11 June 1944 - The Black Day of the 1st Hussars

[TangoTwoBravo]

11 June is observed among the 1st Hussars as "the Black Day" to commemorate the battle of le Mesnil-Patry in 1944.

Le Mesnil-Patry is a small town NW of Caen, near Capriquet, and occured during the fighting between the beachhead forces and the German reinforcements.   The attack had been launched with little preparation, as H-Hour was moved up almost a day.   It involved the 1st Hussars and D Coy of the Queen's Own Rifles.   The Germans had knowledge of the attack through radio intercepts.

B Sqn advanced with D Coy riding on the tanks.   They encountered a company from 12th SS in a wheatfield and a vicious close-range battle ensured.   The Sqn then appears to have pushed on (less some tanks that stayed with the QOR) and encountered German tanks, TDs, AT guns and infantry.   B Sqn was wiped out, losing all but two Shermans and these had broken down.   C Sqn also suffered heavy tank losses, and the Hussars lost a total of 34 Shermans that day.

B Sqn had suffered 61 killed in action or still listed as missing after the war.   D Coy of the QOR sustained 55 killed in action out of 99 casualties that day.   The Germans lost three Mk IVs and 196 casualties, many from the fight in the wheatfield.

A tragic day, and other Regiments who fought in Normandy have similar days.   The Normandy battles were extremly intense with heavy casualties on both sides.   The battle is well described in Seven Battles and Steel Inferno.

Hodie Non Cras,

Iain

postscript - The two sources I have read are "Fighting for Canada: Seven Battles 1758 - 1945" by J Gronzinski and "Steel Inferno" by Michael Reynolds.   Both are excellent books.   The first deals with seven Canadian battles and should be in everyone's library.   Mike McNorgan wrote the chapter pretaining to the battle in question.   The second deals with the fighting between 1st SS Panzer Corps and the British/Canadian formations in Normandy.   Major General Reynolds' book is outstanding and I highly recommend it to those interested in the campaign.

Editted to credit chapter correctly.

 

[Old Sweat]

Iain,

A small correction, the piece was written by Mike McNorgan.

 

[Michael Dorosh]

I was unimpressed by Reynolds' book myself, though I can't recall why.  It seemed like he had too much of a British Army perspective (understandable, given his pedigree) to how the Germans were doing things.  Can anyone else comment on that?  Should I reinvest in a copy?  I gave mine away a while ago.

 

[Cloud Cover]

British army perspective or lens of analysis? I have read the book, I found it rather depressing to read when the author details the alleged inferior quality of the troops facing the Germans. I am not so sure of the veracity of all of Mr. Reynolds claims.   

There are some interesting passages in Steel Inferno wrt the murder of POWs, including one where he recounts a story of a Canadian who made a show out of dealing severely in a retributive fashion with German POW's.  I would have discounted the story if I had not previously heard similar things from my father in law- who actually fought in Normandy and was captured then left for dead by the SS a few hours later. (with only a very minor flesh wound). 

Zuelke has a newer book out which goes into some detail about the 1st Hussars ordeal on June 11.  I read it- the book was okay. The author references Reynolds at least once- I believe he relies on Reynolds to establish some of the details about the repeated attacks on Norrey. 

If I am not mistaken, the  1st Hussars museum recently got kicked out of its digs and is currently homeless.

 

[1st Hussars]

My Uncle was killed in the battle. I have read almost every book covering the 12th SS unit histories very little is mentioned in them about that day.
I did hear one account saying that with the capture of the tank or jeep the previous day the Germans were able to use allied shipped based guns to fire on their own troops.
This came from a German account I have never been able to find any Canadian account confirming or denying this. Has anyone ever heard of this before?

 

[Steelheader]

If I am not mistaken, the  1st Hussars museum recently got kicked out of its digs and is currently homeless.

The 1st Hussars Museum has a beautiful new home and pride of place at the forks of the Thames river, in downtown London, ON. Where it had been a small room on the lower level of the old courthouse here, it now occupies its own space at a nearby location.

 

[AC 011]

It's good to see the museum has a place to call its own.  I haven't yet had a chance to go see it since it moved.  For anyone interested, address is:  1 Dundas St, London, ON.

http://www.firsthussars.ca/museum/

 

[Cloud Cover]

and that is such good news!!!

 

[reccecrewman]

It is good news. 1H has a great history and much to be proud of that could easily fill a museum on it's own rather than be confined to a small room. Never been to see it, but can visualise in my head the notes of bonnie dundee playing in the background of many beautiful exhibits.

Hodie Non Cras

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Was this the same day that the BCR took heavy losses?

 

[Dennis Ruhl]

Was this the same day that the BCR took heavy losses?

That was a night move of 09AUG1944 when 47 of 52 tanks engaged were destroyed.  It was the worst Canadian Armoured Corps disaster ever.  They wondered into the middle of German positions just before the sun came up.

http://wwii.ca/page51.html

 

[Old Sweat]

No, the BCR had not yet moved to the continent. Their black day was 9 August. The regiment with the Algonquin Regiment, which was an infantry battalion at the time, was sent on a night march to capture the divisional objective, point 195. Unfortunately because of a navigation error the column (less D Coy of the Algonquins, which lost the column and helped the Lake Superior Regiment clear a village) occupied the wrong hill and was destroyed fighting.

As it was, the operation scared the crap out of the Germans as the column had cut off a battle group of 12 SS Pz Div and was within a few kms of the Hitler Youth's division headquarters. They considered it a tactical master stroke and reacted strongly.

There is a chapter on the operation in my No Holding Back.