Canadians

I'm curious to know what the Germans tought of the Canadians. I heard Hitler told his troops to fear only 1 nation on the battlefield, the Canadians. Anyone know if he ever actually said that, or if he's quoted as saying anything else about the Canadians. Also I'd like to hear quotes from any other German on the Canadians.

 

Well in world war one after the "Impossible" capture of Vimy Ridge some historians rated that Canadians were the best soldiers on the Western front. You can find some examples in World War 2 as well such as at Juno beach how Canada was the only nation to reach their objective that day aside from suffering fierce attacks from the 12th SS HitlerJugend

 

my aunty doris from hackney,married a canadian soldier.he was a nasty b#s#a#r#.i remember him vaguely.they came over twice a year normally,and even in his 60s,he used to join in the usual scrapping on a friday and saturday night up the railway inn,or the bear inn,and even the usual brawl up chippenham high street and the town bridge.i believe he got arrested with my dad for throwing a copper in the river.cheers.

 

Also, the Canadians had the first Raid on on Nazi Europe when they raided Dieppe August 19,1942. 1,000 British Commandos (I believe) landed and thousands of Canadians on the French coast. I Think it was the only landing combind forces assualt until D-day in June 1944. It turend out being a disaster though.....many killed and captured....the troops were mostly Canadian too. were Am I correct?

 

In WW1 the germans knew an attack was comming from the allies, when they hear/saw the Canadians at the front. They named the Canadians "storm Troopers". And that's where they got that name for WW2.

 

Not true, see here.

http://www.worldwar1.com/arm011.htm

German Sturmtruppen were used (and called that) in the later stages of The Great War.
It's nothing to do with the Canadians.

 

I stand corrected

 

Also in Vimy the Germans had a deep sense of fear in their hearts because they regarded Canadian troops as the elite of the of the Western Allied force.

 

Why would the Germans think that in April 1917, when the only operations the Canadian Corps had fought as a Corps was on the Somme.

I have no problem with National Pride, but get your facts right. The real Canadian contribution to WW1 was in the last one hundred days when the four Canadian Divisions fought continuously, with four divisions pitched against 50+ German ones during that period. They were the only formation to be there from the opening shots on the Somme on 8th August to the final engagement at Mons on 11th November.

It is bizarre to call Vimy a Canadian victory when the commander and architect of the attack was British (Byng), and more than 60% of the CEF at that time was born in Britain. By 1918 the CEF was largely a Canadian born conscript army, commanded by Canadians from the top down.

 

Are you saying that, Vimy wasn't a Canadian victory?

Are you saying that one can not call upon a victory if your army/corps wasn't the only country in the battle?

 

I'm saying that Vimy was a victory for Julian Byng's Canadian Corps. In that Corps were large numbers of British units (including elemtns of two attached British divisions plus large numbers of British artillery assests). In two months on the Somme the CEF suffered 24,000 casualties. In 5 days at Vimy, they lost over 10,000... if it was a victory, it was a costly one.

Currie, when asked, wanted the memorial that was eventually built on Vimy Ridge to be placed at Bourlon Wood; a place that I suspect few modern Canadians have ever heard of. To him Vimy was a 'local' operation; and that the fighting in the hundred days, as I have mentioned above, was far more important to the outcome of the war, and Canada's part in it.

So if you are going to claim elite status for the CEF in the Great War, at least attribute that status to the correct period of the war.

 

Not trying to argue, as I see what your trying to say, but as far as I know, there were 4 Canadian divisions and only one British. Mind you they were supported by many artillery, engineer and labour units that were British.

And if you think that Byng was the only architect of the battle, I think your mistaken. He was amoung many who develeped the tactical plan of the main thrust.

Not trying to beat a dead horse or anything

 

Not national pride at all not myself trying to make them seem elite. I simply quoted what I remember reading in one of my books. The British contributed 1 million artillery shells and had manned some of the pieces doing the "creeping" artillery but but it was known as a Canadian victory although other nations were a part.

Believe me I hate Nationalist posts especially this one who was made by a person who will remain unnamed said "Yeah Patton was the greatest general because he was American!"

 

No sense in going off topic and dredging up dirt now. The Canadians contributed to war just like all of the other Allied countries. In WWII, I only recall the Canadian participation in the fighting for Caen alongside the British. It was a nasty affair. I just don't recall reading anything that reflects the Germans viewing the Canadians or any one country that they "feared". The Poles had their fight at Monte Cassino, The Canadians at Caen and the Paras during Market Garden. I have read where the German units that fought in those battles respected their foes afterwards due to the bravery shown. I just see it as a truly allied effort. Even though y'all say this is not geared as a 'national pride' thread, it may be heading that way.

Back on topic, what sources are available that show the Germans being fearful of any one nation?

 

Dont forget who eventually conquered Passchendaele in ww1 after months of fighting?

Talking further about Caen. Wasn't it so that German commanders wher so afraid of the canadians that they killed them instead of capture them? I remember a story about some canadians being found in the garden of a monastery in Caen. Killed and buried by ss-troops.

I could be mistaken off course.

 

No, that was simply an horrid atrocity commited by the 12th SS division. Bloody awful mess.

 

I just read my other posts, yeah they do seem a bit "puffy" that wasnt my intention. I just got the impression that the topic poster wanted some info on Canadian contributions.

 

It would news to be that the Germans feared the Canadians. Or that they even viewed them as an 'Elite Force' amongst the Allies?

 

So it seems i've misheard it. Still is a awfull thing that happened. thanks for correcting me in that one.

 

The 12 SS did not kill Canadians just because they were afraid. There was a tit for tat on the killing of POWs. Both sides did it, not just the 12SS. Who started it? God only knows. There was severe fighting around the Caen area. Fatigue and frustration had set in both sides. Very nasty business.