Michael Dorosh
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From Battle Royal: A History of The Royal Regiment of Canada 1862-1962 by Major D.J. Goodspeed.
Some points suggested by this snippet (and feel free to add posts of your own on this topic)
Just one account of actual fighting in Normandy. (I'll leave you all in suspense as to how it turns out, but I suspect you can figure out who wins for yourself. )The Royal Regiment of Canada had been selected to protect the right flank of 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade while that formation crossed the river Orne north of Louvigny. Shortly after first light on the 18th, company commanders moved forward to reconnoitre the objective, but, although the day was fine, they found visibility extremely restricted because of huge clouds of dust being raised by an Allied heavy bomber attack on Faubourg de Vaucelles. The acting commanding officer, Major Anderson, issued his orders at 8:30 in the morning of 18 July, but for most of the day the men had nothing to do except catch up on some badly needed rest.
Major Anderson's plan was to launch an attack from a start-line at the hamlet of Le Mesnil, which would be secured by the 8th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment. Thereafter the Battalion would proceed across the wheat fields east of Le Mesnil, and clear a large orchard north of the village of Louvigny. This orchard was bounded on three sides by a 7-foot wall composed of large boulders. "D" Company (Major J.D. Fairhead) was to lead the attack, followed by "A' Company (Major T.F. Whitley), with "B" Company (Captain D.S. Beatty) in support, while "C" Company (Major R.G. Young) established a firm base on high ground south of Le Mesnil. "D" Company, after passing through the orchard and clearing a chateau lying beyond it, was to advance through a wood as far as a railway line that ran north and south between Louvigny and Fleury-sur-Orne. From the orchard, "A" Company would wheel right and clear Louvigny, then "B" Company would pass through to take up a defensive position south-west of the village to stop any possible counter-attack from the direction of Athis, which was in enemy hands.
Strong fire support was provided by the divisional artillery, one company of medium machine-guns, one company of (4.2)-inch mortars, the combined 3-inch mortar platoons of the Royals and the 8th Reconnaissance Regiment, and by one squadron of the 10th Canadian Armoured Regiment, which was to give close support for the attack and blast holes in the walls of the orchard by firing from hull down positions in (the) "C" Company area.
H-Hour was not announced until the middle of the afternoon, and the companies began to leave the battalion area at five o'clock to reach their start-line by six. The enemy did not interfere with the move forward.
"D" Company crossed its start-line on time, as the supporting fire programme commenced. The leading troops had little difficulty in crossing the wheat fields, and as "D" company was about to move forward into the orchard, "A" Company was set in motion. As "A" Company advanced, random small arms fire began to sweep the wheat fields but did not impede progress, and although mortar bursts lit among the arrowhead formations of the advancing sections, these caused amazingly few casualties. When "A" Company reached the orchard, however, it found that, although there were three breaches in the orchard wall, "D" Company had suffered heavy casualties and had been unable to get forward. The company commander, Major J.D. Fairhead, had been killed a few feet inside the orchard, as had the only other officer, Lieutenant E.J. Chellew.
Some points suggested by this snippet (and feel free to add posts of your own on this topic)
- Infantry Formations: Geordie talked about these at BFC often. Here's a regimental history that talks about them actually being used under fire. Because - they really were.
- Hull Down positions: The ability of a Sherman to get its weak-ass hull under cover and fire at German tanks will be crucial - far more so than in a modern setting. I still can't believe there is so little backlash about the removal of the "seek hull down" command because I personally loved it, especially on crest lines.
- Dust: Normandy was a dusty place, certainly on the dirt roads; I hope we'll see that adequately reflected.
- Walls: Those 'tall walls' in Normandy were a killer, but there are all kinds of pictures of troops loopholing them. Will we have the ability to do this as well? Ditto mouseholing?
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