Part III-B

THE BATTLE

"C" Squadron's Attack

The first sign of trouble that 'C' Squadron encountered, was a commanderless 'B' Squadron tank being driven back to Norrey, as they arrived at the village. On the far side of Norrey, 'C' deployed with 4th troop left, 2nd Troop centre and 1st Troop right. Then they stopped. Looking forward, the 'C' Squadron crew commanders were staring at a field of burning Shermans. But, there were no enemy forces visible, nothing to shoot at. Over the radio the squadron commander, Major D'Arcy Marks, ordered the advance to continue, but 'C' Squadron remained put, frozen at the ugly sight in front of them. The commander again ordered an advance but nothing happened. Marks then changed his tone and asked for volunteers to advance. That broke the spell and the three leading troops deployed in a rough line and moved forward. As the advance continued, 'C' Squadron opened fire.

The 'C' Squadron battle was progressing satisfactorily, the squadron chewing its way through Panzergrenadier Companies 5 and 6 of the 2nd Battalion 26th SS, when it started to take fire from the right flank. All stations had recently been warned about a British operation taking place to the west, and the assumption was made that the fire was from the British 50th Division. Messages flashed back to 2 CAB, then to 3 CID, then to Corps asking the British to stop firing on the Canadians. Major D'Arcy Marks, ordered the Allied recognition signals to be displayed and then dismounted to personally brief all of his crew commanders. The fire did not stop and Marks was given permission to fire back. Even so he was unable to stop Prinz's advance, Sherman after Sherman was being hit.

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SS-Sturmbannführer Karl-Heinz Prinz (centre) commanded
II. Abteilung, SS-Panzerregiment 12,
12. SS Panzer-Division "Hitlerjugend" at Le Mesnil-Patry.
He was later killed in action on 14 August 1944.

Awards

Meanwhile 'C' Squadron had lost communications with RHQ and the squadron 2i/c, Captain Gerry Stoner, was sent back into Norrey-en-Bessin to re-establish contact. Picking his way through Norrey on foot, Stoner passed the tank of the very frustrated Forward Observation Officer (FOO), Captain Charles Rivaz of the 12th Field Regiment RCA. Rivaz was trying, without success, to get on the artillery radio net. When Stoner and Colwell met, Stoner was given an RHQ scout car and dispatched back to Brigade headquarters. He was instructed to brief Brigade on the situation to date, both to obtain artillery support and to have the FGH squadrons hurried forward to support the Hussars.

Lieutenant Ben Dunkelman, the QOR mortar platoon commander, had started the campaign with three sections (two mortars to a section). Number 1 had been knocked out on D-Day. Number 3 was located in Bretteville-l'Orgueilleuse and Number 2 had taken up a position in a Norrey farmyard, protected by an eight foot high fieldstone wall. The crews of 2 Section could hear the sounds of battle, but could not see much for themselves.

Lieutenant 'Rip' Gordon of 1st Troop 'C' Squadron turned back toward the village carrying wounded. Gordon had the well earned reputation of being someone who would attempt almost any stunt with a Sherman. In turning about again he managed to rollover his Sherman at the end of the narrow laneway leading out of Norrey. (The marks of a Sherman's tracks are still visible on the wall of the building on the north-eastern end of this lane called the Rue de la Vergée, site of Gordon's mishap.) Back in the wheat field, Lieutenant McCormick's tank took a round through the right rear, that killed two of the crew and severely wounded the young officer in the legs. He somehow managed to dismount and was lying dazed in the field when two of his men appeared and helped to drag him back toward Norrey while mortar rounds burst around them. McCormick would be hit again, by a rifle round, before eventually reaching the shelter of a Regina Rifles slit trench.

In the midst of 'C' Squadron's fight Captain Tweedale saw one Sherman, from his FGH detachment, whose turret was swinging around in 360 degree circles. Its commander, Sergeant Hussen, had been knocked unconscious.

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"A" Sqn Sherman III at Bray, Normandy, after the engagement.
The triangle tac sign is just visible on the side of the turret bustle
on the Sherman nearest the camera. Some knocked out tanks were
returned to Bray with dead crewman still on board. Note the
grave marker in the foreground of the photo.

Le Mesnil-Patry:

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© Chris Johnson, 1997