EXTRACTS FROM THE WAR DIARY
SOUTH SASK REGT
19-22 July 1944
19Jul44 "During the morning Major G.R. Matthews visited the coys and explained why Lt. Col F.A. Clift had been called away and stated that Lt Col Clift was sorry to go and wished them the best of luck in their forthcoming battle. Major G.R. Matthews issued out the movement orders during the morning and the coys prepared themselves for battle. A Recce party under comd Capt C.E. Smith, O.C. Sp Coy, went forward to take over the concentration area vacated by the RHC in CAEN, area 028683 sh 7F/1."
"The bn was warned to be ready to move by 1200 hrs. Marching tps and "F" Ech left at 1530 hrs and arrived at the conc area at 1700 hrs, where they were warned that they would be crossing the river at 0200 hrs 20 Jul 44. Personnel were to sleep in slit trenches. "A" Ech left at 1545 hrs for 6 Bde "A" Ech area at MR 946708. LOB personnel under comd Major N.A. Adams and consisting of the 2 i/cs coys and pl sgts left at 1400 hrs for "B" Ech, near ROSEL, MR 948685."
20Jul44 CAEN "Bn moved out of CAEN at 0200 hrs, crossed river on assault bridge and stopped along side road, MR 032666, and had breakfast. Bn then prepared to move to FUP, arriving at FUP, area 031637, at approx. 1130 hrs, "A" and "D" Coys were forward across the road with "B" and "C" in reserve behind the road. "H" hour which was to be at 1200 hrs was postponed until 1500 hrs which enabled the troops to prepare dinner in the FUP where they were dug in. Major G.R. Matthews held a brief O Gp where they went over the plans for the attack giving details of arty barrage and air cover. The Camerons of C were to be on the right flank, their task being to take ST ANDRE-sur-ORNE, S Sask R on the left to take the high ground in sqs 0359 and 0459. Fus M R in reserve in the village of IFS, sq 0463."
The S Sask R crossed the Start Line at 1500 hrs, moving up in two-up formation with "A" Coy on the left, "D" Coy right, "B" Coy follow-up and "C" Coy in reserve. "D" Coy objective was track junc 044594, "A" Coy objective was 044599, "B" Coy 038598, "C" Coy 042603. The bn moved fwd in very good order and did the first thousand yards in very fast time. No opposition was encountered until they reached the wireless stn, MR 032626 but [this] was soon overcome. They then proceeded to X-rds at 035615 where heavy opposition was met by the two fwd coys. The enemy were overcome and the S Sask R took their first PW. They then proceeded to road and track junc at 036607 where at this time "D" Coy hit heavy opposition on the right and lost approx one pl and two Offrs. "A" Coy on the left also ran into heavy opposition and continued to mop them up. "B" Coy was ordered to push through "D" position and then proceeded towards "D" Coy's objective. "B" Coy first encountered enemy at 041597. The enemy then started to lay down hy mortar and arty fire accurately fired onto our positions. "B" Coy pushed through arty and mortar fire and took their first PW at 041597, 5 Pws were taken there. "B" Coy continued fwd and encountered their second group of enemy at 044596, where they took approx ten PW, and they moved up fwd as far as 044595."
While the bn was mopping up the enemy on high ground area 035590, four tanks were spotted, at approx 047594 coming in on the counter-attack. One was identified as a Mk IV, others unidentified but not Mk IVs. The tanks attacked "D" Coy with HE and MG fire and the PIATs were ordered to the ground and "B" Coy started to withdraw to D" Coy area where the
A Tk guns were being set up, and the tank screen set up and it would also give "B" Coy a reverse slope position. When "B" Coy reached the right flank of "D" Coy with only half the coy left they found the A Tk guns either shot up or being shot up so they started to dig in. At approx this time Major G.R. Matthews, Comd S Sask R, and Lt D.S. Pedlow, bn IO, who were up with the coys, received an almost direct hit and were believed to be dead. The [enemy] tanks came right up to the crest of the hill and started laying down hy HE and MG fire causing heavy casualties. At the same time the German Infantry came in on the right flank from the high ground and started to lay down MG and mortar fire on the troops. By this time the A Tk guns were out of action and firing on "A" Coy front was very hy. Major J.S. Edmondson, comd "B" Coy contacted the arty carrier and passed a message to Bde HQ asking for support against the tanks but was unable to contact anyone. The remainder of "B" Coy then withdrew through the grain field through "C" Coy area. Major J.S. Edmonson then reported the posn of the line of the fwd troops to Bde Comd Post at IFS. The Essex Scottish who were in reserve, then came forward and started to dig in in area 037607. The remainder of the S Sask R then withdrew through the Essex Scottish, with the exception of some of the boys who would not leave but stayed there with Bren guns and PIATs. The S Sask R withdrew to the FUP where they established into coys and dug in for the night. The bn was re-organized under Major J.S. Edmondson. By 2100 hrs very few people had arrived back."
"From 2100 hrs to 2400 hrs wounded, walking wounded and elements of all coys were reporting to the FUP. At 2200 hrs Lt Henderson of "C" Coy reported back and said that fighting was still going on in front of and with the Essex Scottish."
21Jul44 "By 0700 hrs a few more men had arrived back at the FUP and the bn remained in the area cleaning their weapons."
"Throughout the attack it was raining very heavy and continued to do so throughout the day which made things very bad as there were no aircraft that could get off the ground to support the troops."
"In the attack the regiment lost 13 Offrs and 209 ORs killed, wounded and missing. The Coy comds for the attack were "A" Coy - Major R.S. Wells (missing), "B" Coy - Major J.S. Edmondson (present), "C" Coy - Capt C.J. Doyle (missing), "D" Coy - Major L.L. Dickin (present)."
"Personnel were given their rum issue at breakfast which was very much appreciated. Hy arty and mortar shelling of the posn continued during the morning with some casualties. Orders for the bn to retire to re-organize were issued and Major J.S. Edmondson and Lt N.H. Hadley went forward to recce a posn."
"A" Ech tps arrived at MR 946715 sh 7F/1 where Major N.A. Adams had allotted posns for the bn and the posn was prepared for the troops. The coys arrived between 1600 hrs and 1700 hrs where they were allotted to their posns and fed."
"During the evening the Offrs and NCOs checked their coys for casualties, personnel and veh requirements."
22Jul44 "An O Gp was held during the morning where Capt J.M Stewart, Adjt, S Sask R, laid down the essential work for the day. Coys were to submit a nominal roll of all personnel who were in their coys before 20Jul44, and to mark whether they were present, missing or killed, if verified by someone who had seen them. All personnel to be refitted and re-equipped."
"The first line reinforcements arrived at 1030 hrs and the LOB personnel arrived at 1100 hrs. The mobile bath unit provided showers for the troops during the afternoon. During the day Major Gen C. Foulkes, CBE, GOC 2 Cdn Inf Div visited the bn."
"Lt Col F.A. Clift visited during the afternoon. Major N.A. Adams became T/Comd of the S.Sask R., Major J.S. Edmondson became 2 i/c and Lt N.H. Hadley became IO. More reinforcements arrived during the evening."
[ According to Stacey (1) the opponent of 2 Div on 20 Jul 44 was elements of a Panzer Grenadier Battalion and a Tank Battalion from 1st SS Panzer Corps, plus a similar group ("Battle Group Kohn") from 2nd Panzer Division. These latter were "the troops that gave 6th Brigade its severe check. Col Kohn, commander of the 2nd Panzer Battle Group, was killed in the St. Martin area that night" [20/21 Jul44] "On 21 Jul, Ebenbach ordered the the 2nd Panzer SS Corps to dispatch the 9th SS Panzer Division, then west of the Orne, and south-west of Caen, to reinforce the the 1st SS Panzer Corps sector east of the Orne; and a battle group 'from the 2nd SS Panzer Corps' was in action against the 2nd [Cdn] Division below the Verrières Ridge that evening"(2).]
[The Mk IV tank spotted by "D" Coy was most likely a Model H, with the long barreled 75 mm gun with the muzzle brake. The other three were almost certainly earlier version Mk IVs with the short barrelled 75 mm gun (3). There were also some PzKw V with 2 SS Panzer 1st Bn. The panzer grenadier battalions were well supplied with heavy Mgs as well as up to 120 LMGs, plus 81 mm and 120 mm mortars, and light and heavy howitzers.]
Lt-Col Buchanan's book gives a somewhat more personalized description of the first battle at Verrières Ridge (4).
(1.) Stacey, Col C.P., The Victory Campaign, Queen's Printer, Ottawa, 1960.
(2.) W.D., Fifth Panzer Army, 19-21 Jul 44, and Army Group "B" daily sitreps, 20 and 21 Jul 44.
(3.) Hart, Dr. D.S., and Dr. R. Hart, German Tanks of World War II, Brown Books, London, 1999.
(4. ) Buchanan, Lt-Col B.G., MBE, March of the Prairie Men, Ottawa, 1957.
File:WD20Jul44.wpd 13May2001
NB: It might be of some interest to know that the brown mark across the 64 grid line comes from dust from the Normandy grain fields, well wetted down with the heavy rain that fell 20-21Jul44. I scraped off what I could into an envelope!