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The History of the 1St Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment

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The History of the 1St Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment Canadian Military History Volume 4 Issue 2 Article 5 1995 “Kangaroos at War”: the History of the 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment John R. Grodzinski Royal Military College of Canada, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh Recommended Citation Grodzinski, John R. "“Kangaroos at War”: the History of the 1st Canadian Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment." Canadian Military History 4, 2 (1995) This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Canadian Military History by an authorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Grodzinski: “Kangaroos at War” John R. Grodzinski he Second World War witnessed the marching in the open or being carried on vehicles development and large scale use of many new with limited protection had to change.2 Simonds T 3 weapons: aircraft, armoured vehicles, had studied this problem in 1938 and in 1944 communications systems and rockets are but a found a solution in employing discarded few. An equally important revolution occurred in armoured vehicles modified to carry infantry. He tactics, where all armies had to learn how to ordered the Priest self-propelled guns recently integrate and use these systems in battle. turned in by the artillery regiments of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division to be converted to One innovation was the means by which infantry carriers. infantry was moved across the battlefield. The previous method of advancing in the open, On 31 July 1944, Brigadier CM. Grant, the "leaning into the barrage" had proven too costly. Deputy Director of Mechanical Engineering at Too many casualties were suffered, leading to an Headquarters, 1st Canadian Army, ordered the attack bogging down, early commitment of establishment of an organization to convert 72 reserves or a complete change of plan before the Priests to carriers by 9 August, the start date of enemy's defences had been penetrated. Operation "Totalize." No sooner was this instruction given than the start date for "Totalize" The solution to this problem was to create a advanced; the vehicles were now to be ready by 6 method of moving infantry across the battlefield August, with as many completed on the 5th as under armoured protection. This finally came possible. about during the battle of Normandy in July and August 1944, when "the first really effective The task of converting the Priests was given armoured infantry vehicle appeared...during the to Major G.A. Wiggan and his Advanced Workshop 1 operations of II Canadian Corps in Normandy." Depot (AWD). The modifications included the Other armies had developed infantry carriers with removal of the 105 mm gun, mount and mantelet a limited degree of protection, but none had the (which led to the sobriquet "defrocked Priests," additional protection armour could give. This later replaced by "Kangaroos"), overhauling the article will provide a brief history of the formation, radial engine, checking the serviceability of the organization and operations of the 1st Canadian transmission and the controlled differential brake Armoured Personnel Carrier Regiment in 1944 lining and running gear. Normally the latter task and 1945. This important Canadian development alone was a seven-day operation! Armour plate changed the method by which 21st Army Group was placed over the gun mantelet opening and fought its battles. added to the vehicle sides.4 The modifications also had to allow for the quick conversion of the Priests The bitter experience of Operation "Spring" back to their previous configuration. The convinced Lieutenant-General Simonds, the codename assigned to the conversion operation commander of II Canadian Corps, that a tactical was "Kangaroo." Altogether, 14 British and innovation was needed to bring sufficient combat Canadian units would contribute to this process. force onto an objective. The practice of infantry © Canadian Military History, Volume 4. Number 2, Autumn 1995, pp.43-50. 43 Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 1995 1 Canadian Military History, Vol. 4 [1995], Iss. 2, Art. 5 A column of "defrocked Priests" carrying troops of the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade line up in prepartion for Operation "Totalize," 7 August 1944. (NAC PA 129172) "AWD Kangaroo" established itself in two 4th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division fields near Bayeux on 2 August. By that evening 14 vehicles had been stripped. Armour plate was The Royal Regiment of Canada obtained from a "help-yourself" park of "W" The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Crocks (tanks beyond repair); mild plate was The Essex Scottish Regiment found south of Caen and also cut from landing craft stranded on the Normandy beaches. 154th Brigade, 51st Highland Division Although a work schedule had been made, most 1st Battalion, The Black Watch of the maintainers found themselves working 7th Battalion. The Black Watch around the clock. By 2000 hours on 5 August, 7th Battalion, The Argyll and Sutherland 72 carriers had been completed and six more Highlanders were ready by noon on the 6th,5 although Stacey states that a total of 76 were ready by the 6th.6 Phase 1 of "Totalize" was an outstanding" success. The carriers proved they could get Drivers for the carriers were drawn from the infantry forward with comparatively fewer three artillery regiments of the 3rd Canadian casualties. A comparison of the casualties suffered Division and from Canadian armoured regiments. by seven of the Canadian infantry battalions Training commenced immediately. Drills for involved offers some interesting results from the mounting, dismounting and movement had to be "Kangaroos'" first operation: developed, taught and practised. MOUNTED: For Operation "Totalize," the lead brigades of Royal Regiment of Canada, the assault were carried by the Defrocked Priests: 3 killed, 25 wounded 44 https://scholars.wlu.ca/cmh/vol4/iss2/5 2 Grodzinski: “Kangaroos at War” Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, formed. The establishment was four troops each 1 killed, 14 wounded with 25 carriers, but only 55 Priests were Essex Scottish Regiment, available. Personnel included an officer 3 killed, 7 wounded commanding, four troop officers and 100 drivers. MARCHING: Each carrier had a .50-inch Browning machine Cameron Highlanders of Canada, gun and was crewed by a vehicle commander and 30 killed, 96 wounded driver.7 Approximately 60 per cent of the vehicles Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, were equipped with radios. The squadron was 8 killed, 17 wounded attached to the 25th Canadian Armoured Delivery South Saskatchewan Regiment, Regiment (The Elgin Regiment) for 16 killed, 42 wounded administration. The nickname "Kangaroo Calgary Highlanders, Squadron," suggesting empouched infantry, now 14 killed, 37 wounded stuck.8 Although these figures are not conclusive, the The squadron was immediately involved in protection offered by the carriers reduced the three operations. The first, Operation "Astonia," casualties suffered en route to an objective and the capture of Le Havre, involved carrying a got the infantry there quicker than on foot. On brigade from the 51st Highland Division from 10- dismount the carriers ensured that an adequate 12 September 1944. It was followed by Operation force was available for the final assault. However, "Wellhit," against Boulogne with troops from the they did not replace the skill and bravery required 9th Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Canadian Infantry of the individual rifleman on that final assault. Division. Finally in late September and early October, Operation "Undergo" saw the 7th and Simonds was so delighted by the performance 8th Brigades of the 3rd Canadian Infantry of the carriers in Operation "Tractable," that he Division in action at Calais. pressed for the formation of a unit to carry the infantry into battle. As a result, on 28 August The Priests, now worn by continual 1944, the 1st Armoured Carrier Squadron was operations, were withdrawn and replaced by the A Ram Kangaroo. Fully laden, the vehicle weighed 55,000 pounds. Its maximum speed was 25 miles per hour with fuel consumption of one mile per gallon. The driver's visor is open. A .30-inch Browning machine gun is on the cupola. Vehicle markings include the 79th Armoured Division crest on the centre of the vehicle and the unit tactical sign "157" on left fender. (Author's collection) Published by Scholars Commons @ Laurier, 1995 3 Canadian Military History, Vol. 4 [1995], Iss. 2, Art. 5 Canadian designed and built Ram tank, which Meanwhile, the other elements of the regiment had been relegated as a tank trainer following the were being organized. Lieutenant-Colonel G.M. adoption of the Sherman as the Canadian main Churchill, formerly of the 25th and 10th Canadian battle tank. The demand for armoured vehicles Armoured Regiments, was named commanding for artillery forward observation officers and gun officer. Warrant Officer 1 Langlois was appointed tractors resulted in the Ram finding new life in as Regimental Sergeant Major; he had served with these roles. By removing the turret and making the original carrier squadron. Additional other modifications, the Ram could also be made personnel were drawn from other Canadian into an armoured personnel carrier. The Ram armoured regiments and units in Northwest carrier could accomodate 11 infantry along with Europe. Stores were obtained from Bayeux. The a crew of two. Armament consisted of one .30- regiment was to be operational by 8 November inch Browning machine gun. 1944. The Rams were drawn at Pierreval, France The regiment had two squadrons, each with where they had been driven from the Normandy four troops. A squadron had 52 Rams and could beaches. Each troop was given sixteen "tanks." carry an infantry battalion. The regimental establishment is shown on the accompanying The first operation with the Ram involved chart, although this was modified several times. clearing the port of Antwerp, beginning with an A headquarters squadron, providing logistic assault against the heavily defended city of support was added later.
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