Most Important Canadian Battle of WW2

[Napoleon]

Alright then, can't let this forum be completely dominated by Americans and British members. What do you think are the most important battles for Canada in the Second World War? Here are some of my top battles:

1. Dieppe

2. Juno Beach

3. Ortona

[The Purist]

Originally Posted by Napoleon

3. Ortona

Probably Ortona. It was the one battle where we looked like we actually knew what we were doing and were on our own to run the show as we saw fit (for the most part). Dieppe was a wash and Juno was over within a couple of hours. The Schedlt may rate up there as well. WWII is difficult since the army was only at the front for some 21 months or so.

Edit: Come to think of it, the Battle of the Atlantic was probably our biggest contribution to the allied victory. By the time the battle was won in mid 1943 it was pretty much a Canadian navy show.

[Full Monty]

Crerar putting up with Montgomery

[The Purist]

Originally Posted by Full Monty

Crerar putting up with Montgomery

Or should that be the other way around,....I understand there was not a lot of love lost betwixt the two. Then again, that Monty sure was a character

[Tom Phoenix]

Im not sure.In Ortona, the Canadians faced a well prepared defence and they were on their own. Dieppe, while a slaughter, provided many valuable lessons that latter contributed to the success of D-Day. But I dont think Juno was that important, allthough still quite important.

[Kevin Kenneally]

I would flatly say that the Battle for the Rhineland and Operation veritable were the most significant battles for the Canadians


The replacement pools of "fresh" infantry were clearly drying up after 5 long years of war.

[tigersqn]

I wouldn't consider Ortona as an "important" battle. It served next to no purpose to the Italian Theatre. Like Cassino, it merely served to raise the casualty rates. Although Canadians fought bravely and succeeded beyond all expectations, Ortona's "importance" to the war is decidedly limited.

For "important" Canadian battles, the prize must belong to the Battle of the Schelde. The capture of the approaches to Antwerp must rank as the most important achievment of Canadian arms for the future conduct of the war. Without it, the Ally's supply issues would only have grown.

For honorable mention, I would submit that the 4 days of 3 CIDs defensive battles around Bretteville-l'Orgeullieuse (the battle of the Beachhead) possibly saved the bridgehead from an organized, co-ordinated German armoured counter-attack. At one point only the the North Shore Rgt(?) stood between the 12th SS and the beach.

[dannybou]

Scheldt Estuary is the most important. Opened up Antwerp. Horrendous weather and terrain, casulaties, Canada paid dearly for the Hogh Command's blunder of not taking the estuary right after Antwerp.

As a sidenote, there was a huge ceremony in Antwerp when the port was opened for Allied shipping. The first ship was a Canadian made ship, the Cataraqui, but there were no Canadian soldiers invited for the ceremony. None. Monty was there, but Simmonds wasn't.

[AdrianE]

Clearing the Scheldte estuary. It opens up the port of Antwerp thus allowing the full weight of the Allied industrial advantage to be applied to Germany.

Next I would say Totalize. This battle saw the single day destruction of the fresh 84th German infantry division. If the allied airforces hadn't bombed the Polish armoured division, Falaise might have been taken sooner.

Ortona was meaningless in the grand scheme of things. It was however an impressive accomplishment. Took some real estate and in the process severely mauled two good German divisions.

[Jim McLeod]

Originally Posted by Napoleon

Alright then, can't let this forum be completely dominated by Americans and British members. What do you think are the most important battles for Canada in the Second World War? Here are some of my top battles:

1. Dieppe

2. Juno Beach

3. Ortona

The above may be among the most well known although the actual battle for Ortona lasted about 8 days and involved elements of one Infantry Brigade with a tank regiment in support.

Not a big deal in the big picture of things but a very interesting and savage battle that is going to be a very cool ASL HASL module one day.

My choices would be;

- Battle of the Atlantic. No supplies, no Allied war effort and the RCN played a very large role in that battle.

- The Scheldt. Without the Scheldt Estuary being clear for shipping, not much in the way of supplies would be forthcoming for the rapidly enlarging Allied armies. By extension, I would also include the clearingof the Channel ports.

- The Bomber Campaign over Europe. The RCAF bled a lot over Germany and France.

- The Beachhead battles from 6 to 12 June 1944. Stopping the 12th SS was a big deal in securing the beachhead.

- The Italian Campaign. It was a finishing school for many of the green commanders who latter led divisions in Fance and it did tie up a good number of very good German divisions.




=Jim=

[Tom Phoenix]

Originally Posted by tigersqn

Like Cassino, it merely served to raise the casualty rates.

I will argue that. Perhaps Ortona wasnt important, but Cassino was since it was a strong point of the Gustav Line. The capture of Monte Cassino allowed the Allies to countinue their advance and capture Rome.

[Lance Williams]

Clearing of the Sheldt estuary...................

[tigersqn]

The Battle of Truro

It got 3 CID overseas to England.

[tigersqn]

Originally Posted by Tom Phoenix

I will argue that. Perhaps Ortona wasnt important, but Cassino was since it was a strong point of the Gustav Line. The capture of Monte Cassino allowed the Allies to countinue their advance and capture Rome.

True enough, but my point was that there was no need to fight 4 separate, set-piece battles for the Abbey.
If Mark Clark could have seen beyond his ego, he would have turned the German flank in the first assault at the Garigliano in January 1943.