Putot-en-Bessin

Early Actions on D+1

The 7th Brigade's only significant contact during the night was the capture of 19 enemy soldiers of a patrol by the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. The brigade moved off in a two battalion formation at staggered times; the Royal Winnipeg Rifles on the right stepped off at 0615 while the Regina Rifle Regiment moved out an hour later with the Canadian Scottish Regiment in reserve. There was little resistance offered by the remnants of the 716th Infantry Division still in the area. By 0850, brigade headquarters had felt there was no danger to be had and ordered the reserve in, pressing all three battalions to "go flat out for their final objectives." The official history reports it was "about noon" that the Winnipeg Rifles were in Putot-en-Bessin and the Reginas in both Bretteville-l'Orgueilleuse and Norrey-en-Bessin. The 1st Hussars, whose two assault squadrons on D-Day had been depleted such that they were amalgamated into a single squadron, were not able to provide support, but resistance had been so slight, and limited to "groups of snipers" (in the words of the official history) that "tank support was not needed."²

The Battle

The Brigade was deployed for battle with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles in Putot-en-Bessin - a unit that had suffered heavy casualties the day before in the assault landings, losing 128 men. The Regina Rifles in Bretteville, with the Canadian Scottish in Secqueville-en-Bessin, less a company that was despatched to the Cairon area to cover the gap between the 7th and 9th Brigades, along with a troop of ant-tank guns and a squadron of tanks of the 1st Hussars. Brigadier Harry Foster established his headquarters in Le Haut de Bretteville. In his words:

I was proud of them. The easy part was over. So far we still held the advantage because the Germans had fumbled the ball. Now it became a matter of hanging on to what we'd captured while both sides brought in their reserves. Ours were still coming ashore as fast as ships could bring them from England; theirs were racing to reach the coast. But even matching the Germans division for division, man for man, they still held an enormous advantage: experienced front-line leaders..."³

The brigade passed another quiet night; while the divisional commander planned how to attack troublesome radar stations to the east that had were also D-Day objectives, and contemplated another attack on Buron after the events there during the fighting at Authie the day before, the 7th and 8th Brigades were told to remain in place. Even as these orders were coming down, elements of the 7th Brigade had been under enemy attack for some time.

At 0630 a small party of enemy troops had tried to cross the railway line into Putot and was driven off by "A" Company of the Winnipeg Rifles.⁴ These troops had included soldiers of the 5th Company of the 26th SS Panzergrenadier Regiment (a component of the 12th SS Panzer Division (Hitlerjugend)) which was supported by armoured halftracks and a Panzerkampfwagen III tank of the 3rd Battalion of the 12th SS Panzer Regiment. No. 8 Platoon of the Winnipegs, supported by guns of No. 3 Platoon of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, backed by artillery and anti-tank fire, pushed the attackers back about an hour after the assault began.⁵

German snipers inside the town, however, were able to apply pressure on the Canadian defenders, and were able to assist infiltrators to get between the companies during a series of running battles lasting throughout the day.⁶ South and west of Putot, "A" and "C" Company of the Winnipeg Rifles came under attack by the 2nd Battalion of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment under SS-Obersturmbannführer Wilhelm Mohnke. The 6th and 7th Companies made a series of attacks during the day:

Like their counterparts at Authie, however, Mohnke's troops were openly disdainful of the heavy Canadian fire and just kept on coming, moving forward recklessly, arrogantly, inexorably. By late morning, they were being supported by a battery of self-propelled artillery, which pummelled the Winnipeg's positions under the weight of a thundering barrage. Still more difficulties ensued when the Germans successfully infiltrated a number of small parties into Putot itself. From strongholds in private homes and behind ruined buildings, the SS troops sniped at and rained down mortar shells on the Canadian positions, inflicting many casualties and wreaking havoc with the Winnipegs' attempts to get more ammunition to their beleaguered forward units. Things got so bad that even the Winnipegs' headquarters was under siege for part of the day.⁷

In the confusion, the Winnipegs reported that tanks had cut off three of their companies - though the official historian surmised that it was "doubtful" German tanks were ever involved. A history of the 12th SS mentions no tanks either, instead confirming that:

Although hammered by enemy artillery and machine gun fire, the grenadiers of the 2nd Battalion pressed their assault with vigor, infiltrating into Putot-en-Bessin and taking many prisoners. Assisted by numerous snipers in Putot, the German infantry brought the defenders...under steadily increasing pressure; by noon, more grenadiers had worked their way into the town and around the Canadian light machine gun posts and slit trenches, which were now under direct German artillery and mortar fire. By 1:30 p.m. "A", "B" and "C" Companies of the Winnipegs were completely surrounded, with most of their automatic weapons knocked out and ammunition running low; immediate tank support was not available. The beleaguered companies attempted to pull back under cover of artificial smoke, but few men escaped to battalion headquarters, located due east of Pitot, where the nearly intact "D" Company established a defensive position.⁸

The 3rd Battalion of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment were the last elements of the regiment to go into action, with No. 11 Company stepping off from the rail line between Putot and Brouay after 0800 to be met by fire from No. 7 Platoon of the Winnipegs. It took until mid-morning for them to reach Brouay, where No. 10 Company joined them. No. 9 Company moved from Cristot to link up with the divisional reconnaissance battalion. By early afternoon, this placed a number of objectives in German hands - Brouay, La Villeneuve, and with the retreat of the Winnipegs, Putot.⁹

The capture of Brouay had given the Germans a tactical advantage, providing cover for the final attack on Putot. Lieutenant Ashman's No. 3 Platoon of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, which had been forward with their Vickers machine guns, was cut off in the fight there as well. Asherman himself was captured, evaded his escort when a British tank appeared, and eventually rescued. He was later awarded a Croix de Guerre.¹⁰

Casualties and War Crimes

The Royal Winnipeg Rifles had lost 256 men killed, wounded and missing - in fact, 150 were taken prisoner. Most had been taken when No. 7 Company of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment surrounded "B" Company of the Winnipegs in an orchard north of Putot. A handful came from "C" Company, and the rest from "A" Company, who had attempted to reorg in a location a few hundred yards to the east of railway bridge at Putot. The latter had any route of escape cut off by No. 6 Company. A few men who managed to slip away fell into the net descending from the direction of Brouay and the arrival of the 3rd Battalion of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment. Over 100 of the prisoners were turned over to the German military police and arrived at the battalion command post at Le Haut du Bosq that afternoon. Close to forty others, however, were sent to a farm in Putot. They were then ordered further back down the custody chain, and started marching under escort the one-and-a-half mile distance to the regimental headquarters. An officer stopped the column and ordered the guards to kill the prisoners; after which the column resumed its march towards a road junction near Fotnenay-le-Pesnel, where the prisoners were herded into a grassy area and sat down, among them at least two men on stretchers. An execution squad with machine pistols joined the prisoner escorts, who turned their rifles on the prisoners and opened fire. Thirty five men were murdered in cold blood, and five managed to escape.¹¹

Another group of 26 prisoners in the custody of the 3rd Battalion of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment was marched to Pavie for transfer to the 12th SS Division's reconnaissance battalion. Included in the group were the company commander of "A" Company of the Winnipeg Rifles, 23 of his men, and two British soldiers captured at Brouay. Once in his custody, SS-Sturmbannführer Gerhard Bremer interrogated several men of this group, gained no information, then ordered them summarily executed. They were taken away in small groups for execution by gunshot; the killings were interrupted by a British attack, but later resumed. All 23 men were eventually found murdered.¹²

On 11 June, a private of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and two sappers of the Royal Canadian Engineers, who had been out laying mines in front of Putot before the battle had begun on June 8, were captured by the Germans. They had gone been cut-off from Canadian lines and spent three days surviving on emergency rations and drinking from streams. They were taken to the headquarters of the 26th Panzergrenadier Regiment, and interrogated in the presence of SS-Obersturmbannführer Wilhelm Mohnke. After the interrogation, the Canadians were marched a few yards from the regimental command post, had their identity tags stripped from them, were taken into nearby woods, and were shot at close range by a military policeman.¹³

Counterattack

In the wake of the loss of Putot, Brigadier Foster ordered a counter-attack with the brigade reserve.¹⁴ The attack was given strong support in the form of a squadron of the 1st Hussars, gunfire from the 12th and 13th Field Regiments, Royal Canadian Artillery, and elements of the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa, the divisional machine gun battalion, most notably No. 14 Platoon, who fired both high explosive and smoke with their 4.2-inch mortars.¹⁵ The detached company in the gap at Cairon was returned to battalion control for the attack, set for 2030hrs.¹⁶  A creeping barrage was laid on, and at 2045 reports indicated good progress. The tanks covered the approached of the right flank while the battalion's carrier platoon covered the left.

By his personal dash and example Major Plows, leading "A" Company and carrying the remnants of "D" along with hum, hurtled into the enemy and routed them...Lt Bernie Clarke whose heroism and initiative on D-Day had knocked out a key pillbox and captured 50 prisoners did it again at Putot. He (led) a rare and wild bayonet charge that overran three machine gun posts, killed many and captured another 18.¹⁷

At 2100 the left company was reported on the objective, and by 2130 brigade headquarters received reports the battalion was "mopping up." While Putot itself was back in Canadian hands, never again to be occupied by the enemy, the line of the railway was yielded. Two days of fighting on June 8 and 9 (the official historian notes that book-keeping inconsistencies may have caused casualties from the counterattack on the evening of June 8 to have been recorded as occurring the next day) cost the Canadian Scottish 125 casualties, of which 45 were killed.¹⁸

For their part:

The SS defenders resisted furiously, but were unable to maintain their positions in the face of a numerically superior opponent. (SS-Sturmbannführer Bernhard) Siebken's companies (of the 2nd Battalion, Panzergrenadier Regiment 26)had already suffered heavy losses, and they lacked anti-tank weapons in sufficient numbers with which to contest the enemy armor. By 9:30 p.m., Putot was once again in Canadian hands, the Germans having retired to the rail line on the southern fringe of the village. Later that night, Siebken pulled back his infantry an additional 200-300 yards to gain a more effective field of fire and dug in.¹⁹

Aftermath

The remnants of The Royal Winnipeg Rifles now went into brigade reserve. The German attack at Putot is summed up by one historian as follows:

The advance of the Hitlerjugend's 2nd Battalion had yielded nothing. Hubert Meyer states that German losses amounted to 19 dead, 58 wounded and 21 missing — the 6th Company being effectively halved. These statistics are almost certainly too low. On the other hand, the Canadian Scottish suffered 125 casualties, while the Winnipeg Rifles incurred 256. The fighting for Putot had taken on a First World War dimension — heavy attrition for limited gains. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 26th Panzer Grenadier Regiment had failed to dislodge the Canadian 7th Brigade from their defensive position, and the proposed route of advance to the sea remained shut.²⁰

A history of the 12th SS concurs:

Thus ended the baptism of fire for the 26th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment. The sacrifice on both sides had been great. The Royal Winnipeg Rifles alone had suffered 256 casualties, including 105 dead, in their unsuccessful defence of Putot. German losses totalled 137 personnel, of which at least 30 were fatalities; and while the cost had been high, the results were meagre. Mohnke's battalions had attacked piecemeal and without tank support; except for the short-lived success at Putot and the capture of Brouay, which was undefended by the enemy, they had failed to reach their objectives.²¹

The 3rd Canadian Division was in Putot to stay. As with the 9th Brigade at Authie, the Canadians had learned hard lessons and taken costly losses, but the 12th SS had also been made to suffer reverses. While this drama was being played out, the Regina Rifles were fighting against Panther tanks at Bretteville.

Battle Honour

The following Canadian units were awarded the Battle Honour "Putot-en-Bessin" for participation in these actions:

2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade

• 6th Canadian Armoured Regiment (1st Hussars)

7th Canadian Infantry Brigade

• The Royal Winnipeg Rifles

• The Canadian Scottish Regiment

Notes

1. Stacey, C.P. Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War: Volume III: The Victory Campaign: The Operations in North-west Europe 1944-45 (Queen's Printer, Ottawa, ON, 1960) p.125

2. Ibid, p.126

3. Foster, Tony Meeting of Generals (Methuen Publications, Agincourt, ON, 1986) ISBN 0-458-80520-3 p.310

4. Stacey, Ibid, p.135

5. Margolian, Howard Conduct Unbecoming: The Story of the Murder of Canadian Prisoners of War in Normandy (University of Toronto Press, Toronto, ON, 1998) ISBN 0-8020-4213-9 p.79

6. Stacey, Ibid, p.135

7. Ibid, p.79

8. Luther, Craig W.H. Blood and Honor: The History of the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitler Youth", 1943-1945 (R. James Bender Publishing, San Jose, CA, 1987) ISBN 0-912138-38-6 pp.157

9. Margolian, Ibid, p.80

10. Ibid pp.80-96 Margolian concludes the officer in the staff car was Wilhelm Mohnke.

11. Ross, Richard M. The History of the 1st Battalion Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (MG) , p.44

12. Ibid, pp.82-89

13. Ibid, pp.100-101

14. Foster, Ibid, p.319

15. Ross, Ibid, p.44

16. Stacey, Ibid, pp.135-136

17. McKay, A. Donald Gaudeamus Igitur "Therefore Rejoice" (Bunker to Bunker Books, Calgary, AB, 2005) ISBN 1894255534 p.139

18. Stacey, Ibid, pp.136

19. Luther, Ibid, p.157

20. Haller, Oliver "The Defeat of the 12th SS 7-10 June 1944" Canadian Military History Quarterly, Volume 3, Issue 1

21. Luther, Ibid, p.160 - Luther further breaks down the German casualties as 1st Battalion: 5 dead, 20 wounded; 2nd Battalion: 19 dead, 58 wounded, 21 missing; 3rd Battalion: 6 dead and 8 wounded.