Books photos about executed POWS June 1944

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

There were indeed numerous accounts of Canadians being shot out-of-hand early in the Normandy campaign. The enemy were principally elements of the 12th SS, whose commander, Kurt Meyer, was convicted for same after the war. He was sentenced to death, but that sentence was later commuted and he served (I believe) 10 years in prison.

The 12th SS came into Normandy with as many as 20,000 soldiers; they left with fewer than 1,000, three months later. Once the trussed-up bodies of executed Canadians were found, our troops rarely showed the members of the 12th SS any mercy.

There is a book out right now on the subject of the massacre, but I can't for the life of me remember the title at the moment. Give me some time, it WILL come back to me!

Geoff