Robin Brass does it again, May 27, 2005
Reviewer: Michael A Dorosh (Calgary, AB, CANADA)
Robin Brass, and LCol Reid, have once again raised the bar. While the history of the South Alberta Regiment (and the newest title about the South Alberta Light Horse, both by Donald Graves) had raised the standard for Regimental histories, this book does the same for Operational studies.
This book is an in-depth examination of OPERATION TOTALIZE, one of many operations launched by the Canadian Army in Normandy, this one in the second week of August 1944. TOTALIZE, like many other operations (Spring, Atlantic, et al) has been much written about, and subject to much controversy. Reid takes a very fresh approach to the subject and dissects the planning and execution of this action very skillfully.
Reid is nothing like Zuehlke - while the latter simply poured out a trilogy of recycled secondary sources, Reid has dug deep to seriously question our current understanding of why this operation took place, and why it evolved as it did.
Reid starts at the beginning - with an impressive look at the training and employment of staff officers in the Canadian Army (following on in Granatstein's footsteps, who first broached the subject for public consumption with THE GENERALS), a look at how the Canadian Army developed in peace, and in war. It may seem to be an apologist approach, but I think it is necessary to fully understand the capabilities of the Canadian Army in Normandy, and adds to fuller understanding.
Every chapter is full of rich detail - from identifying who drove the first Kangaroo APCs to a detailed analysis of Simond's written appreciation and outline plan, as submitted to General Crerar.
TOTALIZE was unique in that it was a large armoured attack launched at night (not common in doctrine at that time, though not untried, either), with the first use of a fully tracked and armoured APC to move the troops forward, as well as heavy bombing used tactically. Reid looks at all this in detail.
The maps in this volume are among the best ever published in support of an operational history. Chris Johnson has once again also worked his magic with many line drawings of the armour and vehicles used in the campaign, both Canadian and German. Many good photos also complement the text.
There is even a well developed chapter about "who got Wittman" - with not just a map, but a topographical map showing elevations. Great fodder for tactical game scenario designers.
Overall one of the best operational studies yet written about the Canadian Army in Normandy. May have benefitted from aerial photography, but hard to fault the book in any other way. Can't recommend this highly enough not just for an understanding of TOTALIZE, but for anyone interested in the debate about just how good the Canadian Army was in the Second World War.
