Author: Marc Milner
The most scholarly work available about the Canadian contribution in the first few days of Normandy. Thoroughly researched by a Canadian professor of WWII history. I enjoyed this book because as a Canadian, it presents a more inclusive view of the Canadian role in D-Day and immediately afterwards. In years past, Canadians have had to read D-Day through the eyes of British and American accounts which generally give little space to the Canadian contribution and ignore the fact that it was the Canadians who were positioned in the only terrain capable of supporting a major German armoured counter-attack and that it was the Canadians, who, despite being badly mauled at first, stopped the German armour from driving the allies back into the sea. Although the Brits appear to have looked down their noses at the Canadians as 'colonials' Montgomery positioned the Canadians to oppose the German armour both because colonials were apparently deemed to be more disposable than Brits (as they had been in Hong Kong) but also because he viewed them as 'tough' brawling hockey players. Indeed, my father-in-law (William Thornton from Montreal Quebec) who was in a rifle company of the Canadian Black Watch once said to me that there was nothing that the boys liked more when on leave, than to go for a beer and a brawl. That was when they were down east in Nova Scotia. And indeed it was the North Nova Scotia Highlanders that took the hit from Meyer's 12th SS on D+1. Although the Novas were rendered hors de combat, the cost to the 12th SS was such that the line Authie, Gruchy, Buron, St. Contest, Galmand, remained stationary for the next month. Three hundred plus pages covering three days of action ... an engaging and informative read.
The most scholarly work available about the Canadian contribution in the first few days of Normandy. Thoroughly researched by a Canadian professor of WWII history. I enjoyed this book because as a Canadian, it presents a more inclusive view of the Canadian role in D-Day and immediately afterwards. In years past, Canadians have had to read D-Day through the eyes of British and American accounts which generally give little space to the Canadian contribution and ignore the fact that it was the Canadians who were positioned in the only terrain capable of supporting a major German armoured counter-attack and that it was the Canadians, who, despite being badly mauled at first, stopped the German armour from driving the allies back into the sea. Although the Brits appear to have looked down their noses at the Canadians as 'colonials' Montgomery positioned the Canadians to oppose the German armour both because colonials were apparently deemed to be more disposable than Brits (as they had been in Hong Kong) but also because he viewed them as 'tough' brawling hockey players. Indeed, my father-in-law (William Thornton from Montreal Quebec) who was in a rifle company of the Canadian Black Watch once said to me that there was nothing that the boys liked more when on leave, than to go for a beer and a brawl. That was when they were down east in Nova Scotia. And indeed it was the North Nova Scotia Highlanders that took the hit from Meyer's 12th SS on D+1. Although the Novas were rendered hors de combat, the cost to the 12th SS was such that the line Authie, Gruchy, Buron, St. Contest, Galmand, remained stationary for the next month. Three hundred plus pages covering three days of action ... an engaging and informative read.
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