Jun 06 2009
Globe and Post: We Will Remember The Heroes
June 6, 1944: D-Day. Our brave warriors fought their way into a continent under the thrall of tyranny. The liberation of Europe was at hand.
From Wikipedia, Normandy Landings:
The Canadian forces that landed on Juno Beach faced 14 heavy batteries of 155 mm guns and 9 medium batteries of 75 mm guns, as well as machine-gun nests, pillboxes, other concrete fortifications, and a seawall twice the height of the one at Omaha Beach. The first wave suffered 50% casualties, the second highest of the five D-Day beachheads. The use of armour was successful at Juno, in some instances actually landing ahead of the infantry as intended and helping clear a path inland.[25]
Personnel of Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando “W” landing on Mike Beach, Juno sector of the Normandy beachhead. 6 June 1944.
Despite the obstacles, the Canadians were off the beach within hours and beginning their advance inland. The 6th Canadian Armoured Regiment (1st Hussars) and The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada achieved their 6 June objectives, when they crossed the Caen–Bayeux highway over 15 kilometres (9 mi) inland.[26] The Canadians were the only units to reach their D-Day objectives, although most units fell back a few kilometres to strengthen defensive positions. In particular, the Douvres Radar Station was still in German hands, and no link had been established with Sword Beach.
By the end of D-Day, 15,000 Canadians had been successfully landed, and the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division had penetrated further into France than any other Allied force, despite having faced strong resistance at the water’s edge and later counterattacks on the beachhead by elements of the German 21st and 12th SS Hitlerjugend (Hitler Youth) Panzer divisions on June 7 and June 8.
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