Royal Regina Rifles commemorate 80 years since D-Day
July 26, 2024
Operation CALVADOS was a three‑phase plan to honour the history and legacy of the Regina Rifle Regiment—now the Royal Regina Rifles—which was one of the first Canadian regiments to storm Juno Beach at Normandy on D‑Day in 1944.
The first phase of the operation was the unveiling of a bronze statue to commemorate those soldiers. The statue was unveiled on June 5 in the French town of Bretteville‑l’Orgueilleuse, by Royal Regina Rifles Colonel‑in‑Chief Her Royal Highness Princess Anne.
The operation’s second phase saw current members of the Royal Regina Rifles and the Canadian Armed Forces participate in the ceremonies to mark the 80th anniversary of the D‑Day landings. This included walking alongside 99‑year‑old Regina Rifle Regiment veteran Bill Seifried as he returned to Normandy and France for the first time in 80 years.
In the final phase, current members of the Royal Regina Regiment took a 10‑day battlefield tour following the footsteps of their regimental forebears as they fought to liberate France 80 years ago. The tour took them to significant regimental historical sites across France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The following is courtesy Sergeant Jordan Donohue, a member of the Royal Regina Rifles, who participated in Operation CALVADOS in France in June.
Sgt Jordan Donohue, Royal Regina Rifles
As a member of the Canadian Forces and simply as a Canadian, words alone cannot express how humbled I am to have participated in Operation CALVADOS in June.
During Phase 1, it was surreal to see the final resting place of this statue in a location as important to my regiment’s history as Bretteville‑l’Orgueilleuse and meet Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, the Royal Regina Rifles’ Colonel‑in‑Chief.
This small Norman village was liberated by the Royal Regina Rifles 80 years ago on June 7, 1944, the day after the Canadians landed at Juno Beach as part of the D‑Day invasion. It was the site of a fierce battle between the Royal Regina Rifles and elements of the German 12th SS Panzer division, where the regiment defeated an armoured German counterattack that threatened the success of Operation OVERLORD and the tenuous beachhead secured by the allies.
Eighty years later, I bore personal witness to the support and appreciation of the French people. As we marched in a liberation parade through the streets of Bretteville‑l’Orgueilleuse, locals came out of their homes to pay their respects, clap and sing O Canada. I have never been prouder.
Caption
Don Begg and Shirley Stephens-Begg stand with the Royal Regina Rifles Commemorative Statue they sculpted during its unveiling at Thue et Mue, France, on June 5.
Photo by Cpl Antoine Brochu, Canadian Forces Combat Camera
Caption
Members of the Royal Regina Rifles escort Bill Seifried across Juno Beach on June 6.
Photo supplied
Phase 2 was extraordinary, not only because I was able participate in the 80th anniversary events on Juno Beach, but because I was given the opportunity to walk the beach with Bill Seifried, a 99‑year‑old Regina Rifle veteran. He landed as a reinforcement soon after D‑Day and fought through to the end of the war with the Regiment. It was his first time back on French soil in 80 years.
Bearing witness to this veteran’s mournful walk down the sands of Juno Beach, visibly affected by the memories of war, is an event I will never forget. I’m supremely grateful that the Royal Regina Rifles were able to pay tribute to the memory of our collective past and uphold the legacy earned in battle by soldiers like Bill Seifried.
Finally, participating in Phase 3 along with 14 other current‑serving members of the Royal Regina Rifles was incredibly impactful for my career. During the 10‑day battlefield tour, we stopped at significant places in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, where we had the opportunity to walk the same ground where our regiment fought and earned its battle honours that we proudly display to this day.
Even after seeing the hallowed ground on which these battles were fought, it’s hard to imagine the actions taken, the ferocity of those fights, and the sheer tenacity of the men engaged in combat. Walking these areas as a non‑commissioned officer brought on additional thoughts and reflections of how the ground was used, where different elements were placed, and the tactics employed. Most notably, it stirred deep emotions to see how leaders of that time bravely organized and led troops from the front, amidst high casualties on a scale unthinkable today. The outcome of the entire operation not only increased my admiration for the Regina Rifles of the past but also reinforced my commitment to serving and striving to be the best leader possible for my troops, should the day ever arise when Canada is called upon again for great things.
Caption
On June 8, the Royal Regina Rifles Operation CALVADOS contingent is led on parade through Bretteville‑l’Ongueilleuse, France, by Commanding Officer Lieutenant‑Colonel Mike McKillop and Regimental Sergeant‑Major Chief Warrant Officer Rob Wagman.
Photo supplied
Caption
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal Anne inspects the Royal Regina Rifles (RRR) on parade, accompanied by Lieutenant‑Colonel Mike McKillop, Commanding Officer RRR, and Chief Warrant Officer Rob Wagman, RRR Sergeant‑Major.
Photo supplied
Caption
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal Anne addresses the crowd during the unveiling of The Royal Regina Rifles Commemorative Statue at Thue et Mue, France on June 5.
Accompanying Her Royal Highness is Lieutenant‑Colonel Jason Quilliam, Commanding Officer 38 Service Battalion and Chief of Protocol for the Saskatchewan government.
Photo by Cpl Antoine Brochu, Canadian Forces Combat Camera
Caption
All current serving members of the Royal Regina Rifles who attended Operation CALVADOS stand with Bill Seifried, a 99‑year‑old Regina Rifles veteran, at the Juno Beach Centre on June 6.
Seifried landed as a reinforcement soon after D‑Day and fought through to the end of the war with the regiment.
Photo supplied