Affadavit of Sgt EC Sten
Sworn Deposition of L27762 Sgt Sten, Edward Carl
I, Edward Carl Sten of the town of Shellbrook, in the Province of Saskatchewan, Grain Elevator Agent, make oath and say that:
1. I was a Sergeant on strength of Regina Rifles Regiment. My regimental number was L27762.
2. On the 7 June 1944 I was stationed with 16 Platoon of said Regiment on the north side of the railroad bridge, south of La Villeneuve, near Bretteville, in Normandy. Between 1700 and 1900 hours of that day I saw a German combination motorcycle with driver and passenger rather closely followed by a German reconnaisance vehicle approaching our position along a sunken road.
3. 16 platoon opened fire on both vehicles. The motorcycle was 'knocked out' by rifle and machine gun fire and the reconnaisance vehicle vehicle was destroyed by a PIAT fired by Rfn Matyas. I saw one of the occupants of the reconnaisance vehicle struck either by a bullet or as a result of the PIAT fire and fall back into the burning vehicle. The other occupants of the reconnaisance vehicle took cover and proceeded to return our fire.
4. Under covering fire from the remainder of the platoon, I went out with a section to attack the German personnel who had escaped from both vehicles from the flank or rear. We finally made contact with them and some of them tried to escape and were killed by our fire. I believe that one of them did succeed in escaping. These Germans returned our fire until the end.
5. When I got up to the place where the bodies were I found that the two men from the motorcycle has been killed. They had succeeded in setting up a German machine gun which I think was an MG-42. One of them had his hand on the belt which was in the gun and ready to fire. I saw two other bodies which must have been among those in the reconnaisance vehicle.
6. Sgt. Jacobs, who was with me, and I recovered a German machine carbine and two Luger pistols. One of the men also got a Luger pistol but I cannot say who it was. We had to retire to our positions. We were still under German fire from a distance of about 1200 yards.
Sworn at Shellbrook, Saskatchewan 2 Dec 1945
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