The 12th SS Massacre of the Canadians in Normandy | History Traveler Episode 195
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- čas přidán 8. 02. 2022
- In the days after D-Day, the Canadians of the 3rd Infantry Division found themselves up against the German 12th SS Panzer Division as they were making their way south through Normandy. Tragically, some of these men would find themselves as the victims of one the battle's worst atrocities at a place called Abbey Ardenne. In this episode, we're joining Paul Woodadge of @WW2TV as we retrace the final steps of these men as they made their way to a tragic fate at the hands of Kurt Meyer and a division of the most fanatical fighters that Germany threw into the Battle of Normandy.
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I visited the cemetery a few years ago with my 3 sons. And I made it my mission to walk each and every row and look at each tombstone. Those who are buried there deserve the complete and total respect of us the generation that lives in freedom thanks to their actions. My father fought in WW2 with the 22nd Canadian regiment.
My great uncle is buried there. JP Fountain. Died with the 27th Canadian Armored Regiment of the Sherbrooke Fusiliers in combat June 7th. Thanks for being there.
Wir leben in der Freiheit?
I'm glad you took the time to teach your sons and to show respect to those brave men Andre, good on you.
@@helmutsecke3529 we do your stuck in the past
@@xys7536 correction: you're
The Canadians will always be our heroes, they liberated our town and we will never forget them!
If any Canadians read this, thank you so much for everything
Amazing! Thanks for that.
As a Canadian I thank you for remembering those young hero's. My Great Uncle who died in France is buried in the Cabaret Rouge Cemetery at Souchez France. WW1
Same here from the North of the Netherlands. We are eternally in your debt by honour and gratitude.
Thank you from all Canadians who have sacrificed in whatever way for peace.
I cannot describe how much this is appreciated.
The people that we met on a battlefield tour of Normandy in 1992, just before the D-Day anniversary, were very hospitable.
Canadian Armed Forces 1973-2016.
As a US Army vet, I appreciate you gents covering this dark side of the war. I love Canadians. They’re the nicest people on earth. Those Canadian soldiers did not deserve this. May they RIP. Til Valhalla.
Our soldiers have fought proudly beside our American neighbor. Sometimes forgotten in history yet when military men and women like yourself talk about us you all know how much Canada has done. My utmost respect to for your service as well.
My great uncle fought with the Canadians in d-day and onwards until the end of the war
Yes, the Canadians fought with tenacity, absolute warrior's.
Thanks bro !
Not sure I agree with you. I met some pretty arrogant Canadians.
I don’t know if anyone from France 🇫🇷 will read this. But thank you for the care and respect along with the beautiful resting spots that you have given our fallen Airmen,Soldiers, And Sailors.
My respect to you all.
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I live about 30K South of this particular video subject and can attest to the gratitude of the French, my neighbours who still keep the memorials well tended and not forgotten. A cemetery near where I live holds around 800 from across the world who didn't go home. There are brass 'studs' in some streets marking where French resistance fighters had lived, an indication of the scary existence under occupation.
I have visited the Commonwealth cemetery above the beach at Dieppe. It was February, the graves/graveyard was immaculate. There were enough fresh flowers here & there .. no way they were all from visitors in the depth of winter. Well-done mes amis en France!
Their graveyards are managed by the Commonwealth Graves Commission (so 🇬🇧). Brothers.
Je termine en ce moment d'écrire un livre sur la Libération en Normandie après le D-Day . C'est surtout une division d'infanterie anglaise qui est concernée, mais mes recherches m' ont amenée à découvrir tellement d'horreurs que j'en suis malade !!! Et ce n'est qu'une toute petite partie de ce qu'ont vécu les acteurs (militaires et civils) impliqués dans cette guerre, sur le territoire français ! Je viens de tomber sur cette vidéo, une horreur de plus !!! Malgré tout mon respect et ma compassion, y compris pour les Canadiens que j'aime beaucoup, je ne pense pas que tous ces gens soient des héros. Ce sont avant tout des pions, manipulés et aveuglés, les victimes de tous ceux qui avaient intérêt à ce que cette guerre ait lieu... " La guerre, un massacre de gens qui ne se connaissent pas,
au profit de gens qui se connaissent mais ne se massacrent pas" Paul Valéry. Bien cordialement, de France.
I think I speak for all Canadians, when I thank you for such a wonderful tribute to our fallen soldiers. Well done.
Much appreciated. Thank you.
Agreed! A great tribute to the Canadians who murdered.
Are you a relative of Col Petch of the NNSH?
@@dougorford9062 it’s possible, Petch is an uncommon name. We’ve done our family history and I haven’t heard that name before.
@@OTDMilitaryHistory Just endless masturbation over a brothers war that the Allies started. Pretty sure it was Canada invading Germany with the Red Butchers. Murdering boys defending their mothers and sisters.
My wife and I visited the church where the execution of the Canadians took place back in 2018. A very solum experience for us Canadians. What I will never forget is the French tour guide a man in his 40’s, weeping as he told the story. RIP you brave heroes!
As a Canadian, this brought a tear to my eye. Thank you for such a wonderful tribute to our fallen heroes.
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As an American also.
As an American, it brought tears to my eyes too.
Did you really cry?
You cried too?
I'm a 76 year old Canadian. I weep when I hear of the sacrifices our young men and women made so that we can live free. THANKYOU to those brave men who faced such terrible experiences. May you rest in peace. Lest I forget, my thanks go to all the Allied soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice so we are free.
wait but if you're a Canadian how did any of their sacrifices help YOU be free? and if you still live in canida it's hard to say you live free when you live under the rule of a fascist dictator now
@@johnjames5712Apparently you are not familiar with Canadian politics You sound like some type of troll. If you had any balls you might identify where you are from. Then we could have an intelligent discussion about this. At least I acknowledged sacrifices made by ALL allied soldiers and stated where I'm from. Yes. Justless Trudeau and his political party are would be dictators. However we do have considerable opposition to some of their unpopular policies. No one including me has been sent to a concentration camp because of our opposition. That did happen in "fascist dictatorships". Perhaps you should study a more unbiased history than what you seemed to have.
@@johnjames5712 How come?
@@Anglo_Saxon1 you guys have a comminist dictator that is a puppet of the CCP as prime minister. Tho the us is no better when we also have a president that was not really elected and who also works for the china and not for America.
@@johnjames5712 I'm not Canadian I'm English.
When I was a USMC Marine for 7 years we of course discussed our various allies. No one was more loved and respected than our Canadian friends. We would all gladly help them in any situation. Much respect!!
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Great comment Bill !!!
JFK said, “ Geography has made us neighbours, history has made us friends. Economic’s has made us partners and necessity has made us allies, those whom GOD has so joined together let no man put asunder.”
AMEN to that.
A Canadian from Nova Scotia remembers those who gave all and says THANK YOU.
Simper fi. Thanks
I was in Viet Nam. Combat Engineer.We were on a 2 weeks joint operation with the South Korea Tiger Division. The BANE of Asia. Bane is the god of ruin and destruction. Maybe the USMC should "talk shop" with the SKMC.
Thank you for this tribute to our Canadian soldiers. My uncle was one of the young men murdered by the 12th SS Panzer at Chateau d'Audrieu just 2 months after his 18th birthday. This past summer I visited the Chateau where there is a plaque in memory of the soldiers murdered there and his grave at Beny Sur Mer...a totally humbling experience.
You may not know about the thirty Canadian POWs that were machine pistoled in field by the 12th SS. Three ran away when they saw the men waking towards then with weapons at the ready. I found this out while researching the death of a student from the school I taught in at the Library and Archives Canada.I only found out when I read a message in his file from the Chaplain General to a local chaplain asking him to notify the family about his death before Meyers trial lead to public knowledge. I have copies in the documents if you want then. All rights to this information belong to the Crown.
My grandfather was a Bren Gunner in the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, 8th Brigade, 3rd Canadian division in Normandy and faced off against the 12th SS. He told me one of his worst experiences fighting them was in Carpriquet, just outside of Caen. I once asked him about the murders of Canadian POWs at the hands of the 12th SS and all he had to say was "They started it and we finished it". I left it at that as it was obvious he didn't want to talk about it.
BREN? AN INCREDIBLE TOY.
Thanks for sharing that Robert !!!
God Bless him.
@Robert Wilson
Actually, ...
if you read "The Longest Day" by Cornelius Ryan, it becomes obvious that it was the other way around: The Canadians started it by slitting the throats of some German prisoners right on the beach.
The 12th SS was then not even close to the beach, but later they found out that the Canadians liked to chain captured soldiers behind their vehicles and to drag them to death...
General lesson: In history, no murderer ever had a problem to justify his deeds - refer to the Aesopian fable "The Wolf and the Lamb".
Thank you so much for sharing your grandfather's incredible story. I think any Allied units that came up against any SS unit was in for a scrap for sure. The rule book got tossed out the window when dealing with the SS.
I'm thanking your grandfather for his service and his sacrifices the same that I thank my father who was in the US Navy, South Pacific. He had some pretty hair raising stories about coming up against the Japanese that really made you realize what these young men went through during those tough war years.
It's cliche but we certainly owe so much to those young men and women who fought and sacrificed so much for the freedom that we enjoy today and the realization of how fragile that freedom and democracy truly is. It will always be worth fighting for.
My father fought with the Sherbrooke Fusilliers , he was my Hero , he survived till the end of the war and then volunteered for Korea . Rest in Peace Dad, you are forever in my heart and thoughts every day.
Il y a de quoi être fier de son père ! May he rest in peace.
@@marsattacks7071 merci beaucoup
I was born in Sherbrooke.
My Grandfather fought with the Sherbrooke Fusiliers as well in WW2, he was a Sergeant Major at the time of the D-Day landings in the 27th armored division. Your father and my grandfather may very well have fought side by side those many years ago!
Some of my family lived in Lenoxville just south of Sherbrooke.They have a neat museum near the Cemetery on WW ll.Such great people.I was 101 ABN in the 60 tys.
Beautifully done, JD, thank you.
I went to that cemetery when I was in France. I walked among the graves, wondered who they were, of their last moments and thoughts and of the families at home who got the terrible news and of those families who would never know and always wait and wonder.
There was a French family and to me it looked like they were having a picnic. Seeing my Canadian uniform they motioned me over and between my growing French, his English and a French/English dictionary, I learned they were celebrating "their soldier's" birthday. The French unofficially adopt a grave and the soldier becomes their soldier..
The grave they were celebrating was an unknown Canadian. I asked how they knew it was his birthday? The man replied that they didn't know, but this is the day his father had adopted the grave. He told me his father was dead so now he looks after him and in turn his son and so on forever. He said my father chose an unknown because not only did he give his life, he gave his identity so they could be free. In life, his family loved him, in death we will love him. Should he be loved less than those here because he has no name?
Who could argue with that?
We drank some Calvados, an apple brandy from Normandy, to him and to the fallen in the cemetery and wished them peace.
I returned home a different man than the one who left Canada.
What a great story, thank you for sharing.
Wonderful!!!
beautiful story, appreciate you sharing it.
The way that the French adopt and take care of those graves is something that is quite admirable.
Beautiful story!
As Canadian Vet, thank you for taking the time to tell this story. So often the Canadian contribution to both WW1 and WW2 are relegated to the back pages of history. The men that served deserve more!!! 🇨🇦 God bless the Canadian soldier!
Speaking as an American veteran, there's a whole lot of us in The States that know and respect the contributions that the cousins up North made in both wars.
@@JWWhiteTX Thank you.
Anyone who takes any sort of real look at things understands that it was a TEAM effort to win WW2.
When I was traveling around Europe in the 1980s, I met a really nice Dutch girl. She invited me back to meet her family, just outside Amsterdam. I went for dinner and the entire family praised Canadian soldiers the entire time. They showered me with food, gifts and love because of what Canadian Soldiers sacrificed in 1944. Wow, I felt I was inheriting the thank yous for them. I STILL do not feel worthy.
🪦RIP
I'm British and I know about the Canadian contributions in both world wars. I very much appreciate what your countrymen did for us. I think it's possible that young people don't know so much about it but this time is fading back into history now so there are no longer fathers and uncles to tell the story.....
@@ferney2936 Hi Thanx for the Canadian contribution during ww2 but when I see what is happening in your country today I feel disgusted Is that what the past generation fought for
This was an outstanding presentation JD and I really appreciated it. I'm American and I absolutely love the Canadians. I'm a World War II history buff and I had never heard of this tragic story . It truly was a massacre, mass murder and a serious War crime that makes me wonder why there was never any prosecution against these SS that were an abomination of human beings.
I feel like sometimes the Canadians part in World War II gets glossed over when in fact they were in some of the heaviest fighting that the Allies faced. Such as this encounter with the SS.
Also their part in the liberation of Holland and fighting along that Inlet to the port of Antwerp was an incredibly hard fight in deplorable conditions for the Canadians who basically had to run the gauntlet of the SS that was trying to deny Allied access to Antwerp.
They did their part bravely and we owe them a huge debt of gratutude for their part in defending democracy and our freedom. Much respect to my Canadian friends!
You ask why there weren't more prosecutions. I wonder that too. The allies that bombed Dresden for example. Why was nobody punished for that? I'm always surprised by people that talk about mass murder and justice but only when the allies were victims.
If the roles were reversed, what would be said then? Well done boys? They deserved it? Because that does seem to be the prevailing attitude, and it's wrong. After World War 2, the so-called justice was very one sided.
Shooting prisoners several hours after they surrendered is definitely not cool. Especially hours apart. It is undoubtedly a war crime.
The rest of the German action in this village however was well planned and executed. The allies did the same thing and were praised for it (when the Black Baron was taken out for example).
War is undoubtedly horrible. But if you are going to point fingers, point them at both sides.
My Father who is still alive today (13/09/2022) at 102 years old was injured at the Carpiquet airport. He rarely speaks about WW2. Its great that you can fill in some of historical details. I'll quiz him tomorrow about this massacre.
Oh wow! I would love to learn more about his service. Maybe shoot me an email if you wouldn’t mind. thehistoryundergroundchannel@gmail.com.
My Dad passed away two years ago, he spoke of his friends, and the laughs they had but never of the fighting.
I'm Canadian, and on my only trip to France (so far), I made the effort to visit the Abbaye after reading 'Conduct Unbecoming: The Story of the Murder of Canadian Prisoners of War in Normandy' by Howard Margolian (1998). No one was there that day apart from a couple of workers living there(?) and the memorial to the Canadians was tucked behind this wall in the back garden. Was hard to find but when I did, it was surreal to stand in this place but the tribute there with the Canadian flags was very heart warming because we do not and will not forget. Thank you for this video, really close to home.
Pretty sobering place.
Huzzah! Well said.
Thanks for sharing the info on the book Matt. I will be reading it soon.
@@steveoconnor7069 It's a brilliant book
I’m glad you do stuff on Canada. We don’t have much recognition in film and such. It means a lot.
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As an Englishman,this literally put a knot in my stomach seeing how my Canadian brothers were cruelly murdered.
May these lads never be forgotten for the ultimate sacrifice they made.
God bless them all.
We came across the Aredden Abbey just by chance when visiting France in July 2017. We were speechless as we walked around the garden reading the story. What hit us more were many of these soldiers were from our home of Cape Breton. We were with friends from France and we kept repeating to them, we may know the family members of these soldiers. This is where we live. 💔
I am french Canadian and i live near the city of Sherbrooke in Quebec, Where the Sherbrooke fusillers regiment is based this story is well known in m'y corner of the country , thank you for telling it with respect and dignity. Merci beaucoup 👍
Having Canadian grandparents and being from Maine and knowing a lot about D-day, I’m almost ashamed that I did not know the level of Canadian sacrifice during this time. Thank you for telling their story.
My pleasure!
Excellent job
Ive heard so much about the kindness and valor of the Canadian forces in WW2... May it never be forgotten...
One unit, like the police, protected one town from the USSR army thugs. The USSR may have been "allies" at the time, but stopping a major crime came first.
This just broke my heart…I had to pause this and finish crying cause I couldn’t focus on the video. Thank you for honoring these men with their story. JD appreciate you!!
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I did a battle field tour through France, Belgium and Holland in November of 2011. The Abbey Ardenne (Abbaye d'Ardenne) was one of the stops on our tour. On the tour with me was a father and son from I believe Winnipeg, their last name was Moss. David, the son, noticed a name on the monument with the same last name as he and his father. As we were looking at the pictures on the wall Chuck, the father, pointed at the fifth picture in from the right and said that that was his uncle. Prior to that day Chuck and his family had only ever been told that his uncle had been killed in action. That cold grey day in November at the Abbey Ardenne in France was the day Chuck learned the true fate of his uncle, James Alvin Moss. It was a somber and sobering experience for all in attendance, but none more so than for Chuck and David, nephew and great-nephew of a murdered Canadian soldier.
Oh wow! That is crazy.
that's a emotional powerful story that really touched me.
The garden at the Abbaye is one of the most sombre and haunting places I have ever visited.
Thank you so much for sharing that powerful story with us. What an amazing and somber way to find out the fate of their fallen Uncle. Very sad, these brave young men that were murdered in that ambush by the SS. Thanks to your uncle for his bravery in the fight to rid the world of fascism and tyranny. He's a true hero in my book and in any book for that matter.
@@Jakal-pw8yq To correct one point, they weren't murdered in an ambush. They were captured during the fighting, taken to the Abbey, and executed one by one. Every one after the first had to step over the body(s) of his murdered comrades as he was taken out into the garden to meet his end.
As a Canadian, I would like to extend my thanks to you for taking the time and effort in recalling this tragic, yet important, history. It shall not be forgotten. Beautifully done. 🍁
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I have to leave a comment. All I can say is thank you. Thank you for telling this story of a tragedy that happened to my countrymen. My grandfather served in the tank corps during WWII, my father served and I served, including in Afghanistan. Having our stories told outside of Canada is important, and you have done an incredible service to the memories of these heroes. Thank you. 🇨🇦 🇺🇸 🇬🇧 🇫🇷
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Visited that abbey and cemetery years ago. The keepers of that cemetery deserve much respect from the entire nation. One of the best maintained war cemeteries you will ever visit. Hallow ground for the entire nation of Canada.
As a proud Canadian, I've heard this story but haven't heard it told with such compassion and detal. Thanks for another great video.
Much appreciated. You all have a rich history.
Agreed. It was very well done. Thanks guys.
Ditto, so many of the facts have never been told on the history channel
We were taught about American and British battles but not Canadian. Thank you telling the story of the sacrifices of these men. We need to continue remember these them so that we can pass their stories to the next generation. Even though it was hard to watch, great video. You never disappoint.
I don’t know how much time I have left on this Earth J.D. but, I believe your historical work regarding WWII History Underground will forever be one of my favorite sources of truth and sorrow by all these men on both sides of the affair. I hope you can continue your work so others can experience this gift. Thank you again!
Thank you 🙏🏼
Fantastic documentary. So much is made of American, and British bravery in the Normandy Campaign (and rightly so)- but let us NOT ever forget the extraordinary courage of the Canadians. As an American- these sights were by far among the most powerful I saw in my 2 trips to Normandy. Amazing place, and people BTW. All should see it.
Thanks again for sharing these important stories of our fallen Canadian heroes. JD and Paul, you are both incredible storytellers! For those who are interested in the Canadian campaign in Normandy and who can read French, I strongly recommend “Mourir à Caen” by Albert Pipet.
Dang. Wish that I could read French. Glad that you enjoyed it!
You should do a story on this and share it. Would love to hear about it
I will have to look for it, Patrick!
words can not sum up the contribution that Canadians made during both world wars and only recently i visited a memorial to a canadian bomber crew that sadly crashed while on a training flight all i can say is that the heroic efforts of the many brave young canadians helped to change the world into a better place and gave many generations a chance of freedom for which i personally am grateful for
Rest in peace Canadian warriors and thank you for your service from an American, US Army veteran, honorably discharged since 1991.
As a Canadian Historian and Veteran, this is a well done video. We will never forget these heroes. They will be remembered. Thank you for the video. S!
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You told that story so reverently, JD. I was fighting back tears when you were telling how those boys were executed by the SS, and my eyes welled up when you got to the cemetery. Thank you for sharing this important event of the Normandy invasion. 🇺🇲🇨🇦🇬🇧🇫🇷
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Not "executed" but "murdered" (?)
Thank You from Canada !! Being Canadian I’ve followed your path up to Abby D’Arden , we actually spoke to the son that found the Canadian bodies in the flower gardens
Thank you for such a touching retelling of what happened at Abbey Ardenne (and the events leading up to it). The brutality of the SS and their actions are still shocking, 78 years later. I'm not going to lie, I teared up a bit watching this, especially the visit to Beny-Sur-Mer Cemetery.
Definitely proud to be a Canadian! Always think about our fallen soldiers both men and women and the sacrifices they made for our country. Lest We Forget. I lost a 2nd cousin in the war back in 2009 in Afghanistan due to a rode side bomb. Rest In Peace CPL. Tyler Crooks, also my Great Grandfather fought in one of the World Wars. May they both rest in peace. I’m very intrigued about these videos, always been heavily into the war, the history and more. Thank you for yet another great video!
What an incredible telling of an awful & tragic event. I loved Paul's telling of the difference between "that's war" and outright murder. Very powerful. Also, the story of those personalized inscriptions on the Canadian (and British) headstones is extraordinarily powerful. Powerful & poignant. Thank you JD & Paul.
Yes, reading those epitaphs is exceptionally heartbreaking.
Huge thanks for this.
I was part of a group of about sixty junior officers plus support staff, a historian, three Canadian Veterans, one former 12th SS Panzer Division (Hitler Jugend) officer, and his interpreter (also a German) on a battlefield tour in May 1992.
We followed the invasion route from the beaches to Falaise, with a side-trip to Dieppe, which was a lot to cover in three days.
One of our stops was the Abbaye, a place of great sadness. That was the only place on the tour to which the German veteran did not go.
One of the Canadian Veterans was Sydney Valpy Radley-Walters, whose name and reputation were well known to us. I first heard his name in the summer of 1974, which I spent in CFB Petawawa. I was an eighteen-year-old Reserve Infantryman of Fourth Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment at the time. Almost every day, I walked past the RCEME shops, and, for a couple of weeks, saw a Sherman Tank being painted gold therein. I finally asked why - it was to be his retirement gift.
Wherever we stopped, the historian would explain the fighting that had occurred in that location, and the Veterans would explain their actions.
We had lunch in Buron one day, sitting in the town square, in uniform, with our two tour buses and admin van parked nearby. Lunch was a couple of tough baguettes each, almost impossible to chew, and a generous amount of wine that helped to soften them. While we were sitting around and gnawing on our baguettes (I cannot remember what was in them, just how much effort was required to render them swallowable), we noticed two old men appear from an alley, look at us, and hastily disappear from whence they had come. A few minutes later, they reappeared with a couple of folding tables and began loading them up with a variety of snack foods, soft drinks, and juice boxes. Thinking that they were just trying to make some quick money, we ignored them for while, but finally somebody went over to talk to them. They explained that this was all free for us - they had hastily bought whatever they could at their own expense and laid it out for us. They said that, had they only known that we were coming, the whole village would have been out to greet us and a feast would have been laid on.
We were quite miffed by our Admin Officer, who had done the recce a month or two prior and set up all of the transport, accommodation, and feeding etcetera, as this was a huge missed opportunity for the villagers and us. It was also not the only such oversight. He picked this spot well in advance, but neglected to tell anybody.
I was struck by how many Canadian flags we saw everywhere, and by the complete absence of French flags. The really odd thing was their mint condition. Weathered pink and grey flags, with varying amounts of the side away from the staff worn away by wind, are all too common in Canada. These people had far more respect for our flag than many Canadians.
We got along quite well with the German Veteran, and bore him no ill will. His interpreter, however, on the first morning after having met him the evening before, muttered to several of us that "He's a Nazi. He's just a fucking Nazi".
We stayed in a hotel on the edge of Caen, and walked into town each night. Four of us found an excellent little restaurant close to the castle on the first night - marvellous food and wine, followed by Calvados. The other three were francophone, so did most of the talking to the staff (who they also named after Asterix characters). Our numbers grew each night, and the staff were dragged into the party each time.
I'm speechless. Mostly cause I'm crying, I proudly bear a French-Canadian surname yet we were three generations American when my father fought on D-Day. He was always quick to remind me that in no way did we win the war by ourselves. I understood but never quite got the details from him. To my fellow Americans who made this video you have earned a most special place in my prayers for helping me understand what so so inscrutable for me before.
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Did you really cry?
@@petergianakopoulos4926 actually I did. D-Day remains highly emotionally provocative for me. Thankfully I was home alone watching. Believe me-Private Ryan at a public theater was catastrophic. No one takes me for a snowflake either. I'm a retired RN-I saw enoiugh!
@@doubtingthomas51 boy i feel dumb
I am proudly Canadian, I am 60 , I've always lived free. Very well read. I am heartbroken and I am still in tears. Strongest feeling... I am so ,so angry. God bless hour heros.
Heart Broken?.....Seriously??.
Being of French Canadian descent, my heart breaks for these men and their families. Why no one was really held accountable for the murder of these men is so wrong. This was truly a war crime and should have been dealt with accordingly.
Very good question that deserves answering
The Canadian brass were overruled by senior NATO official who tried Kurt Meyer and sentenced him to death. They seemed think he was valuable in the Cold War.Other 12 SS soldiers who surrendered were not so lucky. There was a "settling of scores".
Kurt Meyer was allowed prostitutes and booze for such occasions as Christmas and New Years. I think he spent 10 years in jail.
A top SS killer, Martin Sandberger, got freed from a death sentence thanks to John McCloy and Konrad Adenauer, both married into the J.P. Morgan banking family.
@@tylermiron6854 it was political expediency, people were just so tired of it all after the Nuremberg trials
West Germany pardoned and gave light sentences to many of the worst war criminals. West Germany was full of ex-Nazis all the way until the 1990’s.
As a retired member of the Canadian Armed Forces, and having visited Authie, hell’s corners and Abbey D’ardenne, I greatly appreciate you sharing this with the world. I really enjoy your videos and look forward to more. Thank you.
Much appreciated. Thank you. 🇨🇦
Thanks from a Canadian. I’m an old man. You made me cry.
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When you enter Beny Sur Mer, if you turn left, and go all the way down to the end of the first row, you will find the grave of my Great Uncle, Harry Thomas Sharp. He was Killed in Action on July 4th 1944, in the Assault on Carpiquet Airport. I visited his grave, in 2014. Rest in Peace, Heroes of Canada. 💔💔💔
Thanks for doing this video.
My last name is Sharp. I don't know of any of my relatives that died in any war as I was told my fathers side of the family didn't participate as they were farmers or not the correct age. Yet on my mothers side my grand father was a guard at the POW camp in South Africa. There is much that is talked about or recorded accurately that is taught to recent generations. I wasn't taught about much during school about the wars except for Remembrance Day. No stories. Getting to choose to watch independent documentaries of all the events directly connected to Canadians really reminds me of how grateful I am to be Canadian. I want more people to choose to watch these types of videos. If I didn't, I wouldn't have read the comment where we could have a mutual relative. I hope to get to see in person, these memorials. In the meantime, I watch a lot of videos and learn all kinds of things that I know I can only handle at my age and am glad I didn't learn about the tragedies as a child. But I do wish that Vimy Ridge would be a Heritage Moment.
What an incredible video, I’m literally speechless. Having served as an officer in the Sherbrooke Fusiliers and having a personal connection with the Nova Scotia Highlanders and the SDG Highlanders, this video really hit home. A heartfelt thank you for covering their service/story. I will make a point to share the video with my friends from those three regiments. 🇨🇦
Much appreciated. Thank you!
We were very time-limited visiting Normandy, and it looked like the weather was going to cut our visit short. So instead of visiting sites as they came, we went to the most important sites first. This had us do a lot more driving around but made sure we wouldn't miss the most important spots. Thank god for GPS (otherwise we'd still be lost up there! lol ), it had us use a number of country back roads, going from site to site, and it allowed us to see a lot of countryside and go through a lot of tiny villages we wouldn't have seen otherwise.
So we're going through this small town named Buron, just northwest of Caen. I had never heard the name, and had no idea if any action took place there in WW2. In the middle of the town we came across this sign reading "Place des Canadiens", and there was this huge Canadian flag. This wasn't expected, so I hit the brakes, turned around and went to check it out.
Turned out the town erected a memorial for Canadian soldiers who fought against the 12th SS Panzer Division in Buron and liberated the town on June 8, 1944. Soldiers were from the Sherbrooke Fusiliers and the Highland Light Infantry. 262 losses, 62 Canadian deaths in this Buron!
There are monuments for both regiments in the park.
Everywhere we went, especially were Canadians fought, we felt a lot of gratitude from the people. Canadian flags everywhere. Very moving.
Salut de l'Ontario Francais, Yves
Thanks for sharing this story. Kurt Meyer did his time at the Dorchester Penitentiary in New Brunswick, near the border of Nova Scotia, where many of the victims were from. One of them went to the same high school as I did. I went to Normandy 20 years ago and it made me proud to see our maple leaf flag flying in so many places.
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@Martin Riley Yes I agree, Kurt Meyer should have been hanged as a war criminal as well as those other SS who did this. I've heard that Canadian trroops were so disgusted and angered by this behavior, that they also decided not to take prisoners after that.
@@franc9111 I agree about what you said about Meyer,but the Canadians are far more noble than the pigs that are the SS.They did take prisoners as they should have
Private Doucette would have been, like myself, a descendant of General Germain Doucet, Sieur de La Verdure, the Governor of Port Royal Acadia (Now Annapolis Royal, NS)
@Martin Riley Actually, he had several strokes and died in 1961 at 51 years of age so he didnt enjoy his freedom or his money long.
Thank you for putting this video documentary out there for the world to know and remember. I hope one day I am able to go there. As a proud Canadian, I am very familiar with this massacre, but was not aware of what the SS did to our Soldiers with their tanks in the town square of Authie France. The savagery of what one man can do to another, seems to know no bounds, does it?
Thank you again for such a kind tribute!
Pretty awful. Glad that I could share the story though.
The only good thing about all that is that most of those SS didn't make it out of Normandy.
Its an embarrassing and maddening reality, that as Canadians , we have come to rely on channels and videos such as these to remind us of our history. Our government doesn't deem it worthy or politically correct to teach it in school. Thanks to everyone who work so hard to keep history relevant. FOR WHEN WE FORGET THE PAST , WE ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT . ❤💯✌
To actually hear of this for the 1st time for me.
You mean the provincial governments that control curriculum and education?
What can you expect from justless turdeau and his so called peace loving clowns. They have no respect for our military traditions or their sacrifices.
@Alex Witzaney
Sadly, this is not just applicable to Trudeau, but long standing to the entrenched canadian political and educational bureaucrats.
We watch it happen for generations, but we as dutifull citizens we shrug our shoulders as they congratulate themselves.
As much as we have relied on getting history from CNN, BBC, The History Channel, etc.
Once again, thank you for your presentation of important history that we should never forget. As the daughter of a mother who served in the RAF and a father (a US citizen) who served in the Canadian army, joining in about 1939), I really appreciate the coverage of history.
This story, beautiful told with great respect, has left me saddened and angry! Death to Life to 8 years and he comes back to the site and says that's War. I am shaken to learn of this some 75 years later. Thanks as always to the both of you for taking us on this very sad journey!
Meyer was certainly not a great guy. Glad that we could share a bit of this story.
My father made it through to the end of the war 28th BC tank regiment, he said SS and German paratroopers were Hard Bitten , and treated as such,
There were a lot of 'Meyers', killers who got away with it thanks to U.S. complicity.
There was also much leniency to the eradication of the town of Oradour Sur Glane... ((or Lidice... or many other erased towns by the Germans)) ..the commanders and troops in that event also got off either nearly scott free or with punitive sentencing. I too have had a hard time dealing with such barbarism given such a minor slap... because it’s clearly far beyond “war” and into demented evil actions that cry out for capital punishment
@@bsc4344 Agreed. Over 800 people died in the church of this village.
My Father and his 6 brothers, 1 sister, mother and father came to Canada from Holland after WW2 in 1946 I can't thank the men and women enough for their sacrifice and bravery. My family would not be here today if not for all the brave souls that fought all the horrific battles... thank you thank you thank you.. ❤
As someone currently with the Nova Scotia Highlanders, I sincerely thank you for sharing this story. A story that not many Nova Scotians know but should.
I first heard about this incident in the run up to the 60th anniversary. It has stuck with me since then. This was hard to watch, but thank you for helping tell their story
Thanks JD. With everything going on these days it’s important to remember that we were once united in common cause. Your video reminds us that freedom comes at a cost. As a Canadian I’m proud of what these men did for us and I will never take that for granted.
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Stand by to stand by... In the current time frame were in, it's gonna change. I hope every one watching this channel has or will prepare for a huge awakening.... You'll about too find out how deadly it can get in a milie second, thank you JD for bringing this to our attention,,, life is short.... But it can become extremely shorter... If you don't know your history.
I am a Canadian very interested in World War 2 history, and a BIG follower of this channel.
I just want to convey my appreciation for the accurate recollection made by our American friends of the brave efforts and sacrifice of Canadian soldiers fighting in Europe in WW2, fighting along side their American and British comrades.
This channel very tastefully, accurately and with grace captures and honours the sacrifice made by all soldiers, including Canadians, and that’s what makes this channel so compelling.
Thank you for the manner by which you recall this history. Its what makes this channel so compelling, and so essential to our history.
Please keep these excellent episodes coming.
Much appreciated.
J.D & Paul, I am Canadian. thank you for sharing this sad piece of Canadian D day history. I am in tears hearing how horrific the POWs were murdered
JD, Thanks to you and Paul for sharing this story of bravery, tragic loss of life as experienced by our brace Canadian cousins. So much of WW II history that was taught in schools, and later dramatized in books and movies, focused on US and British troops. The sacrifices made by Canadian, French, and Polish soldiers are simply overlooked. GOD bless all those who sacrificed so much for the freedom of others. Lastly, it sickens me every time I hear another story of a Nazi who was convicted of war crimes and whose death sentences were reduced. Their horrific crimes deserved the ultimate penalty.
Nazism is just as EVIL as Communism.
Hope the filth BURN in Hell.
Remember that God judges all men, and the Barbarian she'll be judged harshly
That's why it's better to hand out field justice with Nazis.. You can't trust governments to do it.. I've never understood why people complain about allied soldiers executing Nazi death camp guards.. They don't deserve a trial, just like the prisoners who guards killed
The music you use for each of your episodes is spot on….just wonderful. Thank you for keeping the lives of the fallen during WWII relevant.
Thank you!
Thank you for that presentation. My father was with the British Polar bears and landed with the 1st Canadians in Normandy. I am shocked how our justice system allow these Officers to get away with murder after been found guilty ! A very sad state of affairs indeed.
This was a beautiful, touching and informative video that needs to be told to the younger generations. That the price to be a free human being is very high. The fighting Canadiens paid that price for the rest of the world . I also would like to commend the courage of some of the young French towns people who tried to carry the soldiers off the road and were killed for it . They have my highest appreciation and love
So thankful for this in-depth series on the events that took place in Normandy on June 6th and beyond. You have kept the memories of what took place at that time in history which should never be forgotten
Glad that I could share the experiences.
This is what i love about your channel. Before watching this and the last couple of video's, i never fully knew the role the Canadians played in WW2 and what they went throught. Much respect for you for showing this to us. Even more respect for the brave Canadians who fought here!
As a retired N CO in the Air Force it a sad story of Canadian brothers ! Actually brought tears too my eyes ! Why is war so terrible I cannot say until YOU see the dead who fought for freedom and gave their all . I do so salute our fallen brothers !
I've not long commented on another video of yours, I'm in my mid sixties and I've always been interested in the second world war. The Canadians are never given the status of the rest of the allied forces as far as I'm concerned in Normandy and beyond. What a brilliant fighting nation. My dad was in the royal navy in the far eastern fleet. He was proud of all the nation's that fought with the allies. God bless Canada.
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@@TheHistoryUnderground Absolutely fascinating videos, keep up the brilliant work that you do.
Quite the emotional episode. I was never aware of such brutality carried out by the SS (beyond the obvious, more well know stories) so I thank you for telling the history of this horrific time. You and Paul's methods of explaining the history in these less well know areas of the WW2 era are deeply moving and fascinating. Thank you so much for all you do.
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The Waffen SS committed a lot of war crimes but the Waffen SS shouldn’t be confused with the Allgemeine SS which the Gestapo was branched out of. Allgemeine and Waffen SS were completely different everyone categorizes them as the same thing though history was written by the victors
The SS shot British Prisoners of War on the retreat to Dunkirk
You should check the Killing of SS R. Heydrich in Prague and what the SS did after that
@@EARLESTOBART yes as they shot prisoners in Normandy burned a church down in France shot prisoners in Belgium just like I said they committed a lot of war crimes such as most elite units do even today elite units continue to do so. It’s not right but as an elite soldier you have a sense of feeling that the regular rules don’t apply to you. my comment still stands though everyone categorizes them as one thing.
@@EARLESTOBART there’s also a bunch of war crimes done by the Allies that won’t ever be talked about too. Most of the war crimes by the Allies never saw the light of day because it was said that it would “effect German relations” after the war
I remember asking Paul Woodadge about a year ago on an AMA livestream on his @WW2TV channel about places that had impacted him in Normandy. I referenced seeing the church at Angoville-au-plain. Paul mentioned Abbe D'Ardennes, and explained what had happened there. This video encapsulated the awfulness of what the 12th SS HJ were capable of. Another great collaboration with Paul. Fantastic work JD.
Very well presented, we will always remember their sacrifice. Thank you France for the great care and respect you show our fallen comrades
As a Canadian and a lover of history, this is somewhere I need to see before I die.
The courage of this generation set the bar so high for the rest of us that it's hard to achieve it. My grandparents were proud RCAF WW2 vets. Miss my grandpa a lot, he really helped me to understand what a man is and how to carry yourself, how to do what is expected no matter the cost, and how your reputation is how you're measured and what people remember. Thank you for the hard life lessons it took me 20+ years to really, properly understand. Not sure I'd be able to do what they did at that age. Respect to all who have, or continue to serve. Real evil exists, the 12th SS embodies it and it is showing up again today in the extremism and militarism throughout the world. We owe it to everyone to stand up to that evil and to take a principled stand.
This video is a testament to your power as a story teller by bringing these heroes to life and allowing their names to be remembered forever more. Well done good sir, well done.
That means a lot. Thank you.
Thank you JD and Paul for teaching us more about our Canadian Neighbors! I live in Michigan and now have even more honor of ALL Nations that fought the Tyranny. Paul said it very well, about War verses out right Murder! I salute the Canadians! Job well done and a lot at the ultimate sacrifice! Thank you for telling the History in a very educational way!
My deepest gratitude to All Canadians who gave their young lives for free Europe.
Ex Polish soldier now living in Canada salutes You.
The Poles were very trusted allies of ours in Normandy & elsewhere!
My grandfather served as the paratrooper in the Polish army and, he had fought along side with Canadians. I have been hearing about how though Canadians were.
I am now a Canadian army veteran and I would like to thank you very much for this excellent documentary. I have been in Normandy, back in 1994, for the 50th landing anniversary and I had the opportunity to chat and learn directly from older Canadian veterans who fought in Normandy during WWII. I have visited the ''Abbeye d'Ardenne'' and it gave me goose bumps. The same with the Canadian military cemetery at Bény-sur-Mer. I was told that lots of the 12th SS were feisty teenagers (13, 14, 15, 16 years old) that were brainwashed and conditioned from their training in the Hitler youth. One Canadian veteran, who was a tanker with the 27th Armoured Regiment, shared amazing stories. The Germans nicknamed the Sherman tank ''Ronson'' for a German-lighter brand, because it was easy for a Panzer tank to blow them. But the only way for a Sherman tank to knock-down a Panzer was to aim under the mid-section of the turret right where is the driver. Most Sherman tanks ran on diesel, a less flammable fuel than gasoline. But the only way for a Sherman tank to bring down a Panzer was to aim below the middle section of the turret at the driver's location. Most Sherman tanks ran on diesel, a less flammable fuel than gasoline. Once hit, the Sherman crew had 9 seconds to exit outside the Sherman diesel engine versus 5 seconds outside Sherman gas engine.
Thank you, Paul and JD, for bringing this sad story to light so that many of us can know the tremendous sacrifices that the Canadian solders made during this phase of World War II.
Our pleasure. Thank you.
Thanks for the video , as a Canadian I had a hard time watching this injustice go unpunished!
The way I look at it, Panzer Meyer may have escaped punishment for his crimes here on Earth, but he had to later face God. I trust that God dealt with him in an appropriate manner.
Thank you for sharing this story. My father was a WWII RCAF veteran, these pieces of our history help me piece together his time in the RCAF and what he saw and dealt with. He never spoke of his time overseas and only briefly mentioned the loss of numerous friends and fellow servicemen.
To the citizens of France, thank you for honouring our fallen hero’s, God bless you all.
My Great Grandfather was in the Canadian Armed Forces. A regiment called The Manitoba Dragoons along with his brothers. He volunteered in 1936 and stayed long after the war was over in Europe to help rebuild. My great grandfather and his 3 brothers all fought in WW2. But my great grandfather was the only one who made it home. While watching this it reminded me of a story that was passed down to me from my grandfather. Once in a blue moon my grandfather would talk about what his father went thru in WW2. And one evening after we watched Saving Private Ryan together when it came out. He told me about a time when my great grandfather crushed roughly 100 - 200 German soldiers with canadian armored vehicles. He explained that the Germans were camped out underneath a large bridge. And the bridge "mysteriously" ended up on top of them. details of the event are in my great grandfathers War Journal that was passed on to me. The writing is very small so it can be hard to read at certain points. But when I seen the part in this video explaining what those Germans soldiers did to the bodies of the Canadian soldiers. I thought it was only fitting to share this story. God bless 🙏
What you omitted to mention was that Kurt Meyer during his incarceration in Canada was actually let out of prison for short periods to "assist" the Canadian army in tank tactics. This caused a huge uproar when the information was made public.
Meyers went on to be a celebrate post war career, always remained a covert, steadfast adherent of Nazism. The man should have hung, but Major-General Vokes commuted his sentence! This was complete betrayal of the men who were murdered!
It happened in the US too. The US imported German/Nazi scientists, doctors, and engineers as well as officers. Much of our modern technology, health, science, military tactics and procedures came as a result of this. On the bright side, least some good came of the war and those men.
Any written word that I can offer is vastly insufficient to the honor and memory of these fallen heroes. I hope that these men have found peace as their story becomes more commonly known. Thank you again JD for bringing stories like this to light. I vow to continually learn and investigate further beyond just the American experience in WWII because of videos like this. 🇨🇦
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You are a very good teacher. Belting videos!! Thanks for making them.
On June 12th my Grandfather Ken was in Ducy, and in his secret war diary he writes - "Saw 3 French girls who gave information of 25 Canadian prisoners being shot at Audrieu. They are SS troops in front of us and are quite fanatical and very young."
It is a remarkable read, the diary. He got it from a German on D-Day, and it starts on June 6th.
I've never had a youtube video bring tears to my eyes until this video. God bless these brave souls
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Your episodes which portray individuals' stories and small unit experiences during the war are a real service to us. We mostly have read of the grand strategies, generals, etc. of the war but may have neglected to keep in mind that which happened to the ordinary soldiers. And the memory of that is very important.
Thank you. I appreciate that.
JD, I have never shed a tear for Canadian hero's before,.. today I did. Thanks again for bringing these men back to life again. So profound and powerful.
Glad that we could share a bit of their story.
@@TheHistoryUnderground I am planning to go to Normandy in 23. I will be taking your channel with me as a guide. I am 54 and I have waited a really long time for this.
I’m Canadian and thank you very much for making this video. I can tell a lot went into it (and others). Both my grandfathers fought in WW1, and two uncles in WW2. It’s much appreciated.
As a Canadian (and someone who shares an uncommon last name with one of the victims), I remember having visited the Abbaye Ardennes in 1999 on something of a personal pilgrimage. Even then the building had obvious signs of battle damage throughout and was derelict. A local told me there were plans to renovate it into a community centre of sorts. I'm grateful to be able to see it again through your very moving video. Thank you, very sincerely.
That cemetery is absolutely beautiful the way they keep the grounds.
Wow! Just wow! What a horrific thing to see at such a young age 😔. Thank you for telling this story. These stories have to be told, as ugly as they are, we can’t forget, so that it is never allowed to happen again. We must honor the brave men and women that gave their lives 🙏🏻🇨🇦
Dude was shifting gears and giving a history lesson and never skipped a beat.
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And he's on the wrong side of the road!
Hey J.D. Thanks for sharing these three videos on Canadians in Normandy. I use them in my Canadian History class. This summer I took a bus full of students to Normandy and we stopped in Autie and the Abbey Ardennes to pay our respects.
Wow, what a video. Love how Paul tells his story. I never realized how bad it was for the poor Canadians especially being run over by the tanks. Just incredible. I wish I was there with you guys, how awesome that would be. If I make it again to Normandy again, I would definitely be hiring Paul. It’s as if he lived through it and man he is good, really good. With you 2 guys together, it makes for an incredible story. Great video JD, love you man !!
Thank you! I appreciate that. And yes, Paul does an outstanding job retelling these stories.
I love that you include Paul Woodage, and reference his channel-I appreciate that rather than compete for viewers you partner up and both of you gain- I know your partnering with guests on your channel has helped me learn new sources for more info. You’re a real asset for this history buff. THANKS 🙏
I'm all for collaborating with people and doing more to tell these stories. Paul's channel certainly goes into more depth than mine.
@@TheHistoryUnderground it does, and I benefit from both …short but entertaining videos are brilliant-in depth discussion are awesome in a different way. GREST JOB to both of you!
As a Brit I say to our Canadian friends thank you for everything you took up arms with us from the very beginning and proved yourselves formidable warriors 🇬🇧🇨🇦
Excellent production, extremely moving. I did not know about Canadians in WW II. Such sacrifice...
Thank you again for sharing this Canadian story. I think the majority of us from Canada don't know about this tragedy. May we never never forget!
My pleasure. Hopefully, we'll have some Canadians who will share this video with others so that more can learn of this story.
@@TheHistoryUnderground Canadian television needs to do a D-Day documentary that highlights what they did. We typically don’t celebrate our achievements as much as we should here. We could brag on ourselves a bit more especially with these sorts of historical events. We do honour our veterans but I think we can do better.
Thanks again for your amazing work!
I like that you dont focus only on Americans but tell the storys of all ones invading Normandy
I try to show things from as many perspectives as I can.
@@TheHistoryUnderground and this is what i love about your channel and cant wait for new videos everyday
Its been a very long time since I openly wept while watching a video. So sad how my fellow Canadians faced such a terrible fate. Paul said it exactly right, those men being shot like that was not war. My heart weeps for those soldiers. May they have enteral peace. Thank you so much to you and Paul for this.
As a Dutchman I don't know how much I can thank all veterans. It must have been hell on earth. My grandfather fought in the Dutch West Indies against the Japanese. He came back with only one leg. He never said anything about the war. But sometimes I came in his room and he was just crying.