June 1944

Western Front - Battle For Caen

As dawn breaks the artillery regiments open fire on German positions in and around Carpiquet, firing a creeping barrage 1 mile wide and 400 yds deep which is to move forward 100 yards at a time. At 0500 two Canadian infantry battalions, 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade, advance on Carpiquet, the de la Chaudière are to advance on the right side of the road to Carpiquet, the North Shore on the left side of the road, both with tank support. Meanwhile the Sherbrooke Fusilier squadron stages the diversion to the north. The Sherbooke Fusiliers break through the German minefields and attack Chateau-St-Louet and Gruchy before withdrawing but the defensive positions of 26th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment remain intact and continue to fire on the North Shores. In the center, the Chaudières avoid much of the fire directed at the North Shores as they advance on Carpiquet. By 0632, both battalions have reached the outskirts of the village and meet tanks of the 12th SS Panzer Division. In the village, a house-to-house fight begins and the Shermans of the Fort Garry Horse (10th Canadian Armored Regiment) assist the infantry in overrunning the German positions. A few tanks move through the village and farther south near the airfield, but they are stopped by the fire of the 88-mm flak gun and a counter-attack by a few tanks. The German artillery and mortar fire is so intense the de la Chaudière can not retreat from the village.

To the south, the Royal Winnipeg Rifles (RWR) advance slowly towards the airfield, with German mortar fire inflicting many casualties on the infantry and tanks. With a squadron of the Fort Garry Horse only available for indirect fire, it takes the RWR ninety minutes to advance the mile and a half from Marcelet to the airfield hangars, under fire from the south bank of the Odon. Several Sherman tanks are knocked out and by midday the RWR are forced to withdraw halfway to their original positions.

Unaware that the RWR had failed to gain control of the airfield, Maj-Gen R. F. L. Keller sent the Queen's Own Rifles (QOR) to begin the second phase of the assault. The battalion moves forward into Carpiquet village, which is occupied by the Chaudières and The North Shore, who attack German strong points bypassed in the initial assault. Infantry attacks, flame-throwers, petard-tanks (Churchill tanks mounted with a 290mm (11in) spigot mortar) and the immolation of one strong point forces twelve surviving defenders to surrender; the remaining garrison surrenders after determined resistance. The QOR reach the edge of Carpiquet as the RWR withdraws and is ordered to hold their positions until the RWR reorganize for a second attack.

For the second attack on the airfield, Keller obtains the support of two squadrons of Typhoon fighter-bombers. The survivors of the RWR are ordered to 'execute a sweeping attack by the lower ground around the enemy's left flank', with tank and artillery support, under the impression that the 43rd Division has reached Verson, although this position cannot prevent a counterattack from the south-east. In the late afternoon, the RWR resume the attack on the airfield and reach the hangars but are unable to dislodge the German defenders. The Fort Garry tanks encounter a battlegroup of Panthers of 1st Battalion of the 12th SS Panzer Division and are overwhelmed, the RWR is ordered to withdraw to their start-line under the cover of darkness. In Carpiquet, the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade rapidly consolidates its positions, which are the closest to Caen of any Allied unit. Although the Canadians have control of Carpiquet and the northern hangars, the southern hangars and control buildings remain in German hands.

During the night, the 1st Battalion, 1st SS Panzergrenadiers lead a counterattack to recapture Carpiquet village from the north which is not repulsed until 0800 the next day.