The Falaise Gap

Sheldrake · Aug 30, 2014

The Canadians also contributed a lot of infantry officers loaned to the British Army - "Canloan."

albowie · Jun 9, 2015

canadiancitizen said:

A few points about the Canadian innovations that were first used during " Operation Totalise" the break thru that resulted in the Gap.

By firing tracer anti aircraft rounds over head , at night, the armoured columns were able to keep on their proper compass headings. The fire was not constant, but it was great for maintaining a proper direction . The other innovation was " Artificial Moonlight " which was actually searchlight beams being reflected off the over head clouds to illuminate the ground ahead.

Both were the result of ideas brought forward by officers or NCO's in the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. That divison suffered appaling casualties in the 60 days after June 6 th, and in one case, a battalion reported that it had 176 percent casualties in 23 days.

Think about that for a munute, the entire 850 man unit has been either killed or wounded, and the replacements are also now reduced by 76 percent dead or wounded. This was the start of the crisis of manpower shortages for the Canadians , that would only get worse by the winter of 44/45 in Holland. An entire Army ( of about 65,00 men ) stood at home in Canada, fully trained and equipped, BUT due to political dithering, it would never see any action in Europe. They had signed for " home defense only " and the gutless Prime Minister, Mckenzie King would not order the Zombies to fight , fearing the reaction in Quebec to enforced conscription.

Jim Bunting. Toronto.
Click to expand...

The Canadians innovated a lot for that campaign including the conversion of SP guns to APC and a night attack on a 3 Regiment front but the innovations you mention (Artificial Moonlight and the tracer lines were both well established by the 8th Army in NA long before Normandy.
Cheers
Al

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The Falaise Gap

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