Clifton(Box 29)
Clan Gregor Square
Bayfield, Ontario
N0M 1G0
23July1991

W.M. Sutherland, Chairman,
South Sask Regt. Assn Tour '92 Cttee,

Dear Bill,

We(my wife and I) received Marlin Travel's receipt for our deposit for the 1992 Tour today. We are looking forward to what looks like a well planned tour.

I should like to make a suggestion to your Committee on the itinerary scheduled for Thursday 20th August (Dieppe-Falaise-Caen). I commanded the Regiment when we captured Orbec. I was invited by the Mayor to accompany him on a tour of the wine caves below the town - where(he told me) 3000 people had sought safety. We walked most of the caverns - I used my fractured French to assure them that the Germans would not return, and we had a certain victory. It was quite an experience for me. I am sure our tour groups would also find it very interesting.

Now as to Falaise: This is one of our battle honours, and a very important one - for weeks the Allied Armies had had their hopes pinned on the capture of this strategic centre. The 6th Cdn Inf. Bde was given the task of breaking into the city defences - two battalions up, S Sask R on the left, Camerons of Winnipeg (Q.O.C.H.) {Queens Own Cameron Highlanders} on the right, Fus M R {Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal} in reserve. The S Sask R got in after steady fire fighting all afternoon on 16 August. I reported my battalion in the town when I was in the cathedral square (fires all around, and much enemy sniping) . Brigadier Young came up between 7 and 8pm. He was having lots of pressure from above. I persuaded him to let me wait until after dark, because I thought we could motor right through the main street to the far end of the town - surprise the Boche and suffer very few casualties. The tanks asked to be excused night fighting was not their specialty (in close built-up areas) - I agreed with them. I think we started the advance, about 11pm, (Major Courtney's company leading, my mobile HQ following, and then the other companies). No problems (really) until Courtney reported at the far end of the town that his advance guard had bumped what appeared to be a headquarters in a large house on spacious grounds. I ordered him to put in a quick enveloping assault with as much noise as possible. It worked. Most of the enemy fled, and we set up in defence on the edge of town. The Camerons did not get into the town until the following morning. They and the Fus M R then had to do the clean up of the remaining centres of resistance. The S Sask R had a well deserved rest, in spite of a staff effort by Div HQ to get us to move further away from the town onto higher ground. We ignored the staff push. Our senior commanders knew better.

There were two casualties in this operation whom I will mention (they weren't the only ones). But I hope they will be on the Tour. Capt John Kemp commanding. "B" Coy was shot between the eyes by an enemy sniper. The stretcher bearer jeep brought him on through the cathedral square. He didn't look good. But, Thank Heavens! he recovered. Major John Edmondson was second-in-command of the battalion. He came in with a hot meal for the troops after we had gone through the town. His vehicle hit a mine, and John was wounded and evacuated.

The day following (in the morning - the 17th) the Mayor of Falaise found his way to my H.Q. to thank us for liberating the town (He also left a bottle of Calvados). Some years ago I received a special invitation to attend a memorial celebration of the liberation of Falaise by the S. Sask R. Unfortunately I was not able to go, and I had to regret. I have been told that a picture of me used to hang in the mayor's chambers.

It does seem to one that we should alert the Mayor of Falaise and call on him.

It is my opinion that we should pause at Rocquancourt and Varriers. After the battalion was counter attacked by tanks in strength, when the S Sask R had achieved its objectives (first attack) on open wheat fields (we had no tank support - it had been given to the flanking battalions). The S Sask R (and the Essex Scottish in support behind the battalion) were both over run. Major Matthews was killed and so was his staff. He was commanding the S Sask R ( I had been sent to command, temporarily, the 4th Cdn Inf Bde and finish the battle for Ronvigny.) The battalion's losses in this first operation in Normandy were over 200. The battalion was regrouped behind the lines. In the meantime, the RHLI {The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry} of the 4th Cdn Inf Bde under my command had captured Verrieres. I went back to the S Sask R and we took over Verrieres from the RHLI. We were in forward defense there - much patrolling, and heavily shelled in our exposed positions (Verrieres was then not much more than a large sized farm-stead).

When 2 Cdn Corps was given the task of breaking through the German defences for the push toward Falaise {Aug 9, 1944}. The S Sask R had the task of a night attack from Verrieres to capture Rocquancourt and open the way for the 4th Cdn Inf Bde (mounted in the first armoured personnel carriers of the War - they were former tanks and self-propelled tracked vehicles, adapted by the RCEME {Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers} in Normandy). We got into Rocquancourt killed, cleared out, or captured the enemy, and established a firm base for 4 Cdn Inf Bde to advance through us. The next morning I was asked by Bde HQ and Div H.Q. to clear an entrenched German battalion to the South of Rocquancourt. This enemy battalion was holding up the Camerons advancing on our right. With two rifle companies, the carrier platoon and the mortars, we quickly surrounded the dug-in enemy battalion. There was no hand to hand fighting. We used mortars and machine guns to spray the enemy from three sides. Suddenly, as if they were expecting this opportunity, a forest of white flags arose from the enemy slit trenches. We captured almost 500 prisoners in one almost painless operation. Our only casualty was Major Bill Edmondson who suffered a shrapnel wound to his lower lip and teeth. But he came back with the battalion and served through to the end of the war. He died out in Victoria some years ago.

It is unfortunate that the scheduling of the tour goes backward along the line of advance from Orbec to Caen and the landing beaches. In 1952, with my family, I did the tour by private car from Dieppe - Pourville - to the landing beaches and then through Bayeux (Bayeux Tapistry) to Caen, Verrieres, Rocquancourt, Falaise, Orbec, Bremne, Foret de la Londe. This put events in sequence. I don't know whether it is possible to change that portion of the Normandy tour to put it in sequence. But, at least, I thought I should suggest it.

Best wishes to you and your Committee. We look forward to seeing you on the tour.

Sincerely,
Frederick A. Clift.