Operation Overlord: Invasion of Normandy, “D-Day”

On June 6^th 1945, the Allied forces invaded north France, Normandy. We have heard a lot about the Americans and British part, and leave out Canada’s part. Other nations that took part in the invasion are: Free France, Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, Australia and New Zealand.

In the early morning of June 6^th, the 1^st Canadian Parachute Battalion landed in Normandy (1:00 and 1:30am). They where part of the British 6^th Air Borne Division’s 3^rd Brigade.

The Canadians were to seize and hold the cross roads of Le Mesnil. This was vital strategic position overlooking the Orne River. This help to protect the Beaches of Juno and Sword and Varaville. However just like the Americans and British paratroopers, the Canadian paratroopers where spread all over and had to get to there objectives.

On June 7^th the German 857 and 858 Grenadier regiment supported by Panzer Mark IV tank and self-propelled guns counter attacked the Canadians. The Germans counter attack the Canadians, they tried to retake the bridges over the Orne River and the Le Mesnil cross road. The Canadians bug in and held there ground. In the end they held the bridges and the cross road.

"C" Company was dropped west of the Dives River and only 33 of the 110 men made their way to the village of Varaville. They came to a chateau where the Germans had a pillbox and 75mm anti-tank gun. They dug in, and more Canadians join in and throughout the day they fought and took the bunker, and taking 43 prisoners.

In the end the Canadians held in and took their objectives.

The red doted line is the objective for the first day of D-Day

Operation Neptune

The worlds largest armada was gather off the shores of Normandy on June 6. There were 5300 Allied vessels for the operation Neptune, part of Overlord. Canada had 109 ships in this operation, other nations that took part in Neptune are: Free France, Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, Norway, Australia and New Zealand.

RCN (Royal Canadian Navy) had verity of task with in Neptune, checking the water for mines, torpedo boats, frigates and corvettes for protecting the fleet. The destroyers was used for protecting the landing beaches and destroying pillboxes and fixed guns at the beaches and inland.

HMCS (His/Hers Majesty Canadian Ships)

Destroyers (V Class)
More Information on this ship:
Destroyers (V Class)






HMCS Algonquin
HMCS Sioux

Tribal Class Destroyers
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Destroyers Tribal Class




HMCS Haida
HMCS Huron
HMCS Iroquois
HMCS Athabaskan

Destroyers
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Destroyers Tribal Class







HMCS Assiniboine
HMCS Chaudiere
HMCS Gatineau
HMCS Kootenay
HMCS Ottawa
HMCS Qu’Appelle
HMCS Saskatchewan
HMCS Skeena
HMCS St Laurent
HMCS Restigouche

Minesweepers







HMCS Caraquet
HMCS Canso
HMCS Bayfield
HMCS Blairmore
HMCS Cowichan
HMCS Fort William
HMCS Georgian
HMCS Guysborough
HMCS Kenora
HMCS Malpeque
HMCS Milltown
HMCS Minas
HMCS Mulgrave
HMCS Thunder
HMCS Vegreville
HMCS Wasaga

Frigates







HMCS Cape Breton
HMCS Grou
HMCS Matane
HMCS New Waterford
HMCS Outremont
HMCS Meon
HMCS Port Colborne
HMCS Stormont
HMCS St. John
HMCS Swamsea
HMCS Teme
HMCS Waskesiu

Corvettes









HMCS Alberni
HMCS Baddeck
HMCS Calgary
HMCS Camrose
HMCS Drumheller
HMCS Kitchener
HMCS Lindsay
HMCS Lunenburg
HMCS Mayflower
HMCS Mimico
HMCS Moosejaw
HMCS Rimouski
HMCS Port Arthur
HMCS Prescott
HMCS Regina
HMCS Summerside
HMCS Rimouski
HMCS Trentonian
HMCS Woodstock

Motor Torpedo Boats








29th MTB Flotilla
MTB459, MTB460, MTB461, MTB462, MTB463, MTB464, MTB465, MTB466,
65th MTB Flotilla
MTB726, MTB727, MTB735, MTB743, MTB746, MTB745, MTB748

Assault Forces Landing Ships, Infantry










HMCS Prince Henry
528th LCA Flotilla
LCA856, LCA1372, LCA736, LCA1033, LCA850, LCA1021, LCA925, LCA1371
HMCS Prince David
529th LCA Flotilla
LCA1150, LCA1375, LCA1059, LCA1151, LCA1138, LCA1137

Landing Craft Infantry, Large
260th LCI Flotilla
LCI117, LCI121, LCI166, LCI177, LCI249, LCI266, LCI271, LCI277, LCI285, LCI298, LCI301,
262nd LCI Flotilla
LCI115, LCI118, LCI125, LCI135, LCI250, LCI252, LCI262, LCI263, LCI270, LCI276, LCI299,
LCI306
264th LCI Flotilla
LCI255, LCI288, LCI295, LCI302, LCI305, LCI310, LCI311

----- More to Come ---