3rd Canadian Infantry Division Divisional Troops
Headquarters 3rd Canadian Division. General officer commanding: Major General Rod Keller3rd Infantry Division Signals Regiment, Royal Canadian Corps of SignalsNo. 3 Defence and Employment Platoon (Lorne Scots)No. 4 Canadian Provost Company, Canadian Provost Corps2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade. Commander: Brigadier R.A. Wyman6th Armoured Regiment (1st Hussars)10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort Garry Horse)27th Armoured Regiment (The Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment)Divisional reconnaissance and divisional machine gun / mortar7th Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars)The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (machine gun and mortar 4.2 in)Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery - divisional artillery (allocated for landings)Headquarters RCA 3rd Division - CRA: Brigadier P.A.S. Todd12th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA13th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA14th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA19th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA3rd Anti-tank Regiment, RCA4th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment, RCACorps of Royal Canadian Engineers - divisional engineersHeadquarters RCE 3rd Division - CRE: Lieutenant-Colonel R.J. Cassidy5th Canadian Field Company, RCE (attached from I Canadian Corps Army Troops Engineers)6th Canadian Field Company, RCE16th Canadian Field Company, RCE18th Canadian Field Company, RCE3rd Canadian Field Park Company, RCE3 Canadian Divisional Bridge Platoon, RCE7th Canadian Infantry (Assault) Brigade Group - Mike Green / Mike Red and Nan Green Beaches
Headquarters 7th Infantry Brigade. Commander: Brigadier H.W. FosterThe Royal Winnipeg RiflesThe Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's)The Regina Rifle Regiment6th Armoured Regiment (1st Hussars) (Sherman DD tanks)12th and 13th Field Regiments (SP), RCAA Company (MG) and D Company, The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Machine Gun)Platoon, 6th Canadian Field Company, RCENo. 248 M10 Battery (SP), 62 Anti-Tank Regiment RA (TA)7th Infantry Brigade Ground Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots)No. 3 Battery, 2nd Royal Marine Armoured Support Regiment (Centaur - Close Support Tank)8th Canadian Infantry (Assault) Brigade Group - Nan White and Nan Red Beaches
Headquarters 8th Infantry Brigade. Commander: Brigadier K.G. BlackaderThe Queen's Own Rifles of CanadaThe North Shore (New Brunswick) RegimentLe Régiment de la Chaudière10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort Garry Horse) (Sherman DD tanks)14th and 19th Field Regiments (SP), RCA Royal Regiment of Canadian ArtilleryB Company (MG), The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Machine Gun)Platoon, 16th Canadian Field Company, RCENo. 105 M10 Battery (SP), 62 Anti-Tank Regiment RA (TA)8th Infantry Brigade Ground Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots)No. 4 Battery, 2nd Royal Marine Armoured Support Regiment (Centaur close support tank)9th Canadian Infantry Brigade - Landing through 8th CIB on Nan Beaches
Headquarters 9th Infantry Brigade. Commander: Brigadier D.G. CunninghamThe Highland Light Infantry of CanadaThe Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry HighlandersThe North Nova Scotia Highlanders27th Armoured Regiment (The Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment)C Company (MG) and 1/2 D Company (4.2 in mortars), The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Machine Gun)9th Infantry Brigade Ground Defence Platoon (Lorne Scots)Supporting corps divisional units integrated in Mike Sector and Nan Sector
Royal Canadian Army Service CorpsRoyal Canadian Army Medical CorpsNo. 14, No. 22, No. 23 Field Ambulance and No. 17 Light Field Ambulance (2nd CAB)sRoyal Canadian Dental CorpRoyal Canadian Ordnance CorpsCorps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical EngineersRoyal Canadian Chaplain CorpsGround forces from Second Army and Combined Operations Headquarters
HQ, 4th Special Service BrigadeNo. 48 (Royal Marine) CommandoElements of 79th Armoured Division"B" Squadron, 22nd Dragoons (Royal Armoured Corps) (Sherman Crab Mine flail)HQ, 5 Assault Regiment, Royal Engineers (Detachment)26 Assault Squadron, RE (Churchill AVRE)80 Assault Squadron, RE (Churchill AVRE)71st Field Company, RE (Attached)3rd and 4th Batteries, 2nd Royal Marine Armoured Support Regiment (Centaur)Royal Armoured CorpsC Squadron, Inns of Court Regiment (armoured car unit tasked with rushing the bridges over the Orne river, South of Caen)HQ 7th GHQ Troops Engineers, Royal Engineers – Comd: Col F.C. Nottingham (Landed as sub-units distributed amongst assaulting formations and Beach Groups)65th Field Company, RE72nd Field Company, RE85th Field Company, RE184th Field Company, RE240th Field Company, RE262nd Field Company, RE (from XII Corps Troops RE)582nd Field Company, REPlatoon of 19th Field Company, RE (from I Corps Troops RE)297th Field Park Company, RE19th & 20th Stores Sections, RE59th & 61st Mechanical Equipment Sections, RE204th Works Section, RE670th & 710th Artisan Works Companies, RETwo Advanced Park Sections of 176th Workshop and Park Company, RE48th Bomb Disposal Section, RE1033rd & 1034th Port Operating Companies, RE966th Inland Water Transport Operating Company, RE1622nd Bailey Platoon of 106th Bridge Company, Royal Army Service Corps (RASC)102 Beach Sub-Area
No.7 Beach Group, Mike sector, including:8th (Irish) Battalion, King's Regiment'O' Anti-Aircraft Assault Group (from 80th Anti-Aircraft Brigade)Regimental HQ 114th Light AA Regiment – Comd: Lt-Col N.W. Hoare372nd Battery, 114th LAA Regiment, less C Troop321st Battery, 93rd LAA Regiment, less E Troop274th Battery, 86th HAA Regiment1 Troop 383rd Battery, 86th HAA Regiment474th (Independent) Searchlight Battery, less B and C Troops112nd Company, Pioneer Corps, less detachments114th LAA Regiment Workshop, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME)No. 8 Beach Group, Nan sector, including:5th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment'P' AA Assault Group (from 80th AA Brigade)Regimental HQ 86th (Honourable Artillery Company) Heavy AA Regiment – Comd: Lt-Col G.H. Champness273rd Battery, 86th HAA Regiment383rd Battery, 86th HAA Regiment less 1 Troop375th Battery, 114th LAA Regiment1 Troop 296th Battery, 73rd LAA Regiment1 Troop 321st Battery, 93rd LAA Regiment155th AA Operations RoomDetachment 112nd Pioneer Company86th HAA Regiment Workshop, REMEIn reserve No.4 Beach GroupForce J was commanded by the British, and the flagship vessel came from the Royal Navy. Among the chief vessels in this combined British and Canadian Force were
HMS HilaryThe force also included 109 Royal Canadian Navy vessels, among them:
Two of the 11 destroyers (7 Fleet Class and 4 Hunt Class) were Canadian RCN:HMCS AlgonquinHMCS SiouxTwo of the Landing Ships Infantry (Medium) were Canadian RCN:HMCS Prince HenryHMCS Prince DavidLanding craft from both the RN and RCN were employed in Force J, the total number were:
1 Landing Ship Headquarters2 Assault Group Headquarters Ship3 Landing Ships Infantry (Large)3 Landing Ships Infantry (Medium)12 Landing Ships Infantry (Hand Hoisting)20 Landing Craft Infantry (Large)8 Landing Craft Infantry (Small)142 Landing Craft Assault4 Landing Craft Assault (Obstacle Clearance)18 Landing Craft Assault (Hedgerow)8 Landing Craft Support (Medium)4 Landing Craft Headquarters22 Landing Ship Tank Mark II2 Landing Craft Tank Mark III (Flotilla of 10 craft each)7 Landing Craft Tank Mark IV (Flotilla of 10 craft each)2 Landing Craft Tank Mark V/VI (Flotilla of 10 craft each)7 Landing Craft Flak7 Landing Craft Gun (Large)7 Landing Craft Tank (Armoured)8 Landing Craft Tank (High Explosive)9 Landing Craft Tank (Rocket)36 Landing Craft Personnel (Large) Smoke Layer4 Landing Barge Flak4 Landing Craft Support (Large) Mark I3 Landing Craft Support (Large) Mark II1 Landing Ship Dock15 Rhino FerryStanding against the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, 716.Infanterie-Division (Static) - Wehrmacht Heer Coastal Defence (Bodenständigen), had little mobility and its personnel, in general, belonged to the lowest category of conscript, coming from older age groups or from the Landsturm. On 1 May 1944, it only had 7,771 personnel of all ranks. It was the division in Normandy with the fewest personnel; while on Juno Beach, its density of troops was a little stronger than elsewhere. Seeing a delay between preparatory bombardments and landings, on adjacent beaches (Sword/Gold) the JUNO defenders had time to recover.
The 716. Infanterie-Division consisted of:
716.Division - HQ Stab Gefechtsstand: Caen: La Folie-Couvrechef - GOC: Generalleutnant Wilhelm Richter 716.Division - Artillerie-Regiment 1716.Bataillon I. / 1716 AR: Batterie 1. (Merville WN01), 2. (Colleville-sur-Orne WN16), 3. (Brieville), 4. (Château d'Eau WN12)Bataillon II. / 1716 AR: Batterie 5. (WN36a), 6. (La Mare-Fontaine WN32), 7. (West Bény-sur-Mer WN28a)Bataillon III. / 1716 AR: Batterie 8 (Maisy La Martiniere WN84), 9. (Maisy Les Perruques WN83), 10. (N.E. Bayeux)GHQ Heeres-schwere-Artillerie-Abteilung 989. (Attached) Gefechtsstand: Northeast of Reviers.Batterie 1. Southwest of BaslyBatterie 2. At AmblieBatterie 3. East of Creully716.Division - Grenadier-Regiment 726. Stab: Bayeux - Chateau de Sully Bataillon I./726. Kompanie 1/2/3/4 - Attached to 352.Inf.-DivBataillon III./726. Kompanie 9/10/11/12 - Attached to 352.Inf.-DivBataillon IV./726. 439.Ost-Battalion: Kompanie 1/2/3/4 - Attached to 352.Inf.-DivBataillon II./726. Stab/ II. Gefechtsstand: At Ste-Croix-sur-Mer - KVUGr MeuvainesKompanie 5./II. East of Tierceville, North of Colombiers-sur-SeullesKompanie 6./II. Bazenville, Northwest of Villiers-le-SecKompanie 7./II. West of Banville, South of Ste-Croix-sur-Mer,Kompanie 8./II. South of Crepon, North of Creully14(PaK) Kompanie: Behind Vaux-Le Buisson716.Division - Grenadier-Regiment 736. Stab: Colleville-sur-Orne Bataillon I./736. Stab I. Gefechtsstand: Ouistreham - KVUGr Orne: Kompanie 1/2/3/4Bataillon IV./736. 642. Ost-Battalion: Stab: Amfreville - KVUGr Orne: Kompanie 1/2/3/4Bataillon II./736. Stab II. Gefechtsstand: Château de Tailleville - KVUGr SeullesKompanie 5./ II. Bernières-sur-Mer and Saint Aubin-sur-MerKompanie 6./ II. Courseulles-sur-MerKompanie 7./ II. La Rivière and Ver-sur-MerKompanie 8./ II. Bn Reserve: Field Position - Ruins St.Ursin (La Tombette)Bataillon III./736. Stab III. Gefechtsstand: Cresserons - KVUGr LucKompanie 9./ III. Langrunne-sur-Mer and Luc-sur-MerKompanie 10./ III. Lion-sur-Mer and Hermanville-sur-MerKompanie 11./ III. Bn Reserve: Northest of CresseronsKompanie 12./ III. Douvres and la-Délivrande14(PaK) Kompanie: Luc-sur-Mer and Lion-sur-Mer716.Division - Ost-Battalion 441. (Attached) Stab: de Mars-Fontaine, SW Ver-sur-Mer Kompanie 1. Vaux (Le Buisson), West of Graye-sur-MerKompanie 2. Bn Reserve: Southeast of Courseulles-sur-Mer, Northeast ReviersKompanie 3. Le Hable de Heurtot, West of Ver-sur-MerKompanie 4. East of Ver-sur-Mer716.Division - Panzerjäger-Abtielung 716. Gefechtsstand: Biéville Kompanie 1. Gefechtsstand - At Biéville-sur-OrneKompanie 2.(StuG) Gefechtsstand – At ReviersKompanie 3 (FlaK) Gefechtsstand – At Sallenelles716.Division - Pionier-Bataillon 716. Gefechtsstand: Herouvillette-HarasKompanie 1. Hérouvillette, Northeast of CaenKompanie 2. Detached to 352.Inf.-Div and Garrisoned: At Anisy / MathieuKompanie 3. Detached to 352.Inf.-Div716.Division - Divisional Troops.716.Division - Nachrichten-Abteilung 716. (Signals)716.Division - Versorgungs-truppen 716. (Supply)716.Division - Verwaltung-zug 716. (Administration)716.Division - Füsilier-Bataillon 716.716.Division - Schnelle-Brigade 30. Gefechtsstand: Coutances716.Division - Schnelle-Abteilung 513. Gefechtsstand: Coutances716.Division - Schnelle-Abteilung 517. Gefechtsstand: Bréhal716.Division - Schnelle-Abteilung 518. Gefechtsstand: CérencesAs seen in Normandy, Pz.Div.21 was reconstituted on 15 July 1943, in the reorganization of schnellen Brigade West (SB 931). Pz.Div.21 was absent from Normandy from March 1944, for Operation Maragretha, in Hungary, until May 1944, when it was reassigned to Brittany, and then moved up into Normandy. On 06.06.44, Panzer-Division 21., on its initiative, adopted a ‘new’ organization for battle, as two Regimental (Brigade) Groups were formed, PzKGr.Oppeln: Pz.Regt.22., and KGr.Luck: Pz.Gren-Regt 125., regrouping an infantry battalion for a tank battalion. KGr.Rauch: Pz.Gren-Regt192., was also formed, given Panzer-Artillerie-Regiment 155., assigned a battalion to each Kampfgruppe. The Canadians, coming South, from JUNO Beach, did not experience a direct impact from either PzKGr.Oppeln or KGr.Luck and only felt a slight impact, in their area of influence, from the counter-move undertaken by KGr.Rauch, on 06.06.44. Panzer-Division 21., belonging to XXXXVII Pz.Gr.West, was allocated to AOK.7 (Army Group B) as its (only) reserve.
Panzer-Division.21. Gefechtsstand: St. Pierre-sur-Dives (Begleitkompanie) GOC Kommandeur: Generalmajor Edgar FeuchtingerPanzer-Aufklärung-Abteilung. 21. Gefechtsstand: SE of Condé-sur-Noireau: x5 Kompanien (some Pz.)Pz.Div.21 - Panzer-Regiment. 22. (former Pz.Regt.100.) Gefechtsstand: Aubigny (with Pz.FlaK-Ko.) Kdr: Oberst Hermann von Oppeln-Bronikowski (PzKGr. Oppeln: West of Orne - From 06.06.44)I./Pz.Regt. 22. Stab: Jort (Saint Piere-sur-Dives) StabsKo & Pz.Kompanien 1. - 4.II./Pz.Regt. 22. Stab: Fresné-la-Mère (Falaise) StabsKo & Pz.Kompanien 5. - 8.Pz.Div.21 - Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment. 125(tgp) Gefechtsstand: Vimont (Stabs Ko.) Kdr: (Baron) Major Freiherr Hans von Luck (KGr. Luck: East of Orne - From 06.06.44)I. Btl. (Gepanzert) Stab: Fierville-la-Campagne : Kompanien (SPW) 1. - 3. & Kompanien 4.(sch)II. Btl. (Motorized) Stab: Colombelles: Kompanien (Mot.) 5. - 7. & Kompanien 8.(sch)9. Kompanie (s.IG) /125. Colombelles10. Kompanie (s-Werfer) /125. ColombellesPz.Div.21 - Panzer-Grenadier-Regiment. 192 (mot.) Gefechtsstand: Thury-Harcourt (Stabs Ko.) Kdr: Oberst Josef Rauch (KGr. Rauch: North of Caen - From 06.06.44)I. Btl. (Gepanzert) Stab: Verson: Kompanien (SPW) 1. - 4.II. Btl. (Motorized) Stab: Le Mesnil (13 May) StabsKo: Villons-les-Buissons Kompanien 5. (Mot.) Château de la Londe, Northeast of Epron (verst.)Kompanien 6. (Mot.) BuronKompanien 7. (Mot.) North of Périers sur le Dan - Hermanville (verst.)Kompanien 8. (sch.) Cairon (13 May) and KUGr Braatz - Benouville)9. Kompanie (s.IG)/192. Croisilles10. Kompanie (Werfer)/192. Thury-HarcourtPz.Div.21 - Panzer- Artillerie-Regiment. 155. Gefechtsstand: St. André-sur-Orne Kdr: Oberst HühneI. Btl./155. Gefechtsstand - Mathieu: 1.(sfl) Beuville 2. (Mot.)Périers-sur-le-Dan 3. (SPW) Colomby-sur-Thaon)II. Btl./155. Gefechtsstand - May-sur-Orne: 4. Bttn. / 5. Bttn. / 6. Bttn.III. Btl./155. Gefechtsstand - Thury-Harcourt: 7. Bttn. / 8. Bttn. / 9. Bttn.10. Batterien (gp). (s.Werfer)Heeres-Flakartillerie-Abteilung. 305. Gefechtsstand: Hérouville 1.Bttn. SE of Caen / 2.Bttn. West of Caen / 3.Bttn. St. Pierre sur Dives / 4. Bttn. / 5. Bttn.Heeresflakabt.200. x2 Bttn Flak, x1 Bttn gemischte FlakPz.Div.21 - Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 200. Gefechtsstand: QuettevilleBatterien. 1. - 4. and Batterien (Ko) 5. / Stug.-Abtl. 200. Epron (North of Caen)Pz.Div.21 - Panzerjäger-Abteilung 200. Stab: Saint-Pierre (Maison des Trois Chimnees) Tilly-sur-Seulles Kompanie 1.(sfl) /200. Stab: Châteux de Grand-Tonne, Sainte-Croix- Grand-Tonne (Martagny)Kompanie 2.(sfl) /200. Stab: Château du Mesnil-Patry, Le Mesnil-Patry (Putot)Kompanie 3.(sfl) /200. Stab: Camilly, South of Le Fresnet-CamillyPz.Div.21 – Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 220. Gefechtsstand: Clécy -Saint-Remy Pz.Kompanie 1.(SPW) /220. Quesnay, Northeast of FalaisePz.Kompanie 2.(SPW) /220. Gaillon and Vernon, Southeast of Rouen (Detached)Kompanie 3. (Mot.) /220. Creully, Northwest of CaenPi.-Zug: Brücken-(Brüko) KolonnePz.Div.21 - Divisions-Einheiten:Pz. Nachschubtruppen200.Pz.Nachrichtenabteilung 200.Pz.Feld-Ersatz.Bataillon 200. Gefechtsstand: Condé-sur-Noireau – Stab & Kompanien 1.- 4.
