A Previously Unknown Unit

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

This is news to me... a good friend in Scotland, David Herbert, just called me tonight not only to say hello, but to find out if we can dig up any info on the following unit:

1st Canadian Centaur Battery (Provisional)

OC Maj DM Cooper

Total strength 7 Offs and 103 ORs organized into an HQ element and 3 troops of 4 Centaur tanks each.

Disbanded 30 August 1944

It served in support of the 6th Airborne Division as well as attached Dutch and Belgian troops. It saw action in the area of the Rivers Dives and Beuzeville during something called Operation Paddle.

We'd be interested in any history anyone can come up with, along with staffing details and unit markings. Also, 6 pdrs, or 95mm? David's interest is because he happens to have a Centaur (never mind his Ram and other bits).

Any insights appreciated.

G.

[Murray]

Hi Geoff

See the following:
http://www.forces.gc.ca/hr/dhh/Downl...hq/cmhq139.pdf

Murray

[Jon Skagfeld]

Geoff: To save you some wading around the linked document, go to para 46...ignore p 14 as a reference point.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Thanks guys! Bloody good stuff. I'll forward this to David.

[Mark W. Tonner]

Hi Geoff;

This is from a response I posted here on the forum, on 4 May 2003:

Notes on 1st Canadian Centaur Battery, R.C.A.:

- 1st Canadian Centaur Battery, RCA, was formed on 6 Aug 1944 and disbanded on 30 Aug 1944

- Under command of Major D.W.M. Cooper, R.C.A.

- Took over the Battery equipment of 'X' Armoured Battery, R.A., 6th (British) Airborne Divisional Artillery

- Organization: - Headquarters and 3x Troops

- Each Troop had: 1x Sherman O.P. tank and 4x 95mm Centaur Mk IV

- Total: 3x Sherman O.P.s and 12x 95mm Centaur Mk IV

- Personnel to man the Battery were drawn from No. 12 Canadian Base Reinforcement Battalion and by attachment to the battery of certain Royal Artillery personnel from 'X' Armd Bty (1x Capt, 15x O.R.'s, R. Sigs and 1x R.E.M.E. Fitter (Gun))

- First Action - 17 August 1944

- Battery reorganized on 28 August 1944 from a 12 gun battery to a six gun battery, with the personnel of the six gun crews being returned to the reinforcement stream

- Battery received orders on 29 August 1944 to disband effective 30 August 1944

- The Centaurs were handed over to 259th (British) Armoured Delivery Squadron and it's remaining personnel were returned to the reinforcement stream

This thread can be found here

and additional information on the battery can be found here

Cheers

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Thanks.... I missed that thread becuz I was in Yurrup at the time and although I had occasional internet access through Richard's connection, I wasn't using it to keep track of everything as I otherwise would have...

[servicepub (RIP)]

Let me have David's mailing address and I will send him the War Diary for the Unit. (David and his wife came to our place for dinner when they were in Ottawa about 3-4 years ago.)