig. W.J. “Bill” Megill
6th Brigade, Brig. Hugh Young
7th Brigade, Brig. Harry Foster
8th Brigade, Brig. Ken Blackader
9th Brigade, Brig. Ben Cunningham, then Brig. J.M. “Rocky” Rockingham
10th Brigade, Brig. Jim Jefferson
GERMAN
Commander in Chief, West, Gen. Gerd von Rundstedt, then Gen. Günther von Kluge, then Gen. Walter Model
Army Group B, Gen. Erwin Rommel, then Gen. von Kluge
Panzer Group West, Gen. Leo Freiherr Geyr von Schweppenburg, then Gen. Hans Eberbach
Fifth Panzer Army, Gen. Hans Eberbach
Seventh Army, Oberg. Paul Hausser
I SS Corps, Oberg. Josef “Sepp” Dietrich
2nd SS Panzer Division, Grupp. Heinrich von Lüttwitz
12th SS Panzer Division, Stand. Kurt Meyer
85th Infantry Division, Gen. Kurt Chill
89th Infantry Division, Gen. Konrad Heinrichs
POLISH
4th Polish Armoured Division Commander, Maj. Gen. Stanislaw Maczek
APPENDIX B :
THE CANADIAN ARMY IN THE NORMANDY CAMPAIGN
(COMBAT UNITS ONLY)
FIRST CANAD
IAN ARMY TROOPS
2nd Army Group, Royal Canadian Artillery:
19th Field Regiment
3rd Medium Regiment
4th Medium Regiment
7th Medium Regiment
Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers:
10th Field Park Company
5th Field Company
20th Field Company
23rd Field Company
II CANADIAN CORPS TROOPS
18th Armoured Car Regiment (12th Manitoba Dragoons)
6th Anti-Tank Regiment
2nd Survey Regiment
6th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers:
8th Field Park Company
29th Field Company
30th Field Company
31st Field Company
2ND CANADIAN INFANTRY DIV ISION
8th Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars)
Toronto Scottish Regiment (MG)
Royal Canadian Artillery:
4th Field Regiment
5th Field Regiment
6th Field Regiment
2nd Anti-Tank Regiment
3rd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers:
1st Field Park Company
2nd Field Company
7th Field Company
11th Field Company
4th Canadian Infantry Brigade:
Royal Regiment of Canada
Royal Hamilton Light Infantry
Essex Scottish Regiment
5th Canadian Infantry Brigade:
Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada
Le Régiment de Maisonneuve
Calgary Highlanders
6th Canadian Infantry Brigade:
Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal
Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders
South Saskatchewan Regiment
3RD CANADIAN INFANTRY DIVISION
7th Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of York’s Royal Canadian Hussars)
Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (MG Battalion)
Royal Canadian Artillery:
12th Field Regiment
13th Field Regiment
14th Field Regiment
3rd Anti-Tank Regiment
4th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers:
3rd Field Park Company
6th Field Company
16th Field Company
18th Field Company
7th Canadian Infantry Brigade:
Royal Winnipeg Rifles
Regina Rifle Regiment
1st Battalion, Canadian Scottish Regiment
8th Canadian Infantry Brigade:
Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada
Le Régiment de la Chaudière
North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment
9th Canadian Infantry Brigade:
Highland Light Infantry of Canada
Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders
North Nova Scotia Highlanders
4TH CANADIAN ARMOURED DIVISION
29th Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (South Alberta Regiment)
10th Canadian Independent MG Company (New Brunswick Rangers)
Lake Superior Regiment (Motor)
Royal Canadian Artillery:
15th Field Regiment
23rd Field Regiment (Self-Propelled)
5th Anti-Tank Regiment
4th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Royal Canadian Corps of Engineers:
6th Field Park Squadron
8th Field Squadron
9th Field Squadron
4th Canadian Armoured Brigade:
21st Armoured Regiment (Governor General’s Foot Guards)
22nd Armoured Regiment (Canadian Grenadier Guards)
28th Armoured Regiment (British Columbia Regiment)
10th Canadian Armoured Brigade:
Lincoln and Welland Regiment
Algonquin Regiment
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada
2ND CANADIAN ARMOURED BRIGADE
6th Armoured Regiment (1st Hussars)
10th Armoured Regiment (Fort Garry Horse)
27th Armoured Regiment (Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment)
APPENDIX C :
CANADIAN INFANTRY BATTALION
(TYPICAL ORGANIZATION)
HQ COMPANY
No. 1: Signals Platoon
No. 2: Administrative Platoon
SUPPORT COMPANY
No. 3: Mortar Platoon (3-inch)
No. 4: Bren Carrier Platoon
No. 5: Assault Pioneer Platoon
No. 6: Anti-Tank Platoon (6-pounder)
‘A’ COMPANY
No. 7 Platoon
No. 8 Platoon
No. 9 Platoon
‘B’ COMPANY
No. 10 Platoon
No. 11 Platoon
No. 12 Platoon
‘C’ COMPANY
No. 13 Platoon
No. 14 Platoon
No. 15 Platoon
‘D’ COMPANY
No. 16 Platoon
No. 17 Platoon
No. 18 Platoon
APPENDIX D :
CANADIAN ARMY, GERMAN ARMY, AND WAFFEN-SS ORDER OF RANKS
(LOWEST TO HIGHEST)
Like most Commonwealth armies, the Canadian Army used the British ranking system. Except for the lower ranks, this system differed little from one service arm to another. The German Army system, however, tended to identify service and rank throughout most of its command chain, and the ss ranking system was further complicated by the fact that many of its ranks harked back to the organization’s clandestine paramilitary roots. The translations are roughly based on the Canadian ranking system, although many German ranks have no Canadian equivalent, and there is some differentiation in the responsibility each rank bestowed on its holder.
CANADIAN ARMY GERMAN ARMY SS
Private, infantry Schütze Schütze
Rifleman, rifle regiments Schütze Schütze
Private Grenadier Grenadier
Gunner (artillery equivalentof private) Kanonier Kanonier
Trooper (armoured equivalentof private) Panzerschütze Panzerschütze
Sapper (engineer equivalentof private) Pionier Pionier
Signaller (signals equivalentof private) Funker Funker
Lance Corporal Gefreiter Sturmmann
Corporal Obergefreiter Rottenführer
Lance Sergeant Unteroffizier Unterscharführer
Sergeant Unterfeldwebel Scharführer
Company Sergeant Major Feldwebel Oberscharführer
Battalion Sergeant Major Oberfeldwebel Hauptscharführer
Regimental Sergeant Major Stabsfeldwebel Sturmscharführer
Second Lieutenant Leutnant Untersturmführer
Lieutenant Oberleutnant Obersturmführer
Captain Hauptmann Hauptsturmführer
Major Major Sturmbannführer
Lieutenant Colonel Oberstleutnant Obersturmbannführer
Colonel Oberst Standartenführer
Brigadier Generalmajor Brigadeführer
Major General Generalleutnant Gruppenführer
Lieutenant General General der Obergruppenführer
(service arm)
(No differentiation) General der Artillerie (No differentiation)
General der Infanterie
General der Kavallerie
General der Pioniere
General der Panzertruppen
General Generaloberst Oberstgruppenführer
Field Marshal Generalfeldmarschall (No differentiation)
Commander-in-Chief Oberbefehlshaber (No differentiation)
APPENDIX E :
ARMY DECORATIONS
The decoration system that Canada used in World War II, like most other aspects of its military organization and tradition, derived from Britain. Under this class-based system, most military decorations can be awarded eithe
r to officers or to “other ranks” but not to both. The Canadian army, navy, and air force also have distinct decorations. Only the Victoria Cross—the nation’s highest award—can be won by personnel from any arm of the service or of any rank. The decorations and qualifying ranks are as follows.
VICTORIA CROSS (VC): Awarded for gallantry in the presence of the enemy. Instituted in 1856. Open to all ranks. The only award that can be granted for action in which the recipient was killed, other than Mentioned in Despatches—a less formal honour whereby an act of bravery was given specific credit in a formal report.
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER (DSO): Army officers of all ranks, but more commonly awarded to officers with ranks of major or higher.
MILITARY CROSS (MC): Army officers with a rank normally below major and, rarely, warrantofficers.
DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL (DCM): Army warrantofficers and all lower ranks.
MILITARY MEDAL (MM): Army warrantofficers and all lower ranks.
NOTES
PREFACE
1 Louis “Studs” Terkel, “The Good War”: An Oral History of World War Two (New York: Pantheon, 1984).
INTRODUCTION : A FORMIDABLE ARRAY
1 Jean E. Portugal, We Were There: The Navy, the Army and the rca –A Record for Canada, vol. 6 (Shelburne, ON: Battered Silicon Dispatch Box, 1998), 2923.
2 J.L. Granatstein and Desmond Morton, Bloody Victory: Canadians and the D-Day Campaign, 1944 (Toronto: Lester & Orpen Dennys, 1984), 70 –71.
3 David Clark, Angels Eight: Normandy Air War Diary (Bloomington, IN: 1st Books Library, 2003), 70.
4 “Report No. 58, Canadian Participation in the Operations in North-West Europe, 1944, Part ii: Canadian Operations in July,” Historical Section (G.S.) Army Headquarters, DHH, DND, para. 21.
5 Ralph Bennett, Ultra in the West: The Normandy Campaign of 1944–45 (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1979), 82–83.
6 Robin Neillands, The Battle of Normandy, 1944 (London: Cassell, 2002), 163.
7 Samuel W. Mitcham Jr., Panzers in Normandy: General Hans Eberbach and the German Defense of France, 1944 (Mechanicsburg, pa: Stackpole Books, 2009), 70 –71.
8 David Patterson, “Outside the Box: A New Perspective on Operation Windsor—The Rationale behind the Attack on Carpiquet, 4 July 1944,” Canadian Milit-1ry History, vol. 17, no. 2 (Spring 2008), 70 –73.