Wilfrid Laurier University Scholars Commons @ Laurier Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive) 2009 Commanding the Green Centre Line in Normandy: A Case Study of Division Command in the Second World War Angelo N. Caravaggio Wilfrid Laurier University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd Part of the Military History Commons Recommended Citation Caravaggio, Angelo N., "Commanding the Green Centre Line in Normandy: A Case Study of Division Command in the Second World War" (2009). Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive). 1075. https://scholars.wlu.ca/etd/1075 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive) by an authorized administrator of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact [email protected]. NOTE TO USERS This reproduction is the best copy available. 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While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires aient inclus dans in the document page count, their la pagination, il n'y aura aucun contenu removal does not represent any loss manquant. of content from the thesis. 1*1 Canada COMMANDING THE GREEN CENTRE LINE IN NORMANDY: A CASE STUDY OF DIVISION COMMAND IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR by ANGELO N. CARAVAGGIO BA (Honours), University of Guelph, 1982 Master of War Studies, Royal Military College, 2002 Master of Defence Studies, Royal Military College, 2003 DISSERTATION Submitted to the Department of History In partial fulfillment of the requirements for Doctor of Philosophy in History Wilfrid Laurier University 2009 Angelo N. Caravaggio 2009© ABSTRACT This thesis examines the experiences of the 4l Canadian Armoured Division as it prepared for and carried out its role in the battle of Normandy and the liberation of France in 1944. The factors that limited opportunities to practice the formation in large - scale exercises are noted as are the methods used by the General Officer Commanding, Major-General George Kitching, to compensate for the limitations. The thesis argues that through the development of an effective commander-staff dynamic Kitching, his staff and his subordinates commanders ,were able to meet the challenges and chaos of combat in the final stages of the Normandy campaign and in the subsequent pursuit phase of operations into Belgium. 1 PREFACE The purpose of this thesis is to advance our understanding of the role played by the 4th Canadian Armoured Division in the first stages of the campaign to liberate western Europe in 1944. While many historians have commented on the division's performance in Normandy this thesis is the first study focused on the division in both the training and combat periods. The argument of this thesis may be briefly summarized. During the preparatory stage factors beyond the control of the division commander severely limited opportunities to practice the formation in large-scale exercises at the divisional or brigade level. Major-General George Kitching, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) was forced to concentrate on unit-level training (infantry battalion, armoured and artillery regiments) relying on Tactical Exercises Without Troops (TEWTS) and skeleton command and communication exercises to prepare for co-ordinated action in the field. Kitching, it is argued, was successful in developing a commander-staff dynamic that permitted division and brigade staff officers to function effectively in Normandy despite exceptionally challenging conditions. A close examination of combat operations and their logistical basis demonstrates that the division was a far more effective force than the current literature suggests. The thesis is based upon archival records from the Library and Archives of Canada (LAC) especially Record Group 24. This basic body of source material is supplemented by interviews, interview transcripts and personal correspondence. The thesis begins with a review of the secondary literature followed by a discussion of a theoretical construct, the commander -staff dynamic which the author has worked with and developed as a professional military educator. The subsequent chapters on the ii training and combat periods are organized chronologically and include a chapter on the "pursuit" phase of the division's history a heretofore entirely neglected subject. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The successful completion of this dissertation is due to the help and support of a great number of people. I would like to start with my co-supervisors Professor Terry Copp and Dr Roger Sarty. They not only helped me through this dissertation but were also instructors on my courses. Dr Sarty always provided insightful and constructive comments on my work that made me a better writer. Prof Copp pushed me beyond my comfort zone in many seminars and in the writing of this dissertation. He forced me to grow as a historian in two key areas: the quality of my analysis and in the critical thinking necessary to make sense of the presented facts. I will be forever indebted, and forever thankful that I was given the opportunity to study and learn from these two distinguished Canadian historians. I would also like to thank Dr David Monod and Dr Geoff Hayes my two other PhD instructors for their patience and guidance in broadening my skills and knowledge. Geoff was kind enough to take me along on his 4th Canadian Armoured Division battlefield tour in 2005 allowing me to once again walk the battlefields of Normandy. The research for this dissertation would never have been achieved had it not been for the outstanding support I received from Cathy Murphy the Chief Librarian at the Canadian Forces College Information Resource Centre and members of her staff. Cathy is simply one of the most remarkable individuals I have every met! Her knowledge and resourcefulness continues to impress me each day. I have yet to meet anyone else who has a greater breadth off knowledge or understanding of military history. I would also like to recognize Janine Eakins, Jeff Creighton and Sabrina Cheng, members of Cathy's team. They were remarkable in fulfilling a plethora of information and resource requests. iv I'm indebted to Dr Reginald Roy and Dr Robert Fraser for allowing me access to their collection of correspondence and extensive interviews. Dr Roy was quite willing to provide copies of the extensive correspondence he had with many of the key veterans of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division in researching and writing his book 1944: The Canadians in Normandy. Some of these letters held invaluable clues and information in trying to unlock why certain events happened the way they did. The extensive interview collection that Dr Fraser has in the Argyll Museum in Hamilton was instrumental in bringing to light the character of many of the key individuals involved in this study. Many thanks to Colonel Randall Wakelam my boss at the Canadian Forces College for being completely understanding with my prolonged absences from my desk as I worked in the library and for allowing me a flexible work schedule to complete this dissertation. I would also like to thank Mike Bechthold for providing advice and access to maps, photographs and diagrams from the resources of the Laurier Centre for Military Strategic and Disarmament Studies. To the ladies in the Distribution Centre Katie Blackbird, Grace Maione and Kathy Lang thanks so much for all of your help in photocopying and reproducing much of the material and maps I used which turned my office into my war room. Thanks also to Ralph Lang for reproducing the many maps I used. Without these resources I would not have been able to make sense of the movements of the different formations. I would also like to thank two dear friends Dr Rick Gabriel and Evert Stieber. Evert reviewed a number of my early chapters and provided an honest and critical assessment of them along with in providing a list of great German sources. Rick Gabriel has given me great encouragement along the way. His persistent comment, "You do good v work," has reassured me on many occasions and gotten me through the rough spots on the road to completing this work. I am deeply indebted to Emily Walker who selflessly gave of her time to help me edit the drafts of my chapters.