Canadian Sappers along The Green Route Up: NW Europe 1944-1945

08/13/2024

WELCOME TO NORMANDY

After a few days spent regrouping and getting all the gear in order, the 4th Canadian Armoured Division was finally operationnal on July 24 1944.

The first assignment of the Division was to support and relieve units from the 2nd and 3rd Canadian Divisions in the Southeast sector of Caen, France.
The city, liberated on July 19th 1944, was pretty much left in ruins after more than a month of intense fighting and multiple bombing raids.
Almost 85% of CAEN was completely destroyed when the men set up their new harbor in Colombelles, on the Eastern outskirts of Caen.
From there, they got their first assignments as Divisional Engineers when it was decided to create a bypass road running from Fleury-sur-Orne through Cormelles and Northeast to Mondeville.

The 4th Canadian Armoured Divisional Engineers were assigned a part of the bypass roughly 4 km. (2.6 miles) long running between the Canadian medium artillery lines aimed at the German forces only a few kilometers...if not meters...South of Caen.

For 5 consecutive days, the 6th Field Park, the 8th Field Squadron and the 9th Field Squadron worked around the clock in order to complete the 44 feet wide road with a 24 feet wide center way made of 9 inches of gravel rolled and oiled.

Beside this important road work, the squadrons also had to fulfill their other duties as Divisional Engineers. This meant clearing of enemy minefields and defenses, blowing up obstacles, establish waterpoints for the troops, supporting the infantry and armoured in their patrols and actions...among others.

According to The Green Route Up (p.27): ''The week 1st-7th August was a very busy one and provided 4 Div Engineers with an invaluable battle innoculation.''

All three Squadrons recorded their firsts casualties resulting from enemy fire during those days spent in Caen. Most of the wounds came from shrapnels of German artillery shells fired from the enemy positions in the Falaise area.
Those enemy batteries had the area South of Caen pinpointed and fired all they got anytime they saw a cloud of dust or any sign of movement.

Let's just say that the 4th Canadian Armoured Divisional Engineers had to dive right into action from the moment they landed in France.
They got familiar with the sounds, the views and the smells typical of a WW2 battlefield and a preview of the upcoming months for them.

On August 6th 1944, the order came for the 4th Canadian Armoured Division to move to a new location just South of Caen and get ready for their first important combat experience:
OPERATION TOTALIZE.
Objective: the French town of Falaise about 30 km. to the South.

Next Post: Operation Totalize (August 7th-10th 1944).

07/20/2024

July 19th 1944,

On this sunny wednesday morning, the men of the 9th Field Squadron, R.C.E, were putting the last touch to their vehicles and equipment waterproofing.

After more than 2 years of intensive training, the men of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division were finally going to see some action.

They were all ready for June 6th, D-Day, but an order came at the last minute to advise the 4th Cdn. Arm. Div. that they'll have to wait for their fire baptism.

They've patiently stayed in England, listening to the news from the Allied invasion in Normandy.
Stationed only 52 km south of London, the men of the 9th fd. sqn. were at the front row to see the german's ''buzz bombs'' (V-1 rockets) flying toward the British capital above their heads.

On July 17th in the afternoon, the order came. The 4th Canadian Armoured Division was to cross the English Channel and fight the Nazi's in France.

ON July 18th, the Squadron moved from their field harbor in Chelwood Gate (Essex, UK), to the marshalling area in Tilbury (East of London).
There they witnessed the immense logistics efforts that were going on in England ports since the invasion of June 6th.
Eveything went smoothly, according to the 9th fd. sqn. war diary, and all was ready to embark the LST on the morning of July 20th.

The men were issued 24hrs rations as well as sea surviving equipment.
Those who had not do so before were asked to complete their will and set their life insurance policy informations.

Believe it or not, I can assure you that a large majority of the men that night were happy to finally see some action.
They did know dangerous tasks were ahead, they did know some of them will never come back.
But after almost 900 days of training since they left Canada in 1942, those guys wanted to show their ability once in the field.

For the next 2 days, the men of the 9th Field Squadron (R.C.E) and the 4th Canadian Armoured Division, completed preparations and loading on the ships that will bring them South of the Manche (English Channel), directly to the heart of the Allied offensive via the Arromanches-les-Bains Mulberry Harbor.

See you on French soil for the first operations of the 9th Field Squadron as Divisional Engineers for the 4th Canadian Armoured Division.

Next up, the first steps in Normandy, Caen and the big push toward Falaise.

🍁🍀

06/07/2024

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06/07/2024

June 6th 1944.

The first image is a testimony from a Canadian infantryman following the D-Day landings.

The original post is available (In French)...🤷‍♂️ at the bottom.

Feel free to ask if you have any questions!

May we all remember those who died and those who lived through days like this.
May we all REMEMBER, that those events STILL CAN happen.

Respect.
✌🍁

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