The Valour and the Horror

When the Poles of the First Canadian Army and the Americans linked up at Chambois, Major Currie found his troops overrun by Germans attempting to breakout in a series of counter-attacks starting at 0800.

In St. Lambert, Currie's men fought on. Four Argylls stalked and destroyed a Panther. Currie used his command tank to knock out a Tiger and a rifle to deal with snipers who had infiltrated close to his headquarters. On the hill north of St. Lambert, "B" Squadron and the 15th Field Regiment joined in the battle. "Long lines of enemy trucks, tanks, wagons, carts and vehicles of all kinds could be seen approaching down the roads from the west ... the tank gunners would pick off the lead and tail vehicles and then systematically shoot up the whole convoy." One artillery officer wrote, "It was as if the Americans and British were huge brooms sweeping the Germans into the dustpan which at that moment was the Canadian Army." (Copp: 176-7)

His fellow officers were dead or wounded. Forty more reinforcements made it to his position, and together they held it until the gap finally closed on August 21st.

The Canadians had destroyed 7 tanks, 12 88 mm guns, and 40 vehicles, killing 300 Germans, wounding another 500, and taken 2100 prisoners. Major Currie won the Victoria Cross for his actions.

Valour and Horror, Second World War, Canadian history, World War II, W.W.II