Grey and Simcoe Foresters Sherman

 

Bolt Action Campaign D-Day: British and Canadian Sectors

 

Newest book to my Bolt Action collection. I picked this up at Lantcelot Games in Blockhouse, Nova Scotia. I'll have to see about getting 28mm figures for the collection so that I can play in tournaments that they have there.

Fun fun

Over the Rhine, April 1945

Ian has been itching to get a Bolt Action game going.
I've got some super heavy tanks both for the British/Canadian forces and the Germans have some pretty heavy hitters.
So as the weather is planning on being warmon Easter Sunday I shall do battle in my garage

Canadian 1st Division moved from Italy to Northwest Europe, Spring 1945

Canadian and British troops begin to assault the Siegfried Line

The first Armoured assault goes in

and the Waffen SS begin to hammer the allied lines with well placed artillery fire

and the Waffen SS have amassed their heaviest armour to take on the British-Canadian attack

Canadians at Carpiquet Aerodrome 1944

A mix of British and Canadian armour let's see how well this force will do against the SS. I don't think I need to get anymore British or Canadian armor!

This was a mega smash up! The Canadians decided to try and take a hill to dominate the airport but the SS had figured out how to keep the Canadians from reaching their objectives. 

Ian was focused on taking out a lot of my carriers. He left .y Artillery alone but I was still unable to take and hold the hill 

D-Day 80. 1944-2024

Today would be the night the Airborne forces began the liberation of France.
Tomorrow June 6, is when it all kicked off.
I shall be doing up several battles this summer about this campaign.
My Grandfather got over there in July.
He came back, my great uncle on my father's side of the family didnt and is buried over there.

CMP Artilley tractor, Canadian War Museum

25pdr gun

WASP carrier

Sherman marked as 4th Canadian Armoured division

25pdr gun with muzzle break

Canadian Infantry officer

Sherman

CMP truck

Canadian army recieving several transportation additions

This morning I traded one of my collections to one of my new friends. In return he passed over several kits for me. These include:
Chevrolet C15A No. 13 Cab general service which I'll assign to the 2nd Division
A PSC universal carrier.
A PSC Half track
For the 3rd Division, they will receive
An Airfix Half track and jeep.
The 5th Division will receive
A Morris Quad tractor and 25pdr gun

1st Canadian Division will receive a GMC CCW.

1st Canadian Infantry Division 1939-1945

Goodness Gracioius me, I thought I had done an article on this Canadian division.
I had posted about gaming with the division in Italy but hadn't actually done a post on my modeled division.

The complete division I can field.

Support for this division comes with a Churchill and Sherman, from The King's Own Calgary Regiment, a 25pdr gun from the 1st Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery

The First Brigade consisting of The Royal Canadian Regiment, The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, 48th Highlanders of Canada.

The Second Brigade consisting of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, The Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, The Loyal Edmonton Regiment.

The Third Brigade consists of Royal 22eme Regiment, The Carleton and York Regiment, The West Nova Scotia Regiment

The Machine-gun battalion for the division which consisted of Vickers MMGs and 81mm mortars comes from The Saskatoon Light Infantry.

Normandy June 6, 1944 Canadians push inland.

The Canadians have been successful in their assault on JUNO beach but are now racing towards Caen. The Canadian 7th and 9th Brigades are to take two villages. They have tank support and some jeeps but their universal carriers and half tracks have not arrived yet.

The Germans are holding their positions with a tank unit and infantry.
The German units consist of members of the 21st Panzer Division.

This time, the Canadians meant business! They hit the Germans with a prelimary bombardment which softened them up, then rushed their lines with many units. The 9th Brigade, took casualties on the second round from the Germans.

The third turn, the Royal Canadian Artillery blasted the Germans again.
However, the Germans do have a few more armored units than the Canadians so all may not be lost on the German side.

While the Canadians closed in on their objectives, the Germans flanked the 9th Brigade inflicting sever casualties on the North Novas, the HLI and the SDGs.

The 7th brigade has fared better but is barely hanging on to their objective 

Jeeps anyone?

My collection of Jeeps, stands at about 15 at the moment.

These have come from several different company. Most are armed while a few I have as either tows or transports

2nd and 3rd Canadian divisions attempt to hold off an SS counter attack after Falaise

The Canadians begin to send their units in to stem a night attack by the SS

The Germans, using the darkness to eliminate the air cover the Allies can provide. 

The Germans were eventually able to drive off the Canadians.

1944 Campaigns Operation Totalise and Walchern Island

Both of these campaigns had significant Canadian involvement. Thus I can do some more research on upcoming actions

Hong Kong 1941: Japanese attack West Brigade, Canadian

This scenario was based on the Point Defense scenario from the main Bolt Action rule book.
Canadian units
Winnipeg Grenadiers: 12 figures
Royal Rifles of Canada: 12 figures
RA: 2x18pdr guns
1 bunker
1 Mortar, 2 Vickers MG,  Middlesex Regiment.

Imperial Japanese Army:

2 SP guns
2 75mm guns
3 tanks
1 Naval Landing Brigade
1 Imperial Japanese Army Brigade

4th Canadian Armoured Division

This Division I have the vehicles for but was short on Infantry until I was able to get a third set of Revell Germany British Army in October of 2021.

Lake Superior Regiment: Infantry mounted in an M3 Half-track: 8
Lincoln and Welland Regiment: 6 with a CMP truck
Algonquin Regiment: 6 mix of figures in Universal Carrier and foot: 6
Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada: 6
New Brunswick Rangers: MG/MTR
Two Sherman's, 1 Firefly, 3 Sextons,

5th Canadian Armoured Division

I have decided to model this Division with some of the new figures and vehicles to arrive shortly.

Infantry consists of
Princess Louise Fusiliers: MG/MTR
Cape Breton Highlanders: 8
Perth Regiment: 6
Irish Regiment of Canada: 6
I shall attach a Sherman And a Stuart shortly as well as an M3 Half-track and a Universal Carrier.
And quite possibly a Priest sp gun and 25pdr

Vehicles for this Division are on the way

Hold Until Relieved: 2nd Canadian Division, 4th Armoured Division, 11th Armoured Division, 53rd Welsh Division attack Schelt November 1944

 attempt at a panoramic shot

Royal Artillery take up position to sweep the British and Canadian front

the recce units probe forward followed by the 7th Armoured Division

the 4 Armoured Brigade takes the center covered by the 11th Armoured Division in the rear

the Germans hold a fortified town. The objective was for the British and Canadian units to take out the supply objective.

After the first round, the Anglo-Canadian force was unable to break through the line completely. Three times the Canadians had taken the German trenches, but each time they counter attacked. The Royal Artillery gave a good account of themselves, as did the Royal Air Force by taking out the German Nebelwefer, but the Canadian Second Division just couldn't hit the Germans hard enough. By the time of turn six, only the fifth and sixth brigades remained. 

Once again 1st SS LSSAH held the line.