On to Victory

by Mark Zuehlke

  18 Barnard, 257.

  19 Charles Cromwell Martin, Battle Diary: From D-Day and Normandy to the Zuider Zee and VE (Toronto: Dundurn Press, 1994), 140.

  20 Jacques Castonguay and Armand Ross, Le Régiment de la Chaudière (Lévis, QC: Le Régiment de la Chaudière, 1983), 351.

  21 Will R. Bird, North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment (Fredericton, NB: Brunswick Press, 1963), 542-43.

  22 H.M. Jackson, The Sherbrooke Regiment (12th Armoured Regiment) (Montreal: Christian Bros. Press, 1958), 169.

  23 Ibid., 169-70.

  24 “Canadian Army Overseas Honours and Awards Citation Details,” Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence, www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/cao-aco/details-eng.asp?firstname=Paul&lastname=Piche&rec=id3241 (accessed 9 September, 2009).

  25 Castonguay and Ross, 352.

  26 Bird, North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, 543-46.

  27 North Shore (New Brunswick) War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 5

  28 Bird, North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, 547-48.

  29 Col. C.P. Stacey, The Victory Campaign: The Operations in North-West Europe, 1944- 1945, vol. 3 (Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1960), 550.

  30 Bird, North Shore (New Brunswick Regiment), 549.

  31 Stacey, The Victory Campaign, 550.

  32 Bird, North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, 550.

  33 Ibid., 542.

  34 North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment War Diary, 4.

  35 Barnard, 257.

  36 North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment War Diary, 5.

  37 Canadian Scottish Regiment War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 4-5.

  38 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, 8.

  39 Royal Winnipeg Rifles War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 2.

  40 “Report No. 32, Part 1,” para. 96.

  41 Royal Winnipeg Rifles War Diary, 3.

  14: MINOR SKIRMISHES

  1 “Report No. 32 Historical Section (G.S.) Army Headquarters: The Concluding Phase of Operations by the First CDN Army: Part I,” Department of National Defence, December 10, 1949, para. 97.

  2 C.P. Stacey, The Victory Campaign: The Operations in North-West Europe, 1944-1945, vol. 3 (Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1960), 551.

  3 “Report No. 32, Part 1,” paras. 102-03.

  4 Henri van der Zee, The Hunger Winter: Occupied Holland, 1944-45 (London: Jill Norman & Hobhouse, 1982), 209-10.

  5 Stacey, The Victory Campaign, 550.

  6 Reginald H. Roy, Ready for the Fray: The History of the Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary’s), 1920 to 1955 (Vancouver: Evergreen Press, 1958), 406.

  7 Regina Rifles, “Intelligence Log,” April 1945, sheet 8, www.reginarifles.ca (accessed July 15, 2009).

  8 Regina Rifles, “War Diary,” April 1945, sheets 4-5, www.reginarifles.ca (accessed July 15, 2009).

  9 7th Canadian Infantry War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 12.

  10 Canadian Scottish Regiment War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 5.

  11 Roy, Ready for the Fray, 407.

  12 Canadian Scottish Regiment War Diary, 5.

  13 Roy, Ready for the Fray, 407.

  14 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, 12.

  15 Roy, Ready for the Fray, 407.

  16 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, 12.

  17 Roy, Ready for the Fray, 407-08.

  18 Canadian Scottish Regiment War Diary, 6.

  19 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, 12.

  20 Canadian Scottish Regiment War Diary, 6.

  21 Roy, Ready for the Fray, 408-09.

  22 H.M. Jackson, The Sherbrooke Regiment (12th Armoured Regiment) (Montreal: Christian Bros. Press, 1958), 171.

  23 Roy, Ready for the Fray, 409.

  24 “Operation Plunder: Prepared by Q.O.R. of C.,” 145.2Q2011(D7), Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence, 5-6.

  25 Ibid., 6.

  26 W.T. Barnard, The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, 1860-1960: One Hundred Years of Canada (Don Mills, ON : Ontario Publishing Group, 1960), 258.

  27 Ibid.

  28 Stacey, The Victory Campaign, 552-54.

  29 “Report No. 32, Part 1,” paras. 130-33.

  30 Roy, Ready for the Fray, 410-11.

  31 Ibid., 411.

  32 Royal Winnipeg Rifles War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 4.

  33 Roy, Ready for the Fray, 412.

  34 T.J. Bell, Into Action with the 12th Field (Utrecht: J. van Boekhoven, 1945), 131-32.

  35 Roy, Ready for the Fray, 412-13.

  36 “Operation Plunder: Prepared by Q.O.R. of C.,” 6.

  37 Canadian Scottish Regiment War Diary, 6-7.

  15: LONG WAY OUT FRONT

  1 G.M. Alexander, ed., 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade: A Brief History of the 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade in Action, July 1944-May 1945 (Mitcham, U K : West Brothers, 1945), 33.

  2 Lake Superior Regiment (Motor) War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 6-7.

  3 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 9.

  4 Douglas Harker, The Story of the British Columbia Regiment—1939-1945 (n.p., n.d.), n.p.

  5 Lake Superior Regiment (Motor) War Diary, 7.

  6 Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 5.

  7 “Report No. 32 Historical Section (G.S.) Army Headquarters: The Concluding Phase of Operations by the First CDN Army: Part I,” Department of National Defence, December 10, 1949, para. 149.

  8 Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders War Diary, 6-7.

  9 “Report No. 32, Part I,” paras. 150-51.

  10 Ibid., paras. 152-53.

  11 H.M. Jackson, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise’s), 1928-1953 (Montreal: Industrial Shops for the Deaf, 1953), 199-200.

  12 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade War Diary, April 1945, 12.

  13 Jackson, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 200.

  14 Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders War Diary, April 1945, 7.

  15 “Report No. 32, Part I,” paras. 155-57.

  16 Lake Superior Regiment (Motor) War Diary, April 1945, 9.

  17 Ibid., 9-10.

  18 “Report No. 32, Part I,” paras. 160-61.

  19 Lincoln and Welland Regiment War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 8.

  20 The History of the 23rd Field Regiment (S.P.) RCA, (Canada: n.p., 1945), 69-70.

  21 Governor General’s Foot Guards War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 10.

  22 Lincoln and Welland Regiment War Diary, April 1945, 8.

  23 R.L. Rogers, History of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment (Montreal: Industrial Shops for the Deaf, 1954), 256.

  24 Robert M. Foster, et. al., Steady the Buttons Two by Two: Governor General’s Foot Guards Regimental History, 125th Anniversary: 1872-1997 (Ottawa: Governor General’s Foot Guards, 1999), 220.

  25 Governor General’s Foot Guards War Diary, 10.

  26 Foster, 220.

  27 Governor General’s Foot Guards War Diary, 10-12.

  28 Rogers, 257.

  29 Geoffrey Hayes, The Lincs: A History of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment at War (Alma, ON : Maple Leaf Route, 1986), 119.

  30 Foster, 220.

  31 Rogers, 257.

  32 Lincoln and Welland Regiment War Diary, 10.

  33 Hayes, 120.

  34 George F.G. Stanley, In the Face of Danger: The History of the Lake Superior Regiment (Port Arthur, ON : The Lake Superior Scottish Regiment, 1960), 288.

  35 “Report No. 32, Part I,” para. 161.

  36 The History of the 23rd Field Regiment (S.P.) RCA, 70.

  37 23rd Field Regiment (SP) War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 4.

  38 “Report No. 32, Part I,” para. 161.

  39 La
ke Superior Regiment (Motor) War Diary, 13.

  40 C.P. Stacey, The Victory Campaign: The Operations in North-West Europe, 1944-1945, vol. 3 (Ottawa: Queen’s Printer, 1960), 558.

  41 Algonquin Regiment War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 8.

  42 Canadian Grenadier Guards War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 12.

  43 G.L. Cassidy, Warpath: From Tilly-la-campagne to the Kusten Canal (Markham, ON: PaperJacks, 1980), 344.

  44 Douglas E. Harker, The Dukes: Story of the men who have served in peace and war with the British Columbia Regiment (Vancouver: Mitchell Press, 1974), 288.

  45 Cassidy, 344.

  46 G.L. Caya, Ne-Kan-Ne-Tah (We Lead, Others Follow) (n.p., 1999), 66-67.

  47 Cassidy, 344.

  48 “Canadian Army Overseas Honours and Awards Citation Details,” Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence, www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/cao-aco/details-eng.asp?firstname=JohnFrancis&lastname=Flannery&rec=id4775 (accessed on September 22, 2009).

  49 Algonquin Regiment War Diary, 9.

  50 Cassidy, 345.

  51 Ibid., 348.

  52 Alexander, 34.

  16 : ON TO GRONINGEN

  1 “Reports by Gen. H.D.G. Crerar, C.B., D.S.O., on Operations 1st Cdn Army to McNaughton: 7.11 Mar to 5 May 45,” vol. 10636, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 6.

  2 “Report No. 32 Historical Section (G.S.) Army Headquarters: The Operations of First CDN Army, 12-19 Apr. 45: Part II,” Department of National Defence, December 10, 1949, para. 231.

  3 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 6.

  4 Black Watch of Canada War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 11.

  5 “Report No. 32 Historical Section (G.S.) Army Headquarters: The Concluding Phase of Operations by the First CDN Army: Part I,” Department of National Defence, December, 1949, paras. 134-44.

  6 Ibid., 12.

  7 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary,, 6.

  8 “Report No. 32, Part I,” para. 145.

  9 Royal Canadian Dragoons, 1939-1945 (Montreal: The Regiment, 1946), 156.

  10 Ibid., 162.

  11 8th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars) War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 5.

  12 Calgary Highlanders War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 7.

  13 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 7.

  14 Stacey, The Victory Campaign, 553.

  15 8th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment War Diary, April 1945, 5.

  16 Royal Canadian Dragoons (1st Armoured Car Regiment) War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canda, 5.

  17 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, April 1945, 7.

  18 Cent ans d’histoire d’un régiment canadien-français: les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, 1869-1969 (Montreal: Éditions Du Jour, 1971), 259.

  19 Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 4.

  20 South Saskatchewan Regiment War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 17-18.

  21 G.B. Buchanan, The March of the Prairie Men: A Story of the South Saskatchewan Regiment (Weyburn and Estevan, SK: Midwest Litho, 1957), 53.

  22 VIII CDN Recce Rgt 14 CH : Battle History of the Regt (Victoria: 8th Cdn Recce Association, 1993), 57.

  23 Kingsley Brown, Sr., Kingsley Brown, Jr., and Brereton Greenhous, Semper Paratus: The History of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment), 1962-1977 (Hamilton: RHLI Historical Assoc., 1977), 332-33.

  24 Royal Hamilton Light Infantry War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 16-17.

  25 “Letter to Annabel, 21 April 1945,” Samuel Cass Letters, MG30, vol. 3, Personal Correspondence Samuel to Annabel Cass, April 1945, Library and Archives Canada.

  26 Vanguard: The Fort Garry Horse in the Second World War (Doetinchem, Holland: Uitgevers-Maatschappij ‘C. Nisset, 1945), 115.

  27 Sandy Antal and Kevin R. Shackleton, Duty nobly done: the official history of the Essex and Kent Scottish Regiment (Windsor, ON : Walkerville Publishing, 2006), 518.

  28 “Canadian Army Overseas Honours and Awards Citation Details,” Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence, www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/cao-aco/details-eng.asp?firstname=LeoArhan&lastname=Nahmabin&rec=id563 (accessed on September 25, 2009).

  29 1st Essex Scottish Regiment War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 4.

  30 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, April 1945, WO 179/Canadian Forces/4th Infantry Brigade, UK National Archives, 21.

  31 “Canadian Army Overseas Honours and Awards Citation Details,” Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence, www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/cao-aco/details-eng.asp?firstname=EarlRichard&lastname=Thompson&rec=id3754 (accessed on September 25, 2009).

  32 Antal and Shackleton, 518.

  33 Canadian Army Overseas Honours and Awards Citation Details,” Thompson.

  34 Vanguard: The Fort Garry Horse in the Second World War, 115.

  35 Antal and Shackleton, 518.

  36 D.J. Goodspeed, Battle Royal: A History of the Royal Regiment of Canada (Toronto: Royal Regiment of Canada Assoc., 1962), 555-56.

  37 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, 21.

  38 Antal and Shackleton, 518.

  39 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, 21-22.

  40 1st Essex Scottish Regiment War Diary, 5.

  41 Fort Garry Horse War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canda, 9.

  42 1st Essex Scottish Regiment War Diary, 5.

  43 Vanguard: The Fort Garry Horse in the Second World War, 115.

  44 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, 24.

  45 Ibid., 24.

  46 “Canadian Army Overseas Honours and Awards Citation Details,” Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence, www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/cao-aco/details-eng.asp?firstname=Walter&lastname=Chaulk&rec=id4536 (accessed on September 28, 2009).

  47 Ralph Dykstra, “The Liberation of Groningen—An Urban Battlefield” (September 22, 2002), The Army Doctrine and Training Bulletin, 46-47.

  48 “Canadian Army Overseas Honours and Awards Citation Details,” Chaulk.

  49 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, 25.

  17: WAITED SO LONG

  1 “Report No. 32 Historical Section (G.S.) Army Headquarters: The Operations of First CDN Army, 12-19 Apr. 45: Part II,” Department of National Defence, December 10, 1949, paras. 212-13.

  2 Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 8.

  3 William Boss, Up the Glens: Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, 1783- 1994, 2nd ed. (Cornwall, ON : Old Book Store, 1995), 256.

  4 “Report No. 32, Part II,” para. 213.

  5 Boss, 256-57.

  6 Bernard Diepman, correspondence with the author, April 3, 2009.

  7 Boss, 256-57.

  8 “Undated notes compiled by Bernard Diepman,” possession of author.

  9 Highland Light Infantry War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 7.

  10 Bernard Diepman, recollection given to author at Salvo Bridge site in the Netherlands, May 3, 2009.

  11 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 4.

  12 Le Régiment de la Chaudière War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 3.

  13 “Canadian Army Overseas Honours and Awards Citation Details,” Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence website, www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/cao-aco/details-eng.asp?firstname=Leo&lastname=Major&rec=id4391 (accessed on September 29, 2009).

  14 “Report No. 32, Part II,” paras. 214-16.

  15 North Nova Scotia Highlanders War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Libra
ry and Archives Canada, 17.

  16 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 7.

  17 “Royal Canadian Dragoons,” 141.4A1013(D4), Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence, 4.

  18 Larry Worthington, The Spur and Sprocket: The Story of the Royal Canadian Dragoons (Kitchener, ON : Reeve Press Limited, 1968), 106.

  19 “Royal Canadian Dragoons,” 4.

  20 North Nova Scotia Highlanders War Diary, 17.

  21 Royal Canadian Dragoons War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 10.

  22 Royal Canadian Dragoons, 1939-1945 (Montreal: The Regiment, 1946), 150.

  23 Ibid., 176.

  24 Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada War Diary, April 1945, RG24, Library and Archives Canada, 8.

  25 “Report No. 32, Part II,” para. 222.

  26 William W. Barrett, History of 13th Canadian Field Artillery (n.p., 1945), 127.

  27 “Operation Plunder: Prepared by Q.O.R. of C.,” 145.2Q2011(D7), Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence, 2.

  28 Charles Cromwell Martin, Battle Diary: From D-Day and Normandy to the Zuider Zee and VE (Toronto: Dundurn Press, 1994), 141-45.

  29 Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada War Diary, 9.

  18: PIECE OF CAKE

  1 “Report No. 32 Historical Section (G.S.) Army Headquarters: The Concluding Phase of Operations by the First CDN Army: Part I,” Department of National Defence, December 10, 1949, para. 189.

  2 “1 CDN INF DIV Op Order No. 51: OP CANNONSHOT,” RG24, vol. 10896, Library and Archives Canada, 1-3.

  3 C. Sydney Frost, Once a Patricia: Memoirs of a Junior Infantry Officer in World War II (Ottawa: Borealis Press, 2004), 435.

  4 Ibid., 431.

  5 Ibid., 430-33.

  6 Reginald H. Roy, The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, 1919-1965 (Vancouver: Evergreen Press, 1969), 419.

  7 “Diary Charlie Coy Seaforths, 23 Apr 44-9 July 45,” RG24, vol. 20409, Library and Archives Canada, 246-47.

  8 Frost, 434-35.

  9 G.R. Stevens, Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry: 1919-1957, vol. 3 (Griesbach, AB: Historical Committee of the Regiment, n.d.), 236.

  10 “Canadian Army Overseas Honours and Awards Citation Details,” Directorate of Heritage and History, Department of National Defence website, www.cmp-cpm.forces.gc.ca/dhh-dhp/gal/cao-aco/details-eng.asp?firstname=Thomas&lastname=Hanberry&rec=id4978 (accessed October 2, 2009).