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Originally posted by Snowtractor "were badly mauled by a Panzer group, I believe SS in the next day or so. Seems to me they were removed from the line as they were decimated and no longer a combat effective unit."
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Snowtractor;
8 June 1944, Putot-en-Bessin - it was the 2nd Bn of Mohnke's 26th SS Pz-Gren Regt that attacked and encircled the Winnipeg Rifles' positions, there was actually no tanks involved, the only support the Germans had was their own 75mm SPW's.
By midafternoon of the 8th, "A", "B" and "C" Companies, of the Rifles, having been encircled and nearly out of ammunition, under cover of smoke, began to withdraw. Only a handful made it back to join "D" Coy (nearly all three companies were lost to a man) and set up defensive positions near their BHQ, east of Putot, .
Late in the evening of the 8th, the Rifles were withdrawn into Brigade reserve, being replaced by the Canadian Scottish Regiment.
Considering, that the Rifles strength on landing on the 6th was around 730(+)(can't find the exact figure) and that their casualties alone for that day were 128 all ranks, one of the assault companies having been practically eliminated and that their casualties for the 8th were another 256 overall, nearly half their fighting strength and that up until the time they were withdrawn into reserve, there had been no time since landing for proper reinforcement or reorginization, left very little in the way of actual fighting troops on the ground.
So Sean, "tidiness is the first sign of a warped mind", Gee!, I guess I'm warped than
Cheers
