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History |
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Wars & Campaigns |
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►Boer
War
►First
World War
►►Western
Front
►►►Trench
Warfare: 1914-1916
►►►Allied
Offensive: 1916
►►►Allied
Offensives: 1917
►►►German
Offensive: 1918
►►►Advance
to Victory: 1918
►►Siberia
►Second
World War
►►War
Against Japan
►►North
Africa
►►Italian
Campaign
►►►Sicily
►►►Southern
Italy
►►►The
Sangro and Moro
►►►Battles
of the FSSF
►►►Cassino
►►►Liri
Valley
►►►Advance
to Florence
►►►Gothic
Line
►►►Winter
Lines
►►North-West
Europe
►►►Normandy
►►►Southern
France
►►►Channel
Ports
►►►Scheldt
►►►Nijmegen
Salient
►►►Rhineland
►►►Final
Phase
►Korean
War
►Cold
War
►Gulf
War |
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Operations |
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Battle Honours |
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Boer War
First World War
Western Front
Trench Warfare: 1914-1916
Allied Offensive: 1916
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►Somme, 1916 |
1
Jul-18 Nov 16 |
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►Albert |
.1-13
Jul 16 |
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►Bazentin |
.14-17
Jul 16 |
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►Pozieres |
.23
Jul-3 Sep 16 |
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►Guillemont |
.3-6
Sep 16 |
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►Ginchy |
.9
Sep 16 |
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►Flers-Courcelette |
15-22
Sep 16 |
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►Thiepval |
26-29
Sep 16 |
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►Le Transloy |
.
1-18 Oct 16 |
Allied
Offensives: 1917
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►Arras 1917 |
8
Apr-4 May 17 |
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►Vimy, 1917 |
.9-14
Apr 17 |
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►Arleux |
28-29 Apr 17 |
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►Scarpe, 1917 |
.3-4
May17 |
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►Hill 70 |
.15-25
Aug 17 |
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►Messines, 1917 |
.7-14
Jun 17 |
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►Ypres, 1917 |
..31
Jul-10 Nov 17 |
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►Pilckem |
31
Jul-2 Aug 17 |
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►Langemarck, 1917 |
.16-18
Aug 17 |
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►Menin Road |
.20-25
Sep 17 |
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►Polygon Wood |
26
Sep-3 Oct 17 |
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►Broodseinde |
.4
Oct 17 |
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►Poelcapelle |
.9
Oct 17 |
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►Passchendaele |
.12
Oct 17 |
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►Cambrai, 1917 |
20
Nov-3 Dec 17 |
German Offensive: 1918
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►Somme, 1918 |
.21
Mar-5 Apr 18 |
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►St. Quentin |
.21-23
Mar 18 |
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►Bapaume, 1918 |
.24-25
Mar 18 |
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►Rosieres |
.26-27
Mar 18 |
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►Avre |
.4
Apr 18 |
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►Lys |
.9-29
Apr 18 |
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►Estaires |
.9-11
Apr 18 |
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►Messines, 1918 |
.10-11
Apr 18 |
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►Bailleul |
.13-15
Apr 18 |
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►Kemmel |
.17-19
Apr 18 |
Advance to Victory: 1918
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►Arras, 1918 |
.26
Aug-3 Sep 18 |
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►Scarpe, 1918 |
26-30 Aug 18. |
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►Drocourt-Queant |
.2-3
Sep 18 |
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►Hindenburg Line |
.12
Sep-9 Oct 18 |
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►Canal du Nord |
.27
Sep-2 Oct 18 |
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►St. Quentin Canal |
.29
Sep-2 Oct 18 |
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►Epehy |
3-5
Oct 18 |
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►Cambrai, 1918 |
.8-9
Oct 18 |
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►Valenciennes |
.1-2
Nov 18 |
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►Sambre |
.4
Nov 18 |
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►Pursuit to Mons |
.28 Sep-11Nov |
Second World War
War Against Japan
South-East Asia
Italian Campaign
Battle of Sicily
Southern
Italy
The Sangro and Moro
Battles of the FSSF
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►Anzio |
22
Jan-22 May 44 |
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►Rome |
.22
May-4 Jun 44 |
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►Advance
|
.22
May-22 Jun 44 |
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to the Tiber |
. |
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►Monte Arrestino |
25
May 44 |
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►Rocca Massima |
27
May 44 |
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►Colle Ferro |
2
Jun 44 |
Cassino
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►Cassino II |
11-18
May 44 |
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►Gustav Line |
11-18
May 44 |
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►Sant' Angelo in
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13
May 44 |
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Teodice |
. |
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►Pignataro |
14-15 May 44 |
Liri Valley
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►Hitler Line |
18-24 May 44 |
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►Melfa Crossing |
24-25 May 44 |
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►Torrice Crossroads |
30
May 44 |
Advance to Florence
Gothic Line
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►Gothic Line |
25 Aug-22 Sep 44 |
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►Monteciccardo |
27-28 Aug 44 |
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►Point 204 (Pozzo Alto) |
31 Aug 44 |
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►Borgo Santa Maria |
1 Sep 44 |
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►Tomba di Pesaro |
1-2 Sep 44 |
Winter Lines
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►Rimini Line |
14-21 Sep 44 |
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►San Martino- |
14-18 Sep 44 |
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San Lorenzo |
. |
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►San Fortunato |
18-20 Sep 44 |
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►Sant' Angelo |
11-15 Sep 44 |
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in Salute |
. |
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►Bulgaria Village |
13-14 Sep 44 |
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►Pisciatello |
16-19 Sep 44 |
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►Savio Bridgehead |
20-23
Sep 44 |
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►Monte La Pieve |
13-19
Oct 44 |
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►Monte Spaduro |
19-24 Oct 44 |
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►Monte San Bartolo |
11-14
Nov 44 |
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►Lamone Crossing |
2-13
Dec 44 |
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►Capture of Ravenna |
3-4
Dec 44 |
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►Naviglio Canal |
12-15 Dec 44 |
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►Fosso Vecchio |
16-18 Dec 44 |
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►Fosso Munio |
19-21 Dec 44 |
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►Conventello- |
2-6 Jan 45 |
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Comacchio |
. |
Northwest Europe
Battle of Normandy
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►Quesnay Road |
10-11 Aug 44 |
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►St. Lambert-sur- |
19-22 Aug 44 |
Southern France
Channel Ports
The Scheldt
Nijmegen Salient
Rhineland
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►The
Reichswald |
8-13 Feb 45 |
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►Waal
Flats |
8-15 Feb 45 |
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►Moyland
Wood |
14-21 Feb 45 |
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►Goch-Calcar
Road |
19-21 Feb 45 |
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►The
Hochwald |
26
Feb- |
| . |
4
Mar 45 |
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►Veen |
6-10 Mar 45 |
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►Xanten |
8-9
Mar 45 |
Final Phase
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►The
Rhine |
23
Mar-1 Apr 45 |
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►Emmerich-Hoch
|
28
Mar-1 Apr 45 |
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Elten |
. |
Korean War
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Domestic Missions |
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►FLQ
Crisis |
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International
Missions |
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►ICCS
Vietnam 1973
►MFO
Sinai 1986- |
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Peacekeeping |
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►UNTEA |
W. N. Guinea 1963-1964 |
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►ONUCA |
C. America
1989-1992 |
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►UNTAC |
Cambodia
1992-1993 |
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►UNMOP |
Prevlaka
1996-2001 |
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Exercises |
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Dunkirk, 1944
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Dunkirk, 1944 was a
Battle Honour granted to Canadian units participating in actions
near this port during the operations from 8 September 1944 to 15
September 1944, as part of the overall battle to clear the Channel
Ports.
Allied supplies were being sent to France mainly via the open
beaches in Normandy; the need to secure a sizeable port facility was
thus acute. The port of Dunkirk was put under siege, and the 2nd
Canadian Infantry Division fought several actions from 6 to 18
September 1944 in an attempt to capture the port. These actions also
consisted of much patrolling, with some successful battles such as
Loon Plage standing out from what was otherwise a dreary episode for
the Canadians. The port never fell, and like many of the French
Channel ports, it remained in German hands until May 1945.
The 2nd Division, which
had paused at Dieppe to refit and commemorate its sacrifice there in
August 1942, was ordered forward again on September 6th, 1944. It was
assigned a stretch of coast from just east of Calais to Dunkirk itself.
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Bourbourgville
The Black Watch seized a
bridge site south Bourbourgville, attacking through heavy rain and high
winds, as well as flooded ditches, a result of deliberate attempts by
the Germans to inundate the battlefield by blowing the canal banks as a
defensive measure. The Germans held the town itself securely, behind a
canal completely ringing the built-up area, which could be covered by
fire from the market-square, with a centrally located church also
covering likely avenues of approach. Artillery was used to good effect
also as the Canadians approached the town. Le Régiment de Maisonneuve
managed to secure boats from local civilians, and also erected a hasty
foot bridge built from planks. Under heavy pressure, the German
defenders were forced to withdraw to the north end of the town, where
they held onto the railway station with the help of a pair of 20mm
anti-aircraft guns. The Maisonneuves silenced the guns while the Calgary
Highlanders attempted to approach the town from the west, finally driven
to ground in the open and told to wait until morning.1
Fighting lasted into the
night but the town was considered clear on the night of 7-8 September,
and the brigade was ordered to "contain the garrison" inside the port -
estimated at 10,000 German troops - with a perimeter of outposts in
Mardick, Loon Plage, Spycker, Bergues and Bray Dunnes.2
Loon Plage
At first light on 8
September, the Calgary Highlanders again moved towards Dunkirk, passing
through Les Planches, the first objective, but stopped once again by
heavy enemy artillery fire at their second objective, a road junction.
On ground difficult to dig in, a company was sent to try and take Loon
Plage from the west flank, but here too was stopped by a farmhouse 500
yards from the village. When the Maisonneuves were ordered forward to
assist, it took five hours for the lead company to come within a mile of
the Highlanders, a point their War Diarist grumblingly committed to
posterity.
The Maisonneuves,
like the Calgaries, were trying to invest the Dunkirk perimeter
against formidable odds. The enemy had ample supplies of artillery
shells, enough, as it turned out, to defend Dunkirk until the war
was over, good observation of all daylight movement, and an intimate
knowledge of the terrain. The infantry battalions, without any
armour or air support, and without a clear mission were pressing
forward without taking time for reconnaissance and without making
full use of intelligence from the French resistance forces in the
area.3
Coppenaxfort
The Black Watch, too,
tried to move forward without adequate support, attacking on the right
flank of the brigade with a troop of armoured cars from the divisional
reconnaissance regiment. Their axis of advance led them up a straight,
elevated road on the bank of a canal, devoid of trees, hedges or cover.
The infantry had to advance single file; the lead armoured car, 100
yards behind the first troops, was knocked out early by an anti-tank gun
firing at long range. Machine gun and mortar fire came down next. The
Canadian infantry could not dig-in, and supporting fire from the 5th
Field Regiment was hampered by ammunition shortages and prior commitment
to the other two infantry battalions of the brigade. The Black Watch was
forced to pull back and regroup. The next morning, a single platoon with
an armoured car in support rushed forward to find the Germans had pulled
out in the night.
These gains meant
little to 5 Brigade for they now found themselves occupying
positions the Germans had carefully surveyed as artillery targets.
Throughout the following week the brigade used fighting patrols to
harass the enemy, and battalion attacks to compress the perimeter.4
During this period
following the initial attacks on the Dunkirk defences, German shellfire
remained intense, despite civilian assistance in locating German
positions.
6th Brigade
East of Dunkirk, the 6th
Brigade occupied Furnes, Nieuport and La Panne, having received
assistance at Nieuport from the Belgian White Brigade (the national
resistance movement) in locating enemy positions and minefields. The
Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada occupied German coastal
positions west of La Panne and on 12 September the 6th Brigade was
ordered to clear Bray Dunnes and Bray Dunnes Plage. Two days of attacks
by the Camerons proved unsuccessful until Typhoon aircraft and the South
Sasktachewan Regiment came in to assist, and the task was finally
complete on the 15th. Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal took Ghyvelde after
several attempts.
4th Brigade
The 4th Brigade had an
easier time in this period, originally placed in reserve. On 9
September, they occupied Ostend. Though the town contained a sizeable
port, the Germans chose not to defend it despite numerous sturdy
fortifications there. The port, partially demolished, was reopened on
September 28th. East of Nieuport the Essex Scottish Regiment laid siege
to another formidable looking coastal installation and laid down mortar,
anti-tank and anti-aircraft fire of such volume that the enemy
surrendered on September 12th without the need for an assault. As they
collected 316 prisoners for the loss of two killed and three wounded,
the Royals and the RHLI moved to Bruges, from which the enemy also fled
before the 12th Manitoba Dragoons arrived to liberate it.
The brigade turned its
attention back to Dunkirk, and the RHLI put in an attack at Bergues on
the 15th which bogged down in flooded terrain. The enemy withdrew and
the 8th Reconnaissance Regiment occupied the town on the 16th, by which
time the entire 2nd Division was in the process of leaving the Dunkirk
perimeter for Antwerp.5
Private R.J.
Travis of No.3 Leaflet Unit placing propaganda leaflets into
a shell to be fired by Sergeant T. McCormick of the 191
Hearst and Essex Yeomanry Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
(British Army), into German-held positions in Dunkirk,
France, ca. 15-25 September 1944. Library and Archives
Canada photo.
Battle Honours
The following Canadian units were awarded the Battle Honour "Dunkirk,
1944"
for participation in these actions:
2nd Canadian Division
4th Canadian Infantry Brigade
5th Canadian Infantry Brigade
6th Canadian Infantry Brigade
Notes
- Copp, Terry The Brigade
(Fortress Publications, Inc., Stoney Creek, ON, 1992) pp.120-121
- Stacey, C.P. Official History of the Canadian Army in the
Second World War Volume II: The Victory Campaign (Queen's
Printer, 1960) p.327
- Copp, Ibid, p.123
- Ibid, pp.123-124
- Stacey, Ibid
References
- McKay, A. Donald Gaudeamus
Igitur (Bunker to Bunker Books, Calgary, AB, 2005)
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