Hi Jim, I've done the same thing you are doing now. I had an uncle who was with the Regina Rifles and was KIA on July4/44. It has been my small mission in life for the last 8 years, to find out all I can about the "Johns" and my Uncle. I have been to Normandy and retraced the route taken by the Johns and the 3rd Division from the beaches all the way to the Falaise area along with the Cemeteries.
While it has been acknowledged that it was the Canadians who penetrated furthest inland on D-Day, it was actually the Regina Rifles D Company who were at the point of it. Not bad for a bunch of farmers eh?
They have an active association which I also belong to and they still have their yearly reunions. I attended the 2001 reunion and the launch of the book "Look to Your Front-Regina Rifles!" written by Terry Copp and Gordon Brown, DSO, MID, NBL. Gordon and I had been corresponding with one another for about 5 years before the book came out and I had submitted some personal letters and pictures to him for the book, unfortunately too late to make it to print though. Gordon Brown had also given me a very detailed description of the battle for Abbaye D'Ardenne, which sounds like your uncle was part of.
Here's a link to CBC, it has an interview with Copp about the Johns and why he chose them to write about. Click on the "Listen to the Interview" button close to the bottom of the page.
http://radio.cbc.ca/programs/thismor...es_010606.html
There are only a few books solely dedicated to the Regina Rifles and the one Mark mentioned (Up The Johns) was from 1992. It is a history of the Johns dating back to their formation as a militia unit circa 1885 to the present, with quite a bit dedicated to WWII.
"Look to Your Front-Regina Rifles!" is probably the one that would interest you the most, told by the guys in their own words. I met many of them and they are still some real characters.
The only other history/reference book of them, was written in 1946 and was intended to be distributed to every former member of the 1st Battalion and to all next of kin. This one is nearly impossible to find. I found a copy in my local library and was quite shocked......since I live in Thunder Bay. This copy isn't even allowed out of the library.
Any book on Normandy that talks about the Canadians in length, will surely mention the Regina Rifles. Copp's newest book does anyway.
Hope this helps and I will post more on it, if I can.