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Wars & Campaigns

► Boer War ► First World War ► ► Western Front ►►► Trench Warfare: 1914-1916 ►►►Allied Offensive: 1916 ► ►► Allied Offensives: 1917 ► ► ►German Offensive: 1918 ► ► ► Advance to Victo[Y: 1918 ► ► Siberia ► Second World War ► ► War Against Japan ► ► North Africa ► ► Italian Campaig!} ► ► ► SicilY. ► ► ► Southern ltalY. ► ► ► The Sangro and Moro ► ► ► Battles of the FSSF ► ► ► Cassino ► ► ► Liri¼lley ► ► ► Advance to Florence ► ► ► Gothic Line ► ► ► Winter Lines ► ► North-West Europe ► ► ► NormandY. ► ► ► Southern France ► ► ► Channel Ports ►►►Scheidt ► ► ► ]'!_ijmegen Salient ► ► ► Rhineland ► ► ► Final Phase ► Korean War ► Cold War ► Gulf War

Operations

► GAUNTLET Aug 1941 (Spitsbergen) ► HUSKY Jul 1943 (Sicily) ► COTTAGE Aug 1943 (Kiska) ► TIMBERWOLF Oct 1943 (Italy) ► OVERLORD Jun 1944 (Normandy) ► MARKET-GARDEN SeP. 44 (Arnhem) ► BERLIN Nov 1944 (Nijmegen) ► VERITABLE Feb 1945 (Rh ine land)

Battle Honours

Boer War ► Paardeberg 18 Feb 00

First 1/Vorld War Western Front

Trench Warfare: 1914-1916 ► :'(pres, 1915 22 Apr-25 May 15 ► Gravenstafel 22-23 Apr 15 ► St. Julien 24 Apr-4 May 15 ► Frezenberg 8-13 May 15 ► Bellewaarde 24-25 May 15 ► Festubert, 1915 15-25 May 15 ► Mount Sorrel 2-13 Jun 16

Allied Offensive: 1916 ► Somme, 1916 1 Jul-18 l~ov 16 ► Albert .1-13 Jul 16 l>- Bazentin .14-17 Jul 16 ► Pozieres .23 Jul-3 Sep 16 ► Gui llemont .3-6 Sep 16 ► Ginchy .9 Sep 16

Falaise

Falaise was a Battle Honour granted to units who participated in the actions to close the Falaise Gap during the Battle of Normandy, the first phase of the North-West Europe campaign of the Second World War. Several of these actions were also recognized by the grant of a separate Battle Honour to the units involved.

Background

The capture of Caen on 9 July 1944 brought to a close the initial phase of the Battle of Normandy. General Bernard Montgomery, commanding all Allied land forces in the bridgehead, turned his attention to the next phase of operations. In his opinion, further offensive action should include the destruction of German armour, the capture of Falaise, and the encirclement and destruction of the German 7th Army by both the U.S. 1st Army and British 2nd Army.1 The offensive operations at Verrieres Ridge proceeded as part of the overall plan to expand the bridgehead. Operation SPRING on 25 July failed to take the ridge while the Americans began Operation COBRA on the same day. The U.S. Army secured St. Lo and began blasting their way out of the hedgerow country, advancing 40 miles in five days to take Avranches. A Canadian Army official historical summary noted that the "tremendous operations which were now beginning are second in importance to none in the whole history of the war. "2

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NormandY. Landing - f. l'Orgueilleuse - Le Mesnil

Bourguebus Ridg~ - Faub Maltot- Verrieres Ridge - T,

- Quesnay Wood - Clai Lambert-sur-Dives - Di,

► Flers-Courcelette 15 22 Sep 16 ► ~~ 26:29 Sep 16 With American forces streaming west into Brittany and south past Mayenne and Laval, the German situa ► Le Transloy . 1-18 Oct 16 British forces continued their attacks to keep pressure on the Germans, attacking toward Vire on 1 August ► Ancre Heights 1 Oct-11 Nov 16 Montgomery's plan for the battle in Normandy, laid out in April 1944 (before the landings) envisioned a drc ► Ancre, 1916 13-18 Nov 16 . .

--Allied Offensives: 1917 front at Caen while U.S. forces took the Cherbourg peninsula, then wheeled eastwards. By the end of July ► Arras 1917 s Apr-4 May 17 to the east seemed to be in place.4

► Vimy,1917 .9-14 Apr17 ·

: ::~;e, 1917 28;~!:~;; The British breakout battle began with Operation BLUECOAT on 30 July. The 30th Corps began the ope1

► Hill 70 1s-2s Aug 17 front, 8th Corps joining in an hour later while U.S. forces on their flank continued to attack towards Vire. T

: :r:~i.n~:; ;917

__ 31 Ju~:~;~~~;; and succeeded in pushing the British line several kilometres to the south. 5

► Pilckem 31 Jul-2 Aug 17

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► Langemarck. 1917 .16-18 Aug 17 ► Menin Road .20-25 Sep 17 ► Polygon Wood 26 Sep-3 Oct 17 ► Broodseinde .4 Oct 17 ► Poelcapelle . 9 Oct 17 ► Passchendaele .12 Oct 17 ► Cambrai , 1917 20 Nov-3 Dec 17

German Offensive: 1918 ► Somme, 1918 .21 Mar-5 Apr 18 ► St. Quentin .21-23 Mar 18 ► Bapaume, 1918 .24-25 fv'.ar 18 ► Ros ieres .26-27 Mar 18 ► Avre .4 Apr 18 ► Lys .9-29Apr18 ► Estaires .9-11 Apr 18 ► Messines, 1918 .10-1 1 Apr 18 ► Bailleu! .13-15 Apr 18 ► Kemmel .17-19Apr18

Advance to Victory: 1918 ► Amiens 8-11 Aug 18 ► Arras , 1918 .26 Aug-3 Sep 18 ► Scarpe. 191 8 26-30 Aug 18. ► Drocourt-Queant .2-3 Sep 18 ► Hindenburg Line .1 2 Sep-9 Oct 18 ► Canal du Nord .27 Sep-2 Oct 18 ► St. Quentin Canal .29 Sep-2 Oct 18 ► Epehy 3-5 Oct 18 ► Cambrai , 1918 .8-9 Oct 18 ► Valenciennes ► Sambre

.1-2Nov18 .4 Nov 18

► Pursuit to Mons .28 Sep-11 Nov Second World War War Against Japan

South-East Asia ► Hong Kong 8-25 Dec 41

Italian Campaign ., Battle of Sicily

► Landing in Sic ilY. 9-12 Jul 43 ► Grammichele 15 Jul 43 ► Piazza Armerina 16-17 Jul 43 ► Valguarnera 17-19 Jul 43 ► Assoro 20-22 Jul 43 ► Leonforte 21-22 Jul 43 ►6gl@ 24-28 Jul 43 Operation TOTALIZE ► Adrano 29 Jul-7 Aug 43

► Catenanuova 29•30/ 1 43 Success by both the British and Americans created the opportunity for decisive action by 1st Canadian Ar :~:~:~~: ;~ j~::; A~~ 1; divisions that had garrisoned the right of the German line at Caen and continued to bar the way to Falaise ► Troina Valley 2-6 Aug 43 front. By 7 August 1944 only a single panzer division remained opposite the Canadians, following the traI ► Pursuij to Messina 2-17 Aug 43 21st Panzer Divisions. While three new infantry divisions entered the line, and with them formidable anti-t,

Southern Italy ·t· t· bl t· f ,.5 G I H D G C d" F" t C ► Landing at Regg]Q 3 Sep 43 posI ions was now a more prac Ica e opera 10n o war. enera . . . rerar, comm an Ing rrs an ► Potenza 19-20 Sep 43 plan" that called for surprise. While the Germans would certainly be expecting an attack on the Canadian ► Motta Montecorvino 1-3 Oct43 timing and method of attack.7 ► Termoli 3-6 Oct 43 ► Monte San Marco 6-7 Oct 43 ► Gambatesa 7-8 Oct 43 See also article on Falaise Road ► Cam~obasso 11 -14 Oct 43

: ~~;I:n;:chise 17

-18

gc::; Operation TOTALIZE, launched on 7 August 1944, was planned by 2nd Canadian Corps to achieve the ► JQ@!@ ;~:;; 0 ~143 Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds, commanding the corps, utilized a number of unique tactical innovation

The Sangro and Moro breakthrough battle to occur at night, and mounted the infantry in armoured vehicles, including halftracks, u ► The Sang.!:Q 19 Nov-3 Dec 43 fully-tracked armoured personnel carriers, which he created by stripping the armament from self-pro~ : ~ Sang.!:Q

23~~ ~~~ 1; attacking columns was aided by the use of tracers firing on fixed lines, special navigation parties, colour,

► San Leonardo s-9 Dec 43 moonlight (searchlights bouncing off of low-lying clouds) .8

► The GullY. .. 10-19 Dec 43

: = erard

i -~6:~~ ~=~ 1; TOTALIZE was a two-phase attack, with heavy bomber support preceding each phase. The initial , night, a! ► San Nicola-San .31 Dec 43 Force and the United States Army Air Force supported the second, daylight, follow-up attacks. The Army

Tommaso. August 1918 had been described by General Ludendorff as the "black day of the German Army" as it marl 1>- Poin~59t M h. 29 Dec 43

4• J

44 offensive that fin ished the First World War. There was hope that a similar chain of events might be set off

,orre ucc ra an Battles of the FSSF close.

► Monte Camino .5 Nov-9 Dec 43

► Monte la Difensa- 2-8 Dec 43 Phase I commenced half an hour before midnight on 7/8 August. The 51st (Highland) Division and the 2r Monte la Remetanea.

► Hill 720 25 Dec 43 columns each, each column consisting of a squadron of tanks in the lead, followed by flail and AVRE vel ► Monte MajQ 3-8 Jan 44. armoured carriers , and additional tanks following behind. The columns by-passed strong-points while infantr ► Radicosa 4 Jan 44 ► Monte Vischiataro 8 Jan 44 ► Anzio 22 Jan-22 May 44 ► Rome .22 May-4 Jun 44 ► Advance .22 May-22 Jun 44

to the Tiber. ► Monte Arres tino 25 May 44 ► Rocca Massima 27 May 44 ► Colle Ferro 2 Jun 44

The wisdom of General Simonds' plan of attack was more than vindicated by the event. The armo Germans' front positions, and in the early hours of the morning they were fighting in the vicinity of the and had almost cleared them. Thanks to the armoured carriers and the degree of surprise that had been carried through the German fire zone and deposited close to these objectives with very fi marching battalions moving up in rear had entered the villages of the enemy's front line, those little names - May-sur-Orne, Fontenay-le-Marmion, Roquancourt, Tilly-la-Campagne. By following close

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Cassino ► Cass ino II ► Gustav Line

11 -18 May 44 11 -18 May 44

by our guns, they got into them with comparatively little trouble, but some very bitter fighting followed

► Sant' Angelo in Teodice.

► Pignataro

13 May 44 Phase I had achieved its goal of breaking through German defences north of Falaise, and did so "after i

14-15 May 44 men and equipment, especially by the bloody standards of Normandy."10 Liri Valley

: ~ir:I:ra~~I~ ;~:;~ ~:~ 11 Phase II was delivered against the next line of German defences, sitting on high ground five miles further c ► Aqu ino 18-24 May 44 1944. The attack was marred by short-bombing by U.S.A.A.F. heavy bombers, and several casualties were ► Melfa Crossing 24-25 May 44 troops, including the tactical headquarters of 3rd Canadian Infantry Division. Major-General Rod Keller, · : ~;~i~8;~rossroads

26-;~ :~ 11 division, was wounded and evacuated. Brigadier R.A. Wyman, commanding the 2nd Canadian Armoun

Advance to Florence conducting personal reconnaissance during the day. ► Advance 17 Jul-10Aug 44

► Tras'.~:~;eL~~= 20_30 Ju 44 The Polish armour passed through the 51 st (Highland) Division while the 4th (Canadian) Armoured Divisi, ► Sanfatucchio 20_21 Ju~ 44 Division, taking the high ground that flanked the Caen-Falaise road. The Canadian Army's official historian< ► Arezzo 4-17 Jul 44 divisions not been fighting their first real battle, they might perhaps have got further on this day. As it was, ► Cerrone . . 25 - 31 Aug 44 and further advance had to be deferred until the morrow."11

Gothic Lme ► Gothic Line ► Monteciccardo ► lv'bntecchio ► Point 204 (Pozzo Alto)

25 Aug-22 Sep 44 27-28 Aug 44 30-31 Aug 44

31 Aug 44 1 Sep 44 1 Sep 44

1-2 Sep 44

► Monte Lure ► Bergo Santa Maria ► Tornba di Pesaro

General Simonds was gambling for high stakes in Operation Totalize. So far, his gamble was paying the enemy by surprise and had propelled 60,000 combat troops eight miles deep into enemy territory But the ill-fated bombing raid later on the same afternoon that was to initiate the next phase of ti subdue the Germans and, in fact, caused heavy casualties and confusion among the unfortunate Ah bombs."

► Coriano 3-15 Sep44 Winter Lines

► Rirn ini Line 14-21 Sep 44 ► San Martino- 14-18 Sep 44

San Lorenzo. ► San Fortunato ► Casale

► Sant' Angelo

18-20 Sep 44 23-25 Sep 44 11-15 Sep44

The 1st Polish and 4th Canadian Armoured Divisions - fresh to Normandy and totally unrehearsed ir. into exactly the situation Simonds had tried so hard to prevent. They clashed head-on in broad day/ well-entrenched and heavily armed enemy. That they managed to advance at all was a great , battalion, the Canadian Argy/ls, it was a superb effort, ranking in tactical brilliance and raw courag, another armoured unit, the British Columbia Regiment (BCR), it was a gallant effort, but one of the m

in Salute. ► Bulgaria Village 13-14 Sep 44 . . . . .

15_20 Sep 44 The Germans relocated to new defensive posItIons, and the continued assault on 9 August made little prog1 ► Cesena ► Pisciatello ► Savio Bridgehead ► Monte La Pieve

16-19 Sep 44 Canadian Armoured Regiment (British Columbia Regiment) became confused and navigated to the · 20-23 Sep 44 compounded by the inability to contact supporting artillery, and as the sun rose, the exposed BCR we 13-19 Oct 44

► Monte Spaduro 19_24 oct 44 firepower. The regiment lost 47 tanks, various other vehicles, and 240 men including the commanding office ► Monte San Bartolo 11-14 Nov 44 ► Larnone Crossing 2-13 Dec 44 . ► Capture of Ravenna 3-4 Dec 44 See a/so article on Quesnay Wood

► Naviglio Canal 12-15 Dec 44 : :~::~ ~:~~:io ~::~~ g:~ 11 Operation TOTALIZE h.ad driven eight miles toward Falaise, achieving the objective of breaking through thE ► Conventello- 2_6Jan 45 miles distant. On the night of 10-11 August 1944, an attack was mounted against Quesnay Wood by thee

Cornacchio. German units back from the Caen-Falaise road, but this assault was driven back with heavy casualtie ► GranaroNlo h t E 3-5 Jan 44 necessary to mount another deliberate attack with powerful support to break through the new enemy gun-sc ort wes urope ► Die~~ 19Aug42

Battle of Normandy Counter-attack at Mortain ► NorrnandY. Landing 6 Jun 44 ► Authie 7 Jun 44 A h C d. d d h . f d I .h f h A . d B .. ► Ptrtct-en-Bessin 8 Jun 44 s t e ana Ians attempte to a vance t eIr ront an emu ate t e successes o t e mencans an ntIs ► Bretteville 8-9 Jun 44 in offensive operations of their own. In an effort to cut the communication and supply lines of the U.S. 3rc

-l'Orgueilleuse . west past Avranches, Hitler personally directed that a German armoured counter-attack be mounted ► Le Mesnil-Patrir 11 Jun 44 b . . f M • d • d A h 15 ► carP-!._quet 4_5 Jul 44 egInning east o ortaIn an aIme at vranc es. ► Caen 4-18Jul44 ► The Orne (Buron) 8-9 Jul 44 The attack was the most powerful yet attempted by the Germans in the west, commencing on 6 Augus1 : ~~~~~~~!:e-Ridg~ ~::~~ ~~: 11 between Mortain and Vire. The attack saw little success, yet the Germans "continued to pour in (their) fo

Vaucelles losses."16 As the Germans continued to deploy their mobile forces in the west against the Americans, ti ► St. Andre-sur-Orne 19-23 Jul 44 cutting off the bulk of the German armies in France, became more likely. ► Malt6t 22-23 Jul 44 ► Verrieres Ridge-Tilly.=

la-Carn~g~ ► Falaise

► F alaise Road ► Quesnay Road ► Clair Tizon ► The Lais on ► Charnbois

► St. Larnbert-sur-Dives

25 Jul 44 See also article on Clair Tison

7-22 Aug 44 7-9 Aug 44

10-11 Aug 44 As the main follow up operation to TOTALIZE was planned, the 2nd Canadian Division 11-13 Aug 44 engaged in subsidiary operations on the right flank of 1st Canadian Army aimed at ~::~; ;~~ 11 clearing out the wooded areas west of the River Laize and linking up with the British 19-22 Aug 44 2nd Army, which was advancing across the Orne River.17

: ~~~:: d';;~;~:;de ~;:;~ ;~~ 11 The Germans were already pulling back from their failed Morta in counter-offensive, ► The Seine, 1944 25-28 Aug 44 beginning on 12 August. A gap was created between Falaise and Argentan through

---southern France which retreating elements of the enemy armies were beginning to move, and five ► Southern France 15-28 Aug 44 different national forces were moving to close the gap.

Channel Ports ► Dunkirk, 1944 8-15 Sep 44 ► Le Havre 1-12 Sep 44 ~ Moerbrugg£l 8-10 Sep 44

Patton's XV Corps with the 2nd French Armoured was nearing Argentan, fifteen miles south of Fa/aise; the British were squeezing the retreating enemy units

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► rvberkerke 13-14 Sep 44 ► Boulog~. 1944 17-22 Sep 44 ► Calais, 1944 25 Sep-1 Oct 44 ► Yl/y~ghem 21 -22 Sep 44 ► Antwerp-Turnhout 24-29 Sep 44

Canal. The Scheidt

► The Scheidt ► Leo11old Canal

1 Oct-8 Nov 44 6-16 Oct-44

from behind, forcing them more and more tightly into the narrow escape hatch. On the ridge overlooking the Laison River, the Canadians and Poles were exerting pressure from the north and north-east. They were eight miles from Falaise.

A mere twenty-five miles separated the two Jaws of the trap. 18

~:~~ g~: :: On the same day_, two brigades of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division wer~ ordered to J 11 oct -3 Nov 44 mount a reconnaissance In force toward the town of Clair Tizon, with 1ntermed1ate "· ·,

► Woensdrecht ► Savojaards Platt ► Breskens Pocket ► The Lower Maas 20 Oct -7 Nov 44 objectives of Barbery and Moulines. The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry's attack on : ► South Beveland 24-31 Oct 44 Barbery was designated the main effort for the entire 2nd Canadian Corps, and at a ► Walcheren 31 Oct -4 Nov 44 cost of 20 dead and 100 wounded seized Barbery. Causewa~.

Nijmegen Salient ► Ardennes Dec 44-Jan 45 The 4th Brigade passed through to take Moulines in hand-to-hand fighting. After ► Kapelsche Veer 31 Dec 4:~Jan 45 midnight on 13_ August 19~4, the Calgary Highlanders c_ontinued on to the final r"""~.,......,,,,-► The Roer 16-31 Jan 45 objective at Clair Tizon, taking the vital bridge over the La1ze In a daring night-time

Rhineland action, passing through enemy lines. Le Regiment de Maisonneuve finished the attack ► The Rhineland 8 Feb-10 Mar 45 with an under-strength company. ► The Reichswald 8-13 Feb 45 ► Waal Flats ► Moyland Wood In darkness, fresh troops from the 6th Brigade waded across the river an ► Goch-Calcar Road ► The Hochwald

8-15Feb45 14-21 Feb 45 19-21 Feb 45

26 Feb-4 Mar 45

6-1 0 Mar45 8-9 Mar 45

secured the high ground. Falaise was now barely six miles south-west of them. The end was in sii was well south of any other Canadian or British unit. 19

► Veen ► Xanten

Final Phase ► The Rhine 23 Mar-1 Apr 45 ► Emmerich-Hoch 28 Mar-1 Apr45

► Twente Canal 2-4 Apr 45 ► Zut11hen 6-8 Apr 45 ► Deventer 8-11 Apr 45 ► Amhem, 1945 12-14Apr45 ►flP-eldoorn 11-1 7 Apr 45 ► Groning~ 13-16Apr45 ► Frieso)!!he 14 Apr 45 ► ljselmeer 15-18 Apr 45 ► Ki.istenCanal 17-24 Apr45 ► Wagenborg~ 21-23 Apr 45 ► Delfzijl Pocket 23 Apr-2 May 45 ► Leer 28-29 Apr 45 ► Bad ZIMSChenahn 23 Apr-4 May 45 ► Oldenburg 27 Apr-5 May 45

Korean War ► .!S§QY.Q!J9 21-25 Apr 51

Domestic Missions ► FLO Crisis

International Missions ► ICCS ► MFO

Vietnam 1973 Sinai 1986-

Sherman tanks of The Fort Garry Horse near Brettevile-le-Rabet, France on 14 August 1944. U

Peacekeel2l!Jg Operation TRACTABLE ► UNMOGIP India 1948-1979 ► UNTSO Israel 1948-► UNEF Egypt 1956-1967 See a/so article on The Laison

► UNOGIL Lebanon 1958 ► ONUC Congo 1960-1964 . ► UNYOM Yemen 1963_1964 The final effort to break through to Fala1se bore great ► UNTEA w. N. Guinea 1963-1964 similarities to Operation TOTALIZE. Named ► UNIFCYP Cyprus 1964- ... TRACTABLE, the operation was conducted in two , ► DOMREP D. Republic 1965-1966 phases and utilized great columns of armour and ► UNIPOM Kashm1r1965-1966 . ► UNEFME Egypt 1973.1979 mounted infantry. Instead of using the cover of darkness, ► UNDOF Golan 1974- .... front and flanks of the attack were screened by smoke. ► UNIFIL Lebanon 1978 .... Two columns were used in the first phase, each column ► UNGOMAP Afghanistan 1988-90 . . . . ► UNIIMOG Iran-Iraq 1988_1991 with two infantry brigades and an armoured brigade. The ► UNTAG Namibia 1989-1990 formations involved were the 3rd Canadian Infantry ► ONUCA c. America 1989-1992 Division, 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division and 2nd ► UNIKOM Kuwait 1991 .... Canadian Armoured Brigade To maintain surprise there ► MIN URSO W. Sahara 1991 .... . . b b · d F' b ' ► ONUSAL El Salvador 1991 .... was no preliminary om ar ment. Ighter ombers ► UNAMIC Cambodia 1991-1992 attacked for 20 minutes before H-Hour, and the units ► UNAVEMII Angola 1991-1997 crossed the start line at noon on 14 August 1944 as ': ► UNPROFOR Yugosla. 1992-1995 .11 I ·d t·t· f k th f c ► UNTAC Cambodia 1992_1993 artI ery aI great quan 1 Ies o smo e across e ront .'~ ► UNOSOM Somalia 1992-1993 and flanks. '• ► ONUMOZ Mozambiq. 1993-1994 ► UNOMUR Rwanda 1993 .... The attack was successful but costly. Many tanks were ► UNAMIR Rwanda 1993-1996 ' . ► UNMIH Haiti 1993_1996 lost and the commander of the 4th Armoured Brigade

OpE

Germ Geh'TI

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► UNMIBH

► UNMOP ► UNSMIH ► MINUGUA ► UNTMIH

► MIPONUH

► MINURCA

► INTERFET

► UNAMSIL ► UNTAET

Bosnia/Herz. 1993-1996 was killed. A copy of the operation order found its way 'ic': Prevlaka 1995-2001 into German hands in the confusion of the battle

Ha1t1 1996-1997 . . ' Guatemala 1994-1997 allowing the Germans to deploy anti-tank weapons to

Haiti 1997 .... vulnerable positions. The second phase of the operation Haiti 1997 .... was marred by another short-bombing incident, this time

C.Afr.Rep. 1998-1999 · d · I E. Timar 1999_2000 by R.A.F. planes, who nonetheless provide matena ·

Sie. Leone 1999-2005 support to the attack despite the error. By the evening of E. Timar 1999-2000 14 August, Canadian troops were on the heights above

Exercises Falaise and by the morning of the 15th the 2nd and 3rd Canadian Divisions were being directed to complete the capture of the town itself.20 The command to take Falaise actually represented a change in plans, as British divisions had been closer to Falaise, but were blocked by stubborn German resistance.

It was certainly a good command decision by · Montgomery and illustrated his hands-on grip of '(, the action, although critics might carp that he :A should have planned it that way at the outset and f-.; allocated to Crerar the resources necessary to do ·· the job. Be that as it may, the problem was now in Crerar's hands and the Canadians would have to adjust in mid-battle. They would also have to do it , ·"' with the formations that they had. Simonds, the Corps Commander responsible, decided to use,.,.,," ··".,,.," the 3rd Infantry and 4th Armoured Divisions in the original left-hook role north-east of Falaise while 2nd Infantry Division was assigned the difficult job iA;f \ ,_, . ,.:· ,, of taking that city - the birthplace of William the i:tl;t/1,~frv• Conqueror. 21 "'''""·,z.'--'·•·c:.·'·'-·'-"·'..:..,..:..·' 0""·•·-:.c•·,,-•·· '-"'--=-"'""== = =-""':..,;:z.=

The 2nd Division entered the town on the 16th, the same day that Point 159, the heights above the town, fE cleared, the last strongpoints around a monastery holding out until midnight. Entire streets had been reduce

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Sherman tank of the 27th Canadian Armoured Regiment (The Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment) witt Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal in Falaise on 17 August 1944. LAC photo.

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Pie. AB. Lockhart and Pie. W. H. Campbell amidst the wreckage of Falaise in August 19, Lockhart wears despatch riders breeches and boots while Campbell has what appears to be a French medal 01

German holster on his belt His scarf is a standard issue camouflaged face veil. LAC Phc

See also article on Chambois

As the 1st Canadian Army drove south, the other Allied armies in Normandy were continuing their own forward at the Germans attacking toward Martain, pushing them back and establishing contact with the continued a rapid drive to the east, through Le Mans, and then looping north again towards the rear Canadians. By 13 August Patton's lead forces were approaching Argentan, about fifteen miles south-east o1

The result was that the enemy's forces were now in a "pocket" threatened by complete encirclem€ pincers cut south through Falaise and the American jaw moved northward from the vicinity of J belatedly, the extreme danger to which he was exposed, the enemy pulled back a major part of hi.

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advance, and its northward progress was greatly slowed, though to the east it continued unchecked. whether the Germans could withdraw their forces, or important parts of them, before the jaws movement out of the area had certainly been in progress for some days, but vast numbers of GermaJ

On 13 August 1944, a day before TRACTABLE and the final effort to pt failed Mortain offensive. As TRACTABLE closed four days later, the All encircling the German forces in Normandy in an effort to destroy them.

The 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division occupied Turn on the night of 17-18 August, as well as the high groL good roads the Germans had available to effect their withdrawal from the pocket. The 4th Armoured were Division, and General Montgomery directed the 1st Polish Armoured Division on Chambois, south-east <

ground despite German resistance from inside and outside the pocket. By the 18th, American troops were t of Gouffern, while the Poles were themselves within striking distance.

The Germans, desperate to escape, had no choice but to resort to mass road movement by daylight dei through which they could safely retreat shrank, targets of opportunity for the air forces grew. Artillery fi escape routes. Hundreds of men and vehicles fell victim to fire, but desperate fighting continued around T1 19 August, the Poles finally made contact with the U.S. 90th Infantry Division, technically closing the Falc critical for some time thereafter; it could not be asserted that there was a continuous established line co

situation at various points was far from clear."24 The Poles were in fact cut off from the rest of 1st Canadian air-lift of ammunition had to be provided to them. They nicknamed their position on Hill 262 Maczuga (the IV

of the Canadian Army Group Royal Artillery (AGRA).25

During this period of extraordinarily savage and chaotic fighting, there were certainly many fierc account was ever put on paper. But some incidents of those desperate days have been clearly recor idea of what was passing in the whole area about the Gap. We know, for instance, that on 20 Auf Canadian Armoured Car Regiment (12th Manitoba Dragoons), forsaking their normal role of reconr to working havoc among the struggling enemy, and continued to do so until their ammunition was e capturing "well over a thousand". 26

See also article on St. Lambert-sur-Dives

One of the "fierce encounters" of note was at St. Lambert-sur-Dives. The South Alberta Regiment was the ; the 4th Armoured Division, though in practice the regiment was equipped with Sherman tanks identically tc division and often performed tasks other than reconnaissance. Their "C" Squadron under Major David Cur Sutherland Highlanders of Canada, advanced on St. Lambert. German fire knocked out several tanks and 1

through the gap. Currie and his battle group continued on and on the morning of 19 August had captured 1 tanks. At 11 :00hrs a German convoy was brought under fire and destroyed. The rest of the SAR moved ur; observers and the air forces joined in the fighting. German shell and mortar fire intensified cutting off "B" Sc was reinforced inside St. Lambert. German attacks intensified. By dusk on the 20th, seven enemy tanks, tw been destroyed, 300 enemy soldiers killed , 500 wounded and over 2,000 captured. All of Currie's office1 course of three days fighting , but St. Lambert was finally taken. Currie received the Victoria Cross, the first

and the only one approved for a soldier of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps. 27

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One of the most well-known Canadian images of the Second World War. Major David V. Currie, third from left witt German surrender during the fighting at St. Lambert on 19 August 1944. Currie commanded a battle group made u

Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (The South Alberta Regiment) and infantry of The Argyll and Sutherland Higt Louise's). It is often said that this photo is the nearest that war photographers of the Second World War came to c

earning the Victoria Cross. Currie was the only soldier of the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps to be award,

On 20 August, the 4th Armoured Brigade was belatedly moved south, aiding the Poles on Maczuga and c positions behind the Trun-Chambois road .

Why (Major-General Kitching) had not ordered this last mission two days before is a mystery and om his later sacking. Partly due to this tardiness the Germans would later claim that up to 40% of th, pocket on the 20th managed to make their escape. But thousands did not. 28

Canadian tanks reached the Poles on the afternoon of the 21st. The Falaise Gap was truly closed at I, shattered, and so many of their soldiers had been killed in the Falaise Gap that bodies lay unburied for troops from 7 August to 23 August (from the start of TOTALIZE to the end of the fighting to seal the Fala other ranks killed, died of wounds, wounded and missing. Prisoners taken on the front of 1st Canadian

attempt to tabulate the number of German dead.29

The Canadian official historian noted that a "(i)t had been a great victory."30 Other historians later criticized won:

Of course, it was not (the last great battle of the war): and to make it such would have required an quite alien to most Allied armies. Among the Canadians, generally speaking, the fault lay not wit, officers, but in the slow, deliberate British doctrine, founded in First World War experience, to whicl They had long over-emphasized firepower at the expense of manoeuvre, and under-emphasizec combat arms - infantry, armour and artillery - which was ... the essence of mobile warfare ...

Tactical and operational weaknesses were compounded at the strategic level, where Montgomery s Arbitrary boundaries, inflexible procedures, and monumental egos (of Bradley and Patton, as well prevented - the Americans from pressing north to meet Crerar's men and close the pocket. Tens eastward, out of its slowly narrowing mouth, ravaged and decimated as they went by the awesome p

John English was even more strident in his criticism:

The operational, strategic and operational consequences of a Canadian triumph in Normandy are im

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Canadian Army succeeded in its 8 August drive to Falaise (webmaster's note: Operation TOTAL/ presume that it might have, as in 1918, spearheaded the British Army's advance into the heartland o on the morning of the 26th anniversary of the Battle of Amiens, Simonds's corps had cleanly slice zone without realizing it ...

In very large measure, responsibility for the relatively lacklustre showing of Canadian arms in Norm, division commanders .... At best, Simonds's immediate subordinates were mediocre performers. E possible exception of Foster, a lack of tactical judgement was often evident. 32

More recent research by Brian Reid is slightly more forgiving, particularly with regards to TOTALIZE, and wr

.. . TOTALIZE was successful, although it could and should have achieved more, more quickly T indecision and hesitation was due as much to cumbersome doctrine, inferior equipment and an ur. flawed commanders and the inability of the Allied air forces to follow through on their claims. !­conditions under which the Allied armies fought in Normandy, that no one at the time thought that operation of war. 33

Battle Honours

The following units were awarded the Battle Honour "Falaise":

• II Canadian Corps

• 12th Manitoba Dragoons

• 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade

• 6th Canadian Armoured Regiment (1st Hussars) • 1 oth Canadian Armoured Regiment (The Fort Garry Horse) • 27th Canadian Armoured Regiment (The Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment)

- 2nd Canadian Division

• 8th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment (14th Canadian Hussars) • The Toronto Scottish Regiment (MG) -

- 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade

• The Royal Regiment of Canada • The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry • The Essex Scottish Regiment -

- 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade

• The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada • Le Regiment de Maisonneuve • The Calgary Highlanders -

- 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade

• Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal • The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada • The South Saskatchewan Regiment

3rd Canadian Division

• 7th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars) • The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (MG) -

7th Canadian Infantry Brigade

• The Royal Winnipeg Rifles • The Regina Rifle Regiment • The Canadian Scottish Regiment

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-8th Canadian Infantry Brigade

• The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada • Le Regiment de la Chaudiere • The North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment -fill 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade

• The Highland Light Infantry of Canada • The Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders • The North Nova Scotia Highlanders

- 4th Canadian (Armoured) Division

• 29th Canadian Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (The South Alberta Regiment) • The Lake Superior Regiment (Motor) -

- 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade

• 21st Armoured Regiment (The Governor General's Foot Guards) • 22nd Armoured Regiment (The Grenadier Guards) • 28th Armoured Regiment (The British Columbia Regiment) -

- 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade

• The Lincoln and Welland Regiment • The Algonquin Regiment • The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise's)

Notes

1. McKay, A Donald Gaudeamus lgitur "Therefore Rejoice" (Bunker to Bunker Books, Calgary, AB, 2005) ISBN 1894255534 p.151 2. Stacey, C.P. Canada's Battle in Normandy: The Canadian Army's Share in the Operations 6 June - 1 September 1944 (King's P 3. Ibid, p. 105 4. Ellis, L.F. Victory in the West: Volume I The Battle of Normandy (Queen's Printer, 1962 - reprint by The Naval and Military P1

1-8457 40-58-0 p.405 5. Ford, Ken Falaise: Death ofan Army(Osprey Publishing Lid, BoUey, Oxford, UK, 2005) ISBN 978-1-84176-626-3 pp.37-39 6. Stacey, Ibid, pp.106-107 7. Ibid, p.107 8. McKay, Ibid, pp.165-166 9. Stacey, Ibid, pp.113-114

10. Reid, Brian. No Holding Back: Operation Totalize, Normandy, August 1944. (Robin Brass Studio, Toronto, ON, 2005) ISBN 1-8969 11. Stacey, Ibid, pp.114-115 12. Whitaker, Denis and Shelagh Whitaker (with Terry Copp) Victory at Falaise: The Soldier's Story (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd., Toro1 13. Bechtold, Mike "Lost in Normandy: The Odyssey of Worthington Force 9 August 1944" Canadian Military History, Volume 19, Numb 14. Stacey, Ibid, p.117 15. Edwards, Roger Panzer: A Revolution in Warfare, 1939-1945 (Brockhampton Press, UK, 1998) ISBN 1-86019-8538 p.222 16. Stacey, Ibid, p.117 17. Ibid, p.118 18. Whitaker, Ibid, pp.149 19. Ibid, p .. 149-158 20. Stacey, Ibid, pp.119-121 21. McKay, Ibid, p.174 22. Stacey, Ibid, p.121 23. Ibid, pp.121-122 24. Ibid, pp.123-126 25. McKay, Ibid, p.179 26. Stacey, Ibid, pp.126-127 27. McKay, Ibid, pp.178-179 28. Ibid, p.179 29. Stacey, Ibid, p.133 30. Ibid, p.133 31. Greenhous, Brereton "The Victory Campaign 1944-45" We Stand on Guard: An Illustrated History of the Canadian Army (Ovate P

p.304 32. English, John A The Canadian Army and the Normandy Campaign (Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA, 2009) ISBN 978-0-811i 33. Reid, Ibid, p.366

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