BRETTEVILLE-L'ORG./NORREY/PUTOT-EN-BESSIN Calvados - 11 km west of Bayeux A pocket of resistance in a sea of flames In the morning of 7 June 1944, the 7th Canadian Brigade reached RN 13, the Regina Rifles stepped in Bretteville-l’Orgueilleuse and Norrey-en-Bessin without fighting; the Royal Winnipeg Rifles Regiment formed a hedgehog display west of Putot-en-Bessin. The next morning, an assault of the 12th SS Panzer-Division was pushed back in Norrey. But in Putot the Winnipeg were overwhelmed. On 8 June, with support of tanks and artillery, the Canadian Scottish Regiment took back Putot. In the evening the kampfgruppe Meyer-Wunsche attacked Bretteville; Canadian anti-tanks destroy several panzers. A Panther was fired with Piat a few hundred meters short of Lieutenant-colonel Matheson headquarter. In the night of 8-9 June, several German tanks broke the position of major Brown, then they withdrew from Bretteville-l’Orgueilleuse on fire. One 9 June, a company of SS Panther was pushed back in front of Norrey. On 11 June, the Winnipegs counter-attacked with support of The First Hussars tanks, but don't broke the German defenses. Then the front line stabilized during two weeks.
The Royal Regina Rifles and First Hussars stele Norrey-en-Bessin Stele dedicated to the soldiers of The Royal Regina Rifles Regiment, of the 7th Brigade (3rd Canadian Infantry Division), and the First Hussars Armoured Regiment, who liberated the town. Situation : on the main place, facing the church
The Royal Regina Rifles monument Bretteville-l'Orgueilleuse Monument in memory of the Canadian soldiers of The Royal Regina Rifles Regiment, killed in the fighting for the liberation of Bretteville-l'Orgueilleuse in June 1944. Situation : at the edge of the road D83 in the centre of the town, Canada place
The Canadian Scottish stele Putot-en-Bessin Stele in memory of the 1st Battalion The Canadian Scottish Regiment soldiers, of the 7th Brigade (3rd Canadian Infantry Division). Situation : Canadians place, near the church
ROAD MAP			INTERESTING WEB SITES Bretteville-l'Orgueilleuse city web site http://www.brettevillelorgueilleuse.com Putot-en-Bessin city web site http://putotenbessin.chez-alice.fr Personal web site about the Canadian Army http://www.canadiansoldiers.com/ Calvados departmental tourism office web site http://www.calvados-tourisme.com/ Personal web site– the webmaster takes photographs of the fighting places for the veterans http://jourji.free.fr/traducfranc.htm#textefranc   All rights of photos, texts, maps and graphics design are reserved