Breakout from Juno by Mark Zuehlke

Author:Mark Zuehlke
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: HIS027160, HIS07100
Publisher: Douglas & McIntyre
Published: 2011-11-04T16:00:00+00:00

A TOTAL OF 1,019 heavy bombers streamed across the French coast at 2300 hours. Canadian artillery marked the western targets with green flare shells, while the British indicated the eastern ones with red shells. The raid lasted forty minutes. To Simonds the explosions seemed “like the worst thunderstorm” ever seen. As the bombing ended and the 720 artillery pieces began firing at 2345 hours, Simonds realized events were now out of his hands. The columns were advancing. Phase one of Operation Totalize would succeed or fail on the merits of his plan. Appreciating that there would likely be many decisions required come morning, Simonds went to bed.

Bomber Command had hoped winds would clear the smoke and dust raised by the lead bombers so those at the rear could see the marking flares. But there was hardly a breeze, and the master bombers at the tail ordered their squadrons to turn about without dropping any bombs. In all, 642 bombers dropped 3,456 tons of high-explosive and fragmentation bombs.38 Even as the bombs were falling, Crerar signalled Harris at Bomber Command: “Timing and accuracy of tonight’s … heavy bombers nowin progress reported one hundred per cent. Greatly appreciate outstanding contribution your Command. We shall hope to continue and complete this battle as well as you have commenced it.”

Harris signalled back, “Thanks for message. Regret lack of wind and accumulating smoke made it unsafe to put down last third of tonnage on each objective but hope two thirds will do the trick. Don’t be shy of asking. Good luck.”39

Crerar’s report was mistaken. Although the bombing in the eastern zone largely fell on target, this was not the case to the west. Most bombs directed at May-sur-Orne exploded harmlessly in adjacent fields. Fontenay-le-Marmion suffered slight damage, while the majority of bombs obliterated the tactically irrelevant little hamlet of La Val about a half-mile westward.40

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