by Mark Zuehlke
23 Le Régiment de Maisonneuve War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, 4.
24 Copp, The Brigade, 56.
25 Le Régiment War Diary, 4.
26 Calgary Highlanders War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, 20.
27 David Bercuson, Battalion of Heroes: The Calgary Highlanders in World War ii (Calgary: Calgary Highlanders Regimental Funds Fdn., 1994), 62–63.
28 Roy Farron, History of the Calgary Highlanders, 1921–54 (Calgary: Bryant Press, 1954), 147.
29 Bercuson, 62–63.
30 Paul P. Hutchinson, Canada’s Black Watch: The First Hundred Years, 1862–1962 (Montreal: Black Watch [RHR] of Canada, 1962), 222.
31 Canadian Army Overseas Honours and Awards Citation Details, DHH, DND, www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/cao-aco/details-eng.asp?firstname=WilliamFrancis&lastname=Clements&rec=id4556 (accessed November 15, 2010).
32 L.F. Ellis, The Battle of Normandy, vol. 1 of Victory in the West (London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1962), 348.
33 Ross Munro, Gauntlet to Overlord: The Story of the Canadian Army (Toronto: Macmillan, 1945), 159.
34 Hastings, 278.
35 Ellis, 348 –49.
36 Reginald H. Roy, 1944: The Canadians in Normandy (Toronto: Macmillan, 1984), 78 –79.
37 Charles P. Stacey, The Victory Campaign: The Operations in North-West Europe, 1944– 1945, vol. 3 (Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1960), 174.
38 Roy, 1944, 79 –80.
39 Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, appendix 6, 1.
40 Terry Copp, Fields of Fire: The Canadians in Normandy (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2003), 148.
41 “War Diaries 2 Cdn Corps, Atlantic,” 8.
42 “Report 162, Canadian Participation in the Operations in North-West Europe, 1944, Part II: Canadian Operations in July,” Canadian Military Headquarters, DHH, DND, para. 111.
43 South Saskatchewan Regiment War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, 11.
44 Cent ans d’histoire d’un regiment canadien-français: les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, 1869–1969 (Montreal: Éditions Du Jour, 1971), 195.
45 Jean E. Portugal, We Were There: The Navy, the Army and the rcaf —A Record for Canada, vol. 5 (Shelburne, ON: Battered Silicon Dispatch Box, 1998), 2477.
46 Roy, 1944, 80.
47 Essex Scottish Regiment War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, 12.
48 Roy, 1944, 80.
49 Ibid., 81.
50 “Report No. 58,” para. 196.
51 G.W.L. Nicholson, The Gunners of Canada, vol. 2 (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1972), 297.
52 “Report No. 58,” para. 194.
53 Roy, 1944, 82.
54 Doug Nash, “History of the 272nd at Caen, July 1944,” Der Este Zug (2005), www.dererstezug.com/272ndCaen.htm (accessed November 24, 2010).
55 Michael Reynolds, Steel Inferno: i ss Panzer Corps in Normandy (New York: Dell, 1997), 229.
11 WE NEED HELP
1 Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, appendix 6, 1.
2 Norman H. Ross, interview by William S. Thackray, May 27, June 16, and July 4, 1980, UVICSC.
3 R.W. Queen-Hughes, Whatever Men Dare: A History of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada, 1935–1960 (Winnipeg: Bluman Bros., 1960), 103.
4 Queen’s Own War Diary, appendix 6, 1.
5 Canadian Army Overseas Honours and Awards Citation Details, DHH, DND, www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/cao-aco/details-eng.asp?firstname=RobertEdward&lastname=Lucy&rec=id2796 (accessed November 25, 2010).
6 Ross interview.
7 Queen’s Own War Diary, appendix 6, 3.
8 Ross interview.
9 Queen’s Own War Diary, appendix 6, 4.
10 Jean E. Portugal, We Were There: The Navy, the Army and the rcaf —A Record for Canada, vol. 5 (Shelburne, ON: Battered Silicon Dispatch Box, 1998), 2477.
11 Ross interview.
12 John Edmondson, interview by Ryan Hill, November 3 and 20, 2009, UVICSC.
13 John S. Edmondson and R.D. Edmondson, “The Pawns of War: A Personal Account of the Attack on Verrières Ridge by The South Saskatchewan Regiment, 20 July 1944,” Canadian Military History, vol. 14, no. 4 (Autumn 2005), 50.
14 “Account of the Attack by S Sask R on the High Ground 0459 in the Afternoon of 20 Jul 44 Given by Maj L.L. Dicken ‘D’ Coy, S Sask R, at La Villeneuve, 23 Jul 44,” 145.2S7011(D5), DHH, DND, 2.
15 “Report No. 162, Canadian Military Headquarters—Canadian Participation in the Operations in North-West Europe, 1944, Part II: Canadian Operations in July,” DHH, DND, para. 111.
16 Edmondson and Edmondson, 51–52.
17 “Account by Dickin,” 1–3.
18 John Edmondson, interview by Chris Bell, June 6, August 4 and 12, 1982, UVICSC.
19 Edmondson and Edmondson, 53.
20 “Account of the Attack by S Sask R on the High Ground 0459 in the Afternoon of 20 Jul 44 Given by Lt. F. Mathers of ‘A’ Coy, S Sask Regt, at Villeneuve, 23 Jul 44,” 145.2S7011(D4), DHH, DND, 1.
21 Edmondson and Edmondson, 53.
22 “Account by Dickin,” 2.
23 “Account by Mathers,” 1.
24 Edmondson, interview by Bell.
25 Edmondson and Edmondson, 54.
26 “Account by Dickin,” 1.
27 “Account of the Actions of the Fus MR 19 –25 Jul 44 as Given by Lt-Col Gauvreau, OC,” 145.2R1011(D2), DHH, DND, 1.
28 A. Britton Smith, “A FOO at Troteval Farm, 20 –21 July 1944,” Canadian Military History, vol. 14, no. 4 (Autumn 2005), 67.
29 “27 CDN ARMD REGT (SHER FUS) C AC, OP ‘Atlantic,’ Overture to the Breakthrough,” Gordon Fonds, MG30-E367, LAC, 15.
30 “Account by Gauvreau,” 1.
31 “27 CDN ARMD REGT (SHER FUS) C AC, OP ‘Atlantic,’” 15–20.
32 “Account by Gauvreau,” 1.
33 Smith, 69 –70.
34 “Attack on Beauvoir and Troteval Farms by FUS MR, 20 Jul 44 As Given By Capt Maurice Gravel, IO FUS MR, to Capt Engler at Etavaux, 28 Jul 44,” 145.2F1011(D1), DHH, DND, 1.
35 “Account by Gauvreau,” 1.
36 Edmondson and Edmondson, 54.
37 Edmondson, interview by Bell.
38 Edmondson and Edmondson, 54–55.
39 “Account by Dickin,” 1–2.
40 Edmondson, interview by Bell.
41 John Maker, “The Essex Scottish Regiment in Operation Atlantic: What Went Wrong?” Canadian Military History, vol. 18, no. 1 (Winter 2009), 11.
42 Edmondson and Edmondson, 57.
43 Maker, 11–12.
44 “Account by Dickin,” 2.
45 Sandy Antal and Kevin R. Shackleton, Duty Nobly Done: The Official History of the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment (Windsor, ON: Walkerville, 2006), 451–54.
46 Maker, 13.
47 i Battalion, The Essex Scottish Regiment, 1940–1945: A Brief Narrative (Aldershot, UK: Gale and Polden, 1946), 34.
48 Edmondson and Edmondson, 57.
49 Edmondson, interview by Hill.
50 Edmondson and Edmondson, 57–58.
51 South Saskatchewan Regiment War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, 13.
52 2nd Canadian Anti-Tank Regiment War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, 12.
53 Maker, 13–14.
12 NOT A PLEASANT PICTURE
1 “War Diaries 2 Cdn Corps, Jul/Dec 44 in details of Op ‘Atlantic,’ ‘Totalize,’ ‘Tractable,’ etc by Brig NE Rodger, C of S, Atlantic,” 225C2.008 (D9), vol. 10798, box 214, RG24, LAC, 8.
2 “Report No. 162, Canadian Participation in the Operations in North-West Europe, 1944, Part II: Canadian Operations in July,” Canadian Military Headquarters, DHH, DND, paras. 115–17.
3 Essex Scottish Regiment War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, 12.
4 John Maker, “The Essex Scottish Regiment in Operation Atlantic: What Went Wrong?” Canadian Military History, vol. 18, no. 1 (Winter 2009), 71.
5 Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders War Diary, July 1944, RG24, L
AC, appendix 6, 1–2.
6 Norman H. Ross, interview by William S. Thackray, May 27, June 16, and July 4, 1980, UVICSC.
7 Queen’s Own Highlanders War Diary, appendix 6, 1–5.
8 Ross interview.
9 Queen’s Own Highlanders War Diary, appendix 6, 1–2.
10 A. Britton Smith, “A FOO at Troteval Farm, 20 –21 July 1944,” Canadian Military History, vol. 14, no. 4 (Autumn 2005), 72.
11 Essex Scottish War Diary, 12–13.
12 Maker, 14–15
13 “Report No. 162,” para. 117.
14 Queen’s Own Highlanders War Diary, appendix 6, 1–2.
15 “27 CDN ARMD REGT (SHER FUS) C AC, OP ‘Atlantic,’ Overture to the Breakthrough, Gordon Fonds, MG30-E367, LAC, 11.
16 Charles P. Stacey, The Victory Campaign: The Operations in North-West Europe, 1944–1945, vol. 3 (Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1960), 176.
17 Smith, 72–74.
18 Reginald H. Roy, 1944: The Canadians in Normandy (Toronto: Macmillan, 1984), 95.
19 “Notes on the Diary by Pte. W.T. Booth (D-83056),” The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment of Canada) Regimental Archives, www3.ns.sympatico.ca/laird.niven/public_html/booth.htm (accessed December 2, 2010).
20 Brandon Conron, A History of the First Hussars Regiment, 1856–1980 (n.p., 1981), 83–84.
21 Paul P. Hutchison, Canada’s Black Watch: The First Hundred Years, 1862–1962 (Montreal: Black Watch (RHR) of Canada, 1962), 222.
22 Stacey, 176.
23 “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, February 15, 1953, para. 203.
24 “Report No. 162,” para. 120.
25 John Edmondson, interview by Ryan Hill, November 3 and 20, 2009, UVICSC.
26 John A. English, Failure in High Command: The Canadian Army and the Normandy Campaign (Ottawa: Golden Dog Press, 1995), 239.
27 South Saskatchewan Regiment War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, 13.
28 John S. Edmondson and R.D. Edmondson, “The Pawns of War: A Personal Account of the Attack on Verrières Ridge by the South Saskatchewan Regiment, 20 July 1944,” Canadian Military History, vol. 14, no. 4 (Autumn 2005), 60 –61.
29 John Maker, “The Essex Scottish Regiment in Operation Atlantic: What Went Wrong?” Canadian Military History, vol. 18, no. 1 (Winter 2009), 18.
30 Sandy Antal and Kevin R. Shackleton, Duty Nobly Done: The Official History of the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment (Windsor, ON: Walkerville, 2006), 456.
31 Maker, 7.
32 Essex Scottish War Diary, 13.
33 Maker, 15.
34 Ibid., 16.
35 Stacey, 177.
36 Roy, 1944, 97–100.
37 Le Régiment de Maisonneuve War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, 5.
38 Canadian Army Overseas Honours and Awards Citation Details, DHH, DND, www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/cao-aco/details-eng.asp?firstname=Benoit&lastname=Lacourse&rec=id4193 (accessed December 5, 2010).
39 Canadian Army Overseas Honours and Awards Citation Details, DHH, DND, www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/cao-aco/details-eng.asp?firstname=JosephPaulEmileWilson&lastname=Ostiguy&rec=id3207 (accessed December 5, 2010).
40 “Report No. 162,” para. 130.
41 Terry Copp, The Brigade: Fifteenth Canadian Infantry Brigade, 1939–1945 (Stoney Creek, ON: Fortress, 1992), 62.
42 “Report No. 162,” para. 131.
43 Jean E. Portugal, We Were There: The Navy, the Army and the rcaf —A Record for Canada, vol. 5 (Shelburne, ON: Battered Silicon Dispatch Box, 1998), 2478.
44 Ross interview.
13 DESPERATE MOVE IN THE DARK
1 Charles P. Stacey, The Victory Campaign: The Operations in North-West Europe, 1944–1945, vol. 3 (Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1960), 187.
2 “Report No. 162, Canadian Military Headquarters—Canadian Participation in the Operations in North-West Europe, 1944, Part II: Canadian Operations in July,” DHH, DND, paras. 133–36.
3 “Operation Spring: 25 Jul 1944, Factors in Assessing Results,” 112HI.003 (D43), DHH, DND, 1.
4 Samuel W. Mitcham Jr., Panzers in Normandy: General Hans Eberbach and the German Defense of France, 1944 (Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2009), 81.
5 “Operation Spring: Assessing Results,” 1.
6 L.F. Ellis, The Battle of Normandy, vol. 1 of Victory in the West (London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1962), 378.
7 “Operation Spring: 25 Jul 1944, Relative Strengths,” 112HI.003(D43), DHH, DND, 3–6.
8 “II Canadian Corps Intelligence Summary No. 15, 25 Jul 44,” 225C2.023 (D39), vol. 10812, box 221, RG24, LAC, 1.
9 Lt. Gen. G.G. Simonds, “Operation Spring, Canadian Military History, vol. 1, nos. 1–2 (1992), 66.
10 Reginald H. Roy, 1944: The Canadians in Normandy (Toronto: Macmillan, 1984), 100.
11 Stacey, 187.
12 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, 10.
13 George Kitching, Mud and Green Fields: The Memoirs of Major General George Kitching (Langley, BC : Battleline Books, 1985), 205–06.
14 John A. English, Failure in High Command: The Canadian Army and the Normandy Campaign (Ottawa: Golden Dog Press, 1995), 250.
15 Army Cadet History, www.armycadethistory.com/Vernon%20photo%20gallery/biography_Brig_Megill.htm (accessed December 7, 2010).
16 Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, appendix 6, 2–6.
17 Cent ans d’histoire d’un régiment canadien-français: les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, 1869–1969 (Montreal: Éditions Du Jour, 1971), 203.
18 “Account of A Coy Attack on Troteval Farm by Fus MRS on 23 Jul 44 Given to Capt Engler by Maj Dextraze at Caen, 30 Jul 44,” 145.2F1011(D5), DHH, DND, 1–3.
19 Royal Hamilton Light Infantry War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, appendix 1, 1.
20 “Account by Dextraze,” 1–3.
21 Canadian Army Overseas Honours and Awards Citation Details, DHH, DND, www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/cao-aco/details-eng.asp?firstname=AmedeeJosephPhilippe&lastname=Thibault&rec=id1128 (accessed December 7, 2010).
22 Canadian Army Overseas Honours and Awards Citation Details, DHH, DND, www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/cao-aco/details-eng.asp?firstname=Paul&lastname=Lebrun&rec=id4244 (accessed December 8, 2010).
23 George G. Blackburn, The Guns of Normandy: A Soldier’s Eye View, France 1944 (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1997), 247–50.
24 “Account by Dextraze,” 2.
25 “Attack on Beauvoir and Troteval Farms by Fus MR 20 Jul 44 as Given by Capt Maurice Gravel, IO FUS MR, to Capt Engler at Etavaux 28 Jul 44,” 145.2F1011(D1), DHH, DND, 1.
26 “Account of the Actions of the Scout PL RHLI in the Attack and Holding of Verrieres, 25 Jul 44, as Given by Lt Hinton, Scout PL, to Capt Engler at Louvigny, 5 Aug 44,” 145.2R14.011(D2), DHH, DND, 1–2.
27 “Operation Spring: 25 Jul 1944, The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry,” 112HI.003 (D43), DHH, DND, 1.
28 Kingsley Brown Sr., Kingsley Brown Jr., and Brereton Greenhous, Semper Paratus: The History of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment), 1862–1977 (Hamilton: RHLI Historical Assoc., 1977), 245–46.
29 “Account of the Attack and Holding of Verrieres by RHLI on 25 Jul 44, as Told by Capt. J. Williamson, 2IC, ‘C’ Coy, RHLI, to Capt. Engler, at Louvigny, 5 Aug 44,” 145.2R14.011(D2), DHH, DND, 1.
30 Calgary Highlanders War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, 26.
31 “Operation Spring, 25 Jul 1944, The Calgary Highlanders,” 112HI.003 (D43), DHH, DND, 1.
32 Ibid., 13–15.
33 Will R. Bird, No Retreating Footsteps: The Story of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders (Hantsport, NS: Lancelot Press, 1983), 154.
34 Stacey, 189.
35 Bird, No Retreating Footsteps, 154.
14 VIOLENCE OF BATTLE
1 Will R. Bird, No Retreating Footsteps: The Story of the N
orth Nova Scotia Highlanders (Hantsport, NS: Lancelot Press, 1983), 155–61.
2 North Nova Scotia Highlanders War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, 18.
3 Bird, No Retreating Footsteps, 161–63.
4 North Nova Scotia War Diary, 18.
5 Roman Johann Jarymowycz, “Der Gegenangriff vor Verrières: German Counterattacks during Operation ‘Spring,’ 25–26 July 1944,” Canadian Military History, vol. 2, no. 1 (1993), 78.
6 North Nova Scotia War Diary, 18 –19.
7 Charles P. Stacey, The Victory Campaign: The Operations in North-West Europe, 1944–1945, vol. 3 (Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1960), 187.
8 Reginald H. Roy, 1944: The Canadians in Normandy (Toronto: Macmillan, 1984), 109.
9 Vanguard: The Fort Garry Horse in the Second World War (Doetinchem, NL: Uitgevers-Maatschappij ‘C. Nisset, 1945), 46.
10 Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, 19.
11 Terry Copp, Fields of Fire: The Canadians in Normandy (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2003), 178.
12 “Account of ‘A’ Coy RHLI in the Attack on Verrieres 25 Jul 44, Given by Maj Halladay to Capt Engler at Louvigny, 4 Aug 44,” 145.2R14.011(D2), DHH, DND, 1.
13 Kingsley Brown Sr., Kingsley Brown Jr., and Brereton Greenhous, Semper Paratus:The History of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment), 1862–1977 (Hamilton: RHLI Historical Assoc., 1977), 248.
14 John Meredith Rockingham, interview by Reginald H. Roy, July 11, 1979, UVICSC.
15 Brown, Brown, and Greenhous, 247.
16 Royal Hamilton Light Infantry War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, appendix 2, 3.
17 Ibid., 10.
18 “Account by Halladay,” 1.
19 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment War Diary, July 1944, RG24, LAC, 16.
20 “Account of the Actions of the RHLI in the Battle of Verrieres as Given by Lt.-Col. Rockingham,” 145.2R14011(D3), DHH, DND, 2.
21 Brown, Brown, and Greenhous, 248.
22 Rockingham interview.
23 Royal Hamilton War Diary, appendix 2, 2.
24 David Bercuson, Battalion of Heroes: The Calgary Highlanders in World War ii (Calgary: Calgary Highlanders Regimental Funds Fdn., 1994), 72.
25 “Operation Spring: 25 Jul 1944, The Calgary Highlanders,” 112HI.003 (D43), DHH, DND, 13.
26 Roy Farron, History of the Calgary Highlanders, 1921–54 (Calgary: Bryant Press, 1954), 152.