3rd Canadian Infantry Division Divisional Troops
Headquarters 3rd Canadian Division. General officer commanding: Major General Rod Keller
3rd Infantry Division Signals Regiment, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals
No. 3 Defence and Employment Platoon (Lorne Scots)
No. 4 Canadian Provost Company, Canadian Provost Corps
2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade. Commander: Brigadier R.A. Wyman
6th Armoured Regiment (1st Hussars)
10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort Garry Horse)
27th Armoured Regiment (The Sherbrooke Fusilier Regiment)
Divisional reconnaissance and divisional machine gun / mortar
7th 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. Todd
12th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
13th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
14th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
19th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA
3rd Anti-tank Regiment, RCA
4th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment, RCA
Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers - divisional engineersHeadquarters RCE 3rd Division - CRE: Lieutenant-Colonel R.J. Cassidy
5th Canadian Field Company, RCE (attached from I Canadian Corps Army Troops Engineers)
6th Canadian Field Company, RCE
16th Canadian Field Company, RCE
18th Canadian Field Company, RCE
3rd Canadian Field Park Company, RCE
3 Canadian Divisional Bridge Platoon, RCE
7th Canadian Infantry (Assault) Brigade Group - Mike Green / Mike Red and Nan Green Beaches
Headquarters 7th Infantry Brigade. Commander: Brigadier H.W. Foster
The Royal Winnipeg Rifles
The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's)
The Regina Rifle Regiment
6th Armoured Regiment (1st Hussars) (Sherman DD tanks)
12th and 13th Field Regiments (SP), RCA
A Company (MG) and D Company, The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Machine Gun)
Platoon, 6th Canadian Field Company, RCE
No. 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. Blackader
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada
The North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment
Le Régiment de la Chaudière
10th Armoured Regiment (The Fort Garry Horse) (Sherman DD tanks)
14th and 19th Field Regiments (SP), RCA Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery
B Company (MG), The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Machine Gun)
Platoon, 16th Canadian Field Company, RCE
No. 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. Cunningham
The Highland Light Infantry of Canada
The Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders
The North Nova Scotia Highlanders
27th 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 Corps
Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps
No. 14, No. 22, No. 23 Field Ambulance and No. 17 Light Field Ambulance (2nd CAB)s
Royal Canadian Dental Corp
Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps
Corps of Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Royal Canadian Chaplain Corps
Ground forces from Second Army and Combined Operations Headquarters
HQ, 4th Special Service Brigade
No. 48 (Royal Marine) Commando
Elements 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 Corps
C 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, RE
72nd Field Company, RE
85th Field Company, RE
184th Field Company, RE
240th Field Company, RE
262nd Field Company, RE (from XII Corps Troops RE)
582nd Field Company, RE
Platoon of 19th Field Company, RE (from I Corps Troops RE)
297th Field Park Company, RE
19th & 20th Stores Sections, RE
59th & 61st Mechanical Equipment Sections, RE
204th Works Section, RE
670th & 710th Artisan Works Companies, RE
Two Advanced Park Sections of 176th Workshop and Park Company, RE
48th Bomb Disposal Section, RE
1033rd & 1034th Port Operating Companies, RE
966th Inland Water Transport Operating Company, RE
1622nd 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. Hoare
372nd Battery, 114th LAA Regiment, less C Troop
321st Battery, 93rd LAA Regiment, less E Troop
274th Battery, 86th HAA Regiment
1 Troop 383rd Battery, 86th HAA Regiment
474th (Independent) Searchlight Battery, less B and C Troops
112nd Company, Pioneer Corps, less detachments
114th 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. Champness
273rd Battery, 86th HAA Regiment
383rd Battery, 86th HAA Regiment less 1 Troop
375th Battery, 114th LAA Regiment
1 Troop 296th Battery, 73rd LAA Regiment
1 Troop 321st Battery, 93rd LAA Regiment
155th AA Operations Room
Detachment 112nd Pioneer Company
86th HAA Regiment Workshop, REME
In reserve No.4 Beach Group
Force 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 Hilary
The 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 Algonquin
HMCS Sioux
Two of the Landing Ships Infantry (Medium) were Canadian RCN:
HMCS Prince Henry
HMCS Prince David
Landing craft from both the RN and RCN were employed in Force J, the total number were:
1 Landing Ship Headquarters
2 Assault Group Headquarters Ship
3 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 Assault
4 Landing Craft Assault (Obstacle Clearance)
18 Landing Craft Assault (Hedgerow)
8 Landing Craft Support (Medium)
4 Landing Craft Headquarters
22 Landing Ship Tank Mark II
2 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 Flak
7 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 Layer
4 Landing Barge Flak
4 Landing Craft Support (Large) Mark I
3 Landing Craft Support (Large) Mark II
1 Landing Ship Dock
15 Rhino Ferry
Standing 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 Basly
Batterie 2. At Amblie
Batterie 3. East of Creully
716.Division - Grenadier-Regiment 726. Stab: Bayeux - Chateau de Sully Bataillon I./726. Kompanie 1/2/3/4 - Attached to 352.Inf.-Div
Bataillon III./726. Kompanie 9/10/11/12 - Attached to 352.Inf.-Div
Bataillon IV./726. 439.Ost-Battalion: Kompanie 1/2/3/4 - Attached to 352.Inf.-Div
Bataillon II./726. Stab/ II. Gefechtsstand: At Ste-Croix-sur-Mer - KVUGr Meuvaines
Kompanie 5./II. East of Tierceville, North of Colombiers-sur-Seulles
Kompanie 6./II. Bazenville, Northwest of Villiers-le-Sec
Kompanie 7./II. West of Banville, South of Ste-Croix-sur-Mer,
Kompanie 8./II. South of Crepon, North of Creully
14(PaK) Kompanie: Behind Vaux-Le Buisson
716.Division - Grenadier-Regiment 736. Stab: Colleville-sur-Orne Bataillon I./736. Stab I. Gefechtsstand: Ouistreham - KVUGr Orne: Kompanie 1/2/3/4
Bataillon IV./736. 642. Ost-Battalion: Stab: Amfreville - KVUGr Orne: Kompanie 1/2/3/4
Bataillon II./736. Stab II. Gefechtsstand: Château de Tailleville - KVUGr Seulles
Kompanie 5./ II. Bernières-sur-Mer and Saint Aubin-sur-Mer
Kompanie 6./ II. Courseulles-sur-Mer
Kompanie 7./ II. La Rivière and Ver-sur-Mer
Kompanie 8./ II. Bn Reserve: Field Position - Ruins St.Ursin (La Tombette)
Bataillon III./736. Stab III. Gefechtsstand: Cresserons - KVUGr Luc
Kompanie 9./ III. Langrunne-sur-Mer and Luc-sur-Mer
Kompanie 10./ III. Lion-sur-Mer and Hermanville-sur-Mer
Kompanie 11./ III. Bn Reserve: Northest of Cresserons
Kompanie 12./ III. Douvres and la-Délivrande
14(PaK) Kompanie: Luc-sur-Mer and Lion-sur-Mer
716.Division - Ost-Battalion 441. (Attached) Stab: de Mars-Fontaine, SW Ver-sur-Mer
Kompanie 1. Vaux (Le Buisson), West of Graye-sur-Mer
Kompanie 2. Bn Reserve: Southeast of Courseulles-sur-Mer, Northeast Reviers
Kompanie 3. Le Hable de Heurtot, West of Ver-sur-Mer
Kompanie 4. East of Ver-sur-Mer
716.Division - Panzerjäger-Abtielung 716. Gefechtsstand: Biéville Kompanie 1. Gefechtsstand - At Biéville-sur-Orne
Kompanie 2.(StuG) Gefechtsstand – At Reviers
Kompanie 3 (FlaK) Gefechtsstand – At Sallenelles
716.Division - Pionier-Bataillon 716. Gefechtsstand: Herouvillette-Haras
Kompanie 1. Hérouvillette, Northeast of Caen
Kompanie 2. Detached to 352.Inf.-Div and Garrisoned: At Anisy / Mathieu
Kompanie 3. Detached to 352.Inf.-Div
716.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: Coutances
716.Division - Schnelle-Abteilung 513. Gefechtsstand: Coutances
716.Division - Schnelle-Abteilung 517. Gefechtsstand: Bréhal
716.Division - Schnelle-Abteilung 518. Gefechtsstand: Cérences
As 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 Feuchtinger
Panzer-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. Colombelles
10. Kompanie (s-Werfer) /125. Colombelles
Pz.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.) Buron
Kompanien 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. Croisilles
10. Kompanie (Werfer)/192. Thury-Harcourt
Pz.Div.21 - Panzer- Artillerie-Regiment. 155. Gefechtsstand: St. André-sur-Orne Kdr: Oberst Hühne
I. 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 Flak
Pz.Div.21 - Sturmgeschütz-Abteilung 200. Gefechtsstand: Quetteville
Batterien. 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-Camilly
Pz.Div.21 – Panzer-Pionier-Bataillon 220. Gefechtsstand: Clécy -Saint-Remy Pz.Kompanie 1.(SPW) /220. Quesnay, Northeast of Falaise
Pz.Kompanie 2.(SPW) /220. Gaillon and Vernon, Southeast of Rouen (Detached)
Kompanie 3. (Mot.) /220. Creully, Northwest of Caen
Pi.-Zug: Brücken-(Brüko) Kolonne
Pz.Div.21 - Divisions-Einheiten:
Pz. Nachschubtruppen200.
Pz.Nachrichtenabteilung 200.
Pz.Feld-Ersatz.Bataillon 200. Gefechtsstand: Condé-sur-Noireau – Stab & Kompanien 1.- 4.
