Canadian soldiers praised

Good for M. Vico - he is such a sweet man. He tells his story in a way that you can't help but become very emotional...

That was the day the Germans learnt why their fathers called us Stormtroopers.

A friend of mine who passed away last year planned and led the attack to capture the Abbaye d'Ardenne. It was such an awful battle that his CO didn't believe that they'd taken the Abbaye.........until a stream of profanity convinced him otherwise.

Let me guess, the Sgt. Major was encouraging them.

He landed on D-Day as a Captain till his engagement with the 12th SS on June 7-10 which he was then promoted to Major.

"D" Company, Regina Rifles at Cardonville, 8 June 1944

On June 7th, "D" Company of the Reginas was at Vuieneuve just south of the railway line with "B" Company to the north near Rots. After the Kurt Meyer group drove the 9th Brigade out of Authie, Buron and Gruchy... Colonel Matheson recalled the two companies to Bretteville early on June 8th and placed "B" Company on the Caen -Bayeux road facing south-east. He put Major Eric Syme in command of "Baker." He asked me to command "Dog" Company and to occupy Cardonville south-west of Bretteville astride the railway line ... My company was facing a farm just south of the railway line then occupied by 12th SS Panzer Grenadiers from Mohnke's 26th Regiment.

It is clear now that the Germans thought that Norrey-en-Bessin, being the furthest penetration of Allied Forces at that time, was to be used as the break-out point. They reckoned that Norrey was heavily defended with little behind it so they made a two pronged attack. The western thrust came right at us. At least 14 tanks sliced between "C" Company at Norrey and "D" Company at Cardonville. I know because I was there (in the dark). The ensuing battle was horrendous with the tanks circling our solid stone house and surrounding high stone walls. The night was lit by the burning barns at the farm and the tanks overran one platoon in the orchard behind the north wall crushing antitank guns, carriers and soldiers. The tanks ultimately left what remained of us at first light as our Typhoons were ready to pounce. Mohnke then sent large numbers of Panzer Grenadiers to attack "D" Company in broad daylight. Down to 45 men and two offiers, myself and Lieutenant Dick Roberts, we all had machine guns of one sort or another (several German) and were protected in our fortress-like position.

I talked to Colonel Clifford of the 13th FieldRegiment who was with Foster Matheson and gave him coordinates for a 105-mmbarrage on the Germans at the farm in front of our south wall. It was the best shoot that I ever saw in my nine months of action. The Germans were caught in open ground and had to withdraw.

Gordon Brown DSO, MID, NBL
(Lt-Col, ret'd)
April 23, 1994

Up the Johns!

Given to me by Gordon Brown.........as well as stuff that was never printed.

VERY kule!
One night while surrounded in the farm house the Germans hacked into their communication line and called inside. Gordon picked up the phone and heard the heavy accented voice say: "Are you lonely tonight English?" His reply was something that would make the "fuck thread" seem like Cub Scouts.

Regina Rifles soldiers awaiting a German attack at a wrecked farm outside Norrey-en-Bessin, one of the most advanced outposts reached by Allied soldiers the day after the D-Day landing. The soldier holding binoculars is Major Gordon Brown. The seated soldier is Rifleman Roy Pretty, and the third man is unidentified.

It's a pretty famous/popular picture that has been credited to other Regiments too. Don't think I posted it the other day.

It's a pretty famous/popular picture that has been credited to other Regiments too. Don't think I posted it the other day.


Ah ok.... still very kule.

Only pic my father brought home was a pic of a BIG hole in the ground. I remember asking him about it and he explained it was where his APC used to be


You should post it, if you have a copy!!