Booby traps, shrapnel, bullets, mortar fire — there are a lot of ways for Canadian soldiers to get hurt, or worse, in Normandy. Ten days after D-Day, five wounded Canadian servicemen gather in London to talk about their ordeals and the heroism of those who got them to safety. Despite their injuries (and perhaps for the benefit of the censors) their dialogue reflects high morale and an undiminished fighting spirit.

• Operation Overlord, now know as D-Day, was the Allied invasion of Northwestern Europe. On June 6, 1944, almost 5,000 ships — the biggest armada in history — sailed to the coast of Normandy, France and landed 156,000 men on the heavily-fortified beaches. The Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy and Royal Canadian Air Force all participated in the assault.

• The British and US Armies attacked five beaches, codenamed Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah. Canadians were responsible for Juno, in the centre of the British front. About 14,000 Canadians landed in Normandy on D-Day. There were 1,074 Canadian casualties, including 359 killed.

Photo: Harold G. Aikman / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / National Archives of Canada PA-133244

Medium: Radio
Program: CBC Radio News
Episode: More Canadians Come Back
Broadcast Date: June 16, 1944
Interviewer: Jack Scott
Guest(s): Bert Bradford, Burt Bradford, Noel Canting, Noel Kanting, John McGrath, Tom Rivet, Emile Voiture, Emile Vorture
Duration: 9:03
Photo Credits: Harold G. Aikman / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / National Archives of Canada PA-133244

Last update: July 26, 2004