The 13th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery supported 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade’s landings on Juno Beach. The regiment was commanded by Lt.-Col. F de P.T. Clifford.
The regiment was made up of a Regimental Headquarters, 22nd Field Battery, 44th Field Battery, and 78th Field Battery.
The regiment first supported the landings by firing their 105 mm self-propelled guns on the way to the beach from landing craft. The 22nd Field Battery was the first of the regiment to begin firing at the beach at 0655 Hours. They supported the Regina Rifle Regiment, that was landing at Courseulles. It was later reported that the regiment’s fire from the landing craft was on target.
Gunner Holtzman, a signaller of the regiment, directed fire from the 2nd Armoured Support Regiment, Royal Marines to take out a German bunker on the beach that was causing casualties to the Regina Rifles. Many of the regiment’s Forward Observation Officers, attached to the various infantry battalions to direct artillery fire, and their supporting soldiers were killed and wounded as they came ashore and worked their way inland. Many of the landing craft they were aboard hit mines on the approach to the shore.
The rest of the regiment had landed at about 0900 Hours. The 44th Battery was the first battery of the regiment to land on Juno Beach and established itself south of Courseulles. By evening the whole regiment was in its designated position adjacent to the 12th Field Regiment between Sainte-Croix-sur-Mer and Banville.
The 13th Field Regiment suffered 6 killed and 4 wounded on D Day, Lt. J.M. Doohan, of Star Trek fame was one of the wounded. The regiment landed 387 gunners on Juno Beach that day.
Roll of Honour
DIRKS WILLIAM MERVIN
HIGGS WILLIAM ARTHUR
LEBEL STANISLAS
RAINNIE GAVIN FRASER
ROBINSON JOHN FRANKLIN
YOUNG JOHN DOUGLAS
Research and writing by Brad St.Croix, PhD