[Mark W. Tonner]

Carman;

From the history of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles regarding Putot - 8 Jun 44:

"Throughout the night of 7/8 the enemy fired machine guns on the company positions, hoping to draw fire and to pinpoint their locations. Along with this harrassing fire, mortars peppered the trenches in increasing numbers. Several casualties were suffered. About 0400 hours, enemy tanks were heard from across the bridge; the rumble of these tanks heralded the imminent attack on the Battalion. The Regiment stood to all night.

As dawn advanced, several armoured vehicles including one PZKW Mark III accompanied by enemy infantry tried to force their way across the railway bridge opposite Maj. Fred Hodge's A Company. Hodge's men with Bren guns and rifles opened fire on the advancing infantry. A platoon of machine guns with concentrated fire, manned by the Camerons of Ottawa and supporting this company, swept the enemy infantry away like a scythe to hay. Cpl. Naylor's 6-pounder A/T gun knocked out the Mark III and one armoured car. The enemy attack dissolved as quickly as it had materialized.

Throught the early hours, the pressure was steadily applied on the Regiment by the SS; as the barrage continued, the unit was pounded with air-bursting 88's and mortar fire which made things increasingly uncomfortable for the Regiment.

This was the prelude. By 0930 hours General Kurt Meyer's youthful troops were ready to take up the fight with the Little Black Devils. In support of his SS Grenadiers were 20 to 30 Panther and Tiger tanks, and his infantry totalled nearly two full battalions. It was obvious that the fight would be undertaken on an uneven scale against the Rifles. Meyer's troops, confident of throwing the "little fish" back into the sea, advanced in a cocky manner. As they ran forward, they were shouting to each other as if on a training exercise. They had been carefully selected, well trained, steeped in Nazi doctrine, and encouraged to be brutal in war.

It was going to be a battle of youth versus youth, for the average age of rifleman in the re-inforced battalion was about 19. So the young members of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, with no tanks to support them and few anti-tank guns, awaited the onslaught of these SS troops with determined defiance. Enfields, Stens, and Bren guns opened up on Meyer's advancing infantry. Enemy mortars and artillery fire slammed round after round into company positions. Reminiscent of the First World War, the Germans were cut down in swaths; determinedly, and not to be dissuaded, the "Hitler Jugend" steadily advanced.

By noon the enemy had infiltrated the village. They were able to pour enfilade fire into A and C Companies positions. Exposed in their slit trenches, these men took heavy casualties.

The gallant stand by the Regiment is now a matter of record. When the enemy occupied the village, several Panzers broke through the Battalion's position at 1300 hours. The three companies - A, B and C - were now completely isolated in the ruins of the vilage and orchard.

It was next to impossible to bring ammunition from Battalion headquarters to the isolated companies. A troop of 17-pounders in B Company's area knocked out three tanks before they were knocked out. It was an overwhelming experience for the Regiment. Unable to get support for his beleagured Battalion, Lt.-Col. Meldram, nevertheless, was able to slip forward to visit all companies and to assess the situation.

It took a certain type of soldier to dig in and fight it out when overrun - and the Regiment was filled with this type. Each company (although cut off from each other) did not bolt from its position when things became too hot. The German tanks milled about them, machine-gunning many rifleman crouched in their slit-trenches. Not content to let "Gerry" have it all his way, many tackled these tanks. Piats were fired from slit trenches - knocking out several tanks as they were rolling over the trenches.

Platoons were now reduced to sections, but the fight continued despite the uneven odds. Pressing their advantage of uneven odds, the enemy was able to push back the Battalion's remains to the edge of Putot, where they grimly held on. Only D Company (Maj. L.R. Fulton) plus Support Company remained of Col. Meldram's Regiment. By nightfall, the 3rd Canadian Division mounted a counter-attack to restore the situation at Putot. Tanks supported the Canadian Scottish in this well-executed attack.

Nearly three companies were lost to a man; in all the Regiment suffered 300 casualties, more than half its full fighting strength. That night CQMS Z. Ehinger brought up the rations for B Company and was surprised to find only six men remained."