South Albertas
A Canadian Regiment at War
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Publisher: Robin Brass Studio, Toronto, 1998 ISBN: 1-896941-06-0 Suggested Retail Price (may vary): $59.95 Cdn/$49.95US Details: Hardcover, 10 1/2 x 8 3/4 inches, 408 pages, index, appendices, c. 300 illustrations (14 in colour), maps, scale drawings of vehicles and weapons, organizational charts |
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The 29th Canadian
Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (South Alberta Regiment) was formed
in 1940 from five western Canada militia units. Almost forgotten today,
the SAR formed a splendid combat record and was the only Canadian unit
to receive the Victoria Cross during the Normandy Campaign of 1944 and
the only Canadian armoured regiment to receive that medal during the
Second World War. The story of this proud unit of "boys from the bald-headed
prairie" is a chronicle of gallantry, sacrifice, military professionalism
-- and humour, for although the South Albertas took their soldiering
seriously, they never took themselves seriously and this trait will
endure them to readers who follow them from the Rockies to the Rhine.
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| Three chapters deal with the SAR's most famous action, the Battle of the Falaise Gap in August 1944, where Major David Currie earned the Victoria Cross in four days of vicious fighting. Based on new research in French, German and Polish sources, this is the most complete account of this action to appear in print. Lavishly illustrated with maps, photographs, cartoons, scale drawings and rare wartime photographs, South Albertas also contains appendices dealing with military terminology, armoured vehicles and armoured tactics. It will appeal to those interested in military history, arrmoured warfare during the Second World War, and the meaning and the cost of courage. |
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Excerpts from
South Albertas: A Canadian Regiment at War The Regiment In Action In late February 1945, as part of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division, the South Alberta Regiment participated in Operation BLOCKBUSTER, the offensive in the Hochwald area immediately west of the Rhine. While two squadrons of the unit supported the main infantry attack, A Squadron under Major Glen Macdougall was tasked with carrying out an independent right hook intended to flank the main German defensive line. Unfortunately, Macdougall and his squadron ran into well-positioned German Tiger tanks and the result was the worst single day's casualties, in men and tanks, the regiment suffered during the war ......
Sometimes War Can Actually be Fun After hard fighting in Normandy and the Low Countries during the summer and autumn of 1944, the South Alberta Regiment spent much of the following winter in Holland guarding the west bank of the Maas River. It was a relatively quiet period and there was time for a little fun, including a memorable dance held by C Squadron ......
***** (5-star, Amazon.com reviews) ... the book by which any
small unit history will have to be measured in the furture. ......
Graves's writing is concise, to the point, and very successful
in bringing the story to life. The most touching point is the
identification of every single casualty of the regiment by their
name, their pre-war occupation, age and family status, setting
a memorial for the men. ...... I found this a superbly done book,
teaching me more about the way things were then for the men fighting
than any other book I have read. It is well worth any cent it
costs, and I hope it will stay available for a long time to come.
***** (5-star/Excellent) Outstanding, from the colour photo section,
to the detailed appendices, and the "war manual" for those not
versed in WW II military terminology or practices (this is helpful
for civilian and current soldier alike, as much has changed in
50 years). The book is solidly researched from primary sources,
lavishly illustrated with photgraphs from personal collections,
and contains many personal stories and reminiscences. The darker
chapters (three men being drummed out of the regiment for raping
a Belgian woman) are given equal time with the regiment's loftier
achievements. A great book about Canadian tankers in WW II and
a must read for anyone interested in the Canadian Armoured Corps
in WW II, or Canadian soldiers at war in general. Thank you Mister
Graves for setting the standard. "a rare combination; a first class beer-and-popcorn read that
is thoroughly researched, well illustrated, balanced in its conclusions,
and -- most important for today's armor leaders -- full of insights
which are still useful. ...... Good history in an attractive package,
it is suitable for coffee tables and professional libraries alike." "Donald Graves has written not just a singular account of the
war but instead created a broader, well balanced work that satisfies
both the former member of the SAR and the general reader/historian
as well. ...... There is also the added bonus to this history
of the absolute wealth of previously unpublished or rarely seen
photographs of a Canadian armoured unit at war. ...... Without
a doubt the South Albertas is one of the finest unit histories
ever published and in fact transcends the genre to rate as a truly
great history of Canada at war." "But above all, South Albertas presents the gripping,
human story of young men who demonstrated the meaning of courage
and its cost." "There are many dreary, ill-produced histories of Canadian units.
The pity is this one wasn't published 30 years ago to become a
model other regimental associations would try to match. It has
'class' ...... Best of all there are graphic accounts of all the
unit's major fights, from the beachhead in Normandy to the armistice
in north-east Germany. ...... I am captivated by the vividness
and integrity of the narrative. What develops in a way unmatched
by other such book are short accounts wherever possible of each
man who was killed or badly wounded, often with quotes from comrades
of gritty to witty features in personality and deeds." "This is a story with the average reader in mind. It is based
on exhaustive research (often using sources that were previously
largely unused) and extensive interviews. It presents a vivid
and compelling tale of Canadians at war. ...... Written in plain
language, this is a large, beautifully-produced work, full of
maps, charts and photographs ...... "This book is truly impressive in its scope ...... It treats
the true heart of any regiment, its soldiers, with respect --
indeed affection -- tracing the stories of private soldiers as
well as officers, giving the atmospher of a family, which indeed
a regiment in combat must be. .... a regimental history that is
both easy to read and enjoyable!" "This remarkable book is first and foremost a regimental history
..." [but it is also] "an account of the Canadian campaign in
North West Europe that rivals anything I have ever read on the
subject. South Albertas provides an object lession on the
working of the regimental system where it matters most -- in war.
...... should be required reading for any student of the campaign
in North West Europe." "a book combining the feel of an informal scrapbook shared among
old friends and the meticulous report of the combat record of
a spearhead formation. ...... Handsomely done. A fine history
of a fine unit." "Graves amply demonstrates his considerable talent
as a military historian in his superbly detailed descriptions of
the battle in which the South Alberta Regiment played an inmportant
part" and "tells the stories, warts and all, of the men who did
the dirty work of fighting our wars and of those who inspired and
led them, and it does this in such a way that the unit's past is
made vivid and relevant ...... good regimental history at its best!"
John Marteinson, Canadian Defence Quarterly, Autumn 1998 |
[Chapters.ca
(excellent)] ...... probably the best regimental history written
about a Canadian unit, and I deliberately include Farley Mowat's
The Regiment in my comparison. South Albertas manages to place,
in a seamless continuum, all the vital apsects of living and fighting
as they affect a regiment, from the loves and losses of individual
soldiers, through to armour doctrine at the operational level.
The writing never flags, and the layout does it justice. This
is a book for military buffs and academics trying to grasp why
and how men fight. 