Hi ct,

According to The History of The Third Canadian Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment:

Operation Totalize, Directional Fire Verrieres, 7/8 Aug., 1944 "On the night of the 7/8 August, 1944, the 16th Battery [my Dad's battery] marked out with Bofors fire the lanes and objectives for the big push that led to the break through to Falaise. In all there were four lanes each 16 yards in width, three on the right and one 500 metres east on the left flank. The guns were surveyed in north of Verrieres and gun pits dug. the positions were occupied by night. Thie firing was to begin at H hour (2330 B) and stop and H plus 55 but at the request of the tank commanders it was continued until daylight. Two thousand two hundred and eighty rounds were fired by three guns with no stoppages.

Fortress Raid Ifs area 8 Aug, 1944 On 8th August, 1944, American Fortresses, due to an error in navigation, unloaded their bombs a short distance south of Vaucelles causing a large number of casualties. Eight members of the Regiment were killed and a number injured. No anti-aircraft guns fired at them.

Directional Fire Barberry 13 Aug, 1944 The Regiment provided directional fire a second time when on 13th August, just North of Barberry, "C" Troop marked the advance of the 4th and 5th Brigades by firing a gun on each flank. In addition to giving direction it was found dtath the tracer of the Bofor shell provided a considerable amount of light. Both the Tanks and Infantry were well pleased with its help.

Use of Enemy Equipment Bretteville-sur-Laize 15 Aug, 1944 About this time, in conjunction with the Engineers, the Regiment repaired and put into action three captured 15 centimeter Nebelwerfers. On the 15th August, 1944, these were fired from two different positions near Brette-ville-sur-Laize. The results unfortunately were unknown as the visibility was bad and the fall of shot unobserved. The enemy's counter mortar reply was rapid and effective.

Pursuit 20 Aug., 1944 After the capture of Falise, while the pocket surrounding a large portion of the German army was being sealed off, the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division set oof in pursuit of the remnants of the battered German army who were escaping towards the Seine Reiver. With the superiority of the allied air force firmly established slaughter and decimation awaited an enemy that attempted to move on the roads. The Regiment, less the semi-mobile Troops attached to the Field Regiments and 20 millimeter Troops now in 'B' Echelon awaiting disbandment, was first concentrated in the Divisional area in an orchard in Morteaux-Couliboeuf.

The traffic at that time was very heavy and the roads were in a terrible state having been cratered by bombs and shells and littered with wrecked and burned out German tanks, armoured cars, and trucks. Dead horses lay about in tangles of harness still hitched to their guns and wagons just as they were when caught by the allid force on their vengeful holiday.

The Division pushed on to Le Billot and then set out for Orbec. The semi-mobile troops of the Regiment moved with their respective Field Regiments and the other two troops of each Battery with their respective Brigades. The night move through Vimoutiers was one that all drivers will remember. The town itself was a heap of rubble and the roads which were in a complete state of ruin were strewn with Tiger tanks, guns and wrecked enemy vehicles of all kinds. Althought the move was made without lights the Regiment never lost a vehicle, which is a glowing tribute to the drivers. The Infantry push, supported by the artillery was halted before Orbec by a determined enemy rearguard equipped with 88 millimeter guns and other lesser important types of artillery. Tha balance of the Regiment deployed on the flanks and rear while the town was cleared.

Opposition at Bourgtheroulde 25 Aug, 1944 The advance was slowed up again when the enemy blew the bridges at Brionne. Stiff oppositio in the Foret de la Londe near Bourgheroulde held up the Division for a time and that loop of the Seine was never crossed. it was necessary to turn right and cross at Elbeouf.

Rouen 31 Aug., 144 The Regiment passed through Rouen on the 31st August where thousands of cheering people lined the roadside. It was here that the French underground was first seen at work gathering in collaborators and escaping Germans. Women collaborators with shaven locks were forced to stand by the roadside for all to see. From then on every town and village had its haircutting parties in the town square."

Probably a longer answer than expected, but this history gives more data than I can glean from the cursory records I received from National Archives, as he has been gone less than the 20 years necessary for full records - unless I can put together a strong enough argument for an ATIP request.

Who was your father with, and what was his unit's movement through the Falaise Gap?

Michelle