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Raise a glass before midnight tonight. The Airborne crossed the Start Line before anyone else...
OPERATION OVERLORD....THE D-DAY INVASION
http://www.1stcanpara.org/UNIT_HISTORY/unit_history.html
The Battalion's first taste of combat was the Normandy invasion. Late on June 5th, 1944, they took off with fifty aircraft carrying the troops and equipment heading for France. In addition to the troops' fighting equipment, each man carried a knife, toggle rope, escape kit with French currency, and two 24 ration packs totalling 70 pounds. It should be noted that each paratrooper carried almost 50% more than the acceptable load tables for the invasion aircraft. Most of this additional load was extra ammunition. Battalion orders for the D-Day invasion were:
"The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was to land one hour in advance of the rest of the brigade in order to secure the dropping zone (DZ). Thereafter they are to destroy road bridges over the river Dives and its tributaries at Varaville, then to neutralize the strong points on the cross roads."
"In addition, the Canadians were to protect the left (southern) flank of the 9th Battalion during that battalion's attack on the Meriville Battery and then seize and hold a position astride the Le Mesnil cross roads, a vital strategic position at the centre of the ridge."
The commanding officer of 1 Can Para, Lt.Col. G.F.P. Bradbrook, issued the following orders to his company commanders:
"C Company (Major H.M. MacLeod) was to secure the DZ, destroy the enemy headquarters (HQ), secure the SE corner of the DZ, destroy the radio station at Varaville, and blow the bridge over the Divette stream in Varaville. C Coy would then join the battalion at Le Mesnil cross roads. A Company (Major D. Wilkins) would protect the left flank of 9th Battalion during their attack on the Merville Battery and then cover 9th Battalion's advance to the Leplein feature. They would seize and hold the Le Mesnil cross roads. B Company (Major C. Fuller) was to destroy the bridge over the river Dives within two hours of landing and deny the area to the enemy until ordered to withdraw to Le Mesnil cross roads."
The paratroopers landed between 0100 and 0130 hours on June 6th. Due to primitive navigation aids, dead reckoning, and anti-aircraft fire, the groups were dispersed over a somewhat wider area than had been anticipated. The dispersal on the drop resulted in the loss of most of the Battalion's heavy equipment along with 80 men who were taken prisoner. The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was the first Canadian unit on the ground in France. In spite of sustaining 117 casualties on the first day of battle, all objectives were rapidly attained, a tribute to the hardiness of the men, the excellence of their training, and the thoroughness of the briefing they had received. All objectives were met by mid-day, June 6, 1944. The Battalion continued to fight with great success in France seeing action in the following places: La Vallee Tantot (August 21), La Haie Tondue, Bonneville sur Tonques, Vauville and Beuzeville, where the enemy had again withdrawn leaving the town to the Allies. The Battalion rested there for the next few days until the rest of the Brigade moved into the area. They returned to England on September 7, 1944.
OPERATION OVERLORD....THE D-DAY INVASION
http://www.1stcanpara.org/UNIT_HISTORY/unit_history.html
The Battalion's first taste of combat was the Normandy invasion. Late on June 5th, 1944, they took off with fifty aircraft carrying the troops and equipment heading for France. In addition to the troops' fighting equipment, each man carried a knife, toggle rope, escape kit with French currency, and two 24 ration packs totalling 70 pounds. It should be noted that each paratrooper carried almost 50% more than the acceptable load tables for the invasion aircraft. Most of this additional load was extra ammunition. Battalion orders for the D-Day invasion were:
"The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was to land one hour in advance of the rest of the brigade in order to secure the dropping zone (DZ). Thereafter they are to destroy road bridges over the river Dives and its tributaries at Varaville, then to neutralize the strong points on the cross roads."
"In addition, the Canadians were to protect the left (southern) flank of the 9th Battalion during that battalion's attack on the Meriville Battery and then seize and hold a position astride the Le Mesnil cross roads, a vital strategic position at the centre of the ridge."
The commanding officer of 1 Can Para, Lt.Col. G.F.P. Bradbrook, issued the following orders to his company commanders:
"C Company (Major H.M. MacLeod) was to secure the DZ, destroy the enemy headquarters (HQ), secure the SE corner of the DZ, destroy the radio station at Varaville, and blow the bridge over the Divette stream in Varaville. C Coy would then join the battalion at Le Mesnil cross roads. A Company (Major D. Wilkins) would protect the left flank of 9th Battalion during their attack on the Merville Battery and then cover 9th Battalion's advance to the Leplein feature. They would seize and hold the Le Mesnil cross roads. B Company (Major C. Fuller) was to destroy the bridge over the river Dives within two hours of landing and deny the area to the enemy until ordered to withdraw to Le Mesnil cross roads."
The paratroopers landed between 0100 and 0130 hours on June 6th. Due to primitive navigation aids, dead reckoning, and anti-aircraft fire, the groups were dispersed over a somewhat wider area than had been anticipated. The dispersal on the drop resulted in the loss of most of the Battalion's heavy equipment along with 80 men who were taken prisoner. The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was the first Canadian unit on the ground in France. In spite of sustaining 117 casualties on the first day of battle, all objectives were rapidly attained, a tribute to the hardiness of the men, the excellence of their training, and the thoroughness of the briefing they had received. All objectives were met by mid-day, June 6, 1944. The Battalion continued to fight with great success in France seeing action in the following places: La Vallee Tantot (August 21), La Haie Tondue, Bonneville sur Tonques, Vauville and Beuzeville, where the enemy had again withdrawn leaving the town to the Allies. The Battalion rested there for the next few days until the rest of the Brigade moved into the area. They returned to England on September 7, 1944.
