Antwerp-Turnhout Canal

The Second World War

Date

24-29 September 1944

Geographical parameters

(no geographical parameters defined)

Context

A separate engagement during the “Opening the port of Antwerp” phase and forming part of the “North-West Europe, 1944-1945” theatre honour^{Footnote 1}

Description

The 2nd Division (Major-General C. Foulkes) had crossed the Albert Canal as a result of a daring operation conducted by the Calgary Highlanders. They now faced the Antwerp-Turnhout Canal, an equally daunting obstacle. The commander was determined to take advantage of the momentum of the earlier attack and ordered 6th Brigade (Brigadier J.G. Gauvreau) to cross as quickly as possible, build a bridge and then advance northwest. The village of Lochtenberg was chosen as the site for a crossing to be effected by Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal while The South Saskatchewan Regiment would cross further to the west. The first unit succeeded in establishing a bridgehead but The South Saskatchewan Regiment did not. As a result The South Saskatchewan Regiment was pulled back and made another attempt closer to the crossing site of Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal. The resulting bridgehead was too small, the bridging site was under fire, and it was subject to continuous shelling. An enemy counter-attack later in the day drove the two units back across the canal. The brigade had suffered 113 casualties in total, although most were borne by Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal.

Its attempt to force a crossing having failed the 2nd Division actually crossed the canal on 28 September 1944 much farther east in the 49th (British) Division area where the British had secured a bridgehead. The 5th Brigade (Brigadier W.J. Megill) then expanded the British bridgehead to the west.

Awarded to:

Currently Serving Units

• The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada^{Footnote 2}
• The Calgary Highlanders^{Footnote 3}
• The Fort Garry Horse ^{Footnote 4}
• Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke ^{Footnote 5}
• Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal ^{Footnote 6}
• Le Régiment de Maisonneuve ^{Footnote 7}
• The Sherbrooke Hussars ^{Footnote 8}
• The Toronto Scottish Regiment (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother’s Own) ^{Footnote 9}

Unit on the Supplementary Order of Battle

• 14th Canadian Hussars ^{Footnote 10}
• The South Saskatchewan Regiment ^{Footnote 11}