FALAISE ROAD

The Battle of Falaise Road

The battle honour “Falaise Road” was officially awarded to the 21st Canadian Armoured Regiment (GGFG) for their pivotal role in Operation Tractable, a major Allied offensive launched on August 14, 1944, to seal the Falaise Gap and trap the retreating German army. The battle is traditionally commemorated by the Regiment on August 14th.
The Advance: On the morning of August 14, the Regiment formed up in a massive, symmetrical armored block on a two-squadron front with pennants flying, moving forward on the right of the 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade.
The Chaos of Battle: To bypass German defensive fire, a heavy smoke screen was laid down. However, the combination of smoke and blinding dust kicked up from the dry summer ground made visibility nearly impossible, causing the neat formations to dissolve into scattered, isolated clumps of tanks.
Fierce Resistance: After advancing about two miles, the Regiment overran German infantry outposts and collided with a deadly screen of cleverly concealed German anti-tank guns. Half a dozen GGFG tanks were quickly knocked out, including that of the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Scott. Amidst the heavy fire, the Brigade Commander, Brigadier Booth, was mortally wounded, and Lieutenant-Colonel Scott had to immediately step up to assume command of the entire Brigade.
Extraordinary Gallantry: The chaotic battle saw remarkable acts of individual bravery:
Sergeant Norman Cavan displayed “unsurpassed gallantry,” taking his tank past disabled vehicles and utilizing a Sten gun on foot to clear out enemy snipers and machine-gun nests protecting the crews of the knocked-out tanks, earning him the Military Medal (MM).
Guardsman Joe Levitt took over his tank’s controls when his crew commander was wounded and blinded. Later, under intense mortaring, he crawled onto the back deck of the tank to manually hold a broken wireless aerial connector, single-handedly restoring critical squadron communications and earning the Military Medal (MM).
Guardsman William “Bill” O. Bebb braved intense fire to rescue a trapped comrade from a flaming tank after his own vehicle was disabled. He was awarded a Mention in Dispatches (MID) but suffered severe burns.
The Laison Crossing: Despite their heavy losses, the Regiment successfully pushed down into the Laison valley, where the Germans began surrendering in droves. Major George Baylay personally reconnoitered a viable crossing point over the River Laison south of Rouvres, allowing the Regiment’s surviving tanks to successfully cross and secure their objectives.