D-DAY + 1 - THE CANADIAN PUSH ON CARPIQUET AIRFIELD

HISTORICAL EVENTS
At 0745 hours on 7th June 1944 the Canadian 9th Infantry Brigade resumed their push inland from Juno
Beach. The Stuart tanks of the Sherbrooke Fusiliers led the way followed by C Company of the North
Nova Scotia Highlanders. The other three companies of Highlanders followed, riding on the Sherbrooke
Fusiliers’ Shermans.

Initial progress was good and by 1150 hours Buron had been reached and by 1300 hours C Company had
entered Authie and the Stuarts were in Franqueville. Most of the tank riding infantry dismounted between
Buron and Authie and continued the advance on foot. By now the Canadian advance had extended
beyond the range of any supporting artillery fire.

Unknown to the Canadians they had run straight into elements of the newly arrived 12th (Hitlerjugend)
SS Panzer Division. Their advance crossed the path of a well concealed 2nd Battalion SS Panzer
Grenadier Regiment 25 and the Panzer IVs of the 6th and 7th Companies of SS Panzer Regiment 12.
These units maintained superb fire discipline and allowed the Canadians to pass.

When the Shermans passed Franqueville they were engaged and counter-attacked by Panzer IVs of the 5th
Company, artillery and SS Panzer Grenadiers from the 3rd Battalion. The other German units broke cover
and joined in the battle. The Canadian infantry tried to reach Authie but were overrun as were their
colleagues in C company that had occupied the village.

The Sherbrooke Fusilier’s CO, Lieutenant Colonel Gordon, requested help from the rest of the 2nd
Canadian Armoured Brigade but none was forthcoming. They withdrew to their starting position. It was
a costly day for both sides, the Sherbrooke Fusiliers lost 21 tanks and the North Nova Scotia Highlanders
sustained 242 casualties. The Germans lost nine Panzer IVs and suffered 300 casualties.

This was Hitlerjugend’s first action and they had acquitted themselves well. Although the Germans were
unable to capitalise on their victory and press on to the coast it was to be another month before the Allies
would recapture this area.

The Canadians, on the other hand, performed very badly. Tank/ infantry co- operation left a lot to be
desired. The other two infantry battalions in 9th Brigade were not committed to the battle in support of
their comrades and most tanks of the 2nd Armoured Brigade ended the day without firing a shot.

THE WARGAME SCENARIO

The Canadians must capture Franqueville to win. Any other result is a German victory.

The table is 11' x 5'. The Germans have two battalion groups for morale purposes. The Canadians have
an infantry battalion and five squadrons (HQ, 3 x Sherman squadrons and the Stuart recce troop) for
morale purposes.

The next two pages (2 and 3) are the Canadian briefing. Pages 4 and 5 are the German briefing. If the
game is being played with ‘new players’ the umpire may wish to withhold the relevant brifing from the
opposing players to enhance the surprise factor.

The scenario is played with Rapid Fire! basic rules are used with the addition of aircraft from the
advanced rules section. There is no restriction on the number of moves.
CANADIAN BRIEFING Canadian Order of March
Sherbrooke Fusiliers (27th Armoured Regiment) (Lt Col Gordon)
All Canadian troops are regular. North Nova Scotia Highlanders (Lt Colonel Petch)

The order of march must be Recce Squadron

followed as the troops advance 2 x Stuart 37mm
along the road from Buron to
Franqueville.
Carrier Platoon
No movement off this road is 3 figures, PIAT, Bren Carrier
permitted until either the first
elements have passed Authie or an
MG Platoon
element has been fired on. 3 figures,Vickers MMG
Bren Carrier
The Canadians HQ Sherman counts
as an ‘air link’ vehicle and may
request support from from a rocket Anti-Tank Battery
armed Typhoon fighter bomber M10 tank destroyer 76mm
M10 Achilles TD 17pdr
(see advanced rules 15.4 and
8 figures (tank riders)
15.12).

Assault Pioneer Platoon

2 figures, flame-thrower
Bren Carrier

Support Company
3 figures, 6pdr anti-tank gun
Bren Carrier
3 figures, 3" mortar
Bren Carrier

A Squadron
2 x Sherman 75mm
Sherman Firefly 17pdr
8 figures (tank riders -
4 on each Sherman 75mm)

HQ
CO + 3 figures, 2" mortar
Bren Carrier
4 figures, PIAT
Bren Carrier
Sherman 75mm

B Squadron
2 x Sherman 75mm
Sherman Firefly 17pdr
8 figures (tank riders -
4 on each Sherman 75mm)

C Squadron
2 x Sherman 75mm
Sherman Firefly 17pdr
8 figures (tank riders -
4 on each Sherman 75mm)
 N
 A To Caron

Buron

The road that connects

points A to B is the Buron
- Franqueville road.

Authie

B
Cussy
Franqueville


To Carpiquet Abbey
Ardenne
GERMAN BRIEFING
German tanks are elite, all other troops are regular.

Each battalion group must start testing for morale un-

der rule 1.4 when the equivalent of 20 casualties have 2ND BATTALLION GROUP
been taken - each Panzer IV destroyed = 3 casualties. SS PANZER GRENADIER BATTALION 25
(Morale Strength 67 Figures)
SS PANZER GRENADIER REGIMENT 25
HQ 5th Company
REGIMENTAL HQ (Standartenfuhrer Kurt ‘Panzer’ Meyer) CO + 4 figures, Panzerschrecke 8 figures, Panzerfaust
3 figures, staff car Elements of SS Pz Artillery Regt 12
3 figures, Sdkfz 251/3 half-track 2 figure OP team
Sdkfz 250/5 half-track
2 x 150mm howitzer (off-table)

6th Company 7th Company

8 figures, Panzerfaust 8 figures, Panzerfaust

3RD BATTALLION GROUP

SS PANZER GRENADIER BATTALION 25
(Morale Strength 51 Figures)

HQ 9th Company 8th (Heavy) Company 13th (Gun) Company

CO + 4 figures, Panzerschrecke 8 figures, Panzerfaust 9 figures, 2 x MMG, 81mm mortar Grille SP (150mm)
Medium truck

10th Company 11th Company

8 figures, Panzerfaust 8 figures, Panzerfaust
14th (AA) Company
6 figures, 2 x 20mm towed AA gun
2 x Sdkfz 10 half-track

12th (Heavy) Company

3 figures, 120mm mortar, Sdkfz 10 half-track
6 figures, 2 x MMG, Panzerfaust, medium truck
15th (Reconnaissance) Company
8 figures, Panzerfaust
2 x Schwimmwagen

5th Company Platoon

SS Panzer Regiment 12 SS Panzerjager Regiment 12 6th Company 7th Company
3 x Panzer IV 75mm 4 gunners, 75mm (PaK 40) AT gun SS Panzer Regiment 12 SS Panzer Regiment 12
Sdkfz 11 half-track prime mover 2 x Panzer IV 75mm 2 x Panzer IV 75mm
N
 To Caron

Buron

2nd battalion battlegroup are

deployed in and behind the
two woods and may not move
or fire until German turn 5.

Authie

3rd battalion battlegroup are

deployed behind the red line
and may not react until
German turn 3.

There is an artillery OP team

Cussy in the Abbey which can
Franqueville observe any movement along
the Buron - Franqueville road
and which controls an off-
 table battalion of two 150mm
To Carpiquet Abbey guns.
Ardenne