I’ve been posting this week from war historian’s Robert Spencer’s account of the deployment of my father’s unit, the 15th Canadian Field Regiment RCA, in Normandy exactly 75 years ago. Today I’m posting my third and final post to mark this anniversary of the regiment’s initial deployment in France.
Some context from the other posts: The 15th was a field artillery formation, part of the as-yet untested 4th Canadian Armoured Division. The regiment had left its base south of London on July 18 to be marshalled for embarkation. It boarded two merchantmen in the Thames on July 20. The ships joined a convoy that sailed into the North Sea, entered the English Channel, and anchored in the Solent off the Isle of Wight on July 23. They sailed for the Normandy beachhead next morning. Hours later, they caught their first glimpse of France.
In today’s installment, they wait offshore for two days to land, helplessly watching air battles overhead and casualties being evacuated from the beaches. When they disembark near Courseulles-Sur-Mer on July 26 with their guns, vehicles, and all their gear, they have been in transit or cooped up aboard their ships for more than a week.
Here is Robert Spencer’s official account, slightly abridged and occasionally annotated:
“NOUS SOMMES ARRIVÉS”
Dead ahead masts of ships appeared on the horizon like trees in a primeval forest. More and more came into view as the convoy continued southwards under the hot noon sun. Speed slackened as the ships moved in past a group of empty merchantmen, lying at anchor awaiting the return convoy. As the ships became more closely packed the church towers of the little villages along the Normandy coast could be distinguished through the maze of masts. Several miles off shore the convoy turned westward inside a line of Liberty ships, busily unloading, and dropped anchor.
[At anchor off the bridgehead 24th July] From the ship the coast could easily be seen: broad beaches of white sand shining in the brilliant summer sun; battered buildings in the little coastal villages; and beyond the rolling hills and green fields that looked as if they had never known war. Directly inland was a breakwater made of sunken ships, beyond that an improvised harbour, and everywhere ships. Hundreds of merchantmen lay off the coast, some idle at anchor, others discharging into LCTs [Landing Craft, Tank] their cargoes of guns, vehicles, troops, and all the equipment of war. Short squat LCTs and seagoing LSTs [Landing Ship, Tank] lay inshore, waiting the turn of the tide. Sleek destroyers lay at anchor and fast motor launches dashed between the ships. DUKWs [six-wheel-drive amphibious vehicles] with casualties slung across the deck shuttled between the beach and two hospital ships, just inshore of the convoy. Through binoculars troops could observe the casualties being hauled aboard and greeted by pretty nursing sisters as they arrived on deck.
[Further waiting] All ranks crowded the rails to watch the fleets of LCTs that made trips from merchantmen to beach and back, and wondered when their turn would come to land. All that afternoon and all the next day these ferries passed by. Sometimes they would come along side, only to turn away and tie up to a neighbouring ship. On the evening of the second day, a sapper officer came aboard from a motor launch to check the number of vehicles, and the welcome news quickly spread around the ships – unloading begins at dawn.
[Nightly air raids] Both nights the regiment lay off the Normandy beaches the usual air raids took place. First there was a sound of planes high overhead; then searchlights probed the sky, seeking the enemy who took advantage of low clouds to remain hidden. Flares from the attacking planes lit up the scene, revealing the vast mass of shipping. Then the AA went to work, sweeping the sky; high up the delicate pin-points of light from the heavy guns; lower down the great orange trails of Bofors and 20 mm. Soon the attack was over and darkness reigned again for a few minutes, to be shattered when the planes appeared once more.
[Unloading begins 26th July] Nine days had elapsed since the regiment left Sheffield Park, of which a week had been spent on the boat. As a result troops were impatient and disembarkation was eagerly awaited. A fatigue party had already removed the hatch covers, and at dawn on the 26th unloading operations began. LCTs came alongside, and Pioneers – stevedores in uniform – came on board. Derricks were rigged and winches prepared. Vehicles were then lifted one by one through the hatch and, swaying precariously in their nets, were guided clear of the ship and lowered into the craft waiting alongside. Troops crowded around and anxiously watched the vehicles being unloaded, for each had been modified and equipped to suit the crew’s particular need. The loss of one of these mobile homes, packed with kit and stores, would be a serious blow indeed.
Guns, trailers, and quads were loaded on a Rhino ferry, a huge floating raft, and limbered up ready for landing. Vehicles were loaded onto LCTs and manoeuvred to give the maximum load. An almost dry landing was anticipated but waterproofing was checked, last breathers were sealed and engines tested. When the last vehicle was loaded men swarmed down rope ladders to the waiting craft below.
As soon as a craft was loaded it set off for the shore. On passing the control launch, the loud-hailer announced a wait until 1400 hours for the proper tide. The skippers swung their craft seaward and anchored. A chill wind blew up a light rain, which quickly passed, and the sun came out warm and clear. As one dozed in the hot midday it was as impossible to realize that these tranquil ships, sleeping in the sun, lay off the fiercely contested bridgehead.
[Landing at Courseulles.] At 1400 hours the engines started, anchors were weighed, and the LCTs turned towards the shore. Everyone climbed into the vehicles and motors were started. As craft neared the shore Royal Naval Beach Parties could be seen indicating beaching points. The craft lurched as they struck a sandbar, then floated over to the beach beyond. They touched down, the ramps dropped, and vehicles rolled off in quick succession, splashing through six inches of water to the dry sand beyond. Some craft had a completely dry landing, the LCTs beaching so that the ramp dropped above the water’s edge. The Rhino ferries came alongside improvised jetties and vehicles drove off.
[The assembly area, Normandy, 26th July] Following guide signs along the beach, vehicles came to the Beach Exit and then pulled into a taped off transit area in the tiny village of Courseulles-sur-Mer to carry out the first stage of dewaterproofing. French women and children, poverty stricken peasants and fisherfolk who had survived the ordeal of war passing over their homes, eagerly gathered . . . vehicles were guided to the Star Assembly Area, on the hills above Courseulles, where the rest of the division was concentrated. Thousands of vehicles, the mechanized might of an armoured division, crowded row upon row in broad open fields, an impressive tribute to the Allied mastery of the air over the bridgehead.
[Dewaterproofing and repacking] The CO came from the concentration area to meet the regiment. All afternoon the regiment arrived by craft loads, until by nightfall only the armoured OPs [forward reconnaissance and observation post vehicles] were missing. They had landed at another beach and were in another assembly area. A busy afternoon was spent completing the second stage of dewaterproofing. All kit and equipment was removed from the waterproof bags and from the precarious position on the tops of vehicles, where most of the stores had been carried. Loads were carefully repacked according to the previously rehearsed plan. Supper was cooked from the 24 hour ration packs. Recce parties went to inspect the concentration area at Crépon [where an advance party had arrived days before to prepare their bivouac]… Line had been laid and the regimental exchange established by the time the main party arrived.
[Night move to Crépon] After dark the convoy set out over the narrow dusty roads that a few weeks before had been tracks crossing open fields. The long line of vehicles, using dimmed headlights, moved nose to tail owing to the shortage of large scale maps. The column reached Crépon shortly after midnight and vehicles were quickly dispersed around the fields, taking what cover they could from trees and hedgerows. Camouflage nets were erected, slit trenches dug, and then troops bedded down for a night’s sleep, their first on the soil of liberated France.
[The men of 15th Field would remain in Crépon for only a short time. In days they would advance with 4th Div and be thrust into some of the fiercest action of the war – the fight for Caen and the Battle of the Falaise Gap, where they would be fiercely tested. In the succeeding weeks and months, they would campaign with the Division through France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. By February they were inside Germany. At war’s end, May 1945, they were deployed near Oldenburg.]
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