by David Grebstad
Etobicoke, Ontario
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You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hopes and prayers of liberty loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers in arms on other fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.
General Dwight D. Eisenhower,
Address to Allied Troops, 6 June 1944
Seventy years ago this June, 156,000 American, British and Canadian soldiers, supported by thousands of sailors and airmen, fell upon a stretch of Normandy shoreline to begin what General Dwight D. Eisenhower called the “great crusade.” Unknown to their loved ones at home, amongst the ranks of those assaulting the beaches were a score of Manitobans.
Five divisions landed on D-day: two American, two British and one Canadian—the 3rd Canadian Division. Amongst the assaulting elements of the 3rd Canadian Division who stormed a beach code-named “Juno” were two storied Manitoba Militia regiments that represented the very fibre and history of the province of Manitoba—the Fort Garry Horse and the Royal Winnipeg Rifles.
The Fort Garry Horse traces its lineage to Boulton’s Mounted Corps, an ad hoc cavalry unit created to serve in the North-West Rebellion in 1885. Originally created as the 34th Regiment of Cavalry in April of 1912, after a number of name changes, the title Fort Garry Horse was eventually settled on in 1916. During the First World War the Fort Garry Horse fought in France and Flanders as part of the 1st Canadian Cavalry Brigade. At the outbreak of the Second World War, the regiment was mobilized, having turned in their horses for tanks, and arrived in England in November, 1941. The Fort Garry Horse formed part of the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade, and on 6 June 1944 it went ashore on Juno Beach supporting the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade.The Royal Winnipeg Rifles are almost as old as Manitoba itself. Originally created as the 90th “Winnipeg” Battalion of Rifles in November 1883, it too saw service during the North-West Rebellion. During the First World War this unit provided a large number of soldiers for a variety of overseas battalions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. By 1935 the name Royal Winnipeg Rifles had been settled on, although the unit nickname of The Little Black Devilshad existed for some time. In May of 1940 the regiment was mobilized for active service, arriving in the UK in the fall of 1941. The Royal Winnipeg Rifles joined the 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade and was one the brigade’s two assault battalions on 6 June.
Both the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and the Fort Garry Horse boarded ships in the Thames two days prior to the invasion, and then spent the intervening period being tossed and turned in swelling seas as a gale blew through the channel. The roiling surf and resulting seasickness made the commanders of the Fort Garry Horse nervous about the state their tank crews would be in once they landed ashore, a concern shared by the Royal Winnipeg Rifles commanders. At 4:00 AM the Winnipeg Rifles were issued a small breakfast of tea and a cold snack, and an hour later, clamoured aboard their landing craft to begin the run-in to shore. Likewise, the Fort Garry Horse tanks, loaded aboard tank-bearing landing craft, were lowered into the sea and both Manitoba units began their approach to the beach.
The Fort Garry Horse were divided into four squadrons, A through D, who went ashore in support of the 8th Canadian Brigade’s three infantry battalions: the Régiment de la Chaudière, the Queen’s Own Rifles, and the North Shore Regiment. The Fort Garry’s and their supported infantry landed between the towns of St. Aubin-sur-Mer and Bernières-sur-Mer while farther west, in the 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade’s sector, the Royal Winnipeg Rifles came ashore between the towns of Courseulles-sur-Mer and Graye-sur-Mer. Despite overwhelming fire support from aircraft, battleships and even artillery guns firing from the decks of landing craft, the assault was heavily contested by the German defenders. Both Manitoba regiments had a hard fight ahead of them, and it was only through courage and determination that they were able to win the day. In both units examples of this courage was readily available. Sgt. Martin of the Fort Garry Horse had his tank hit by a German shell and was forced to reverse his tank into the channel to extinguish the fire. This subsequently flooded the engine and he and his crew found themselves stuck in the surf, but continued to fire on enemy positions until the rising tide forced them to swim for shore. In the Royal Winnipeg Rifles’ War Diary, the unit diarist remarked that “not one man flinched from his task, no matter how tough it was—not one officer failed to display courage and energy and a degree of gallantry. It is thought that the Little Black Devils, by this day’s success, has managed to maintain the tradition set by former members.” By nightfall, the Fort Garry Horse and the Royal Winnipeg Rifles were secure in Normandy and preparing defensive positions for the inevitable German counterattack.
Canadian troops disembark from landing craft in an orderly manner onto the beachhead at Normandy, June 1944.
Source: Library and Archives Canada, E010750651, MIKAN 4233787
The members of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and the Fort Garry Horse were not the only Manitobans in Normandy. Manitoba boys were present in each of the three services that participated in the operation. They could be found working on the decks of the vessels of the Royal Canadian Navy that provided fire support, transport and mine-clearing to the invasion armada. Likewise, Manitobans in the Royal Canadian Air Force provided fighter cover to the Allied landing and interdicted German reinforcements that were rushing to the beaches. Manitobans could also be found amongst the Canadian Army combat support personnel who landed on the beach. Manitobans manned the guns in the Artillery, cleared mines as Engineers, cared for the wounded as Medics, and parachuted into enemy territory with the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. The roles of the Army, Navy and Air Force support elements were critical to ensuring the assaulting elements had the support they required to seize the beachhead.
When their fathers, sons and brothers were storming the beaches of Normandy, the majority of Manitobans were still asleep in their beds. They awoke to newspaper headlines proclaiming the invasion had begun, although strict censorship rules prevented them from knowing what units had gone in on the assault. The news was met with a mixture of hope and trepidation. The Winnipeg Tribunetold of Brownie Sabo who was pleased the invasion was on, but expressed worry for the fate of his brother who was overseas. The night manager of the Nanking restaurant was overjoyed at the news and passed out cigars to his clients. Crowds gathered around to discuss what the invasion portended, and church services were held to comfort the anxiety of those awaiting word from loved ones. The stark reality of war was reinforced by the daily casualty list released by the RCAF that informed the city that Flight Sergeant Arthur Barnes of Roseberry Street in St. James was missing in action.
The invasion of Normandy was a success, due in no small part to the role played by Manitobans—but that success came at a price. After the Winnipeg Rifles’ diarist had praised the gallantry of the Little Black Devils, his next line simply read “Casualties for the day exceeded 130.” In all, fifty-seven Manitobans, along with twenty-nine non-Manitobans serving in the Manitoba regiments, made the ultimate sacrifice. Eighty-six of Manitoba’s sons were lost—on a single day.
The fallen came from all elements and units. They included Lieutenant Lloyd Adams who parachuted into Normandy with the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion; Flying Officers Irvine Caskey and Melsolm Gee of the RCAF; and Private George Henderson of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps. The Fort Garry Horse and the Royal Winnipeg Rifles lost fourteen and fifty-six, respectively. The average age of Manitoba’s fallen was just twenty-five. One soldier, Selkirk’s Private Harry Franko, was only nineteen. They came from the length and breadth of the province; every corner of Manitoba felt the stinging pain of the loss of a loved one. Those who fell were interred in war graves in Normandy.
Seventy years have come and gone since those brave Manitobans gave their tomorrow, for our today. Many more were to perish in the war’s remaining eleven months, and those who did come home bore the scars—physical and emotional—that war had given them. On 6 June, take a moment to remember the sacrifice of Manitobans who risked it all at the beginning of the “great crusade.”
We thank S. Goldsborough for assistance in preparing the online version of this article.
Page revised: 27 March 2020
