The action by The Regina Rifles is one of my favorite reads. The vaunted Waffen SS released a major attack and our John's dealt with them in what ranks as some of the finest IMHO close combat actions fought during the Normandy Campaign.
Cardonville Farm is one of the most interesting actions.
At 0430 hours 8 or 10 German tanks withdrew from Bretteville to harbour a short distance away. The Germans were totally unaware that they had located themselves in D Company's area at Cardonville Farm. The Company commander, Gordon Brown, relates that when he had taken over the farm earlier, he decided to make the best possible defensive use of its large stone farmhouse and the thick stone walls that surrounded it and the outbuildings. There was a small apple orchard behind the barn and the rear portion of the wall. There, he located two anti-tank guns to cover the open ground, west towards Putot. From that position also, the artillery forward observation officer (FOO) could maintain radio contact with his guns from his Bren gun carrier. A three-inch mortar was sited there also, and a platoon of infantry was assigned the area to provide defence from the rear. The men set to work knocking holes in the walls for rifle and machine gun positions, digging slit trenches for cover, and stocking up on ammunition. Although the company had lost a number of weapons in the first two days of action, they had acquired many captured German machine guns and German ammunition. However, the greatest problem that the company faced was fatigue. The men had been going for more than three days without sleep, and the strain of the landing and the advance inland was beginning to take its toll. The local people had remained in the farm buildings despite warnings about the dangers of staying. They had dug a bomb shelter in the front courtyard and had been using it for some time. A railway line ran right past the front stone wall. Trains using the line had come under attack, and a disabled train sat on the tracks 100 yards to the left of the company position. In the early evening of June 8 German tanks crossed the railway line in front of the farm and plunged into the area between C and D Company on their way to Bretteville, completely ignoring C Company in Norrey and D Company at the farm. The tanks moved on towards the battalion headquarters position in the town 1,000 yards behind D Company apparently unaware that anyone was occupying the farm. Brown relates that it was easy to carry out the apparently incredible order he had been given by the Battalion commander to ignore the tanks. However, he decided to see if he could turn his anti-tank weapons around and aim them at the now vulnerable German armour. On running to the orchard he was able to count about 10 tanks in the coloured glow of a Verey light which had been fired from Bretteville. Brown found the FOO in his Bren gun carrier in exhausted sleep. He shook him awake and asked him to get in touch with his Regiment or with battalion headquarters on the gunner net. The FOO tried his radio but could get nothing but static. Thankfully, there had been no infantry to follow-up the German armoured attack, but after pounding Bretteville, the tanks returned to the area near D Company's position at the farm. Brown was able to make out at least six tanks at the corners and the sides of the orchard. None of them were more than 75 feet from his position. He decided to remain quiet so as to not reveal his position, and prepared a quick attack on each tank simultaneously. Any precipitous action on the part of the soldiers defending the orchard would have invited disaster, and the men were cautioned not to fire on the tanks since rifles and machine guns were useless against them. Brown then headed back to the house to organize three-man tank hunting teams inside the walls. As he was doing so, he heard a sudden burst of automatic fire in the orchard. Two tank commanders had dismounted in the darkness only a few feet from Corporal W. Ritchie who could not resist the opportunity. Although he killed both, he himself was killed and the German tanks roared into action. They machine-gunned the slit trenches causing many casualties, and destroyed the anti-tank guns and the vehicles. The exploding shells set the barn and hay on fire, lighting up the whole area as bright as day and creating a terrific heat. One of the tanks began to batter down the heavy wooden gate near the barn, but with no infantry to support it, the tank left off, unwilling to chance what might be inside. D Company's casualties mounted, and they were soon down to about 50 all ranks. The tanks circled the walls of the farm, firing, but still not coming inside. Finally, as first light broke through, the tanks withdrew fearing Typhoon planes would arrive from England. It was an hour or so after this that the German infantry arrived. Brown was having a difficult time trying to keep the men of his company awake because they were now entering the fourth day without sleep. Finally, he was able to establish communications with battalion headquarters at Bretteville and to report his situation to Matheson. The company needed artillery support and fast. The artillery commander of 13 Field Regiment (of which 44 Battery from Prince Albert, was a part) was standing right beside Matheson when the frantic call came in and he was able to call down fire almost immediately. Dozens of shells impacted 50 to 200 yards in front of D Company's position, and the Germans, caught in the open, were forced to withdraw. All the companies of the Battalion had once again held their ground, and there were no further German attacks on their positions. That night, unit positions were strengthened, patrols were sent out, and the groggy men were able to snatch a few hours sleep.
Source Stewart A.G. Mein, Up the Johns! The Story of the Royal Regina Rifles. The Senate of The Royal Regina Rifles, Turner-Warwick Publications, North Battleford, Saskatchewan, 1992.
Note: The "Johns" (or "Farmer Johns") is the nickname of the Regina Rifles.
For more info this link has further accounts.
The Regina Rifles
Up the Johns!
