WorldWar II
FallenSoldiers - RockwoodCenotaph
Page 36
At 8:30 am, the 28th reported theywere under heavy attack and requested artillery support, but
because theywere still confused about their position, the artillery shells fell 6 kms away onHill 195.
At 9:00 am, BrigadeHeadquarters tried to contact the 28th but therewas no reply. By nightfall,
the28thArmoredRegiment (BritishColumbiaRegiment) had lost 47 of their 52 tankswith the
loss of 112men killed (including Lieutenant-ColonelWorthington) and 34 taken prisoner. The two
companies of theAlgonquinRegiment lost 128men killed and 45 takenprisoner.
That night, the few remaining tanks and the surviving infantrymen and tank crewmade their
way back to allied lines. Their reports describing the battle against much superior firepower and
manpower helped piece together the events of the day. After their near destruction, the 28th
CanadianArmouredRegiment (BritishColumbiaRegiment) was reinforced and re-equipped and just
fivedays later, theywere back in battle for the closingof theFalaiseGap.
Information from the few survivors told howTrooperWheeler’s tankwas hit and immediately caught
fire. Only oneof the fiveman crew escaped before the flames and fear of imminent explosion
prevented further attempts to search for survivors in themiddle of the battle.
On 9August 1944, Trooper DouglasWalterWheeler was killed in this action and buried in the near-
byBretteville-sur-LaizeCanadianWar Cemetery inCalvados, Normandy, France. His name is
alsomemorialized in theBooks of Remembrance in thePeaceTower of theCanadianParliament
Buildings, Ottawa.
