7th Canadian Infantry Brigade - Battle of Normandy

Battle of Normandy

On 8 June, SS-Panzergrenadier-Regiment 26 under command of SS-Obersturmbannfuhrer Wilhelm Mohnke arrived on the battlefield. Their orders were to drive over the Canadians and force a deep wedge between them and the British division to the west. The attack, launched at 0330 hours - had little initial success. The various companies in the attacking 12th SS Panzer Division, failed to co-ordinate their moves towards the Canadians and, despite heavy casualties during repeated attempts by the infantry, Canadian artillery and supporting heavy machine guns of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa took a heavy toll on each attacking company of SS troops. The Regina Rifle Regiment held their ground and the I Battalion fell back.

On the Canadian right the II Battalion attacked the Royal Winnipeg Rifles defending the village of Putot-en-Bessin. The Battalion managed to break into the village and surround several companies, effectively pushing the Winnipeg's out of the village, inflicting 256 casualties - of which 175 were taken prisoner. A counter-attack launched at 2030 Hours by the Canadian Scottish Regiment, however, regained Putot-en-Bessin, and the II Battalion withdrew and dug-in south of the village.

Following the battle SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 12 deployed to the west of Mohnke's regiment and, by the evening of 8 June the division, while having failed in its assignment to drive the Canadians into the sea, had effectively halted the units of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, in the Allied advance on Caen.

Spending much of the next four weeks in static positions, the Division participated in the battles to capture Caen in early July, which included Operation Totalize and Operation Tractable and the battles around Verrières Ridge, during the rest of the month.

The Brigade then took part in the pursuit across France, and clearing the Channel ports, most notably Boulogne, Calais and Cape Gris Nez.