3rd RCCS on D-Day
 

Looking at the war diary of the Canadian 3rd Div signals I wonder what these linemen thought when 85 Germans approached them.

I guess the German officer was trying to prevent them surrendering and came out with his pistol after one soldier did surrender and possibly thought he could stop the signalmen.
Wrong, the bren gunner shot him and the rest were then happy to surrender as so many were at that time.
It's possible they were forced conscripts from countries overrun by the German army and/or possibly deemed unfit for frontline and so used as "defense" troops.

There is a tale that one of the Canadian soldiers pictured in the sequence of stills where Major Currie earned his VC. The German officer was snarky and refused (or was reluctant) to surrender to an NCO. There were some fisticuffs, and a rifle shot. The NCO then continued to process prisoners who were more willing to give up.

https://scholars.wlu.ca/cgi/viewcont...ctoria%20Cross.